Variable Manifold Slot Die for Uniform Ink Coating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional slot dies face challenges in achieving uniform ink coating in the width direction of substrates and require complex maintenance due to fixed ink discharge mechanisms, leading to difficulties in maintaining printing accuracy for electronic devices.
Innovation Solution
A slot die with variable manifolds, where each manifold is independently driven by a driver to adjust the partial discharge amount of ink based on the substrate's coating state, allowing for real-time adjustments in ink flow to ensure uniformity by changing the cavity's volume at specific positions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a conventional slot die with fixed manifolds is used, then the structure is simple, but the coating uniformity of ink in the width direction of the substrate deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The slot die is divided into multiple independent manifold units (first manifold unit, second manifold unit, third manifold unit, fourth manifold unit), each capable of independently adjusting ink discharge. This segmentation allows localized control of ink flow to different sections of the substrate width, enabling uniform coating across the entire width by compensating for variations in each section.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces movable manifolds that can reciprocate within the slot die body along the width direction of the substrate. This dynamic capability allows the manifolds to adjust their positions and ink discharge amounts in real-time based on coating requirements, transforming the static fixed-manifold design into a dynamic adjustable system that maintains coating uniformity.
2Ease of repair
If the slot die is disassembled to remove foreign materials, then the discharge port can be cleaned, but the maintenance time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The movable manifolds are designed to be extractable from the slot die body without complete disassembly. The manifolds can be removed individually through the ink supply ports, allowing foreign materials to be accessed and removed directly from the discharge ports while the rest of the slot die structure remains assembled, significantly reducing maintenance time and complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The ink supply ports serve as intermediary access points that allow the movable manifolds to be extracted and manipulated without dismantling the entire slot die assembly. This intermediary access mechanism enables maintenance personnel to reach the discharge ports through the existing ink supply openings, simplifying the maintenance process.
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is a slot die with variable manifolds and a controlling method thereof. The slot die with the variable manifolds, which applies ink on a substrate to perform a coating process, includes: a first body having a length corresponding to a width of the substrate and having a cavity configured to accommodate the ink supplied from the outside; a second body having a length corresponding to the first body and having an discharge port, from which the ink is discharged, formed in one side thereof when the second body is coupled to the first body; a plurality of variable manifolds disposed in the cavity in a width direction of the substrate and installed so as to reciprocate in the cavity; and a plurality of manifold drivers disposed at one side of the first body and connected to the plurality of variable manifolds to allow the plurality of variable manifolds to reciprocate, respectively, wherein each of the plurality of variable manifolds is independently driven according to a state of the ink coated on the substrate and adjusts a partial discharge amount of the ink discharged from the discharge port by changing a partial volume of the cavity at an arrangement position thereof.