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Diagnosing Surface Contact Inconsistencies in Lamination Presses with the Tactilus® Tactile Pressure Sensor System

The Tactilus® tactile pressure sensor system monitors and reveals what is actually occurring between two mating surfaces. It is designed to measure and reveal how contact surface pressure changes over time. For example, hydraulic presses can lose pressure and "drift," or take time to come to rest at a maximum level of pressure needed for the application once pressure has been applied. In the lamination process, uniformly distributed pressure is vital to create a consistent bond. Both pressure distribution and pressure magnitude (how much pressure is occurring at any given spot on the contacting surface) are factors that can be measured quickly and accurately in real-time using Tactilus.

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Side profile of a lamination press

Characterization of pressure distribution and magnitude across a lamination press

In the case of a roller based lamination process, similar concerns often arise. As a web of film or composite is passed between the rollers, even pressure must be applied to it to prevent material defects. Additionally roller wear can be minimized from consistent use of Tactilus to measure roller planarity and pressure level. As the Tactilus sensor is passed between the rollers, areas of high and low pressure are identified and measured through the captured data. What may not be apparent to the unaided eye will be immediately revealed in the Tactilus software. With a color scale ranging from purple, representing low pressure to red, representing high pressure, visual results are easily interpretable and the accompanying statistical data further supports your evaluation.

Tactilus' value begins as a pre-production set-up and calibration tool. The example pressuregraph pictured below of a wafer lamination demonstrates Tactilus' ability to reveal minor variations in pressure distribution (and magnitude). In the example of wafer bonding, too much force applied can lead to eutectic alloy spilling out causing a short circuit. Insufficient force will cause a week bond. Fine tuning such adjustments prior to a production run can save valuable time and prevent future problems.

Fujifilm Prescale® Film Placed Between a Lamination Press

Situations where uneven pressure is in fact being applied would be immediately apparent by of the use of Tactilus software. Also, over time, it might also become clear that the issue may be a warped plate, or, if the plate is skewed, the problem may be due to uneven hydraulic pressure, or one or more of the rams may be found to be misaligned. Armed with Tactilus, maintenance personnel can easily pinpoint the problem areas both on the spot for quick fixes or via comparative observation. Tactilus sensor pads are highly durable and can be trusted to provide thousands of accurate measurements. Utilizing Tactilus during calibration and setup can minimize potential downtime, increase efficiency, and decrease waste.

Sensor Specifications
Longevity Sensor Elements are reusable, potentially for hundreds of uses.
Pressure Range 0.1 - 200 PSI (0.007 - 14.1 kg/cm²)
Calibration Pre-calibrated and subsequently calibrated by user.
Spatial Resolution From 0.8 in² (2 mm²)
Data Delivery Digital with results in Windows
Accuracy ± 10%
Primary Materials Mylar, Polyimide, Urethane, fabric
Maximum Temperature 120° F (49° C)
Archival Capability Standard Windows File Format
Max. Physical Dimension 203 cm x 73 cm (80 x 29 in)
Reaction Speed 1/100 second
Conformability Up to 2 axis bending
Thickness 0.1 mm - 0.15 mm