JP7776603B2 - Laminated Molding System - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a laminate molding press device that press-forms a laminated film and a laminate material having an uneven portion between an upper plate and a lower plate, a laminate molding system that includes the laminate molding press device, and a laminate molding method.

Patent documents 1 to 4 describe known lamination molding press devices that press-mold laminated films and laminated materials with uneven surfaces between upper and lower plates. Patent document 1 describes a flattening press, which is a lamination molding press device, installed downstream of a vacuum lamination device. The flattening press has a cushioning material, such as rubber, with a thickness of about 1.5 mm attached to the surface of a polishing plate, which serves as a pressure block, and an elastically deformable mirror plate, such as stainless steel, with a thickness of about 2 mm attached to the surface of the cushioning material. The document describes how, during molding, the mirror plate, which forms the molding surface, initially elastically deforms in accordance with the unevenness of the product's surface, and then gradually returns to its original flat surface due to the elastic deformation of the cushioning material and the mirror plate.

Furthermore, like Patent Document 1, Patent Document 2 describes a flat press device, which is a laminate molding press device that is used in the subsequent process of a vacuum lamination device, and is also similar in that a cushioning material and a flexible metal plate are sequentially placed on the surface of the press block in the flat press. Patent Document 2 also states that fluororubber is particularly preferable as a material for the cushioning material, but also states that paper and plastic can also be used.

Furthermore, Patent Document 3 describes that in both the vacuum lamination device that performs the primary molding and the flat press device that performs the secondary molding, metal plates are provided via cushioning material on each surface of the heating platen that faces the film-like resin material, and that elastic press plates that come into contact with and pressurize the surface of the film-like resin material are adhesively fixed to these plates. The specification also states in paragraph (0031) that it is preferable to provide cushioning material with rubber elasticity or the like.

Furthermore, Patent Document 4 describes a vacuum press system consisting of a first vacuum press device and a second vacuum press device, and states that the pressure surface of the first vacuum press device has sufficient elasticity, and that the pressure surface of the second press device can be formed from a metal member, but can also be molded using an elastic member such as hard rubber.

JP 2002-120100 A (Claim 1), (0029), (0035), (Fig. 1), (Fig. 5) JP 2004-122553 A (Claim 1), (0041) to (0044), (Fig. 1) JP 2008-12918 A (Abstract), (Claim 1), (0030), (0031), (Fig. 1), (Fig. 8) JP 2005-334902 A (Claim 1), (0018), (0019), (Fig. 1)

In recent years, the laminate films used in lamination molding have increasingly been types that contain higher amounts of inorganic materials such as SiO2, with the aim of improving adhesion to the laminated object by lowering the film surface roughness, preventing peeling from the substrate by lowering the thermal expansion coefficient, improving insulation (reducing dielectric loss), and lowering the moisture content. However, as a result, the number of laminate films with a high Young's modulus is increasing, which poses the problem of lower fluidity of the molten material when the laminate film is heated and pressurized compared to conventional types of laminate film.

Furthermore, if the pressure applied during pressing is simply increased using conventional press equipment to address this issue, as shown in Figure 5, the high elasticity of the cushioning material causes stress to concentrate on the pressure surface corresponding to the edge of the laminate, causing the resin material of the laminate film near said edge to flow outward, resulting in molding defects.

The present invention therefore aims to provide a laminate molding press device, laminate molding system, and laminate molding method that enable the laminate molding of highly accurate laminate molded products, or that enable the laminate molding of laminate molded products using laminate films with a high inorganic material content to be performed satisfactorily.

The laminate molding press apparatus according to claim 1 of the present invention is a laminate molding press apparatus for press-molding a laminated film and a material to be laminated, which has an uneven portion, between an upper platen and a lower platen, wherein a pressure block attached to at least one of the upper platen and the lower platen is provided with a metal thin plate that constitutes a pressure surface via a resin film of engineering plastic or thermosetting resin,
The resin of the resin film is characterized by having a hardness of 15 or more and 140 or less on the Rockwell R scale.

The laminate molding press device described in claim 1 of the present invention is a laminate molding press device that press-forms a laminate material having an uneven portion and a laminate film between an upper platen and a lower platen, in which a pressure block attached to at least one of the upper platen or lower platen is equipped with a thin metal plate that forms the pressure surface via a resin film made of engineering plastic or thermosetting resin, and the resin of the resin film has a hardness of 15 or more and 140 or less on the Rockwell R scale, making it possible to laminate mold highly accurate laminate molded products, or to successfully laminate mold laminate molded products using laminate films with a high inorganic material content.

1 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a lamination molding system according to a first embodiment. 1 is an enlarged view of a main part of a laminate molding press device according to a first embodiment. FIG. 10 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a lamination molding system according to a second embodiment. FIG. 10 is a schematic explanatory diagram of a lamination molding system according to a third embodiment. FIG. 1 is a schematic explanatory view of pressure molding performed using a conventional laminate molding press.

The laminate molding system 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Figure 1, which shows a cross section of a vacuum lamination device 2 and a laminate molding press device 3. In the laminate molding system 1, a laminate molding press device 3 is provided downstream of the vacuum lamination device 2, and a substrate A1 and a laminate film A2, which are laminate materials having uneven portions and are transported from the vacuum lamination device 2 by carrier films F1 and F2, are pressure-molded by the laminate molding press device 3.

