Design of roll-to-roll printing equipment with multiple printing methods for multi-layer printing

TLDR

The appropriate printing method can be chosen based on desired properties such as thickness, roughness, and quality. This paper introduces a novel roll‑to‑roll multi‑layer printing system for electronic devices and demonstrates its use through printing tests that reveal property variations across methods. The system comprises circuit‑patterning units, tension‑control components, register‑measurement/control, drying units, and three interchangeable printing units that switch between gravure, gravure‑offset, and flexo by altering web path and cylinder placement. Printing tests show that each unit can be readily adjusted to the needed method for a given device and ink, producing measurable differences in ink properties.

Abstract

In this paper, a novel design concept for roll-to-roll printing equipment used for manufacturing printed electronic devices by multi-layer printing is presented. The roll-to-roll printing system mainly consists of printing units for patterning the circuits, tension control components such as feeders, dancers, load cells, register measurement and control units, and the drying units. It has three printing units which allow switching among the gravure, gravure-offset, and flexo printing methods by changing the web path and the placements of the cylinders. Therefore, depending on the application devices and the corresponding inks used, each printing unit can be easily adjusted to the required printing method. The appropriate printing method can be chosen depending on the desired printing properties such as thickness, roughness, and printing quality. To provide an example of the application of the designed printing equipment, we present the results of printing tests showing the variations in the printing properties of the ink for different printing methods.