JP2006240124A - Frame positioning method for screen printing machine, and screen printing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable setup change of plate frames in a short time, while suppressing misregistration in printing. <P>SOLUTION: In a frame positioning method, a printing pattern of the frame in a printing position is picked up by a video camera, so that an actual image is displayed on a monitor screen; a prestored symbol image indicating a printing position is displayed on the monitor screen; and a position of the frame is finely adjusted so that a printing pattern image can correspond to the symbol image on the monitor screen. A printing machine comprises: a printhead 5 equipped with a frame finely-adjusting part 17 capable of finely adjusting the position of the frame by holding the frame 15; a printing table 4 which can move to a printing position while holding a printing matter; the video camera 6 which is arranged below the printhead so as to be capable of shooting the printing pattern of the frame; a monitor unit 7; and an image processor 8 displaying the printing pattern picked up by the video camera on the screen 30 of the monitor unit and the symbol image indicating the printing position of the printing matter corresponding to the prestored printing pattern on the screen 30. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention is a screen printing machine for printing various patterns such as electrodes, resistors, protective films, markings, etc. on ceramic substrates for electronic materials, solar cells, etc., and conductor patterns and marks on glass substrates, printed boards, etc. The present invention relates to a plate frame positioning method and a screen printing machine using the method.

In this type of conventional general printing press, the plate frame positioning is performed by attaching the plate frame to the plate frame holding portion, and adjusting the vertical position of the screen on the substrate with the Z axis (vertical direction axis) manual fine adjustment mechanism. Rotation angle about the X axis, Y axis of the orthogonal coordinates corresponding to the horizontal plane, and the vertical axis passing through a predetermined point, making the substrate to be printed below as easy to see as possible and seeing the substrate below it from above the screen The position of θ is performed by adjusting the position of the screen to the substrate by a manual fine adjustment mechanism.
Another type of printing machine is described in Patent Document 1. In Patent Document 1, before mounting a screen plate, a laser beam is irradiated perpendicularly to each of two workpiece positioning marks, and then the plate positioning is performed when the screen plate is mounted on a plate frame fixing portion. There is disclosed a screen plate making set method in which a screen plate making is fixed to a plate frame fixing portion by irradiating a mark with the laser beam.
Patent Publication 2002-264294

The conventional plate frame positioning method for performing alignment by seeing through the substrate (printed material) below the upper side of the screen requires work that requires skill in that it is difficult to see the substrate, and the skill level is low. In such a case, since it is not possible to easily align the position, there is a problem that unnecessary trial printing is often repeated. The method described in Patent Document 1 also requires an operation for matching the laser beam to the point of the workpiece positioning mark and an operation for matching the point of the plate positioning mark to the laser beam. The latter operation is not necessarily performed. There was a problem that was not easy.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a screen printing positioning method and a screen printing machine capable of changing the plate frame in a short time while suppressing a printing position shift.

  The plate frame positioning method of the screen printing machine according to the present invention is to print a print pattern of a plate frame at a printing position with a video camera to display a raw image on a monitor screen and to print the previously stored plate frame. A symbol image indicating a printing position corresponding to a pattern is displayed on the monitor screen, and the position of the plate frame is finely adjusted on the monitor screen so that the print pattern image matches the symbol image. (Claim 1).

  According to the plate frame positioning method of this screen printing machine, the print pattern of the plate frame at the printing position is photographed with a video camera and corresponds to the raw image indicating the current position information and the print pattern of the plate frame. For example, using the symbol image that is accurate printing position information represented by a square frame or cross mark, while watching the monitor screen, finely adjust the position of the printing plate and print the printing frame at the printing position. Since the patterns are matched, the plate frame positioning operation performed prior to printing can be performed easily and accurately.

  The screen printing machine of the present invention is provided in correspondence with the plate frame holding means having a plate frame fine movement adjusting unit which is provided on the upper side of the printing position of the printing position and holds the plate frame and can finely adjust the position of the plate frame. A print head provided with the ink imprinting means, and a printing stand that holds the printed material in a predetermined positioning state with the surface to be printed up, and is movable between the printing position and the printed material attaching / detaching position deviated from the printing position. A video camera disposed below the print head so as to be able to photograph the printing pattern of the printing plate at a printing position, a monitor device, and a printing pattern photographed by the video camera. An image processing apparatus for displaying a symbol image indicating a printing position of a printing material corresponding to a printing pattern of the plate frame stored in advance, on the screen of the monitor device The is characterized by providing (claim 2).

