A printing form for producing a structure of an electronic component, in particular a photovoltaic solar cell, having a screen frame and a screen, which is in the form of a sheet-like textile and has a multiplicity of elongate screen elements. The screen is arranged in the screen frame and the screen has at least one printing region which a printing paste can permeate and at least one barrier region which the printing paste cannot permeate. The elongate screen elements are made from glass fiber, carbon fiber and/or carbon nanotubes.

A stencil printer for printing an assembly material on an electronic substrate includes a frame, a stencil coupled to the frame, the stencil having apertures formed therein, a support assembly coupled to the frame, the support assembly being configured to support the electronic substrate, a print head gantry coupled to the frame, and a print head assembly supported by the print head gantry in such a manner that the print head assembly is configured to traverse the stencil during print strokes. The stencil printer further comprises a verification system to determine whether an item placed within the stencil printer is properly installed within the stencil printer.

A method for applying an electrical conductor to an electrically insulating substrate, the method comprising providing a flexible membrane with a pattern of grooves formed on a first surface thereof, and loading the grooves with a composition comprising particles of a conductive material. The composition is, or may be made, electrically conductive. Once the membrane is loaded, the grooved first surface of the membrane is brought into contact with a front or/and back surface of the substrate. A pressure is then applied between the substrate and the membrane(s) so that the composition loaded into the grooves adheres to the substrate. The membrane(s) may remain on the electrically insulating substrate. The electrically conductive particles in the composition can then be sintered to form a pattern of electrical conductors on the substrate, the pattern corresponding to the pattern formed in the membrane(s).

An apparatus is disclosed for transferring a pattern of a composition containing particles of an electrically conductive material and a thermally activated adhesive from a surface of a flexible web to a surface of a substrate. The apparatus comprises: respective drive mechanisms for advancing the web and the substrate to a nip through which the web and the substrate pass at the same time and where a pressure roller acts to press the surfaces of the web and the substrate against one another, a heating station for heating at least one of the web and the substrate prior to, or during, passage through the nip, to a temperature at which the adhesive in the composition is activated, a cooling station for cooling the web after passage through the nip, and a separating device for peeling the web away from the substrate after passage through the cooling station, to leave the pattern of composition adhered to the surface of the substrate.

A method for printing conductive solder paste on a base substrate to establish an electrical connection is provided. The method includes applying conductive solder paste over a stencil, and within an opening of the stencil to contact the base substrate therebeneath. In embodiments, a squeegee can be used to scrape some of the conductive solder paste off of the stencil, leaving behind some of the conductive solder paste within the opening. Subsequently, the stencil can be removed at a speed of more than 200 millimeters per second to help reduce the end-of-track bump ultimately formed at the end of the conductive solder paste that remains after the stencil is removed.

A method is disclosed for applying an electrical conductor to a solar cell, which comprises providing a flexible membrane with a pattern of groove formed on a first surface thereof, and loading the grooves with a composition comprising conductive particles. The composition is, or may be made, electrically conductive. Once the membrane is loaded, the grooved first surface of the membrane is brought into contact with a front or/and back of a solar cell. A pressure is then applied between the solar cell and the membrane(s) so that the composition loaded to the grooves adheres to the solar cell. The membrane(s) and the solar cell are separated and the composition in the groove is left on the solar cell surface. The electrically conductive particles in the composition are then sintered or otherwise fused to form a pattern of electrical conductor on the solar cell, the pattern corresponding to the pattern formed in the membrane(s).

A method is disclosed for applying an electrical conductor to an electrically insulating substrate, which comprises providing a flexible membrane with a pattern of groove formed on a first surface thereof, and loading the grooves with a composition comprising conductive particles. The composition is, or may be made, electrically conductive. Once the membrane is loaded, the grooved first surface of the membrane is brought into contact with a front or/and back of the substrate. A pressure is then applied between the substrate and the membrane(s) so that the composition loaded to the grooves adheres to the substrate. The membrane(s) and the substrate are separated and the composition in the groove is left on the surface of the electrically insulating substrate. The electrically conductive particles in the composition are then sintered to form a pattern of electrical conductors on the substrate, the pattern corresponding to the pattern formed in the membrane(s).

A printed wiring board and the like in which local deviations of characteristics of a bamse member using a liquid crystal polymer are reduced. A printed wiring board uses a liquid crystal polymer having wiring formed on at least one surface as a bamse member, in which the bamse member has a degree of crystal orientation of the liquid crystal polymer of 0.3 or less in a plane direction.

A printing device includes a coating material scooping unit configured to scoop a coating material on a mask, and a controller configured or programmed to determine whether or not the coating material scooping unit performs collecting operation to collect the coating material on the mask when the mask is replaced.

Systems and methods for providing a soldered interface between a circuit board and a connector pin. The methods comprise: using a jet paste dispenser to apply first solder into a plated contact cavity formed in the circuit board; using a stencil screen printer to apply second solder (a) over the plated contact cavity which was at least partially filled with the first solder by the jet paste dispenser and (b) over at least a portion of a pad surrounding the plated contact cavity; inserting the connector pin in the plated contact cavity such that the connector pin passes through the second solder and extends at least partially through the first solder; and performing a reflow process to heat the first and second solder so as to create a solder joint between the circuit board and the connector pin.