Variable Thickness Circuit Board Manufacturing via Localized Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing blanks with varying thicknesses are costly and complex due to the need for heating coils and sophisticated roll stands to achieve different thicknesses in specific areas.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the temperature alteration of metallic steel blanks in specific areas, followed by rolling with a constant roll gap setting, generates different temperature zones that create varying flow resistances, allowing for the production of blanks with optimized thickness profiles using a simple and cost-effective rolling stand.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional methods are used to heat coils and use sophisticated roll stands to achieve different thicknesses in specific areas, then blanks with varying thicknesses can be produced, but production costs and device complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the temperature parameter of the blank in specific areas before rolling. By heating certain regions to different temperatures, the flow stress of the material varies across different areas, which directly influences the thickness reduction during rolling. This parameter change (temperature) allows for simple control of thickness profile without complex rolling stand mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention performs preliminary heating of specific areas of the blank before the rolling process. This preliminary action creates temperature gradients and corresponding flow stress differences in advance, so that during subsequent rolling with a simple constant roll gap setting, the material naturally deforms to the desired thickness profile. The complex thickness control is achieved through preliminary temperature distribution rather than complex rolling mechanics.
2Manufacturing precision
If conventional methods are used to heat coils and use sophisticated roll stands to achieve different thicknesses in specific areas, then blanks with varying thicknesses can be produced, but production costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
By changing the temperature parameter locally before rolling, the invention enables simple and cost-effective control of thickness profiles. The temperature-induced flow stress variation replaces the need for expensive sophisticated roll stands and complex heating coils, significantly reducing manufacturing costs while maintaining precise thickness control.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention substitutes a mechanical system (sophisticated roll stands with variable roll gap settings) with a thermal field approach. Instead of using complex mechanical mechanisms to control rolling pressure and gap, the invention uses temperature distribution to control material flow stress, which in turn controls thickness reduction. This substitution of mechanical control with thermal field control simplifies the manufacturing system and reduces costs.
3Manufacturing precision
If area-wise heating is performed before rolling with constant roll gap, then blanks with optimized thickness profiles are produced, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies heating locally to only those specific areas of the blank that require thickness reduction, rather than heating the entire blank uniformly. This local quality approach concentrates energy input only where needed, creating the necessary temperature gradients for flow stress variation and thickness control, while minimizing overall energy consumption compared to full-blank heating.
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 approach enables the production of blanks with tailored thickness profiles efficiently, reducing production costs and complexity while allowing for flexible geometric designs and reduced force-work requirements.
Implementation Method 1
The starting material is first heated in an induction heating system to a temperature above the recrystallization temperature
Implementation Method 2
different temperature zones are generated by changing the temperature in certain areas. Due to the different temperature zones, the different areas of the boards have different flow resistances
Data Source
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3a~3c
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for producing circuit boards of different thicknesses from a metallic material, comprising the following process steps: manufacturing circuit boards 10 from a strip material; selectively changing the temperature T of the circuit boards 10, thereby creating several areas 11-16 with different temperatures T11-T16 in the circuit boards 10; and rolling the circuit boards 10 with the selectively temperature-modified areas in a rolling die 40 with a roll gap adjustment, wherein the roll gap adjustment is kept constant during rolling, resulting in sections 11-16 with different thicknesses D11-D16 being created in the circuit boards 10 due to the different temperature ranges. The invention further relates to a corresponding device for producing circuit boards of different thicknesses from a metallic material.