1

Deliverable 10.4

ML² – Multi Layer Micro Lab

Optical Alignment System

1. Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................... 2

2. Introduction ............................................................................................................................................. 3

3. Optical Registration Camera System ..................................................................................................... 3

3.1. Technical Specifications of the novel Registration Camera system .......................................... 3

3.2. On-line view of Offcodes Registrations marks ........................................................................... 4

4. First Detection of Register marks without web transport ....................................................................... 5

4.1. Test Assembly ............................................................................................................................ 5

4.2. First Results in Detection of Registration Marks (without web Transport) ................................. 5

5. Engineering Solution for the Integration of Offcode´s Camera into an existing Click & Coat configuration ........................................................................................................................................... 7

6. First Lamination Tests at Coatema with Web Transport ........................................................................ 9

7. Scheduled test for Q4-2015 and Q1-2016 ........................................................................................... 11

This Deliverable has been written by Dr. Nico Meyer and Vice President Thomas Kolbusch, both

Coatema Coating Machinery GmbH. It contains the status of work till November 15, 2015. Some results

have been presented at the ML2-Projekt Meeting in Brussels dated October1-2, 2015.

2

1. Executive Summary

The pilot line production of microfluidics devices by roll-to-roll processes requires the precise lamination

of several substrate foils with different coatings and patterned device structures. The precise lamination

and coating is there for mandatory and stresses the demand for a precise registration even when

processes are run with flammable solvents and flammable process regimes.

In a research study the partners IPT and Coatema identified the registration Camera with its

specifications form Offcode Oy Ltd. to fulfill the main requirements:

1. An ATEX-proven starting configuration of the registration Camera, which allows to work with

flammable solvents and at flammable process regimes.

2. An ACROS Software algorithm, which allows the analysis of the log-files and the detection of

errors to determinate of the printing or lamination accuracy.

In a first evaluation laser marks were generated on test samples by IPT and tested in stationary test

assembly with Offcode. Promising results were achieved. On top of the laser marks up to 5 layers of

PMMA were laminated and tested in registration. The laser marks could be detected despite the

laminated PMMA layers. Without optimization of the ACROS software and the illumination the round-

shape marks were easily detected. Based on these results an accuracy of < 20 µm was already

predicted.

Coatema started to work on an engineering solution for the integration of the registration Camera into its

Click & Coat equipment. Due to the dimensions of the registration camera and to keep maximum

freedom for various process configurations Coatema decides to integrate the Camera into an own small

Module. As a results Figure 7 shows the Click & Coat configuration, which consists of Unwinder, Edge

Guiding 1, a Coating Stating - used here as a Pulling Unit, a novel precise Side Adjustment, the

Lamination Unit, the Registration Camera Module and finally an edge Guiding Unit 2 and a rewinder.

The mechanical integration of the Registration Camera was achieved and first lamination test were

schedules in November 2015. In this dynamic test series we faced novel issues based on the electrical

integration and on the ACROS Software, which could not all be solved. Therefor the Engineering Team

of Coatema, IPT and Offcode continue to work on these issues and is planning the next lamination trials

for December 2015 or Q1-2016.

Nevertheless the Engineering Team is confident to solve these Integration issues and to achieve an

accuracy of less than 20 µm in the dynamic test mode.

3

2. Introduction

A key step for the successful ML2-Project is the precise lamination of different foils and substrates to

generate the desired micro fluidics channels in the flexible substrate. Therefor a research was done to identify engineering solutions for a precise optical alignment system.

3. Optical Registration Camera System

A market research by Coatema in Q3 and Q4 of 2014 identified the Registration Camera System of Offcode Oy Ltd. to be an engineering solution for precise lamination task in the ML2-Project. The most priority criteria were the ATEX-proven application and high accuracy for printing and lamination. This ATEX proven criteria allows the operation of the registration camera system with solvents at high concentrations and gives the highest freedom for current process development and future pilot line production.

3.1. Technical Specifications of the novel Registration Camera system

The Offcode Camera System and its detector is able to detect Register marks on polymer films, e.g. PET- or PC-foil as well as on various metal films (Copper or Aluminium) using several opaque, transparent or conductive inks. Figure 1 displays the Specification of Offcodes registration camera, which was presented in the ML2-Meeting in Brüssel in October 2015.

Figure 1: First Design Concept for the Integration of a Registration Camera System into a R2R-Pilot Line. Left: Front view and right side view.

