Vacuum Lamination Pressing Structure for Void-Free Flat Laminates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laminating apparatuses face challenges in achieving high adhesion and flatness between a base material and resin while minimizing tact time, often leading to voids and irregularities due to the use of low-fluidity resins and complex surface topographies.
Innovation Solution
A laminating apparatus incorporating a vacuum laminating device and a flat press laminating device with movable plate blocks, utilizing elastic pressing plates and controlled pressing forces between 1.67 to 3.97 MPa per 500 mm square area, to ensure uniform adhesion and flatness without generating voids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the resin is heated at a higher temperature to reduce tact time and improve fluidity, then the resin flows more easily into the recesses of the base material, but thermal curing starts which impairs fluidity and generates voids
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by precisely controlling the heating temperature to remain below the thermal curing point of the resin. This allows the resin to maintain its fluidity and flow into base material recesses without initiating thermal curing, thereby avoiding void formation while still reducing tact time through appropriate temperature selection.
2Strength
If the resin is heated to increase flexibility and improve adhesion, then the resin follows the irregularities of the base material better, but the surface flatness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses parameter changes by selecting and controlling the heating temperature to optimize the balance between adhesion and surface flatness. The temperature is set high enough to improve resin flexibility and adhesion to irregular surfaces, but low enough to prevent excessive fluidity loss that would compromise surface flatness.
3Strength
If the pressing force is increased to improve adhesion and fill recesses, then the resin adheres better to the base material, but the resin fluidity is impaired and voids are generated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by optimizing the pressing force within a specific range that is sufficient to ensure good adhesion between the resin and base material, but not so high as to impair resin fluidity and cause void formation. This balanced pressing force parameter achieves both objectives simultaneously.
4Adaptability or versatility
If the resin with low fluidity is used to meet variety requirements, then more resin materials can be used, but the adhesion and flatness levels become difficult to maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses parameter changes by establishing specific ranges for temperature and pressing force that accommodate resins with low fluidity. These optimized parameters enable the resin to achieve sufficient fluidity for good adhesion and surface flatness, thereby allowing the use of diverse resin materials including those with low fluidity characteristics.
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
The apparatus enhances adhesion and suppresses void formation, enabling efficient production of high-quality laminates with improved flatness and reduced tact time, even with challenging resin materials.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum laminating device for pressing the base material and resin under reduced pressure
Implementation Method 2
the forwardly and backwardly movable plate block includes an elastic pressing plate
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed is a laminating apparatus capable of suppressing the generation of voids in a resulting laminate and manufacturing a laminate with improved flatness, including a vacuum laminating device and a first flat press laminating device. The vacuum laminating device includes a pair of plate blocks, and a base material and resin are pressed between the plate blocks. The plate block which is movable forwardly and backwardly includes an elastic pressing plate and a buffer material, and the buffer material has a multi-layer structure comprised of not less than three layers including a fiber layer and a rubber layer. A pressing force against the base material and the resin between the pair of plate blocks is set in the range of 2.5 to 3.97 MPa per 500 mm square area.