The carrier film feeding device 4, which serves as both a transfer device and a tension device for the substrate A1 and laminate film A2, is equipped with a lower unwinding roll 411 and a driven roll 412. The lower carrier film F1 unwound from the unwinding roll 411 is changed to a horizontal position at the driven roll 412. A loading stage section 413 is provided at the section where the lower carrier film F1 is in a horizontal position, on which the substrate A1 and laminate film A2, which are the materials to be molded and sent in a superimposed state from the previous process, are placed. The carrier film feeding device 4 also has an upper unwinding roll 414 and a driven roll 415, and the upper carrier film F2 unwound from the unwinding roll 414 is superimposed on the laminate molding A3 consisting of the substrate A1 and laminate film A2, at the driven roll 415. The substrate A1 and laminate film A2 are transported sandwiched between these carrier films F1, F2, and laminate molding is performed via the carrier films F1, F2 in the vacuum laminating device 2 or laminate molding press device 3. This prevents the laminate film A2 from melting and adhering to the equipment, and has the advantage of providing a certain amount of cushioning when pressurizing the intermediate laminate material A4, particularly in the laminate molding press device 3.

The vacuum lamination device 2, located downstream of the carrier film feeding device 4, pressurizes a laminated molded product A3 consisting of a substrate A1 and a laminated film A2 within a vacuum (reduced pressure) chamber C using a pressure member such as a diaphragm 211, thereby laminating and molding an intermediate laminated material A4, which is a primary molded product. The vacuum lamination device 2 has a lower platen 213 that can be raised and lowered by a lifting mechanism 214 relative to a fixedly installed upper platen 212, so that a chamber C can be formed inside when the lower platen 213 rises and abuts against the upper platen 212. Chamber C is connected to a vacuum pump (not shown) and can be depressurized. A heating plate 215 is attached to the lower surface of the center of the upper platen 212, and an elastic body 216, such as a heat-resistant rubber membrane (not shown), is attached to the surface of the heating plate 215. A heating plate 217 is also attached to the upper surface of the center of the lower platen 213. Additionally, a diaphragm 211 made of a heat-resistant rubber film, which serves as a pressure body, is attached to the periphery of the hot plate 217 of the lower platen 213 so as to cover the upper surface of the hot plate 217. When pressurized air is sent to the back side of the diaphragm 211 by a compressor (not shown), the diaphragm 211 expands within chamber C, pressurizing the substrate A1 and laminated film A2 between it and the hot plate 217. Note that the diaphragm 211 of the vacuum lamination device 2 may also be attached to the upper platen. The pressure body of the vacuum lamination device may also be one that pressurizes the substrate A1 and laminated film A2 between rolls with elastic bodies attached to their surfaces, or between the rolls and a pressure plate.

The laminate molding press 3, arranged in series downstream of the vacuum lamination device 2, further pressurizes the intermediate laminate A4, which is made up of the laminated material A1 and laminate film A2 and has uneven portions formed by the vacuum lamination device 2, with the unevenness remaining on the laminate film A2 side, to pressurize and mold it into an even flatter laminated product A5. The laminate molding press 3 has a substantially rectangular base plate 311 located below and tie bars 313 erected between the four corners of an upper plate 312, which is a substantially rectangular fixed plate located above the base plate 311. The laminate molding press 3 also has a lower plate 314, which is a substantially rectangular movable plate, that can be raised and lowered between the base plate 311 and the upper plate 312. The base plate 311 is also provided with a hydraulically operated pressure cylinder 315 as a pressure means, and the ram 316 of the pressure cylinder 315 is fixed to the back surface of the lower plate 314. The pressurizing means of the laminate molding press 3 of the first embodiment may be of another type, such as a combination of an electric motor and a toggle device. Furthermore, the laminate molding press 3 may be one in which the upper platen descends relative to the lower platen. Furthermore, although the laminate molding press 3 of the first embodiment does not have a chamber that can be placed in a vacuum state, it may have a chamber that can be placed in a vacuum state, and pressurization may be performed within the vacuum chamber.

Pressure blocks 317, 318 are attached to the opposing surfaces of the upper platen 312 and lower platen 314 of the laminate molding press device 3. Next, the pressure block 318 on the lower platen 314 side will be described in detail using Figure 2. Note that in Figure 2, the thickness of the fluororesin film 321, which is a resin film, and the stainless steel thin plate 322, which is a thin metal plate, are exaggerated and made to appear thicker than they actually are relative to their length. A heat insulating material 319 is arranged between the lower platen 314 and pressure block 318 of the laminate molding press device 3, and multiple cartridge heaters 320, which are heating means, are arranged in parallel inside the pressure block 318. Note that the pressure block 318, which also serves as a heating plate, may be equipped with a polishing plate or a plate-shaped heater, as in Patent Document 1, and is not limited to the configuration shown in Figure 2.

The smooth surface 318a of the pressure block 318 is overlaid with a thermosetting resin film such as a fluororesin film 321 (e.g., PTFE) or an engineering plastic resin film such as polyimide, as a cushioning material. A thin metal plate such as a thin stainless steel plate 322 is overlaid on the surface of the fluororesin film 321. In the first embodiment, the surface 318a of the pressure block 318, the fluororesin film 321, and the thin stainless steel plate 322 have the same shape in plan view. The surface of the thin stainless steel plate 322 forms the pressure surface 322a. The fluororesin film 321 and the thin stainless steel plate 322 have bolt holes (not shown) at multiple locations (four, six, eight, etc.) around the periphery other than the pressure surface. Bolts are inserted through these holes into bolt holes in the pressure block 318, securing the fluororesin film 321 and the thin stainless steel plate 322 to the pressure block 318. An adjustment section may be provided at the portion where the bolt is inserted to allow for thermal expansion of the stainless steel thin plate 322, etc. The fluororesin film 321 and stainless steel thin plate 322 may also be attached to the pressure block 318 using holders or adhesives other than bolts. With this structure, the pressure block 318 of the laminate molding press device 3 is provided with the metal thin plate 322 that forms the pressure surface 322a via the fluororesin film 321, which serves as a buffer material.

