Vibrating Squeegee for Uniform Powder Coating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional squeegee techniques struggle to uniformly coat powder layers on metal foils due to retention issues and bridge formation, especially with low fluidity powders, as they fail to effectively manage the forces applied during the coating process.
Innovation Solution
A squeegee with a first portion vibrating in a direction perpendicular to the base material's surface on the upstream side and a second portion vibrating in a direction parallel or perpendicular to the base material's surface on the downstream side, both vibrating at high frequencies, to create a desired gap and reduce retention and bridge formation by optimizing the forces applied to the powder.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a conventional squeegee is used to coat powder on metal foil, then the coating process can be performed, but powder retention and bridge formation occur leading to non-uniform powder layer thickness
Solution Approach 1:
The squeegee applies high-frequency vibration (700 Hz or higher) to the coating surface during the powder coating process. This vibration prevents powder particles from adhering to the squeegee surface and eliminates bridge formation, ensuring uniform powder layer thickness across the metal foil while maintaining continuous coating operation.
2Manufacturing precision
If vibration is applied to suppress powder retention, then powder uniformity improves, but the complexity of the squeegee system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The squeegee incorporates a vibration mechanism that oscillates at 700 Hz or higher frequencies. This high-frequency vibration effectively suppresses powder retention and ensures uniform coating without requiring complex control systems or multiple components, maintaining relative simplicity while achieving precise coating uniformity.
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 allows for the uniform leveling of powder layers with reduced variation in film thickness and improved fluidity, effectively suppressing retention and bridge formation, even with powders of small particle sizes, thereby enhancing the coating process.
Implementation Method 1
a first portion (5) that vibrates in contact with the powder (4) on an upstream side of a relative movement direction (7) of the base material (3) with respect to the squeegee (1); and a second portion (6) that vibrates in contact with the powder (4) on a downstream side of the relative movement direction (7)
Data Source
AI summary
A squeegee is to be relatively moved in a certain direction while a desired gap is being formed with respect to a base material to uniformly level a thickness of a powder layer including powder supplied on the base material, and includes: a first portion that vibrates in contact with the powder on an upstream side of a relative movement direction of the base material with respect to the squeegee; and a second portion that vibrates in contact with the powder on a downstream side of the relative movement direction of the base material with respect to the squeegee, a vibration direction of the first portion being different from a vibration direction of the second portion.