Thermoplastic Board Heating Using Auxiliary Release Films
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for heating thermoplastic blanks, especially those with fiber reinforcement, face issues of inhomogeneous heating leading to surface porosity and material sticking to heating devices, which complicates cleaning and affects surface quality.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of auxiliary films as release agents between the thermoplastic circuit board and heating tools, ensuring uniform heating and preventing material adherence, with the auxiliary film's melting temperature higher than the thermoplastic material to prevent sticking and porosity, and allowing for efficient heat transfer from both sides.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If infrared radiation is used to heat thermoplastic circuit boards, then heating speed is improved, but heating homogeneity deteriorates and surface porosity occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a heating foil as an intermediary medium between the infrared radiation source and the thermoplastic circuit board. The heating foil absorbs the infrared radiation and distributes the heat uniformly across its surface, which then conducts heat to the circuit board. This intermediary approach maintains the rapid heating capability of infrared radiation while achieving uniform heat distribution and preventing surface porosity.
2Manufacturing precision
If thermal conduction heating is used with direct contact between heater and circuit board, then heating homogeneity is improved, but material sticking to heater surface occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The heating foil serves as a mediator between the heater and the thermoplastic circuit board. It provides thermal conduction for uniform heating while its specific material properties prevent the softened circuit board material from adhering to the heater surface, thus eliminating the sticking problem.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a thin heating foil that is flexible enough to conform to the circuit board surface while maintaining thermal contact. This thin film structure enables efficient heat transfer and uniform heating distribution without causing material adhesion to the heating elements.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If auxiliary film is used as release agent between circuit board and heating tool, then material sticking is prevented, but heating efficiency may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The auxiliary film is implemented as an extremely thin layer that provides release agent functionality to prevent material sticking. Its minimal thickness ensures that it does not significantly impede heat transfer from the heating tool to the circuit board, thus maintaining heating efficiency while preventing adhesion.
Solution Approach 2:
The auxiliary film's material parameters are specifically selected to have high thermal conductivity and low thickness, allowing it to function as an effective release agent while minimizing thermal resistance. This parameter optimization ensures that heating efficiency is preserved despite the presence of the auxiliary film.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Achieves homogeneous heating without surface impairment or sticking, facilitating material formability and easy removal, while preventing porosity and simplifying the cleaning process.
Implementation Method 1
the melting temperature of the auxiliary film is higher than the melting temperature of the thermoplastic circuit board and is so far above the melting temperature of the thermoplastic circuit board that the auxiliary film does stick to the thermoplastic circuit board, but does not stick to the associated surface contact tool
Implementation Method 2
Attempts by the inventors to heat thermoplastic circuit boards by means of thermal conduction in a heating device that comes into contact with the surface of the thermoplastic circuit board
Implementation Method 3
the surface of the thermoplastic board is sealed by the auxiliary film, so that the surface of the heated thermoplastic board has no contact with the ambient air and the occurrence of porosities is thus prevented
Data Source
AI summary
The method involves placing a thermoplastic board (2) between lower and upper surface contacting tools (10, 12) of a heating device (1). An auxiliary film (3) is placed between a contact surface of the lower surface contacting tool and a surface of the thermoplastic board. Another auxiliary film (4) is placed between a contact surface of the upper surface contacting tool and the surface of the thermoplastic board. A space (d) between the surface contacting tools is reduced to a predefined gap measurement. The lower surface contacting tool or the upper surface contacting tool is heated.