Next, we will explain the resin film used as a cushioning material for the laminate molding press device 3 in this invention. The resin film used in this invention is preferably a thermosetting resin film, an engineering plastic film, or an industrial functional film. In the first embodiment, fluororesin films 321 and 324 are used. For the fluororesin film 321, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), also known as Teflon (registered trademark) (Rockwell R scale (ISO 2039-2) 20, deflection temperature under load (°C (1.81 MPa)) 55°C, maximum use temperature 260°C), as well as PFA (Rockwell R scale 50, deflection temperature under load 47°C, maximum use temperature 260°C), FEP (Rockwell R scale 50, deflection temperature under load 50°C, maximum use temperature 200°C), PCTFE (Rockwell R scale 80, deflection temperature under load 90°C, maximum use temperature 120°C), ETFE (Rockwell R scale 50, deflection temperature under load 74°C, maximum use temperature 150°C), ECTFE (Rockwell R scale 50, deflection temperature under load 77°C, maximum use temperature 150°C), PVDF (Rockwell R scale 93 to 116, deflection temperature under load 100°C, maximum use temperature 156°C), and any of the above-mentioned fluororesin films 321 may be used. PTFE is particularly popular because it is easy to obtain and has a high maximum operating temperature. Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFR) has a low Rockwell R scale value of around 18, and even resin films with a hardness of around R15 can be molded into similar laminates. The fluororesin used in the fluororesin film is not cross-linked like fluororubber, and does not have the same flexibility as fluororubber.

In addition, examples of thermosetting resin films used in the present invention include, but are not limited to, fluororesin (FR), phenolic resin (PF), urea resin (UF), melamine resin (MF), allyl resin (PDAP), alkyd resin (ALK), unsaturated polyester (UP), epoxy resin (EP), diaryl phthalate (DAP), polyurethane resin, silicone resin (SI), polyimide (PI), etc. Thermosetting resin films are particularly suitable because they have excellent heat resistance and are resistant to deterioration even when used at relatively high temperatures in the laminate molding press device 3.

The resin film used in the buffer material may also be an engineering plastic. In this invention, engineering plastic is defined as a resin with a heat resistance of 100°C or higher, a tensile strength of 49 MPa or higher, and a flexural modulus of 2.4 GPa or higher. The engineering plastics of this invention include general-purpose engineering plastics (also referred to as general-purpose engineering plastics) and super engineering plastics (also referred to as special engineering plastics). Examples of general-purpose engineering plastics that can be used in the buffer material include, but are not limited to, polyamide (PA), polyacetal (POM), polycarbonate (PC), modified polyphenylene ether (PPE), polybutyl terephthalate (PBT), glass fiber reinforced polyethylene terephthalate (GF-PET), and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHPE). General-purpose engineering plastics can be used when the laminate molding press is operated at a relatively low temperature.

Super engineering plastics are resins with a heat resistance of 150°C or higher. Examples of general-purpose engineering plastics used as cushioning materials include, but are not limited to, polysulfone (PSF), polyethersulfone (PES), polyphenylene sulfide (PPS), liquid crystal polymer (LCP), polyethylene naphthalate (polyethernitrile) (PEN), polyarylate (PAR), polyethersulfone (PES), polyarylate (PAR), polyetheretherketone (PEEK), polyetherimide (PFI), polyamideimide (PAI), polyaminobismaleimide (PABM), polybutylenemaleimide (BT-resin), polyoxybenzoyl (POB), aramid (a polyamide composed only of an aromatic skeleton, sometimes referred to as Ar), and thermoplastic polyimide (PI).

Among the engineering films containing the above-mentioned super engineering plastics, resins particularly suitable for use in the present invention include polyimide (both thermoplastic and thermosetting) (deflection temperature under load of 260°C or higher, Rockwell R scale 110-130), polyether ketone (deflection temperature under load of 140°C, Rockwell R scale 126), polysulfone (deflection temperature under load, Rockwell R scale 110-120), polyphenylene sulfide (deflection temperature under load of 260°C, Rockwell R scale 100), polyether sulfone (deflection temperature under load of 203°C, Rockwell R scale 100), polyethylene naphthalate (polyether nitrile film) (deflection temperature under load of 330°C, Rockwell R scale 114), and aramid (deflection temperature under load of 200°C-230°C). These are relatively readily available commercially. Alternatively, films using at least one of these resins may be used. Among the above, polyimide films or resin films primarily composed of polyimide are preferred. Polyimide film is relatively easy to obtain and has excellent heat resistance.

The resin film used in the present invention is preferably one with a hardness (Rockwell R scale) (ISO 2039-2) of 15 to 140, although this is not limited to this. The Rockwell R scale is simply a measurement method, so it goes without saying that resins for which measurements using other measurement methods, such as the Rockwell M scale, are listed in catalogs, etc., are also covered by the present invention. If the hardness of the resin film is too low, stress will concentrate on one part of the pressure surface (particularly the edge of the laminated product), as is the case when rubber is used as a cushioning material. If the hardness is too high, stress will concentrate on one part of the pressure surface (particularly the front surface of the convex portion of the laminated material). When the hardness of the resin film is within the appropriate range, it is easy to apply approximately uniform pressure to all parts of the pressure surface.

