EP3725523A1 - Device and method for the preparation of three-dimensional screen printing workpieces - Google Patents

Abstract

Apparatus for the production of three-dimensional screen printing workpieces, in particular a 3D screen printing system, with a printing device for the layer-by-layer production of at least one screen printing workpiece in several printing processes and with at least one workpiece carrier for at least one screen printing workpiece, the printing device having at least one printing table plate formed separately from the workpiece carrier on which the The workpiece carrier can be positioned to carry out a printing process, has a printing upper work with a printing screen and a position detection device for detecting the position of the workpiece carrier, the printing device being designed for fine adjustment and the fine adjustment the position detection of the workpiece carrier by the position detection device and the setting of the relative position and / or relative alignment between the Includes workpiece carrier and the printing screen depending on the position detection.

Description

The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing three-dimensional screen-printed workpieces. The present invention also relates to a method for producing three-dimensional screen-printed workpieces.

From the prior art in the publication WO 2014/187567 A2 a system for producing three-dimensional screen-printed workpieces is known. In this system design, a printing station is provided into which a printing table is arranged so that it can be moved in and out. A printing table can be moved into the printing device for printing a layer and out of the printing device for drying and into a hardening system positioned adjacent to the printing station. According to the WO 2014/187567 A2 finally the possibility of providing two hardening systems arranged adjacent to the printing station. In this case, two printing tables are also provided, which are moved into the printing station alternately with one another and moved into the respectively assigned hardening plant for drying.

In spite of the arrangement of a plurality of drying stations, however, the printing station can be underutilized during operation. This is due to the fact that the drying of a printed layer within a drying station takes more time than the printing of a layer. The productivity of the system is therefore limited.

Against the background set out above, the object of the present invention was to provide a device for the production of three-dimensional screen-printed workpieces, which ensures increased productivity with high operational reliability at the same time. The object was also to provide a method for producing three-dimensional screen-printed workpieces.

With regard to the device, this object has been achieved by the subject matter of claim 1. A method according to the invention is the subject matter of claim 18. Advantageous embodiments are the subject matter of the dependent claims and are explained below.

According to the invention, a device for producing three-dimensional screen-printed workpieces is provided. The device is in particular a 3D screen printing system, preferably an automated 3D screen printing system.

The device according to the invention has a printing device for the layer-wise production of at least one screen-printed workpiece in several printing processes and at least one workpiece carrier for at least one screen-printed workpiece. The printing device is equipped with at least one printing table plate which is formed separately from the workpiece carrier and on which the workpiece carrier can be positioned for carrying out a printing process. Furthermore, the device has an upper printing unit with a printing screen and a position detection device for detecting the position of the workpiece carrier, the printing device being designed for fine adjustment and the fine adjustment recording the position of the workpiece carrier by the position detection device and setting the relative position and / or relative alignment between the workpiece carrier and the printing screen includes depending on the position detection.

Due to the possibility of fine adjustment, a high degree of manufacturing accuracy or repeat accuracy can advantageously be achieved in the production of three-dimensional screen-printed workpieces. In particular, different layers of a three-dimensional screen-printed workpiece can be printed with high accuracy. In addition, more complex structures or geometries can be produced through fine adjustment. Finally, the position detection of the workpiece carrier can be done with less effort than a direct position detection of the screen-printed workpiece itself. The position detection of a workpiece carrier as the basis for the fine adjustment enables a high level of productivity.

In the present case, three-dimensional screen printing can be understood in a particularly preferred manner as an additive manufacturing process in which a powder-based suspension is transferred to a substrate using a doctor blade through a fixed printing mask and dried. This procedure can be repeated several times until the desired component height or component shape is achieved. In a final process step, the component produced in this way can be sintered. This can create a screen-printed workpiece.

In the present case, screen printing workpieces can preferably be understood to mean workpieces that are to be or have been subjected to a sintering step. This applies in particular to workpieces made of a metal, a ceramic, a glass material and / or a plastic material. In particular, alloys of steel, nickel, copper, titanium and / or ceramic alloys come into consideration.

Printed products made of plastic materials can be excluded or included in the term "three-dimensional screen-printed workpiece". In particular, there is also the possibility of subjecting printed workpiece layers made of plastic material to a sintering step.

In the present case, fine adjustment can be understood to mean a setting with an accuracy tolerance of +/- 10 μm with regard to the position and / or of up to +/- 0.05 ° with regard to the alignment or rotational position.

In the present case, fine adjustment can also be understood to mean a setting with an accuracy tolerance of +/- 5 μm with regard to the position and / or of up to +/- 0.03 ° with regard to the alignment or rotational position.

In the present case, fine adjustment can also be understood to mean a setting with an accuracy tolerance of +/- 2 μm with regard to the position and / or of up to +/- 0.02 ° with regard to the alignment or rotational position.

In the present case, fine adjustment can also be understood to mean a setting with an accuracy tolerance of +/- 1 μm with regard to the position and / or of up to +/- 0.01 ° with regard to the alignment or rotational position.

In the present case, fine adjustment can also be understood to mean a setting with an accuracy tolerance of +/- 0.5 μm with regard to the position and / or of up to +/- 0.005 ° with regard to the alignment or rotational position.

The above-mentioned accuracy tolerances relating to the fine adjustment can relate to all of the types of fine adjustment mentioned below and / or the actuating drives that may be required for this.

According to a preferred embodiment of the device, the workpiece carrier can be detachable from the printing table plate between two successive printing processes for a screen-printed workpiece for drying the screen-printed workpiece. A screen printed workpiece can accordingly be produced in layers and the respective workpiece carrier can be used between the printing processes for a screen printed workpiece be detached from the printing table top. As a result, the individual layers of a screen-printed workpiece can be dried between two successive printing processes in a position released from the printing table top or passed through the drying device for the continuous drying cycle.

During operation, the printing table plate can thus advantageously be loaded with different workpiece carriers, so that the utilization of the printing device can be increased. In particular, the downtimes of the printing device can be reduced to the times required for retrofitting or loading a new workpiece carrier. The overall productivity of the system can be further improved in this way. This results in the device being particularly suitable for use in mass production.

In a preferred manner, the device can be designed so that the print material or the workpiece or component to be printed remains on the workpiece carrier between the printing of different layers. This can reduce the risk of damage to the printed matter, in particular a workpiece or component that has not yet been completely printed. At the same time, the position detection of the workpiece carrier allows a high degree of repeat accuracy between the printing of successive layers.

In a further preferred manner, the device can be designed to produce workpiece or component accuracies of up to 50 μm, particularly preferably of up to 30 μm, in particular of up to 20 μm, more preferably of up to 10 μm. In the present case, workpiece or component accuracy can be understood to mean accuracies of an external and / or possibly existing internal geometry of a workpiece or component. This can in particular be the accuracy of a finished workpiece act or component. Such accuracies can relate to dimensions transverse to a pressure build-up direction, that is to say along an X-axis and / or a Y-axis. Such accuracies can also relate to dimensions in a pressure build-up direction, that is, along a Z-axis. The preceding axis designations can in particular correspond to the axis designations of a device claimed here, which will be discussed in greater detail below.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the device for generating pressure heights, in particular workpiece or component heights, of up to 200 mm, of up to 100 mm, in particular of up to 75 mm, preferably of up to 50 mm, more preferably of up to 30 mm, even more preferably of up to 20 mm, even more preferably of up to 10 mm. Furthermore, the device can be designed to generate pressure heights, in particular workpiece or component heights, of less than 200 μm, in particular less than 100 μm, in particular less than 50 μm, particularly preferably less than 25 μm.

In a further preferred manner, the device for producing printed layers with a thickness of less than 1 mm, in particular less than 0.5 mm, preferably less than 0.25 mm, more preferably less than 0.2 mm, can be even further preferably less than 0.1 mm, particularly preferably less than 0.05 mm or less than 0.025 mm.

In an even more preferred manner, the device for producing components or workpieces can be designed with a number of up to 1000 layers, in particular up to 750 layers, preferably up to 500 layers or up to 250 layers. A screen-printed workpiece can have at least two printing layers, in particular more than two printing layers.

