A printing system for printing substrates, in particular circuit boards, such as wafer and solar cells, has a printing device, with a printing table on which the substrate can be positioned and a print head associated with the printing table for printing the substrates positioned on the printing table, has a feed device for feeding the substrates to be printed to the printing device, a discharge device for discharging the printed substrates from the printing device, and a plurality of substrate supports on which each of the plurality of substrates can be supported. The feed device, printing device and discharge device convey the substrate supports with the substrates located thereon. The feed device collects plurality of substrate supports and feeds them to the printing device. The printing device prints the substrates on the collected substrate supports, and the discharge device separates and discharges these collected substrate supports.

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 printing apparatus for printing workpieces comprises a rotary table supporting first and second platens rotatable between a loading position located in-line between input and output lines. The transfer apparatus is operable to cyclically perform first and second movement operations, in which the rotary table rotates to move the first platen from a loading position to a printing position and vice versa. The platens may be rotatable relative to each other.

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.

A method of manufacturing a circuit substrate includes forming, in an insulating substrate and circuit patterns that are provided on a first surface and a second surface of the insulating substrate, a through-hole penetrating the insulating substrate and the circuit patterns, where the circuit patterns contain Cu as a main component. The method includes filling, in the through-hole, an electrically conductive paste that is a melting-point shift electrically conductive paste including SnBi solder powder, Cu powder, and resin, and forming a protrusion obtained by causing the electrically conductive paste to protrude from the through-hole. The method further includes performing pressure treatment on the protrusion near the through-hole; and performing heat treatment on the insulating substrate whose protrusion is subjected to the pressure treatment and causing the circuit patterns and the electrically conductive paste to be electrically connected with each other.

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.

A method of manufacturing a circuit substrate includes forming, in an insulating substrate and circuit patterns that are provided on a first surface and a second surface of the insulating substrate, a through-hole penetrating the insulating substrate and the circuit patterns, where the circuit patterns contain Cu as a main component. The method includes filling, in the through-hole, an electrically conductive paste that is a melting-point shift electrically conductive paste including SnBi solder powder, Cu powder, and resin, and forming a protrusion obtained by causing the electrically conductive paste to protrude from the through-hole. The method further includes performing pressure treatment on the protrusion near the through-hole; and performing heat treatment on the insulating substrate whose protrusion is subjected to the pressure treatment and causing the circuit patterns and the electrically conductive paste to be electrically connected with each other.

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.

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 paste retainer system is disclosed for use in a paste printing system, said paste retainer system comprising a flexible attachment means for attaching a paste retainer to a squeegee holder via a flexible main body.