The resin film of the present invention may be a mixture of multiple resins, as long as it contains the resin as the primary component in the largest proportion (volume %). Alternatively, the resin film may be formed by adhering multiple resin films together. Furthermore, as long as the primary component is a resin material as described above, it may contain materials other than resin materials. For example, it may contain fibers or other additives in addition to resin. Furthermore, foamed resins may be used as long as the foaming ratio is small. While Patent Document 2 gives an example of a rubber buffer material with a Shore A hardness of 70 degrees, any material that does not provide the same cushioning effect as a buffer material with a Shore A hardness of 70 degrees or less is acceptable. Patent Document 2 also mentions the use of plastic as a buffer material, but lists it along with paper and rubber. This list of materials assumes the use of a buffer material with the same cushioning effect as rubber, and does not specify what type of plastic should be used.

In the first embodiment, only one fluororesin film 321 is used as the cushioning material, but two or more of the same resin film, or two or more resin films of different types or thicknesses may be simply stacked or pasted together. The resin film of the present invention is flexible, but may be one that breaks when bent with a force greater than a predetermined level. As in Patent Document 1, a rubber heater may be placed on the surface of the pressure block, or an extremely thin coating layer containing rubber or the like may be formed on the surface of the pressure block, a resin film such as polyimide placed on top of that, and a thin metal plate such as a thin stainless steel plate 322 may be placed on top of that.

The thickness of these resin films used as cushioning materials is preferably 0.01 mm to 2.00 mm, more preferably 0.02 mm to 1.00 mm. Generally, thicknesses of 1.00 mm or less are referred to as films, and thicknesses of 1.00 mm or more are referred to as sheets. However, in this invention, all resin films in the 1.00 mm to 2.00 mm range are included in the concept of film. Furthermore, even when multiple resin films are stacked to be used as cushioning materials, it is desirable for the total thickness to be within the above range. Resin film thicknesses thinner than 0.02 mm result in little elastic deformation due to the stainless steel thin plates 322, 325, resulting in excessive force being applied only to the front portion of the protrusion A1b of the substrate A1. Resin film thicknesses thicker than 2.00 mm result in problems similar to those observed when rubber is used as a cushioning material, as shown in the deformed view in Figure 5. Resin film thicknesses in the 0.02 mm to 0.05 mm range can be problematic when the protrusion A1b of the substrate A1 is high. Furthermore, a thickness in the range of 1.00 mm to 2.00 mm may result in excessive cushioning. Note that these resin film thicknesses are those when the resin film is attached to the pressure block 318. After being attached to the pressure block 318, the resin film may lose a slight thickness as the number of press molding cycles increases, so the same thickness may not be maintained when the resin film is removed after press molding. However, even if the thickness of the resin film changes slightly, it will not cause any significant problems with pressure molding as long as the change is not significant.

The stainless steel thin plate 322, which is layered on the surface of the fluororesin film 321, has a smooth, mirror-finish surface (pressure surface 322a). The thickness of the stainless steel thin plate 322 is 0.05 mm to 5.0 mm, more preferably 0.5 mm to 3.0 mm. The material of the thin metal plate is not limited to stainless steel (Young's modulus (E/GPa) 200), but may also be iron (Young's modulus (E/GPa) 205), aluminum (Young's modulus (E/GPa) 70), nickel (Young's modulus (E/GPa) 204), copper (Young's modulus (E/GPa) 110), alloys thereof, or metals with equivalent Young's moduli. Depending on the molded product, the pressure surface may also have a specified surface roughness. In this invention, the combination of a plastic film such as a polyimide film and the thin metal plate prevents the metal plate from undergoing large elastic deformation when pressure is applied, as occurs with conventional rubber cushioning materials. As a result, it is possible to prevent the laminated film from flowing outward from the edges of the substrate. Furthermore, depending on the type of laminated molded product A to be laminated, even greater elasticity can be expected by using a thin metal sheet such as stainless steel with a thickness of 0.1 mm to 0.8 mm. Furthermore, the metal sheet of the present invention in which the surface of the pressure surface is a pressure surface also includes a stainless steel thin sheet 322 on which a coating is formed by nitriding or carbonizing.

In the first embodiment of the laminate molding press apparatus 3, the upper platen 312 also has the same pressure block 317 as the lower platen 314, a fluororesin film 324 such as PTFE, and a thin stainless steel plate 325. However, at least one of the pressure block 317 on the upper platen 312 side and the pressure block 318 on the lower platen 314 side may have the above structure, or the upper platen 312 and the lower platen 314 may have different materials or thicknesses for the film serving as the buffer material, or different materials or thicknesses for the thin metal plate. Specifically, if the substrate A1 has an uneven portion A1a on only one side and the laminate film A2 is bonded only to the side with the uneven portion A1a, a pressure block comprising a polyimide film and a thin stainless steel plate may be provided only on the platen on the side of the substrate A1 corresponding to the side with the uneven portion A1a. However, if the substrate A1 has uneven surfaces on both sides and the laminate film A2 is to be attached to both sides, it is desirable to provide fluororesin films 324, 321 such as PTFE and thin stainless steel plates 322, 325 on the pressure blocks 317, 318 of the upper platen 312 and lower platen 314 of the laminate molding press device 3, as shown in Figure 1.