  According to this screen printing machine, the plate frame is held by the plate frame holding means, and the print pattern is photographed by the video camera and displayed on the screen of the monitor device as the current position information of the plate frame. Since the symbol image that accurately indicates the printing position of the substrate corresponding to the print pattern can be displayed on the same screen, the print pattern image from the video camera is displayed on the symbol image by operating the plate frame fine adjustment section while viewing the screen. When they are matched, the plate frame holding state in which the printing pattern of the plate frame is positioned at a position corresponding exactly to the printing position is obtained. Therefore, the plate frame positioning operation performed prior to printing can be performed easily and accurately.

  In the screen printing machine, the plate frame fine movement adjusting unit of the plate frame holding means can finely adjust the X and Y axes on the XY coordinates corresponding to the plate frame plane, respectively, and on the XY coordinates. It is preferable that the rotation adjustment is possible along the XY plane around one point. In this configuration, for example, an appropriate straight line portion of the print pattern is first made parallel to the straight line portion of the symbol image by rotating adjustment while watching the monitor screen, and then the print pattern and the symbol image are adjusted by fine adjustment in the X-axis and Y-axis directions. Match. As a result, it is not necessary to repeat the rotation adjustment and the fine movement adjustment in the X-axis and Y-axis directions, and the plate frame can be positioned at a desired position very easily, accurately and quickly.

  In the screen printing machine, it is preferable that the print head includes an illumination unit for photographing a print pattern above the mounted plate frame. In this configuration, since the backlight is illuminated, the contour can be accurately photographed, the printed pattern can be accurately grasped, and therefore the printed pattern can be easily and accurately matched to the symbol image in a state that is easy to see on the monitor screen.

The invention according to claim 1 has the effect that the plate frame positioning operation performed prior to printing can be performed easily and accurately.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, the plate frame positioning operation performed prior to printing can be performed easily and accurately. Compared to conventional general printing presses, it requires more skill to fine-tune the position of the printed material while determining the position of the printed material through the screen plate making, and moreover, an operation that requires an unnatural posture to look into the screen frame. There is an effect that it is possible to release the operator and to avoid repeating unnecessary test printing.
The invention according to claim 3 has an effect that the plate frame can be positioned at a desired position in a very simple, accurate and rapid manner.
According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to easily match the print pattern with the symbol image in a state that is easy to see on the monitor screen.

In the method of the present invention, the screen printing machine is perpendicular to the coordinate plane and the plate frame position fine movement adjusting mechanism in the X-axis and Y-axis directions of the XY orthogonal coordinates corresponding to the horizontal plane of the plate frame holding means. It has a plate frame micro-rotation adjustment mechanism with a desired angle θ around one axis (for example, the Z axis), and can position and mount the printed material at a fixed position. It is good to apply to the thing of the structure which has a printing stand which can be moved reversibly.
As a screen printing machine, a printing stand is provided on the table surface so that it can be moved back and forth between the print attachment / detachment position determined along the linear guide and the printing position, and printing is performed at the upper position of the printing stand at the printing position. Provide a video camera that can shoot the print head side from the lower position of the table surface when the printing stand is off the printing position, and provide a power supply unit, an image processing device, etc. Ink printing provided in correspondence with the plate frame holding means provided on the printing head, the plate frame holding means having the plate frame position fine movement adjustment mechanism and the plate frame fine rotation adjustment mechanism, and the plate frame held by the plate frame holding means. And a lighting unit that illuminates the printing pattern of the plate frame from the upper side to the lower side, and the image processing device is configured to monitor the printing pattern image captured by the video camera. In the form of displaying the symbol images showing the printing position of the substrate corresponding to the previously stored print pattern of the plate frame and causes the screen of the device. Of course, the operation unit of the monitor device and the plate frame position fine adjustment mechanism and the plate frame fine rotation adjustment mechanism is determined to be easy to see and operate because of the operation of the operation unit while viewing the monitor screen.

  An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. This screen printing machine 1 is capable of carrying out the method of the present invention, and has a configuration in which, for example, pattern printing is performed on a ceramic substrate for chip component production as an electronic material. In other words, this is a case where the substrate 2 is a ceramic substrate (hereinafter sometimes referred to only as a substrate). As shown in FIG. 1, the screen printer 1 includes a main body 3, a printing stand 4, a print head 5, a video camera 6, a monitor device 7, an image processing device 8, and the like.

  The main body 3 has a rectangular parallelepiped box shape or frame shape, and an upper surface is formed on the table surface 10. A linear track 11 such as a linear guide is provided on the table surface 10 along the longitudinal direction so that the printing table 4 described below can move.

