August 2013 Archives

#166 Production Technology Level-up Course For Machine Designers - 2: Flexographic Printing Technology - 1

By システム管理者 on August 30, 2013 12:00 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Flexographic printing technology is the most rapidly growing printing technology of the type that use printing plates due to its high productivity, high precision and environmental adaptability.

(1) Flexographic printing technology

・	Elastic letterpress printing plate is rolled on a plate cylinder, and ink is applied on the surface of the printing plate by an anilox roller. The printing plate is pressed on the subject material (papaer, plastic, cloth, glass, etc) to transcribe the ink.
・	As in the [Fig.1] where the impression cylinder is a cylindrical, printing is of continuous on paper and sheets. When the impression cylinder is a flat table, it is called sheet fed planography, and flat surfaces of glass plates, plastic plates, and paper, etc.

[Fig.1] Explanation of Flexographic printing process

・	High precision flexographic printing is utilized on production of LCD display color filters [Photo 1].

[Photo 1] Flat plate Flexographic printing

・	[Photo 2] is a surface structure of a flexographic printing plate used for LCD display thin-film printing. Honeycomb shaped concave pockets hold the ink (varnish) and the transcription is made.

[Photo 2] Thin-film Flexographic printing plate

#165 Production Technology Level-up Course For Machine Designers - 1: Printing Technology As A Production Technology

By システム管理者 on August 23, 2013 12:00 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

A variety of printing techniques are being utilized in the field of manufacturing. In this volume, printing technology as a production technology will be explained.

(1) Printing technology as a production technology in manufacturing

1. Pattern drawing printing technology

・	Resolution of PC printed characters are expressed in bpi (bits per inch = dot density per 1 inch). It indicates that printed characters would be in higher definition as this dpi value increases.
・	It can be said that pattern drawing printing technology is constituted with positioning technology, high resolution technology, and ink material technology.

Pattern drawing technology = Positioning technology + High resolution technology + Ink material technology

・	The characteristics of the printing technology above have matched with manufacturing technology aiming to achieve high added values, and the printing technology is being utilized in a variety of high-tech industries.
・	Application examples

	（1）	Solder flux printing
	（2）	Printing of viscous materials such as resistive materials, etc.
	（3）	Adhesive printing for partial bonding
	（4）	Resist pattern forming for microlens array forming

2. (Overcoat) Printing technology that covers wide areas in uniform thickness coatings

・	t can be said that the (Overcoat) printing technology that can cover wide areas with uniform thickness coating is composed of highly precise print coating thickness control technology and ink materials technology.
・	The highly precise print coating thickness control techniques are utilized for forming of insulating films for semiconductors and organic films for LCDs. Required film thickness precision is in the order of dozens of nanometers (nm=1/1000μm).

Printing technology to coat with uniform film thickness = Highly precise print film thickness control technology + Ink materials technology

・	Application examples

	（1）	Semiconductor insulating film forming
	（2）	Adhesive pre-process primer application
	（3）	Thin film (insulation film, orientation film) forming of organic multi-layer thin film structures for liquid crystal displays.

#164 Production Technology Improvement Course for Machine Designers - 34: In-mold Assembly Style Low Cost Automation - 5

By システム管理者 on August 16, 2013 12:00 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

(1) Units comprising in-mold assembly LCA

The in-mold assembly LCAs are comprised of the following units.

a)	Linear motion unit (Up/Down direction)
b)	Linear motion unit (Fore/Aft direction)
c)	Crimping/Swaging/Press unit
d)	Positioning unit
e)	Linear actuator
f)	Posts

(2) Example of post structure for in-mold assembly

The post structure of in-mold assembly LCA (Low Cost Automation) is to support up/down moving assembly units for press-fitting, swaging and etc.
Therefore, the mechanical structure will need to be easy to assemble and adjust, in addition to having strength.

(1) Example of easy to assemble and adjust post structure

[Fig.1] Stand bracket type posts

(2) Example of high strength post structure

When strength is needed for the post structure, L-angles may be directly used as the post blocks.
In this case, the post structures themselves can be made interchangeable by standardizing the L angle sizes (height, width, etc.).

[Fig.2] Welded stand style post

[Fig.3] is an example of up/down motion unit directly mounted on a back plate. This up/down unit can be used for horizontal/vertical/wall mounted structures.

[Fig.3] Back plate mounted post

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