A carrier film winding device 5, which serves as both a transfer device and a tension device for the laminate molded product A5, is provided downstream of the laminate molding press device 3. The carrier film winding device 5 includes a lower winding roll 511 and a driven roll 512, and the lower carrier film F1 is wound by the winding roll 511. The carrier film winding device 5 also includes an upper winding roll 513 and a driven roll 514, and the upper carrier film F2 is peeled off from the laminate molded product A5 at the driven roll 514 and wound onto the upper winding roll 513. An unloading stage 515 for the laminate molded product A5 is provided at the section where only the lower carrier film F1 is fed horizontally. The transfer device for the carrier films F1 and F2 may also include a transfer device that grasps both sides of the carrier films F1 and F2 and pulls them toward the downstream process. The transfer devices for the laminate molded product A3, intermediate laminate material A4, etc. of the laminate molding system 1 are not limited to those described above and may also use multi-axis robots, etc. In the first laminate molding system 1, if another device such as a cooling press device is installed downstream of the laminate molding press device 3, the carrier film winding device 5 is installed downstream of that device.

Next, we will explain the lamination molding method for laminating material A1 and laminate film A2 using a lamination molding system 1 including the lamination molding press 3 of the first embodiment. In the lamination molding system 1 during continuous molding, pressure molding is performed in a batch process simultaneously using sequence control in the diaphragm-type vacuum lamination device 2 and the laminate molding press 3, which is a flattening press. However, here we will explain the molding sequence for one batch of lamination material, the substrate A1 and laminate film A2. The upper and lower carrier films F1 and F2, which are unwound from the carrier film feed device 4 and wound onto the carrier film winding device 5, are often made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and have a thickness of 0.02 mm to 0.20 mm, although this is not limited to this.

The laminate material A1 placed on the loading stage 413 of the carrier film feeding device 4 is a circuit board for build-up, having an uneven portion A1a consisting of convex portions A1b of the copper foil portion adhered to the board surface and concave portions A1c of the copper foil-free portion. The thickness of the copper foil (height relative to the board portion) is not limited to this, but is on the order of several microns to several tens of microns, and in most cases is 0.1 mm or less. A laminated molded product A3 for build-up molding is formed by stacking laminated films A2 on the top and bottom of the circuit board A1. Note that while Figure 1 shows one laminated molded product A3, multiple laminated molded products A3 may be laminated and molded at the same time.

In the first embodiment, the laminated film A2 is an insulating film, and is used after the PET films laminated on both sides are peeled off from the original storage state. The resin material of the laminated film A2 is a thermosetting resin such as epoxy, or a thermosetting resin that is primarily composed of a thermosetting resin. In addition to the thermosetting resin, various materials and additives are contained for purposes such as adjusting roughness, imparting flame retardancy, low expansion, fluidity, film-forming properties, low dielectric tangent (insulating properties), and reducing moisture content. In particular, in recent years, there has been an increase in types that contain increased amounts of inorganic materials for purposes such as adjusting roughness, imparting low expansion, low dielectric tangent, and reducing moisture content. Examples of inorganic materials include, but are not limited to, SiO2.

In the first embodiment, a laminate film A2 having a content (volume %) of SiO2, an inorganic material, of 20% or more is preferably used. In the present invention, a laminate film A2 having a content (volume %) of SiO2, an inorganic material, of 20% or more is defined as a resin film with a high content of inorganic material. Examples of resin films with a high content of inorganic material include, but are not limited to, Ajinomoto Build-up Film (ABF) (registered trademark), an interlayer insulating film from Ajinomoto Fine-Techno Co., Ltd., such as GX13 (Young's modulus (GPa) 4.0), GX92 (Young's modulus (GPa) 5.0), GX-T31 (Young's modulus (GPa) 7.5), NextGX (Young's modulus) 7.5), and GZ41 (Young's modulus (GPa) 9.0), or films with a Young's modulus (GPa) of 9.0 or more. Other companies' products also include similar resin films with a high content of inorganic material. As mentioned above, these resin films contain 20% by volume or more, and 40% by weight or more, of inorganic material for purposes such as improving adhesion to the substrate by reducing the film surface roughness, preventing peeling from the substrate by reducing the thermal expansion coefficient, improving insulation (reducing dielectric loss), and reducing moisture content. In particular, for substrates for 5G, the fifth-generation communication system, greater precision is required, so laminate film A2 (interlayer insulating film) with an inorganic material content of 25% by volume or more is particularly suitable. The thickness of the laminate film A2 is not limited to this, but interlayer insulating films manufactured by Ajinomoto Fine-Techno Co., Ltd. and others with thicknesses of 0.01 mm to 0.1 mm are commercially available and widely used. Furthermore, laminate film A2 may be laminated with a copper foil layer, and these films are also used in the laminate molding press of the present invention.

The laminated product A3 placed on the loading stage 413 is then moved together with the upper and lower carrier films F1, F2 as the winding rolls 511, 513 rotate, and is sent into chamber C of the open vacuum lamination device 2 where it is positioned. Next, chamber C of the vacuum lamination device 2 is closed, and a vacuum is created inside chamber C using a vacuum pump (not shown). Pressurized air is then sent in to inflate the diaphragm 211 into chamber C, and the laminated product A3 consisting of the substrate A1 and the laminated film A2 is pressurized between it and the elastic body 216 of the heat plate 215 on the upper platen 212. The pressure applied by the diaphragm 211 at this time is, for example, 1 MPa or less, and the substrate A1 and the laminated film A2 are bonded together such that the laminated film A2 is embedded in the recess A1c of the substrate A1, and the intermediate laminated material A4, which is the primary molded product, is laminated and molded. However, the surface of the laminate film A2 of the intermediate laminate A4, which has been laminated using a vacuum lamination device, still has irregularities that follow the shape of the irregularities A1a of the substrate A1. Furthermore, if the laminate film used has a high inorganic material content, the fluidity of the molten resin is low, making it even more likely that irregularities will remain.