According to a preferred embodiment, a transport device can be provided for the automated transport of at least one workpiece carrier, in particular for a plurality of workpiece carriers. The transport device can preferably have a transport circuit for the automated transport of the at least one workpiece carrier and / or be designed as a transport circuit. Likewise, the transport device can be set up for automated transport in the circuit between the printing device and at least one position spaced apart from the printing device and / or the printing table plate. A particularly favorable flow of material within the device can be achieved by means of a transport circuit of this type, so that the overall productivity of the device can be improved. Manual handling of individual workpiece carriers can thereby be completely avoided or reduced to a small extent.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the transport device and / or the transport circuit can be configured to be multi-lane at least in sections and / or single-track at least in sections. In this way, different transport capacities can be implemented for different transport sections.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the transport device can be formed, at least in sections, by a conveying means, in particular a belt conveyor. It can also be advantageous if the transport device and / or the transport circuit is formed by a fiberglass-Teflon-coated fabric tape or several such fabric tapes. A transport device designed in this way or such a transport circuit ensures a high degree of operational safety.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the transport device can have a plurality of transport paths running at an angle to one another. Furthermore, the transport device can have at least one corner transfer device, in particular with conveyor belts running transversely to one another. In this way, the course of the transport device can be flexibly adapted to the respective requirements of the device or selected for installation in a suitable manner.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a positioning and / or handling device can be provided for prepositioning a workpiece carrier on the printing table plate, in particular for prepositioning with an accuracy tolerance of +/- 500 μm for the position and / or of up to +/- 5 ° concerning the alignment or rotational position of the workpiece carrier.

In this way, it is possible to reposition the workpiece carrier relatively precisely on the printing table top or to reposition it in preparation for further steps.

Furthermore, a positioning and / or handling device for prepositioning a workpiece carrier on the printing table plate can be designed with an accuracy tolerance of +/- 1000 μm for the position and / or of up to +/- 10 ° for the alignment or rotational position of the workpiece carrier.

A positioning and / or handling device for prepositioning a workpiece carrier on the printing table plate can also be designed with an accuracy tolerance of +/- 200 µm for the position and / or of up to +/- 2 ° for the alignment or rotational position of the workpiece carrier.

A positioning and / or handling device for prepositioning a workpiece carrier on the printing table plate can also be designed with an accuracy tolerance of +/- 100 µm for the position and / or of up to +/- 1 ° for the alignment or rotational position of the workpiece carrier.

A positioning and / or handling device for prepositioning a workpiece carrier on the printing table plate can also be designed with an accuracy tolerance of +/- 50 μm for the position and / or of up to +/- 0.5 ° for the alignment or rotational position of the workpiece carrier .

A positioning and / or handling device for prepositioning a workpiece carrier on the printing table plate can also be designed with an accuracy tolerance of +/- 25 μm for the position and / or of up to +/- 0.25 ° for the alignment or rotational position of the workpiece carrier .

The above accuracy ranges relate in particular to positions along a plane transverse to the direction of construction of the screen printing workpiece (X-direction and Y-direction) or to the rotational position about an axis (Z-axis) running in the direction of construction.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, the device can be equipped with a positioning and / or handling device, by means of which the workpiece carrier can be positioned on the printing table plate in an automated and / or defined manner. Such a positioning and / or handling device can ensure the positional accuracy of the workpiece carrier on the printing table plate and avoid the need for manual handling will. In particular, there is the possibility of repositioning the workpiece carrier precisely or relatively precisely using the positioning and / or handling device.

Such an automated and / or defined positioning by a positioning and / or handling device can involve pre-positioning, in particular with the above accuracy information. After such prepositioning, fine positioning can also take place, which will be discussed below. Fine positioning can also already be carried out by a positioning and / or handling device.

The possibility of precise repositioning of the workpiece carrier can be particularly advantageous for printing subsequent layers. By means of a positioning and / or handling device, the workpiece carrier can initially be arranged in a specific position or in a specific orientation on the printing table plate. After a printing process has taken place in this position or alignment of the workpiece carrier, the workpiece carrier can be detached from the printing table top for drying. The positioning and / or handling device can now be used to precisely reposition the workpiece carrier on the printing table top, possibly with fine positioning following prepositioning.

In other words, the workpiece carrier can be positioned on the printing table top according to the previous pressure. Deviations in the position and / or alignment of the workpiece carrier on the printing table plate between two successive printing processes can thus be avoided.

More preferably, the positioning and / or handling device can be designed to recognize the position of the workpiece carrier. The repositioning of a Workpiece carrier on the printing table can be done with particularly high accuracy in this way. In particular, the recognition of the position of the workpiece carrier can influence the repositioning process and thus promote correct positioning and / or alignment of the workpiece carrier on the printing table plate.

The position of the workpiece carrier can be recognized by the positioning and / or handling device both in a starting position and / or in an end position. The starting and end positions can be provided, for example, on the printing table top or also in a feed area of the printing table top or in a discharge area of the printing table top.

The positioning and / or handling device can more preferably be designed as part of the transport device. A high degree of integration of the different device components and thus also a high degree of automation can thus be realized, so that a particularly advantageous suitability for the mass production of 3D screen-printed workpieces results.

According to a further embodiment, the positioning device can have a conveyor, in particular a belt conveyor. The conveying means and / or the belt conveyor can preferably run into the printing table top and / or be embedded in the printing table top and / or can be lowered and / or raised relative to the printing table top. Such a conveying means can convey workpiece carriers up to the printing table plate with only little effort and a relatively high level of process reliability. By lowering the conveyor or the belt conveyor, the workpiece carrier can be placed on the printing table plate. By lifting the conveyor or the belt conveyor, the workpiece carrier can be raised again from the printing table plate and transported away from it.

Furthermore, the handling device can also be a pick-and-place device. The handling device can also be designed as a handling robot. Such handling devices ensure high accuracy and flexibility in operation.

Overall, the automated handling of a workpiece carrier by the positioning and / or handling device can ensure a further improved productivity of the device. Manual operation of the device can be reduced to a small degree or completely avoided by providing a positioning and / or handling device. The risk of impairment of the production process due to operating errors is reduced in this way.

According to a further embodiment, the positioning and / or handling device can be designed for multi-sided loading of the printing table plate with workpiece carriers. There is the possibility that a positioning and / or handling device is arranged on several sides of the printing table plate, in particular for loading the printing table plate from different sides. As a result, the utilization of the printing device can be increased further, as a result of which productivity can be improved.

According to one embodiment of the device according to the invention, an alignment device is provided by which the workpiece carrier can be aligned and / or positioned in a defined manner on the pressure plate. In this way, the correct position of the workpiece carrier on the printing table plate can be ensured for two successive printing processes. The production of a respectively desired component geometry can thus be achieved reliably. In particular, it can be ensured in this way that a workpiece carrier until the end of the entire printing process, including the printing of several Printing positions, is positioned on the printing table plate with sufficient repeatability. This improves process reliability.

An alignment device can be formed, for example, by a mechanical positioning element and / or by at least one stop. In this way, the positional accuracy of the workpiece carrier on the printing table plate can be ensured with particularly little effort. There is also the possibility that the alignment device is formed by a positioning and / or handling device described above. An alignment device can advantageously ensure pre-positioning with the above-mentioned accuracy information for pre-positioning.

The alignment device can furthermore be designed as part of the transport device and / or the printing device, whereby the integration of the device, in particular the different devices, can be further increased. The degree of automation can preferably be increased in this way and thus productivity improved.

In a further preferred manner, the transport device can run at least in sections along at least two levels, in particular two height levels and / or two levels running one above the other in the height direction. The flexibility of the course of the transport device can be improved as a result. A lifting device, in particular a lift arrangement, can be provided between the two levels of the transport device, preferably a plurality of lifting devices. The transport device can furthermore be designed at least in sections with a vertical drop, in particular a vertical drop running between two planes of the transport device. Such a height gradient can preferably be formed on a return path to the printing device. This allows a lower level to be targeted in the return will. Due to the gradient in height, the influence of gravity can be used to transport workpiece carriers, at least in sections.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the device according to the invention can be equipped with at least one drying device for a screen-printed workpiece. By means of such a drying device, after a printing layer has been applied, the last printing layer carried out can be reliably dried in order to then again apply the next printing layer to the screen-printed workpiece.

The drying device is preferably designed with a drying section for the continuous drying cycle of screen-printed workpieces and / or workpiece carriers. This permits an overall continuous production process for a plurality of screen-printed workpieces or with a plurality of workpiece carriers on which screen-printed workpieces can be arranged. Both the printing and the drying can be carried out essentially without interruption by a continuous drying cycle, whereby the overall productivity of the device can be further increased.

The drying section is preferably designed as part of the transport device, so that the integration of the device can be further improved. In particular, the transport device can run through the drying device so that manual handling of the workpiece carriers can be completely avoided.

In a further preferred manner, the workpiece carrier can be moved through the drying device independently of the printing table plate, in particular can be moved automatically through the drying device. It is accordingly provided that by releasing the workpiece carrier from the printing table top Once the printing has taken place, the workpiece carrier is moved into the drying device without a printing table plate and thus only the workpiece carrier is exposed to any temperature loads. The printing table top thus always remains outside the drying device and is not exposed to any temperature loads, so that the printing table top itself or also peripheral components for the printing table top are subject to less wear or can be implemented with relatively little structural effort.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the workpiece carrier can be moved automatically through the drying device and / or can be moved through the drying device at variably adjustable speed. Due to the automated movability, a particularly low handling effort for the workpiece carrier can be ensured. Due to the variably adjustable speed for moving the workpiece carrier through the drying device, the drying intensity for the respective screen-printed workpieces can be adjusted with little effort. Likewise, by setting the travel speed, it is possible to adapt to the number of workpiece carriers in circulation or to adapt to the printing speed in the printing device, so that overall an essentially uninterrupted or quasi-continuous production process within the device can be ensured.