  The printing stand 4 is a carriage having a mounting portion on which the substrate 2 is mounted, and detailed description thereof will be omitted. However, when the substrate 2 is placed on the carriage, the clamping device operates and the substrate 2 is printed. Can be clamped and fixed at a predetermined position, and has a driving unit for movement, so that the printing position 12 at one end of the linear track 11 and the substrate mounting / removing position 13 at the other end are reflected. It can be moved. The printing position 12 is a lower position of the print head 5 described below, and the printing material attaching / detaching position 13 is the opposite end. When stopping at each position, it always stops exactly at the same position.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the printing head 5 includes a plate frame 15 to which a screen plate 14 is attached, a plate frame holding means 16 that supports the plate frame 15, and a plate frame provided in the plate frame holding means 16. The position fine adjustment unit 17, the ink imprinting means 18, the illumination unit 19, and the cover 20 that holds the printing atmosphere supported by the main body 3 are configured. The screen plate making 14 is a well-known one in which an emulsion film and a photoengraving are provided on a wire mesh attached to a plate frame 15. The plate frame position fine adjustment unit 17 moves the position of the plate frame 15 supported by the plate frame holding unit 16 in each of the X- and Y-axis directions of the XY orthogonal coordinates corresponding to the horizontal plane of the plate frame holding unit 16. A mechanism 21 for finely adjusting the frame position (21 in FIG. 2 is a fine movement adjusting mechanism in the X-axis direction, and the one in the Y-axis direction is not shown) and an angle about one axis (for example, the Z-axis) perpendicular to the coordinate plane A θ frame minute rotation adjustment mechanism (not shown) is provided. A fine adjustment mechanism in the Z-axis direction is also provided if necessary. The operation unit of the plate frame position fine adjustment unit 17 is provided together with other switches and the like on a console provided at a position convenient for operation of the edge of the main body 3 and the like. The ink imprinting means 18 is a well-known device comprising a squeegee 22, a scraper 23, and a drive unit 24 thereof. The drive unit 24 is composed of a lead screw 26 driven by a motor 25. The illumination unit 19 is a uniform surface illumination, and the screen plate making 14 attached to the plate frame 15 is uniformly illuminated from the upper surface. The cover 20 is supported along with other components of the print head 5 on a support (not shown) provided on the main body 3.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the video camera 6 is provided upward in the main body 3 below the print head 5 so that the print pattern of the plate frame can be photographed. Reference numeral 27 denotes a video shooting hole provided on the table surface 10.

  The monitor device 7 is appropriately provided at a position where the plate frame position fine movement adjusting unit 17 can be operated while viewing the screen. The image processing device 8 is provided in the main body 3 and displays a print pattern image 28 photographed by the video camera 6 on the screen of the monitor device 7 and also corresponds to a print pattern of the plate frame 15 stored in advance. The symbol image 29 of the printed matter is represented by, for example, a rectangle that matches the outline of the print pattern image 28, and an accurate printing position is displayed according to the position. That is, on the monitor screen 30, as shown in FIG. 4, the rectangle of the symbol image 29 indicates the printing position to be printed accurately, and the print pattern image 28 photographed by the video camera 6 is an actual plate frame. The printing position by position is shown. When the plate frame position is adjusted so that the print pattern image 28 matches the rectangle of the symbol image 29 and printing is performed in the adjusted state, printing is performed at a desired accurate position. In addition, 31 is a power supply part.

  The screen printing machine 1 configured as described above performs printing as follows. First, a substrate 2 (substrate) and a plate frame 15 having a screen subjected to plate making to be printed are prepared. When a symbol image 29 pattern (in this case, a rectangle) corresponding to a predetermined print pattern of the substrate 2 is displayed alone from among the symbol images stored in advance, the result is as shown in FIG. When the plate frame 15 is attached to the plate frame holding means 16 and the screen print pattern image 28 photographed by the video camera 6 is displayed on the screen 30 of the monitor device 7 alone, the result is as shown in FIG. When the rectangle of the symbol image 29 and the print pattern image 28 from the video camera are displayed on the same screen 30, as shown in FIG. 4C, the operation unit of the plate frame position fine adjustment unit 17 is viewed while viewing this screen. As shown in FIG. 4D, the print pattern image 28 is matched with the rectangle of the symbol image 29. As a result, the plate frame 15 is positioned so that it can be accurately printed at the desired printing position.