In the vacuum lamination device 2, chamber C is opened when intermediate laminate A4, consisting of laminated material A1 with an uneven portion A1a and laminating film A2, is laminated and molded. Then, as the carrier film take-up device 5 feeds the next carrier films F1 and F2, the intermediate laminate A4 is transported between the upper platen 312 and lower platen 314 of the lamination molding press device 3, and is stopped at a predetermined pressure position. Next, the pressure cylinder 315 of the lamination molding press device 3 is activated, and the lower platen 314 and pressure block 318 are raised. As mentioned above, an elastically deformable stainless steel thin plate 322 is attached to the pressure block 318 via a fluororesin film 321 with cushioning properties. After the pressure surface 322a of the stainless steel thin plate 322 abuts against the lower carrier film F1, it further pushes up the intermediate laminate A4 via the lower carrier film F1. The intermediate laminate A4 is then brought into contact with the pressure surface 325a of the stainless steel thin plate 325 on the upper platen 312 via the upper carrier film F2, and is then pressed between the upper and lower pressure surfaces 322a and 325a.

The temperature of the pressure blocks 317, 318 (hot plates) of the laminate molding press 3 during this process varies depending on the materials of the substrate A1 and laminate film A2, and is therefore not limited to these values. It is typically controlled to between 80°C and 140°C, and more preferably between 90°C and 130°C. If the temperature is too high, the resin material constituting the laminate film will have a low viscosity when melted, resulting in excessive fluidity. This will cause the resin material constituting the laminate film to leak from the edges of the intermediate laminate material, preventing the desired thickness of the laminated product and the insulating layer thickness from being achieved. Furthermore, if the temperature of the pressure blocks 317, 318 during pressurization is too high, problems such as deterioration of the resin material and a longer molding cycle time, including cooling in subsequent processes, will arise. On the other hand, if the temperature of the pressure blocks 317, 318 during pressurization is too low, the viscosity of the resin material will be too high to achieve the desired fluidity, resulting in insufficient embedding of the laminated film A2 into the substrate A1 and an insufficient flatness of the surface of the laminated product A5.

The pressure (surface pressure) applied to the intermediate laminate A4 also varies depending on the materials of the substrate A1 and laminate film A2, and is not limited to these values, but is controlled to 0.3 MPa to 4.0 MPa, more preferably 0.5 MPa to 2.5 MPa. If the pressure is too strong, the molten resin material that makes up the laminate film A2 will flow out from the edges of the intermediate laminate A4, preventing good pressure molding, just as it would with the temperature conditions. If the pressure is too low, the laminate film A2 will not be sufficiently embedded in the substrate A1, and the surface of the laminate molded product A5 will not be sufficiently flat.

Furthermore, in the first embodiment, by using a resin film such as fluororesin film 324, 321 as the buffer material between the elastic stainless steel thin plates 322, 325 and the pressure blocks 317, 318, the hardness of the buffer material is increased compared to conventional buffer materials that use rubber, and the elastic deformation of the elastic stainless steel thin plates 322, 325 can be suppressed to a desired range or to a level where there is virtually no deformation. Furthermore, if the pressure block were only a metal block, too much force would be applied only to the surface portion of the intermediate laminate A4 that corresponds to the front surface of the convex portion A1b of the substrate A1, which could destroy the substrate A1 or not sufficiently press the concave portion A1c of the substrate A1.

In this regard, in a conventional laminate molding press 10 using rubber cushioning, as shown in Figure 5, during press molding, the central portions 101a, 102a of the cushioning materials 101, 102 are compressed by the reaction force exerted on the intermediate laminate A4, and the central portions 103a, 104a of the stainless steel thin plates 103, 104 that directly contact the intermediate laminate A4 also bend toward the pressure blocks 105, 106. In contrast, the outer portions 101b, 102b of the cushioning materials 101, 102 that do not directly press the intermediate laminate A4 are hardly compressed at all. As a result, the distance between the pressure blocks 105, 106 and the outer portions 103b, 104b of the stainless steel thin plates becomes relatively larger than the distance between the pressure blocks 105, 106 and the central portions 103a, 104a of the stainless steel thin plates. When this phenomenon occurs, the outer portions 103b, 104b of the stainless steel thin plates corresponding to the outer sides of the intermediate laminate A4 form inclined surfaces 103c, 104c, with the center recessed toward the pressure blocks 105, 106 and the outer sides protruding from the pressure blocks 105, 106. This creates a predetermined angle α between the inclined surfaces 103c, 104c of the outer portions 103b, 104b of the stainless steel thin plates and the surface of the outer portion of the intermediate laminate A4. As a result, stress during pressure application is concentrated on the edge A2a of the laminate film A2 layer of the intermediate laminate A4. This further results in the problem of molten resin near the edge A2a of the laminate film A2 of the intermediate laminate A4 spilling outward as spilled resin A2b.

In contrast, in the first embodiment, a thermosetting resin film such as fluororesin films 321, 324 or an engineering plastic is used for the cushioning material, so when pressure is applied to the intermediate laminate A4, only the resin film of the cushioning material in the center is significantly compressed to a small extent, and the elastic deformation of the stainless steel thin plates 322, 325, which are elastic metal plates, is also small. As a result, stress is less concentrated at the end A4c of the laminate film A2 on the surface of the intermediate laminate A4, and the molten resin near the end A4c of the laminate film A2 layer of the intermediate laminate A4 hardly flows outward.