It can also be advantageous if the drying device is set up for drying at least one screen-printed workpiece by means of convection and / or thermal radiation, in particular infrared thermal radiation. By using different heat transfer mechanisms, the drying process can be flexibly adapted to the respective application conditions.

The drying device preferably has a plurality of convection and / or heat radiation units. Furthermore, in an advantageous manner the active length of the drying device can be variably adjusted, preferably by activating and / or deactivating at least one convection and / or heat radiation unit. Accordingly, the heat input into a screen-printed workpiece can be adapted by adapting the active length of the drying device depending on the conditions of use. The activation or deactivation of convection and / or heat radiation units can be accomplished with little effort. The overall flexibility of the device is improved in this way.

The drying device can in particular be a drying tunnel through which the workpiece carriers are automatically conveyed for drying. Convection and / or thermal radiation units can be provided within the drying tunnel. The active length of the drying tunnel can be variably adjusted.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the number of drying devices can be the same as or less than the number of printing devices. For example, several printing devices can be assigned to a single drying device, so that workpiece carriers are guided from several printing devices to a single drying device. In this way, a relatively high printing capacity can be realized and a large drying volume can be provided within the drying device, for example by means of a relatively high drying intensity.

It is also possible for the number of drying devices to be greater than the number of printing devices. In this way, a particularly high utilization of printing devices can be ensured. The risk of downtimes or dead times for individual printing devices can be reduced in this way.

There is also the possibility that several printing devices are provided, each printing device being assigned at least one drying device and / or each drying device being assigned to at least one printing device. In this way, the motion sequences of individual workpiece carriers can be appropriately defined and adapted to the respective application.

According to a further preferred embodiment, a plurality of workpiece carriers can be provided, each of which can be positioned within the printing device in order to carry out a printing process. For this purpose, the workpiece carriers can be transported automatically by the transport device, in particular can be transported simultaneously along different sections of the transport device. This can further improve the productivity of the device.

At least one of the workpiece carriers can be individually and / or traceably marked. Preferably, all workpiece carriers are individually and / or traceably marked. With such a marking, all process steps with regard to a workpiece carrier can be traced and / or automatically recorded or documented.

Different stations of the device, for example the printing device and / or a cooling or drying device, can recognize the respective workpiece carrier by means of an identification and can store the process steps carried out in relation to the workpiece carrier. Every process sequence carried out in relation to a workpiece carrier can thus be traced in a higher-level data structure. This can be particularly advantageous in the case of different printing devices when using a common drying device.

For example, there is the possibility that different workpieces or workpiece types are produced at different printing stations, possibly with different material formulations and / or layer thicknesses and / or printing screens. The respective material formulations and / or layer thicknesses used can in turn have an influence on the required drying process, so that the drying process can be individually adapted or alternately changed for drying different screen printed workpieces on different workpiece carriers. In addition to operational safety, operational flexibility is also improved by appropriate identification of the workpiece carriers.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the at least one workpiece carrier is provided with at least one marking, preferably with a plurality of markings. Such a marking can preferably be recognizable electronically, in particular by RFID, optically and / or by camera. The process reliability can be further improved in this way, since such a marking simplifies the continuous or repetitive acquisition of information with regard to the respective workpiece carrier.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the at least one workpiece carrier is provided with at least one marking for individual identification and / or individual tracking of the workpiece carrier, in particular with an individual identification for tracking. Such a marking can accordingly have an electronic and / or optical identifier by means of which the respective workpiece carrier can be traced.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the at least one workpiece carrier is provided with at least one marking for position detection, in particular a plurality of markings for position detection. The marking for position detection is preferably a marking over which the position and / or alignment of the workpiece carrier is detectable. In particular, such a marking can be detected optically. Two markings can preferably be provided for position detection per workpiece carrier, whereby the position and / or alignment of the respective workpiece carrier can be determined with a high degree of reliability. In particular, one marking in each case can be detected by a respectively assigned detection device, in particular a camera, which is described in more detail below. For example, two cameras can be provided, each of which is set up to capture one of the markings on a workpiece carrier to be captured.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the workpiece carrier has a marking that can be detected by a position detection device and / or by a positioning and / or handling device and / or a transport device. The detection reliability or detection speed can be improved in this way. Both the handling of the workpiece carrier and the fine adjustment of the position and alignment of the printing table plate or the printing superstructure can be simplified in this way.

According to a further preferred embodiment, at least one storage device, in particular an input and / or output memory, is provided which can be designed for the temporary storage and / or automated receiving and / or output of at least one workpiece carrier, preferably a plurality of workpiece carriers. By means of such a storage device, individual workpiece carriers can be specifically ejected from the production process and / or reintroduced into it, for example in order to wait for further passes from other workpiece carriers within the device. For example, workpiece carriers can be ejected from the production process and temporarily stored in the storage device until a screen change has taken place in the printing device. After changing the screen can then the respective workpiece carrier can be fed back into the production process from the storage device and then fed into the printing device equipped with the new screen at the desired time. The manufacturing flexibility or efficiency can be improved in this way.

In a further preferred embodiment, the transport device can be designed for the automated transport of the at least one workpiece carrier, preferably for a plurality of workpiece carriers, between the printing device and the cooling device and / or between the drying device and the input and / or output memory and / or between Input and / or output memory and the printing device. Such a transport connection between the individual devices or stations of the device can in particular form a circuit. A particularly favorable flow of material between the printing device, the drying device and / or the storage device can be ensured by such a transport circuit. The requirement for manual handling of individual workpiece carriers can hereby be reduced to a minimum or completely avoided.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the transport device and / or the transport circuit can lead through the drying device in multiple lanes. Furthermore, in the transport device or in the transport circuit, the return from the drying device to the printing device can be configured in a single lane. Fewer tracks can be provided in the transport section returning from the drying device to the printing device than in the transport section leading through the drying device. In this way, a large drying capacity can be provided with a relatively short length of the drying device.

More preferably, the transport device or the transport circuit can have a bridging section for bridging the printing device. The transport circuit can be designed for a workpiece carrier to pass through the drying device several times, in particular without passing through the printing device. Accordingly, a workpiece carrier can be guided several times through the drying device before being returned to the printing device in order to ensure a high degree of drying. At the same time, unnecessary passage through the printing device through workpiece carriers can be avoided, whereby productivity is further improved.

According to a further preferred embodiment, an inspection area can be provided adjacent to a printing area of the printing device, in particular for inspecting a screen-printed workpiece and / or a workpiece carrier and / or for inspecting a relative position and / or relative alignment of a workpiece carrier on the printing table top and / or for inspecting a relative position and / or relative alignment of a screen printed workpiece on a workpiece carrier. A printing area is to be understood here as an area within which printing processes can be carried out by the printing device. An inspection area that is separate from the printing area can be particularly geared towards any inspection processes and thus promote high process accuracy. In addition, good accessibility in the inspection area can be guaranteed, also for any necessary inspections by operating personnel.

An inspection area can be designed in a further preferred manner as part of the printing device and / or as part of the transport device. This results in a high degree of system integration.

According to a preferred embodiment, the printing device has a support arrangement, in particular a frame, for the printing table top. The printing table top can therefore be carried by the support arrangement. Such a support arrangement or such a frame can be designed, for example, by support feet or also by a support frame for supporting the printing table top against a floor surface.

The printing table plate can be immobile, in particular fixed, relative to the support arrangement. In this way, a particularly robust design can be achieved with only little constructive effort.

It is also possible for the printing table plate to be movable relative to the support arrangement. Such mobility can be limited to a printing area of the printing device. As mentioned above, a printing area can be understood to mean an area within which printing processes can be carried out by the printing device. Movements of the printing table plate in positions in which no printing processes are to be carried out on the printing table plate can therefore be excluded. The structural effort with regard to the mobility of the printing table plate can be limited in this way. At the same time, the relatively low mobility of the printing table plate ensures a minimum of functionality.

It is also possible for the printing table plate to be movable only in the direction of pressure build-up. Such mobility can advantageously be used to set the jump value between the printing screen and the workpiece carrier or to adjust the distance between an underside of the printing screen and an upper side of a workpiece or a print item.

In the present case, jump is to be understood to mean the distance between the printing screen and the workpiece carrier on which a workpiece or a printing item can be produced in layers. By changing the jump you can accordingly, the distance between the underside of the printing screen and the upper side or an upper edge of a workpiece or printed matter can be kept constant.

By fixing the printing table plate relative to the support arrangement or by restricting the mobility of the printing table plate to a printing area, possibilities of movement of the printing table plate up to a drying device can also be avoided. In this way, temperature loads on the printing table plate and any drive mechanisms can be safely reduced or completely avoided.