  Then, after this positioning is completed, the squeegee 22 and the scraper 23 are mounted, the printing ink is filled on the screen between them, and the moving (printing) speed of the squeegee 22 and the mark are printed as in the case of a normal screen printing machine. Set pressure, etc. Then, the printing material 2 is mounted on the printing stand 4 at the printing material attachment / detachment position 13 with the printing surface facing up, moved to the printing position and stopped, and the scraper 23 is moved to spread the ink normally and squeegee. Printing is performed by driving, and when printing is completed, the printing stand 4 is returned to the substrate attachment / detachment position to check the printing state. If it can be confirmed that the printing is being performed satisfactorily, the printing operation for returning the printing stand 4 to the print substrate 4 by moving the printing stand 4 by newly mounting the printing substrate 2 is continued repeatedly.

  As can be understood from the above description, the screen printing machine 1 can remarkably facilitate the operation of positioning the plate frame at an accurate position when changing to a different print pattern. That is, the plate frame positioning operation is performed with a simple operation in which the print pattern image is matched with the symbol image by operating the operation unit of the plate frame position fine adjustment unit 17 while looking at the monitor screen, and in an easy posture. Can do. Also, the symbol images to be used can be easily changed when changing the setup by registering in advance the image corresponding to various printing patterns printed by this printing machine in the state of being accurately positioned. It can be used by calling, and there is no need to create a symbol image each time the setup is changed.

  The plate frame positioning method and screen printing machine of the screen printing machine according to the present invention include, in addition to the ceramic substrate for electronic materials described as the printed material in the embodiment, electrodes, resistors, protective films, markings, etc. for solar cells. The present invention can be applied to various pattern printing, conductor pattern and mark printing on a glass substrate, a printed circuit board, etc., and pattern printing on a CD, a plastic bottle or the like.

It is a partial section outline front view showing the example of the screen printer of the present invention. It is a schematic front view which expands and shows the structure of the printing head of the Example. It is a partial abbreviation enlarged plan view of the example. The monitor screen of the same embodiment is shown in different states, (a) is a state in which a symbol image is displayed, (b) is a state in which an unadjusted pattern image is displayed, and (c) is a symbol image and an unadjusted position. It is a monitor front view of the state which displayed the pattern image | video of (d), the state which displayed the (d) symbol image | video and the pattern image | video after position adjustment.

Explanation of symbols

1 Screen printer 2 Substrate (ceramic substrate)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 Main body 4 Printing stand 5 Print head 6 Video camera 7 Monitor apparatus 8 Image processing apparatus 10 Table surface 11 Linear track 12 Printing position 13 Substrate attachment / detachment position 14 Screen plate making
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 15 Plate frame 16 Plate frame holding means 17 Plate frame position fine movement adjustment part 18 Ink imprinting means 19 Illumination part 20 Cover 21 Fine movement adjustment mechanism (X-axis direction)
22 Squeegee 23 Scraper 24 Drive Unit 25 Motor 26 Lead Screw 27 Shooting Hole 28 Print Pattern 29 Rectangular (Symbol Video)
30 Monitor screen 31 Power supply 32 Screen pattern image

Claims (4)

The printing pattern of the printing frame at the printing position is photographed with a video camera and the raw image is displayed on the monitor screen, and the symbol image indicating the printing position corresponding to the printing pattern of the printing plate stored in advance is displayed. A plate frame positioning method for a screen printing machine, comprising: displaying on a monitor screen, and finely adjusting the position of the plate frame so that the print pattern image matches the symbol image on the monitor screen. A plate frame holding means provided on the upper side of the printing material at the printing position and having a plate frame fine movement adjustment unit capable of holding the plate frame and finely adjusting the plate frame position, and an ink imprinting means provided corresponding to the plate frame are provided. A screen printing machine comprising: a print head; and a printing stand that holds a printed material in a predetermined positioning state with a surface to be printed facing up and is movable between the printing position and the printed material attachment / detachment position deviated from the printing position. , A video camera disposed below the print head so as to be able to photograph the printing pattern of the printing plate at the printing position, a monitor device, and a print pattern photographed by the video camera is displayed on the screen of the monitor device And an image processing device for displaying a symbol image indicating a printing position of the printing material corresponding to the printing pattern of the plate frame stored in advance. Screen printing machine. 3. The screen printing machine according to claim 2, wherein the plate frame fine adjustment section of the plate frame holding means is capable of fine adjustment in the X-axis and Y-axis directions on the XY coordinates corresponding to the plate frame plane, respectively. A screen printing machine characterized in that it can be rotated and adjusted along an XY plane around one point on an XY coordinate. 4. The screen printing machine according to claim 2, wherein the print head includes an illumination unit for photographing a print pattern above the plate frame on which the print head is mounted.

Images