Then, by applying pressure at the above temperature and pressure in the laminate molding press device 3, the uneven surfaces of the upper and lower laminate films A2 of the intermediate laminate material A4 become flat, and the laminate is molded into the laminated product A5. After the specified pressure application time has elapsed, the pressure cylinder 315 is activated again and the lower platen 314 descends, and the upper and lower winding rolls 511, 513 are then rotated, and the laminated product A5 is transferred to the removal stage 515 and transported to a subsequent process by a transfer device (not shown). The laminated product A5 or substrates, etc., obtained by reprocessing the laminated product A5 are encompassed by the present invention.

Next, the laminate molding system 6 of the second embodiment shown in Figure 3 will be described, focusing on the differences from the laminate molding system 1 of the first embodiment and using reference numerals. The laminate molding press device 8 of the laminate molding system 6 of the second embodiment does not use a diaphragm, and the pressure mechanism, such as the pressure cylinder 819, has a structure substantially identical to that of the laminate molding press device 3 of the first embodiment. In the laminate molding press device 8, pressure blocks 813 and 814 attached to the upper platen 811 and lower platen 812, respectively, are equipped with polyimide films 815 and 816 as buffer materials and stainless steel thin metal plates 817 and 818, respectively, with the surfaces of the stainless steel thin plates 817 and 818 serving as pressure surfaces 817a and 818a. Also similar is the lower platen 812 being raised by the pressure cylinder 819, and pressure molding being performed between the pressure surfaces 817a and 818a.

The difference between the laminate molding press 3 of the first laminate molding system 1 and the laminate molding press 8 of the laminate molding system 6 of the second embodiment is that the laminate molding press 8 has side walls 820, 821, which are chamber-forming members, formed on at least one of the upper platen 811 and the lower platen 812, and when the lower platen 812 etc. is raised, the relative distance between the upper platen 811 and the lower platen 812 becomes closer, forming a chamber C. The laminate molding press 8 is also equipped with a vacuum pump (not shown) for creating a vacuum inside the chamber C. Therefore, the laminate molding press 8 is a vacuum lamination device.

Furthermore, the laminate molding press 3 used for secondary molding, as in the first embodiment, is provided downstream of the laminate molding press 8. The fluororesin films 815, 816 and stainless steel thin plates 817, 818, which serve as cushioning materials for the laminate molding press 8, and the resin films such as fluororesin films 321, 324 and thin metal plates such as stainless steel thin plates 322, 325, which serve as cushioning materials for the laminate molding press 3, may be made of the same material or different materials. If they are made of different materials, it is desirable to ensure that the laminate molding press 8 has better embeddability. As an example, it is preferable to make the resin films such as fluororesin films 815, 816 used in the laminate molding press 8 thicker than the resin films such as fluororesin films 321, 324 used in the laminate molding press 3, or to make the thin metal plates such as stainless steel thin plates 322, 325 thinner. Alternatively, fluororesin films 321 and 324 may be used in the laminate molding press 3, and a resin film with a higher Rockwell hardness than the fluororesin film, such as polyimide films 815 and 816, may be used in the laminate molding press 8 in the subsequent process.

In the lamination molding method using the lamination molding system 6 of the second embodiment, the lamination material substrate A1 and lamination film A2 are pressurized from the primary molding using the lamination molding press device 8. Therefore, primary molding can be performed with a greater pressure than with the vacuum lamination device 2 using the diaphragm 211 of the first embodiment. Therefore, as described above, pressure molding can be performed effectively even when the specific gravity of the inorganic material of the lamination film A2 is quite high, for example, 60% to 75% by weight.

The intermediate laminate material A4 laminated (primary molding) in the laminate molding press 8 is sent to the laminate molding press 3. The temperature and pressure (surface pressure) of the pressure blocks of the laminate molding press 8 and the laminate molding press 3 may be the same or different. While not limited to this, as an example, the temperature of the pressure block of the laminate molding press 8 may be higher than that of the laminate molding press 3 to improve the fluidity of the resin material of the laminate film, and the pressure of the laminate molding press 3 may be higher than that of the laminate molding press 8 to increase the smoothness of the surface of the laminate molding product A5. The present invention also encompasses the laminate molding product A5 laminated in the second embodiment or substrates obtained by reprocessing the laminate molding product A5.

As a variation of the second embodiment, the lamination molding system 6 may be configured to complete molding using only one vacuum lamination device, the lamination molding press 8. Even in this case, the invention can be completed by providing a pressure block attached to at least one of the upper and lower plates of the present invention with a thin metal plate that forms the pressure surface via a resin film. Furthermore, the lamination molding press 3 may be followed by another lamination molding press 3 of the same type or a cooling press of a different type, arranged in series.

Next, the third embodiment of the laminate molding system 7 shown in Figure 4 will be described, focusing on the differences from the first embodiment of the laminate molding system 1 and assigning reference numerals. The third embodiment of the laminate molding system 7 has another similar laminate molding press 9 installed downstream of the laminate molding press 3 of the laminate molding system 1 of the first embodiment. That is, two laminate molding presses 3.9 of the laminate molding system 7 are installed in series downstream of the vacuum lamination device 2. An intermediate laminate material A4 consisting of a laminated material A1 with concave and convex portions and a laminate film A2 transported from the vacuum lamination device 2 by carrier films F1 and F2 is sequentially pressure-molded by the two laminate molding presses 3.9.

The laminate molding press 9 has almost the same structure as the laminate molding press 3, and the pressure blocks 913, 914 attached to the upper platen 911 and lower platen 912, respectively, are equipped with polyimide films 915, 916 as cushioning materials and stainless steel thin plates 917, 918, which are thin metal plates, and the surfaces of the stainless steel thin plates 917, 918 form pressure surfaces 917a, 918a.