According to a further embodiment, the printing table plate can be designed as a sliding plate, in particular an exchangeable sliding plate. In particular, two printing table plates of the printing device can be designed as sliding plates, in particular exchangeable sliding plates. Accordingly, between two different printing processes, the respective desired printing table plate can be brought into the printing position by shifting operations. Accordingly, the printing table plate can also be moved beyond the printing area and / or as far as an inspection area arranged outside the printing area.

According to a further embodiment of the device according to the invention, the upper printing unit can be equipped with a printing and / or flooding doctor blade. The printing upper unit can also have a screen holder and / or an upper unit frame. A printing paste can thus be applied to the respective print panel or further printing paste layers to the workpiece or print material via the printing top.

In a preferred manner, the printing superstructure and / or the printing screen can be moved relative to the printing table plate and / or relative to the support arrangement of the printing table plate be arranged. Accordingly, for example, the entire upper printing unit including the printing screen and possibly other components can be movably arranged. A mobility of the printing screen within the printing upper unit can also be provided, for example relative to a upper unit frame. A mobility described above can be used for setting for subsequent printing operations and thus improve the manufacturing flexibility and manufacturing accuracy.

Likewise, the printing superstructure and / or the printing screen can be arranged immovably relative to the printing table top and / or relative to the support arrangement of the printing table top. This results in a particularly robust structure. An immovable arrangement of the printing top and / or the printing screen is particularly advantageous when the printing table plate is movable relative to the support arrangement in order to ensure relative mobility between the printing table plate and the upper working and / or printing screen.

Furthermore, it is possible that a mobility of the printing top and / or the printing screen relative to the support arrangement and / or relative to the printing table plate is limited to a printing area of the printing device. Such a configuration can be particularly advantageous when the printing table plate is immovable relative to the support arrangement, so that relative mobility between the printing top and printing table plate or printing screen and printing table plate can be ensured, as mentioned above. If the printing screen is movable relative to the printing table plate, the printing screen can be movable, in particular, within the upper printing unit. In particular, mobility can be limited to a pressure area.

In a preferred manner, the printing device can be used for fine adjustment between two successive printing processes for a screen-printed workpiece and / or for fine adjustment between the application of successive printing layers or printing layers can be set up and / or designed for a screen-printed workpiece. The process and / or workpiece accuracy can be increased in this way.

A fine adjustment can preferably be the adjustment of the relative position and / or relative alignment, in particular rotational position alignment, between the printing table plate and the printing top or between the printing table plate and the printing screen. A fine adjustment can also be the setting of the relative position and / or relative alignment, in particular rotational position alignment, between the workpiece carrier and the printing top and / or between the workpiece carrier and the printing screen. The repeat accuracy for printing successive printing positions or printing layers can be further improved in this way. An actuator or a plurality of actuators can be provided for the fine adjustment.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the printing superstructure and / or the printing screen can be displaceable for fine position adjustment relative to the support arrangement and / or relative to the printing table plate in the direction transversely through the pressure build-up direction. It can also be provided that the printing top and / or the printing screen for fine alignment adjustment, in particular fine adjustment of the rotational position, can be rotated about an axis of rotation running in the pressure build-up direction. At least one adjusting device, preferably a plurality of adjusting devices, can be provided for the fine adjustment of the position and / or alignment, in particular the fine adjustment of the rotational position, of the printing superstructure and / or the printing screen.

The pressure build-up direction is a direction in which the respective print layers are arranged one after the other. The direction of pressure build-up is preferably also referred to as the Z-axis. The directions across the Pressure build-up directions are accordingly also referred to as the X-axis or Y-axis. By means of a fine position adjustment in the direction transverse to the pressure build-up direction, a translational movement of the upper printing unit and / or the printing screen, in particular relative to the support arrangement and / or relative to the printing table plate, is accordingly enabled. By rotating the printing top and / or the printing screen about an axis of rotation running in the pressure build-up direction, which can be a Z-axis, alignment of the printing top and / or the printing screen is also possible.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the printing table plate can be moved in a direction transverse to the pressure build-up direction for fine position adjustment relative to the support arrangement. Likewise, for fine alignment adjustment, in particular fine adjustment of the rotational position, the printing table plate can be rotatable about an axis of rotation running in the pressure build-up direction. Consequently, instead of the movement or rotation of the printing top and / or the printing screen for fine position adjustment, a corresponding movement or alignment of the printing table plate can also take place. In particular, the printing table plate and thus also the workpiece carrier arranged on the printing table plate can be moved translationally and / or rotated in space.

For the fine adjustment of the position and / or alignment of the printing table plate, at least one adjusting device can preferably be provided. A plurality of actuating devices can also be provided, for example for each movement axis of an actuating device. Finally, it is also possible for both the printing table plate and the printing superstructure or the printing screen to be movable or rotatable for the fine adjustment of the position and / or alignment.

The manufacturing precision can be further increased by the possibilities of fine adjustment of the position and / or alignment. By loosening the workpiece carrier from the printing table top in the course of the screen printing process, a recurring positioning of the workpiece carrier on the printing table top is necessary. On the one hand, a high degree of accuracy in the screen printing process can now be ensured by precisely positioning or aligning the workpiece carrier on the printing table plate. The manufacturing flexibility and / or manufacturing accuracy can be further improved by the possibility of fine adjustment of the position and / or the alignment of the printing upper work, the printing screen and / or the printing table plate.

In a further preferred manner, the printing superstructure and / or the printing screen can be moved in a pressure build-up direction in order to set a jump height relative to the support arrangement and / or relative to the printing table plate. This in turn allows the manufacturing flexibility and / or manufacturing accuracy to be further improved. Likewise, the printing table plate can also be displaceable in a pressure build-up direction for setting a jump height relative to the support arrangement and / or relative to the printing superstructure and / or relative to the printing screen, as mentioned above with regard to the possibility of movable arrangement of the printing table plate. At least one adjusting device can be provided for setting a jump height. In particular, an adjusting device for fine adjustment of the jump height can be provided.

According to a further preferred embodiment, at least one position detection device is provided for a screen-printed workpiece and / or for the printing table plate. There is also the possibility that a plurality of position detection devices is provided, in particular different position detection devices for position detection of different components or for covering different detection areas.

In a preferred manner, an adjusting device of the printing table plate and / or an adjusting device of the printing superstructure can be set up to provide a position and / or to carry out fine alignment adjustments as a function of a position detection by a position detection device. A control loop can be implemented by means of which fine positioning or alignment adjustment is made possible with particularly high accuracy.

According to a preferred embodiment, one or the position detection device can be set up to measure the position and / or alignment of a screen printing workpiece and / or the workpiece carrier in space and / or relative to the printing table top and / or relative to a support arrangement for the printing table top and / or relative to a To capture print upper work. Likewise, one or the position detection device can be set up to detect the position and / or alignment of the printing table plate relative to the support arrangement. Accordingly, a control loop can be implemented with regard to the absolute position of the printing table plate in space or relative to the support arrangement.

According to a preferred embodiment, a position detection device can be set up to detect the position and / or alignment of a screen-printed workpiece relative to the workpiece carrier arranged below. The process and / or workpiece accuracy can thereby be further improved.

Likewise, a position detection device can be set up to detect the position of a workpiece carrier by means of at least one marking, in particular by means of at least two markings, on the workpiece carrier. This can be done with little effort and relatively high accuracy.

Furthermore, a position detection device for position detection can be designed and / or arranged within a pressure area. This enables a high level of process and system integration to be achieved.

Likewise, a position detection device can be designed for position detection outside of a pressure area, in particular within an inspection area arranged outside of the pressure area. A position detection device can also be arranged outside the printing area and / or within the inspection area. Installation space restrictions can thus be avoided and overall good accessibility or visibility for operating personnel can be ensured.

In a further preferred manner, the position detection device can have at least one camera, in particular a camera arranged below or above the printing table plate. The printing table plate can thus be arranged between the camera and the printing top. Furthermore, the position detection device can be set up to detect the cover of at least one opening in the printing table plate by the workpiece carrier. The printing table top can accordingly be equipped with defined openings, for example circular openings, which are partially covered by a workpiece carrier when positioned on the printing table top. The extent and shape of the cover of these openings by the printing table top can be recorded by a camera and a conclusion can be drawn from this about the position of the workpiece carrier on the printing table top. A corresponding camera can also be arranged above the printing table top, for example on the upper printing unit.