The Adjustment speed is at least 0,4 mm/s and its range is at least +/- 5 mm. The frequency of the polling data is 1 data set per second. Its Communication speed is 9600 pps. The software is extensible and upgradable. The Detector will be delivered in an ATEX-proven compartment which allows the installation in a R2R-System operating with organic solvents and inks. The highest accuracy of +/- 5 µm will be achieved with typical printing speed of 2-10 m/min.

4

3.2. On-line view of Offcodes Registrations marks

Offcode´s Registration Camera works with the ACROS software which allows the visualization of the registration marks and generates a log-file of the printing or lamination error as shown in Figure 2. This inline controllability finally qualified the Offcode Registration camera system to be chosen for the ML

2-

Project as engineering solution.

Figure 2: ACROS software analysis of the Offcode registration Camera: All 4 registration marks are show and its relative position is detected. Below is shown the graph of the register error.

With full integration of the Offcode registration camera and by applying the ACROS-Software the preciseness of the printing or lamination step is monitored in-situ. This allows the optimization of the printing or laminating parameters according to substrate web speed and targeted registration preciseness.

5

4. First Detection of Register marks without web transport

4.1. Test Assembly

To evaluate that the register marks can be detected and the principle of Offcode´s Camera is working with the registration marks used in the ML

2-Project samples of various registration marks were laser-

prepared from the Partner IPT and tested in a test assembly with Offcode´s Camera without any web transport.

Figure 3: Left: Test assembly to detect registration marks from Partner IPT. Right: Dimension of registration marks.

4.2. First Results in Detection of Registration Marks (without web Transport)

In this first test series we tested laser registrations marks on a substrate. On top of this substrate up to 5 layers of PMMA (each 200 µm) were laminated. An important question was, if the registration marks on the basic substrate could be detected through several laminated layers.

Figure 4 and Figure 5 shows the detection results of the pure substrate (without any top layer) and the Substrate, with 1 PMMA layer laminated on top, with 2 and 3 layers laminated on top and also with 4 and 5 layers of PMMA laminated on top of the substrate..

Figure 4: Detection of registration marks: left: no top PMMA laminate. Right: 1 top layer of 200 µm PMMA.

6

Figure 5: Detection of registration marks: left: 2 and 3 top PMMA laminates. Right: 4 and 5 top layers of 200 µm PMMA.

The first results confirm that the laser marks can be detected and analysed by the Offcode system. The round shape of the laser marks works well and will enable the best accuracy. As a benefit for the one-layer laminated samples we found out that the laminate reduces the transparency and offers a better detection by the ACROS software. With more laminated top-layers (2 and 3 top-layers) the ARCOS software starts to generate some minor problems. Here some optimization of the ARCOS software and the samples should finally lead to sufficient detection.

Finally these results are very promising. Figure 6 displays these results. The laminating dim the image, which makes it easier for detection for 1 and 2 laminates. With 2 and 3 laminates the ACROS Software need some fine adjustment. Based on these first results we are confident to achieve a accuracy of at least 20 µm.

Figure 6: Summary for laser-marks with several top laminates of PMMA.

Based on these results Coatema started to work on the engineering solution for the integration of Offcode Registration Canera System into a Click & Coat Module at Coatema.

7

5. Engineering Solution for the Integration of Offcode´s Camera into an existing Click & Coat configuration

Figure 7 shows the Click & Coat Module configuration to enable a precise lamination. This represents a test assembly to test the precise lamination for various substrate speeds. E.g. the lamination shall be finally tested with typical substrate speed of 1-5 m/min. Depending on the results this test assembly should enable to gain some results for substrate speeds of up to 10 m/min.

The test assembly consists of an Unwinder module with a Edge Guiding module 1. Attached is an existing Coating Station, which is used here only as a Pulling Unit. Attached to that is a precise Side adjustment, which is controlled by Offcode´s registration camera followed by the lamination unit. Finally an Edge Guiding Module 2 and the Upwinder follows.

Figure 7: Click & Module configuration for a a precise lamination

Figure 8 displays on its left the detailed view to the 2 roller coating module which will be used as an pulling device for the lamination tests. On the right side the lamination m odule is shown. This module will be modified and extended with a precise side adjustment, which will be controlled by the Offcode Registration Camera. Therefor we will upgrade a very prcise 10.000 step gear motor with linear ball screw-guiding.

Figure 8: Click & Module configuration for a a precise lamination

8

Due to the dimensions of the Registration Camera and its ability to traverse from the left side of the substrate to the right side we concluded to realize a own module for the Registration Camera. This engineering solution keeps the highest freedom for later changes in the Module process configuration. As a negative consequence this additional Module extends the distance of Camera and side-adjustment in the Lamination Module. Here this impact has to be analysed in future tests and may lead to further optimization potential.

