Integrated Ultrasonic Consolidation and Electronics Printing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional ultrasonic consolidation (UC) processes do not allow for the integration of electronics during the welding process, requiring repeated stopping and restarting to integrate printed electronics, leading to tolerance and alignment issues, increased fabrication time, and costs due to the need for separate machines for UC and electronics printing.
Innovation Solution
A machine and method that integrate ultrasonic consolidation processing with electronics printing within a single enclosed space, allowing continuous processing and maintaining the part's position during transitions, enabling the simultaneous execution of UC processing, machining, and electronics printing, including the assembly of base and uppermost layers, and the integration of thermal channels and electronic components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional UC processing is used with separate machines for electronics printing, then UC welding quality is maintained, but fabrication time increases and alignment precision deteriorates due to repeated stopping and transferring
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines UC processing and electronics printing operations into a single integrated machine system. The UC processing element and electronics printing element share a common enclosed space and coordinate system, allowing both operations to be performed on the same part without transferring between machines. This eliminates the repeated stopping and transferring that cause alignment issues and time loss, directly resolving the contradiction between maintaining precision and reducing fabrication time.
2Adaptability or versatility
If repeated transfers between UC machine and electronics printing machine are performed, then both processes can be executed, but tolerance and alignment issues increase
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated machine system performs multiple functions within a single platform. The UC processing element executes ultrasonic welding operations while the electronics printing element performs screen printing or other deposition operations. Both elements operate within the same enclosed space and reference coordinate system, enabling the machine to adaptively switch between different processing modes without losing positional accuracy, thus achieving both versatility and precision.
3Device complexity
If conventional separate machine processing is used, then process simplicity is maintained, but device complexity increases due to multiple machines and transfer operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges UC processing equipment and electronics printing equipment into a single integrated device. The machine body contains both the UC processing element and electronics printing element within one enclosed space, eliminating the need for multiple separate machines and the complex transfer operations between them. This consolidation reduces device complexity while maintaining ease of manufacture through a streamlined, unified process flow.
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
This integrated approach reduces tolerance and alignment issues, decreases fabrication time and costs, and allows for the creation of complex part designs with embedded electronics and improved thermal management by maintaining the part within a single enclosed space during all processing steps.
Implementation Method 1
UC is a process in which very thin strips of material are laid down and ultrasonically welded together (similar to friction stir welding) to create a low temperature, permanent bond joint
Data Source
AI summary
A machine is provided and includes a machine body formed to define a single enclosed space, an ultrasonic consolidation (UC) processing element operably disposed in the single enclosed space for executing UC processing of a part within the single enclosed space and an electronics printing element operably disposed in the single enclosed space for executing electronics printing of the part within the single enclosed space.