There is also the possibility that the position detection device is set up to detect the position of the workpiece carrier in a position spaced apart from the printing table plate. The position detection of the workpiece carrier in a position spaced apart from the printing table plate can serve in particular to initiate a handling process. Thus, by detecting the position, a positioning and / or handling device can contact or grip the workpiece carrier in a targeted or highly reliable manner realize and then carry out a repositioning on the printing table top or initiate a targeted transport or conveying up to the printing table top. Likewise, when detecting the position and / or alignment of the workpiece carrier relative to the printing table top, the position detection device can initiate the handling and / or conveying of the workpiece carrier away from the printing table top. The degree of automation can be increased further in this way, as a result of which the overall productivity of the device can be further improved. Finally, different position detection devices can be provided for different detection functions, for example in the form of several cameras or camera systems.

According to a further preferred embodiment, a position detection device for a printing screen can also be provided, in particular for detecting the position and / or alignment of a printing screen in space and / or relative to a printing upper work and / or relative to the upper work frame and / or relative to the printing table top and / or relative to a support arrangement for the printing table top.

In a further preferred embodiment, a height detection device can be provided, in particular a height detection device for a screen-printed workpiece or for a print item. Such a height detection device can detect the current structural height of a screen-printed workpiece which is positioned on the workpiece carrier and / or the printing table. Depending on the height detection, a jump height can be set. The height detection can take place selectively at a representative position of the screen-printed workpiece or the printed matter. The height detection device can also be formed by a camera system. In particular, the height detection device can be designed as a unit together with the position detection device.

According to a further preferred embodiment, the printing table plate can be designed for the temporary fixation of the workpiece carrier, in particular for the temporary fixing in a defined and / or aligned position on the printing table plate. The printing table plate can thus ensure that the position of the workpiece carrier is reliably maintained for a printing process. At the same time, the temporary fixability or releasability of the workpiece carrier from the printing table top ensures a sufficiently high degree of flexibility, in particular for loading the printing table top with a plurality of workpiece carriers during the production process.

The printing table plate can for example be a perforated plate, in particular a perforated plate for vacuum fixing of the workpiece carrier. With such a configuration, precise and secure fixation of the workpiece carrier on the printing table plate can be ensured with little effort. At the same time, a vacuum fixation enables the workpiece carrier to be easily detached from the printing table plate for the purpose of moving or transporting the workpiece carrier to a subsequent process step by releasing a generated vacuum.

The printing table plate can in particular be a dimensionally stable or rigid plate. The printing table top can be, for example, 1 to 10 cm thick, preferably 2 cm to 8 cm or 3 cm to 7 cm thick. In particular, the printing table top can have a thickness of approximately 5 cm. The printing table top can be made of a wear-resistant material, in particular a metal material.

The printing table top can in particular be designed as a printing table top with multiple uses. A print panel should be understood to mean that area which can be printed by means of the printing device.

More preferably, the printing device can have a plurality of printing table tops. Different printing table plates can therefore alternately be used for one print, whereby downtimes can be further reduced.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the workpiece carrier can be produced from a temperature-resistant material and / or designed as an aluminum plate, in particular as an aluminum plate anodized on both sides. The workpiece carrier can also be designed as an aluminum plate in sections and consist of a different material in other sections. There is also the possibility that the workpiece carrier is produced at least in sections from a ceramic material. Workpiece carriers designed in this way have only a slight tendency to deform, so that a high degree of operational reliability can be ensured through any drying processes for the screen-printed workpieces.

In a further preferred manner, the workpiece carrier can have a thickness of 1 mm to 4 mm, preferably 1.5 mm to 3 mm, in particular 2 mm to 2.5 mm or about 2 mm. On the one hand, such a workpiece carrier has sufficient dimensional stability and thus longevity. On the other hand, workpiece carriers dimensioned in this way are sufficiently light to be able to be positioned by a handling device with only little effort and with sufficient accuracy.

In a further preferred manner, the device and / or the printing device of the device can have a screen changing device, in particular for automated screen changing. Such a screen changing device can advantageously remove an existing screen from a screen receptacle of the printing superstructure and replace it with another screen. The screen changing device can do this be equipped with a magazine for storing a plurality of printing screens.

In a further preferred manner, the device can have a plurality of devices that can be modularly connected to form a device system. In particular, several printing devices and / or several drying devices can be provided. A plurality of storage devices can also be provided so that the overall productivity and / or flexibility of the device can be further improved.

More preferably, the printing, drying and / or storage devices can be modularly connectable to form a device system. In particular, multiple printing devices and / or multiple drying devices and / or multiple storage devices can be modularly connectable to form a device system. In this way, an adaptation to the respective production requirements can be carried out in a particularly advantageous manner, without the need for a complete redesign.

In the case of an already configured device with a printing device, a drying device and / or a storage device, an additional printing device or an additional drying device or an additional storage device can advantageously be arranged or connected in a modular manner in order to increase the capacities and / or the functionalities if necessary expand. The overall flexibility is improved in this way.

Another independent aspect of the present invention relates to a device for producing three-dimensional screen-printed workpieces, in particular a 3D screen-printing system, with at least one printing device for the layer-wise production of at least one screen-printed workpiece in several printing processes and with at least one workpiece carrier for at least one screen-printed workpiece, the printing device being equipped with at least one printing table plate formed separately from the workpiece carrier, on which the workpiece carrier can be positioned to carry out a printing process, and wherein the workpiece carrier is used between two successive printing processes for a screen-printed workpiece to dry the Screen printing workpiece is detachable from the printing table plate.

Another independent aspect of the present invention relates to a device for the production of three-dimensional screen printing workpieces, in particular a 3D screen printing system, with at least one printing device for the layer-wise generation of at least one screen printing workpiece in several printing processes, with at least one drying device for a screen printing workpiece and with at least one transport circuit for the automated transport of the at least one workpiece carrier.

Yet another independent aspect of the present invention relates to a device for the production of three-dimensional screen printing workpieces, in particular a 3D screen printing system, with at least one printing device for the layer-wise production of at least one screen printing workpiece in several printing processes and with at least one drying device for a screen printing workpiece, the drying device as Drying section is designed for the continuous drying cycle of screen printed workpieces.

Yet another independent aspect of the present invention relates to a device for the production of three-dimensional screen printing workpieces, in particular a 3D screen printing system, with a printing device for the layer-by-layer production of at least one screen printing workpiece in several printing processes, with at least one workpiece carrier for at least one screen printing workpiece and with at least one drying device for a screen-printed workpiece, the Printing device has at least one printing table plate formed separately from the workpiece carrier, on which the workpiece carrier can be positioned to carry out a printing process, and wherein the workpiece carrier can be moved through the drying device independently of the printing table plate.

Yet another independent aspect of the present invention relates to a device for the production of three-dimensional screen printing workpieces, in particular a 3D screen printing system, with a printing device for the layer-wise production of at least one screen printing workpiece in several printing processes and with at least one workpiece carrier for at least one screen printing workpiece, the printing device at least a printing table plate formed separately from the workpiece carrier, on which the workpiece carrier can be positioned to carry out a printing process, and has a printing upper work with a printing screen, the printing device being designed for fine adjustment and the fine adjustment setting the relative position and / or relative alignment between the printing table plate and the Includes printing screen.

For example, for this purpose, the printing screen can be moved within the printing upper unit or relative to further components of the printing upper unit and / or the entire printing upper unit including printing screen. A movement of the printing table plate for setting the relative position and / or relative alignment is also possible. This also applies to the independent aspects of the present invention described below.

Yet another independent aspect of the present invention relates to a device for the production of three-dimensional screen printing workpieces, in particular a 3D screen printing system, with a printing device for the layer-wise production of at least one screen printing workpiece in several printing processes and with at least one workpiece carrier for at least one screen printing workpiece, the printing device at least one separate from the workpiece carrier formed printing table plate, on which the workpiece carrier can be positioned to carry out a printing process, and a printing upper work with a printing screen, wherein the printing device is designed for fine adjustment and the fine adjustment includes setting the relative position and / or relative alignment between the workpiece carrier and the printing screen.

Yet another independent aspect of the present invention relates to an apparatus for producing three-dimensional screen printing workpieces, in particular a 3D screen printing system, with at least one printing table plate, in particular for a screen printing workpiece and / or for a workpiece carrier, with a printing screen and with an adjusting device for the printing screen, wherein the adjusting device is set up for the fine position adjustment of the printing screen in directions transverse to a pressure build-up direction.

Yet another independent aspect of the present invention relates to a device for the production of three-dimensional screen printing workpieces, in particular a 3D screen printing system, with a printing table top, in particular for a screen printing workpiece and / or for a workpiece carrier, with a printing screen, with an adjusting device for the printing screen and with a position detection device for a screen-printed workpiece and / or for a workpiece carrier, the adjusting device being set up to carry out a fine position and / or alignment adjustment of the printing screen as a function of a position detection by the position detection device.

Yet another independent aspect of the present invention relates to a device for producing three-dimensional screen printing workpieces, in particular a 3D screen printing system, with a printing device for the layer-by-layer production of at least one screen-printed workpiece in several printing processes and with a plurality of workpiece carriers that are used to carry out a printing process can be positioned within the printing device, at least one of the workpiece carriers being individually and / or traceably identified.