A first Design concept for the integrated Registration Camera system is shown in Figure 9. Here the Camera system is placed in an own modular frame which allows its later modular use with an additional printing unit as well as with a later lamination station.

Figure 9: First Design Concept for the Integration of a Registration Camera System into a R2R-Pilot Line. Left: Front view and right side view.

Figure 10 displays the engineering solution for the novel Camera Module and Camera Module, which arrived at Coatema in Q3 2015 at Coatema.

Figure 10: First Design Concept for the combination of a Printing Unit and the Registration Camera System.

Figure 11 displays the realized Click & Coat Module for the integration of Offcode´s Registration Camera.

9

Figure 11: Finalized Click & Coat-Module for the integration of Offcode´s Registration Camera.

6. First Lamination Tests at Coatema with Web Transport

The novel Module for the Registration Camera was integrated in a Click & Coat process configuration shown in Figure 12. Engineers from IPT and from Offcode were at Coatema to support these first tests with moving web.

Figure 12: Click & Coat Test Assembly for Offcode´s Registration Camera at Coatema in November 2015. It can be seen the first Coating station followed by 5 Dryer modules, the lamination Unit and the novel Camera module.

Figure 13 shows the detailed Registration Camera with the moving web running between Detector and illumination unit.

10

Figure 13: The Registration Camera at work.

As it can be seen on the pictures the mechanical integration was successful. But we faced more difficulties with the electrical integration and some software issues, which finally did not allow to gain log-files for further analysis. At least these trials allowed identifying the open electrical integration issues and further software issues which are now addressed.

Here Coatema is in close contact to the Engineers of Offcode and the Engineers of IPT to solve these issues and to schedule the next trials in December 2015 or in Q1-2016.

On the part of Coatema, PET films were coated by rotary screen and equipped with registry marks for the base film, the first and second lamination film. (3 x 200m, PET Mitsubishi Lumirror, Ink Marabu Maraswitch 910)

The rotary screen shows over the printing run a deterioration of the printed image (the marks getting smaller or there is a lose of sharpness of edges). This was a good precondition to test recognition and error statistics of the offcode system.

The detection of the registration marks follows according the procedure of ML²/ FhI, but here over a length of approx. 10 to 25m and 1 and 2 m/min.

Lamination of basic film and first layer of lamination (without adhesives):

During the trials, Offcode and Coatema optimised the registration direction across the web. Offcode optimised the software and the behaviour of the controller for cross direction movement of the lamination unit and Coatema realized the implementation to the process controllers of the coating plant.

The registration across the web is running well, but the optimization in web direction shows some problems.

The rotary screen shows over the printing run a deterioration of the printed image (the marks getting smaller or there is a lose of sharpness of edges).

During the printing, there don’t appears enough differences in the printing marks, so that we do not achieves a Substrate with contains a “shorter” printing rapport.

The differences in the printing rapport was so small, that all action from the registration unit have perished in the tolerances of the coating system.

Another point is the distance between the fix-point of the registration in web direction (transport and pulling unit) to the lamination unit. The time factor for the controller system and the elongation of the PET-basic film under changing of tensile strength, could not be mapped in a set-up for the controllers.

11

These all results in a not manageable regulatory cycle!

Tasks and requirements to the next test run:

To solve these problems,

- we will optimises the time function element of the controller (less distance between pulling unit and lamination unit)

- we will optimises inaccuracies in the driver (dead zones in couplings)

- we will produces substrates with more deviations in rapport to show the functionality

Nevertheless the Engineering Team shown in Figure 14 is confident to solve all issues for the integration of the Offcode Registration camera and to determine a registration accuracy below 20 µm.

Figure 14: The Team of Engineers from IPT, Offcode and Coatema at work in November 2015.

7. Scheduled test for Q4-2015 and Q1-2016

Despite the promising results for the first evaluation of Offcode´s Registration Camera the integration of the Hardware and the definition of interfaces for communication and signals to control the precise side adjustment failed in the first trial with Coatema Click & Coat process configuration.

Therefor additional test series are schedules with the IPT and Coatema. Engineers of Offcode will support online or will be on site to support the next tests.

These next trials will include:

1. Detection of registration marks from IPT on several meters of substrate to determine the accuracy of the laser marks itself.

12

2. Analysis of these registration marks and comparison the accuracy of the laser patterning with the detection of the Registration Camera.

3. Lamination tests with a PSA-top layer or comparable coating and analysis of the ACROS log-files t determine the achieved accuracy.