Note that the resin films such as fluororesin films 915, 916 and thin metal plates such as stainless steel sheets 917, 918 that serve as cushioning materials for the laminate molding press 9, and the resin films such as fluororesin films 321, 324 and thin metal plates such as stainless steel sheets 322, 325 that serve as cushioning materials for the laminate molding press 3, may have the same thickness or different thicknesses. In the third embodiment, the laminate molding press 3 and the laminate molding press 9 use fluororesin films with a thickness of 0.01 mm to 1.00 mm. However, the thicknesses of the resin films used as cushioning materials for the laminate molding press 3 and the laminate molding press 9 may differ. For example, a thicker resin film such as a fluororesin film may be used for the laminate molding press 3 in the preceding process to provide better embeddability.

Furthermore, the materials of the resin films that serve as cushioning materials for the laminate molding press 9 and the laminate molding press 3 may be the same or different. If they are different materials, it is desirable to use a film made of a material with a smaller Rockwell R scale so that the laminate molding press 3 in the preceding process has better embeddability. Furthermore, the metal thin plates such as the stainless steel thin plates 322, 325 of the laminate molding press 3 may have better embeddability than the laminate molding press 9 by being thinner or by using a metal material with a smaller Young's modulus.

In the laminate molding method using the laminate molding system 6 of the third embodiment, the laminated intermediate laminate materials A4a and A4b are sent in sequence to the vacuum lamination device 2, the laminate molding press device 3, and the laminate molding press device 9. In the case of two lamination devices as in the first embodiment, the laminate molding press device 3 often requires a longer pressurization time than the vacuum lamination device 2, and the overall molding time is often determined by the laminate molding press device 3. However, in the laminate molding system 7 of the third embodiment, the molding time can be distributed by two pressurization molding processes using the laminate molding press device 3 and the laminate molding press device 9, and in most cases the molding time required for the vacuum lamination device 2 can also be used for molding using the other laminate molding press device 3 and the laminate molding press device 9.

Furthermore, because pressure molding can be performed twice using the laminate molding press 3 and the laminate molding press 9, good laminate molding can be achieved even if the laminate film A2 contains a high content of inorganic material and has poor fluidity when melted. The pressure block temperatures and pressure (surface pressure) of the laminate molding press 3 and the laminate molding press 9 may be the same or different. Although not limited to this, as an example, the temperature of the pressure block of the laminate molding press 3 may be higher than that of the laminate molding press 9 to improve the fluidity of the molten resin material of the laminate film A2, and the pressure of the laminate molding press 9 may be higher than that of the laminate molding press 3 to improve the surface smoothness of the laminate molded product A5. In the third embodiment, a further device, such as a cooling press, may be provided downstream of the laminate molding press 9. The laminate molded product A5 laminated in the third embodiment or a substrate obtained by reprocessing the laminate molded product A5, etc., are also encompassed by the present invention.

As a modification of the third embodiment, the laminate molding press 3 installed next to the vacuum lamination device 2 may be replaced with a laminate molding press whose pressure surface is made of an elastic plate such as rubber. In this case, the laminate molding press 9 of the present invention is used only for the third laminate molding.

It is also envisioned that the laminate molding presses 3, 8, and 9 of the present invention may be shipped without the resin film or thin metal plate cushioning material attached, with the resin film or other material of the present invention being attached later, and these configurations are also encompassed by the present invention. The present invention also encompasses replacing the cushioning material of the laminate molding presses 3, 8, and 9 with a resin film or rubber or other material with greater cushioning properties, as encompassed by the present invention, depending on the type of material A1 or laminate film A2 to be laminated at the laminate molding factory.

Although not listed individually, the present invention is not limited to the first to third embodiments described above, and it goes without saying that it also applies to modifications made by those skilled in the art based on the spirit of the present invention, or combinations of the descriptions of the first to third embodiments. The laminated molded products laminated by the laminated molding systems 1, 6, and 7 may be circuit boards, semiconductor wafers, or other plate-like objects, and are not limited thereto.

1, 6, 7 Lamination molding system 2, vacuum lamination device 3, 8, 9 Lamination molding press device 212, 312, 811, 911 Upper plate 213, 314, 812, 912 Lower plate
317, 318, 813, 814, 913, 914 Pressurizing block 321, 324, 815, 816, 915, 916 Fluorine resin film (resin film)
322, 325, 817, 818, 917, 918 Stainless steel thin plate (metal thin plate)
322a, 325a, 817a, 818a, 917a, 918a Pressurizing surface

Claims (3)

In a lamination molding system, a laminate material having an uneven portion as a molding target and a laminate film are pressurized and molded in stages,
First, the molding object is pressurized by a lamination device equipped with a chamber capable of reducing the pressure inside the chamber,
Second, the object to be molded is pressed by a lamination molding press device having an upper platen and a lower platen,
The pressurizing block attached to at least one of the upper platen and the lower platen of the laminate molding press device includes:
a metal thin plate that constitutes a pressure surface via a resin film of a thermosetting resin or an engineering plastic is provided;
The resin of the resin film has a hardness of 15 or more and 140 or less on the Rockwell R scale and a thickness of 0.02 mm or more and 2.00 mm or less.
Laminated molding system. The laminate molding press presses the molding object with a surface pressure of 0.3 MPa to 4.0 MPa.
The layered molding system of claim 1 . The laminate molding press device heats the pressure block to 80°C to 140°C and presses the molding object.
The layered molding system of claim 1 .