Yet another independent aspect of the present invention relates to a device for producing three-dimensional screen printing workpieces, in particular a 3D screen printing system, with at least one printing table plate, in particular for a screen printing workpiece and / or for a workpiece carrier, as well as with a support arrangement for the printing table plate, the printing table plate is immovable relative to the support arrangement or a mobility of the printing table plate relative to the support arrangement is limited to a printing area.

The above-described devices according to the further independent aspects can be developed further with all the details disclosed above and below.

A further aspect of the present invention relates to a method for the production of three-dimensional screen-printed workpieces, in particular with a device described above.

In the method according to the invention, at least one workpiece carrier is provided for at least one screen-printed workpiece and a screen-printed workpiece is produced in layers on the workpiece carrier in a plurality of printing processes. In this case, the workpiece carrier for performing a printing process is positioned on a printing table plate of the printing device formed separately from the workpiece carrier, and a fine adjustment of the printing device is made between two successive printing processes for a screen printing workpiece. The fine adjustment includes a position detection of the workpiece carrier and the setting of the relative position and / or relative alignment between the workpiece carrier and a printing screen as a function of the position detection.

The fine adjustment advantageously achieves a high degree of manufacturing accuracy or repeat accuracy in the production of three-dimensional screen-printed workpieces. In particular, different layers of a three-dimensional screen-printed workpiece can be printed with high accuracy. Finally, the position detection of a workpiece carrier as a basis for fine adjustment enables a high level of productivity.

Another independent aspect of the present invention relates to a method for producing three-dimensional screen-printed workpieces, in particular with a device described above, in which at least one workpiece carrier is provided for at least one screen-printed workpiece and a screen-printed workpiece is produced in layers in a printing device in several printing processes on the workpiece carrier. The workpiece carrier for performing a printing process is positioned on a printing table plate of the printing device formed separately from the workpiece carrier, and the workpiece carrier is removed from the printing table plate for drying the screen printing workpiece between two successive printing processes for a screen printing workpiece.

For the complete production of a screen-printed workpiece, the respective workpiece carrier is thus positioned several times on the printing table plate and removed from it again. There is accordingly a recurring repositioning of the workpiece carrier on the printing table plate. In this way, the printing table plate can dwell within the printing device. The printing table plate can thus be loaded by a plurality of workpiece carriers, so that the utilization of the printing device can be improved. In addition, the respective workpiece carrier can be placed in a Drying device are conveyed. The printing table plate itself is therefore not exposed to any or only slight temperature loads.

According to a preferred embodiment of the method mentioned above, several printing screens are used to produce the screen-printed workpiece in several printing processes, with a test print preferably being carried out on an unprinted workpiece carrier immediately after a screen change has taken place. Should faulty prints occur as a result of changing the screen, this will not affect previously printed layers. Rather, a faulty print is immediately recognized on the still unprinted workpiece carrier so that countermeasures or corrections can be made. Only when the correct printing is ensured by a new screen can the latter be used for printing further layers on screen-printed workpieces that have already been partially produced.

The details described above in relation to the device also apply in the same way to the method according to the invention.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Ansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung gemäß einer Ausführungsform,

Fig. 2

eine Draufsicht auf die Vorrichtung von Fig. 1,

Fig. 3

eine schematische Draufsicht auf die Vorrichtung von Fig. 1 mit Darstellung einer oberen Transportebene,

Fig. 4

eine schematische Draufsicht auf die Vorrichtung von Fig. 1 mit Darstellung einer unteren Transportebene.

In the following, the invention is described by way of example on the basis of advantageous embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures. Show it:

Fig. 1

a perspective view of a device according to the invention according to an embodiment,

Fig. 2

a plan view of the device of Fig. 1 ,

Fig. 3

a schematic plan view of the device of Fig. 1 with representation of an upper transport level,

Fig. 4

a schematic plan view of the device of Fig. 1 with representation of a lower transport level.

The Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a device 10 according to the invention for producing three-dimensional screen-printed workpieces according to one embodiment. The Fig. 2 FIG. 10 shows a top view of the device 10 of FIG Fig. 1 . Fig. 3 and 4th schematically show a top view of the device 10 showing different transport levels.

The device 10 has a printing device 12 for the layer-by-layer production of at least one screen-printed workpiece in several printing processes. The printing device 12 can be a so-called screen printer. The device 10 also has a plurality of workpiece carriers 14. The workpiece carriers 14 are designed for at least one screen printing work piece, preferably for a plurality of screen printing work pieces. Accordingly, a single screen-printed workpiece or a plurality of screen-printed workpieces can be produced in layers on a single workpiece carrier 14.

Furthermore, the printing device 12 has at least one printing table plate 16 formed separately from the workpiece carrier 14. Two or more printing table plates 16 can also be provided in the printing device 12. With two or more printing table plates 16, these can each be designed as an interchangeable sliding table. In the case of a printing table plate 16, this can also be designed as an interchangeable sliding table.

The workpiece carrier 14 can be positioned on the printing table plate 16 to carry out a printing process. The respective workpiece carrier 14 for drying the screen-printed workpiece can be detachable from the printing table plate 16 between two successive printing processes. The device 10 can therefore be designed so that each workpiece carrier 14 between two successive printing processes for drying the screen-printed workpiece located thereon from the printing table plate 16 can be released. To produce an individual screen-printed workpiece, the respective workpiece carrier 14 is thus positioned several times on the printing table plate 16 and removed from it again. The utilization of the printing device 12 can advantageously be improved in this way. In addition, the screen-printed workpiece or the print material can remain on the respective workpiece carrier 14 between different printing processes, so that the risk of damage is reduced.

The device 10 can furthermore have a transport device 18 for the automated transport of at least one workpiece carrier 14, in particular for a plurality of workpiece carriers 14. The transport device 18 is designed as a transport circuit for the automated transport of the at least one workpiece carrier 14, preferably for a plurality of workpiece carriers 14. The transport device 18 is set up in particular for automated transport in the circuit between the printing device 12 and at least one position spaced apart from the printing device 12 and / or the printing table plate 16.

The transport device 18 can be designed to be multi-lane at least in sections and / or at least in sections to be single-lane, which with reference to the Fig. 3 and 4th will be explained in more detail. The transport device 18 is formed at least in sections by a conveying means, in particular a belt conveyor. Different transport routes of the transport device 18 can run at an angle to one another. For this purpose, corner converters can be provided.

The device 10 can also be equipped with a positioning and / or handling device 20, by means of which a workpiece carrier 14 can be positioned on the printing table plate 16 in an automated and / or defined manner. The positioning and / or handling device 20 can be designed as part of the transport device 18.

A positioning device 20 can, for example, have a conveyor, in particular a belt conveyor. Such a conveying means can extend into the printing table plate 16 and / or be embedded in the printing table plate 16 and / or can be lowered and / or raised relative to the printing table plate 16. In this way, a workpiece carrier 14 can be conveyed over the printing table plate 16 and then set down in a suitable manner and raised again and conveyed away.

A handling device, which is not shown in detail here, can be, for example, a pick-and-place device or a handling robot. In particular, a handling device can contact a workpiece carrier 14 from an area upstream of the printing device 12, raise it and then position it on the printing table plate 16 of the printing device. Following a printing process, the respective workpiece carrier can be raised again from the printing table plate 16 by the handling device and transported away from the printing device 12.

The positioning and / or handling device 20 can also be designed to recognize the position of the workpiece carrier 14. For this purpose, a camera system 19 or the like, for example, can be provided on the positioning and / or handling device 20, by means of which the workpiece carrier 14 can be recognized before contact is made or before it is lifted. Such a position detection of the workpiece carrier 14 simplifies, in particular, the contacting or lifting by conveyor belts or the gripping of the workpiece carrier 14 by a handling device or the transport and / or handling safety elevated. Such a position detection of the workpiece carrier 14 can take place in particular in an inspection area, which will be discussed below.

Furthermore, an alignment device can also be provided, by means of which the workpiece carrier 14 can be aligned and / or positioned in a defined manner on the printing table plate 16. The alignment device can preferably be the positioning and / or handling device 20. Likewise, the alignment device can be formed by a mechanical positioning element (not shown in detail here) and / or by a stop (not shown in detail here).

The printing table plate 16 can be designed for the temporary fixation of the workpiece carrier 14. For this purpose, the printing table plate 16 can be designed, for example, as a perforated plate, in particular as a perforated plate for vacuum fixing of the workpiece carrier 14.

The printing device 12 can also have a support arrangement 22 for the printing table plate 16. The printing table plate 16 is thus carried by the support arrangement 22. The printing table plate 16 can be immobile relative to the support arrangement 22.

A mobility of the printing table plate 16 can also be provided. A mobility of the printing table plate 16 relative to the support arrangement 22 can be limited to a printing area 24 of the printing device 12 and / or for fine adjustment of the position or alignment of the printing table plate 16. This can be a fine position adjustment relative to the support arrangement 22 in the direction transverse to the pressure build-up direction 26 and / or a fine alignment adjustment about an axis of rotation running in the pressure build-up direction 26. The pressure build-up direction 26 or in the pressure build-up direction 26 running axis of rotation runs, as in Fig. 1 shown, vertically.

Furthermore, it is possible that the mobility of the printing table plate 16 relative to the support arrangement 22 extends beyond a printing area 24 of the printing device 12. Such a mobility can, however, be limited at least to a housing and / or an enclosure of the printing device 12. In particular, the mobility of the printing table plate 16 relative to the support arrangement 22 can be limited to areas outside a drying device, which will be described in more detail below. Likewise, the printing table plate 16 can be moved relative to the support arrangement 22 right up to an inspection area, which will be discussed in greater detail below.

Furthermore, a mobility of the printing table plate 16 in the height direction along the pressure build-up direction 26 can be provided in order to adjust the jump height for subsequent printing processes.

The printing device 12 can also be equipped with an upper printing unit 28. The upper printing unit 28 can have a printing and / or flooding doctor blade, which is not shown in detail here. Likewise, the upper printing unit 28 can be equipped with at least one printing screen and / or a screen holder, which is also not shown in detail here.

The upper printing unit 28 or a frame of the upper printing unit 28 can be immovable relative to the printing table plate 16 and / or relative to the support arrangement 22. In contrast, a screen holder of the printing top unit 28 can be movable relative to a frame of the printing top unit 28 and / or relative to the printing table plate 16 and / or relative to the support arrangement 22. Such a mobility of the screen holder can be limited to a pressure area 24 of the printing device 12. A corresponding mobility of the screen holder can be used for position or fine alignment adjustment. This is particularly advantageous when the printing table plate 16 is arranged immovably relative to the support arrangement 22.

Likewise, a mobility of the screen receptacle together with the printing screen can be provided along the pressure build-up direction 26 in order to adapt the jump value for subsequent printing processes. For this purpose, a lifting mechanism (not shown in detail) can be provided. This is advantageous if the printing table plate 16 is arranged immovably along the pressure build-up direction 26.

Furthermore, mobility of the entire upper pressure unit 28 along the pressure build-up direction 26 can also be provided for adapting the jump value. This is also advantageous when the printing table plate 16 is arranged immovably along the pressure build-up direction 26.

Likewise, a mobility of the printing upper work 28 relative to the support arrangement 22 and / or relative to the printing table plate 16 in directions transverse to the pressure build-up direction 26 can be provided. Such a mobility of the entire printing top 28 can be limited to a printing area 24 of the printing device 12. A corresponding mobility of the printing top 28 can be provided for fine adjustment of the position or alignment of the printing top. This is in turn advantageous if the printing table plate 16 is arranged immovably relative to the support arrangement 20 in directions transverse to the pressure build-up direction 26.

Furthermore, a position detection device, not shown here, can be provided for a screen-printed workpiece and / or for a workpiece carrier 14 and / or for the printing table plate 16. Any setting devices of the printing table plate 16 and / or any setting devices of the printing top 28 can be used be set up to carry out a position and / or alignment fine adjustment as a function of a position detection by the position detection device. The position detection device can, in particular, perform a position detection within the pressure area 24. It is also possible for the position detection device to perform a position detection outside of the printing area 24, for example in an inspection area. A plurality of position detection devices can also be provided. The position detection device can be designed, for example, by a camera system or the like. Such a position detection device can in particular be set up to detect the position of workpiece carriers 14.

Like that Fig. 1 and 2 can be further removed, the device 10 is equipped with a drying device 30. The drying device 30 can be a drying section. The drying device 30 is arranged in the longitudinal direction of the device 10 behind the printing device 12 and can have an active length that is variably adjustable, for example by activating and / or deactivating individual heat generation units, for example convection and / or heat radiation units, which are not shown in detail here .

In the device 10 according to the present invention, the individual workpiece carriers 14 can be moved through the drying device 30 independently of the printing table plate 16. The printing table plate 16 is thus not exposed to any temperature stress.

The drying section of the drying device 30 can in particular be designed for a continuous drying cycle of screen-printed workpieces and / or workpiece carriers 14. The speed of travel for the workpiece carriers 14 can be variably set by the drying device 30.

Likewise, a drying device can be provided in which the screen-printed workpieces are dried at rest. For this purpose, workpiece carriers together with screen-printed workpieces can be moved into and out of the drying device in the opposite direction.

The device 10 can furthermore have a buffer store 32, which can be arranged downstream of the drying device 30. Further drying or post-drying can take place in the buffer store 32. The material flow within the device 10 can also be influenced by the buffer store.

Furthermore, the device 10 can be equipped with a memory device 34, which can be a loading and / or unloading memory or an input and / or output memory. Via the storage device 34, individual workpiece carriers 14 can be transferred into and out of the transport device 18 designed as a transport circuit. Individual workpiece carriers 14 can also be temporarily stored in the storage device 34. The storage device 34 can be arranged in the material flow between the drying device 30 and the printing device 12.

The printing device 12, the drying device 30, the buffer memory 32 and / or the storage device 34 can be modularly connectable to form a device system. Such a device system can consist of a plurality of devices 10 or of one device 10 which has been expanded and / or reduced by individual devices or stations.

The printing device 12, the drying device 30, the buffer store 32 and / or the storage device 34 can be moved by the transport device 18 in be connected in a suitable manner or integrated into a device system. In particular, the transport device 18 can be used to automate the transport of workpiece carriers between the printing device 12, the drying device 30, the buffer store 32 and / or the storage device 34, in particular along a transport circuit.

The transport of workpiece carriers 14 by the transport device 18 will now be described with reference to FIG Fig. 3 and 4th explained, where Fig. 3 a plan view showing an upper level of the transport device 18 and FIG Fig. 4 shows a plan view showing a lower level of the transport device 18.

The transport device 18 can in particular have a plurality of conveyor belt sections 36 and corner transfer devices 38. The conveyor belt sections 36 can convey individual workpiece carriers 14 between different stations or devices of the device 10.

As mentioned above, the printing processes take place within the printing device 12. For this purpose, the respective workpiece carriers 14 must be positioned within the printing device 12, in particular on the printing table plate 16 of the printing device 12.

After the printing has taken place, the respective workpiece carrier 14 is positioned from the printing device 12 into a deposition area 40 downstream in the material flow. Deposition areas 40 can be provided on both sides of the printing table plate 16. The workpiece carriers 14 can accordingly be conveyed away from the printing table plate 16 on both sides. The workpiece carriers can be conveyed between the printing table plate 16 and the respective depositing area 40 by a positioning device 20, which can also be formed by a conveyor belt section and forms part of the transport device 18.

A deposition area 40 mentioned above can in particular also be designed as an inspection area and / or serve as an inspection area.

The respective workpiece carrier 14 is conveyed from the respective set-down area 40 to the drying device 30. The workpiece carriers 14 can be conveyed from the set-down area 40a along the conveyor belt section 36a to the drying device 30. Starting from the depositing area 40b, the workpiece carriers are conveyed to the corner transfer device 38a, further along the conveyor belt path 36b to the corner transfer device 38b and then into the drying device 18. Likewise, the corner transfer unit 38b can move on to the conveyor belt section 36a and then into the drying device 30.

The drying section 42 runs within the drying device 30. The drying section 42 can have two lanes, that is to say it can be formed by two conveyor belt sections 36c and 36d in order to increase the drying capacity. After passing through the drying section 42, the respective workpiece carrier 14 arrives at a buffer store 32, in which further drying or subsequent drying can take place.

After the buffer store 32, further conveyance takes place to one of the corner transfer units 38c or 38d and further along the conveyor belt section 36e to the corner transfer unit 38e.

The storage device 34 is arranged adjacent to the corner transfer device 38e. Starting from the corner transfer device 38e, the workpiece carriers are further conveyed along a return path, which has the conveyor belt paths 36f and 36g. The conveyor belt sections 36f and 36g can merge into one another along the conveying direction, wherein the downstream conveyor belt section 36g can have an incline. In particular, the conveyor belt section 36g be inclined downwards and thus a transfer of workpiece carriers from the in Fig. 3 the upper level of the transport device 30 shown towards an in Fig. 4 enable illustrated lower level of the transport device 30. Both conveyor belt sections 36f and 36g of the return section can also have an incline in height.

The workpiece carriers 14 pass through the conveyor belt section 36g to the in Fig. 4 shown corner transfer device 38f. Starting from the corner transfer device 38f, the workpiece carriers 14 can be conveyed on either to the conveyor belt section 36h or to the conveyor belt section 36i.

The conveyor belt section 36h leads to the lifting device 44a, by means of which the workpiece carriers 14 are lifted into the upper level of the transport device 18. Finally, raised workpiece carriers 14 can be conveyed on to the set-down area 40b, from where the printing table plate 16 can be loaded by the positioning device 20.

The conveyor belt section 36i first leads to the corner transfer device 38g and from there further along the conveyor belt section 36j to the lifting device 44b, by means of which the workpiece carriers 14 are lifted into the upper level of the transport device 18. Finally, raised workpiece carriers 14 can be conveyed on to the set-down area 40a, from where the printing table plate 16 can be loaded by the positioning device 20.

Instead of the corner transfer device 38f, the corner transfer device 38a can also be equipped with a lifting function for the direct transport of the workpiece carriers 14 between the two levels of the transport device 18. This can be of particular advantage when the printing device 12 is to be bridged over the shortest possible path, for example in order to carry out multiple drying without intermittent printing on the workpiece carrier. However, this can can also be accomplished without a lifting function of the corner transfer device 18a, as can be seen from the arrangement of the conveyor belt sections 36.

The device 10 described above is particularly suitable for the mass production of three-dimensional screen-printed workpieces. In particular, the device 10 enables extensive or complete automation of the screen printing process. The risk of operating errors is reduced and the level of productivity can be significantly increased by means of a device 10, as described above.

Claims (18)

Device (10) for the production of three-dimensional screen printing workpieces, in particular a 3D screen printing system, with a printing device (12) for the layer-wise creation of at least one screen-printing workpiece in several printing processes and with at least one workpiece carrier (14) for at least one screen-printing workpiece, the printing device (12) has at least one printing table plate (16) formed separately from the workpiece carrier, on which the workpiece carrier (14) can be positioned in order to carry out a printing process, an upper printing unit (28) with a printing screen, and a position detection device for detecting the position of the workpiece carrier (14), the printing device ( 12) is designed for fine adjustment and the fine adjustment includes the position detection of the workpiece carrier (14) by the position detection device and the setting of the relative position and / or relative alignment between the workpiece carrier (14) and the printing screen depending on the position detection. Device (10) according to claim 1,
characterized in that
a positioning and / or handling device (20) for pre-positioning a workpiece carrier (14) on the printing table plate (16) is provided, in particular for pre-positioning with an accuracy tolerance of +/- 500 µm regarding the position and / or of up to +/- 5 ° concerning the alignment of the workpiece carrier (14). Device (10) according to claim 1 or 2,
characterized in that
the at least one workpiece carrier (14) is provided with at least one marking, preferably with a plurality of markings, the marking preferably being recognizable electronically, in particular by RFID, optically and / or by camera and / or that the at least one workpiece carrier (14 ) is provided with at least one marking for individual marking and / or individual tracking of the workpiece carrier, in particular with an individual marking for tracking, and / or that the at least one workpiece carrier (14) is provided with at least one marking for position detection, in particular a plurality of markings for position detection , is provided, in particular with an optically detectable marking, via which the position and / or alignment of the workpiece carrier (14) can be detected, and / or that the workpiece carrier (14) is provided by a position detection device and / or by a positioning and / or Handling device (20) and / or a trans port device (18) has detectable marking. Device (10) according to at least one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
an inspection area is provided adjacent to a printing area (24) of the printing device (12), in particular for inspecting a screen-printed workpiece and / or a workpiece carrier (14) and / or for inspecting a relative position and / or relative alignment of a workpiece carrier (14) on the printing table plate ( 16) and / or for inspecting a relative position and / or relative alignment of a screen-printed workpiece on a workpiece carrier (14) and / or wherein the inspection area is designed as part of the printing device (12) and / or as part of the transport device (30). Device (10) according to at least one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
the printing device (12) has a support arrangement (22), in particular a frame, for the printing table plate (16) and the printing table plate (16) is carried by the supporting arrangement (22), the printing table plate (16) being immovable relative to the supporting arrangement (22) , in particular is fixed, or mobility of the printing table plate (16) relative to the support arrangement is limited to a printing area (24) of the printing device (12) and / or mobility of the printing table plate (16) is only given in the pressure build-up direction (26). Device (10) according to at least one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
the printing table plate (16) is designed as a sliding plate, in particular an interchangeable sliding plate, in particular two printing table plates (16) of the printing device (12) are designed as sliding plates, and / or that the printing table plate (16) can be moved relative to the support arrangement (22) over the printing area (24) beyond and / or up to an inspection area arranged outside the printing area (24). Device (10) according to at least one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
the printing upper work (28) has a printing and / or flood squeegee and / or an upper work frame and / or that the printing upper work (28) and / or the printing screen relative to the printing table plate (16) and / or relative to the support arrangement (22) of the printing table plate ( 16) is movable and / or the mobility of the printing top (28) and / or the printing screen relative to the support arrangement (22) and / or relative to the printing table plate (16) is limited to a printing area (24) of the printing device (12). Device (10) according to at least one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
the printing device (12) is set up for fine adjustment between two successive printing processes for a screen printing workpiece and / or successive printing layers for a screen printing workpiece. Device (10) according to at least one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
the fine adjustment comprises the adjustment of the relative position and / or relative alignment between the printing table plate (16) and the printing top (28) and / or between the printing table plate (16) and the printing screen and / or that the fine adjustment preferably includes the adjustment of the relative position and / or relative alignment comprises between the workpiece carrier (14) and the printing top (28). Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
the printing top (28) and / or the printing screen for fine position adjustment relative to the support arrangement (22) and / or relative to the printing table plate (16) can be moved in directions transverse to the pressure build-up direction (26) and / or that the printing top (28) and / or the Printing screen for fine alignment adjustment is rotatable about an axis of rotation running in the pressure build-up direction (26) and / or that at least one adjusting device is provided for fine position and / or alignment adjustment of the printing upper mechanism (28) and / or the printing screen. Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
the printing table plate (16) can be moved for fine position adjustment relative to the support arrangement (22) in directions transverse to the pressure build-up direction (26) and / or that the printing table plate (16) for fine alignment adjustment can be rotated about an axis of rotation running in the pressure build-up direction (26) and / or that at least one adjusting device is provided for fine-tuning the position and / or alignment of the printing table plate (16). Device (10) according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
the printing top (28) and / or the printing screen for setting a jump height relative to the support arrangement (22) and / or relative to the printing table plate (16) can be moved in a pressure build-up direction (26) and / or that the printing table plate (16) for setting a jump height can be moved relative to the support arrangement (22) and / or relative to the printing superstructure (28) and / or relative to the printing screen in a pressure build-up direction (26) and / or that at least one adjusting device is provided for setting a jump height and / or that an adjusting device for fine adjustment the jump height is provided. Device (10) according to at least one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
at least one position detection device for a screen printing workpiece and / or for the printing table plate (16) is provided and / or that an adjusting device for the printing table plate (16) and / or an adjusting device for the printing top (28) and / or the printing screen is set up to provide a position and / or to carry out fine alignment adjustments as a function of a position detection by a position detection device. Device (10) according to at least one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
a position detection device is set up to determine the position and / or alignment of a screen-printed workpiece and / or the workpiece carrier (14) in space and / or relative to the printing table plate (16) and / or relative to a support arrangement (22) for the printing table plate (16) and / or relative to a printing top (28) and / or printing screen, and / or that the position detection device is set up to detect the position and / or alignment of the printing table plate (16) relative to the support arrangement. Device (10) at least one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
a position detection device is set up to detect the position and / or alignment of a screen printed workpiece relative to the workpiece carrier (14) arranged below it and / or that a position detection device is set up to detect the position of a workpiece carrier (14) by means of at least one marking, in particular by means of at least Make two marks on the workpiece carrier (14). Device (10) according to at least one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
a position detection device is designed for position detection within a pressure area (24) and / or is arranged within a pressure area (24) and / or that a position detection device for position detection is designed outside of a pressure area (24), in particular within one outside of the pressure area (24) Inspection area, and / or that a position detection device is arranged outside of the printing area (24) and / or within the inspection area. Device (10) according to at least one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that
a position detection device has at least one camera, in particular a camera arranged below or above the printing table plate (16), and / or that the position detection device is set up to detect the cover of at least one opening in the printing table plate (16) by the workpiece carrier (14). Method for the production of three-dimensional screen-printed workpieces, in particular with a device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, in which at least one workpiece carrier (14) is provided for at least one screen-printed workpiece, in which a screen-printed workpiece in several printing processes on the in a printing device (12) Workpiece carrier (14) is produced in layers, in which the workpiece carrier (14) is positioned on a printing table plate (16) of the printing device (12) formed separately from the workpiece carrier (14), in which between two successive printing processes for a screen-printed workpiece a fine adjustment of the printing device (12) is carried out and the fine adjustment comprises a position detection of the workpiece carrier and the setting of the relative position and / or relative alignment between the workpiece carrier (14) and a printing screen as a function of the position detection.

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