A tensioning frame (22) for tensioning a printing screen (3) comprises a plurality of elongate beams (30A-30D) which extend around the periphery of the printing screen (3) and define the tensioning frame (22), wherein at least one of the beams (30A-30D) comprises an opening (32) which is dimensioned to permit a printing screen (3) to be received therethrough, in a lateral direction (A). Mechanisms are described for engagement of the tensioning screen (22) and printing screen (3), as well as an apparatus and a method permitting the lateral loading of the printing screen (3).

An apparatus for electromodification of a conductive surface of a part may comprise a stencil having a mask pattern, a retainer joined to the stencil and configured to capture an electrolyte, and a sacrificial metal joined to the stencil and the retainer for form an integrated assembly. The stencil may be positioned in the assembly to contact the conductive surface of the part, and establish electrical contact between the electrolyte and the conductive surface through the mask pattern when electrical power with a predetermined polarity is applied between the sacrificial metal and the conductive surface.

A printing screen, comprising a sheet, at least sections of at least one pair of opposite edges of which are folded such as to define attachment elements, and a printing screen unit including at least one pair of interface members attachable to the attachment elements at the at least one pair of opposite edges of the sheet.

Provided are a new ultrathin film silicon shadow mask which is flexible, is reusable, and can be precisely aligned and manipulated through transfer printing, and a lithography method using the same. A thin thickness of a silicon shadow mask may intrinsically form a pattern having an enhanced resolution in a plane and a non-planar surface. Further, the silicon shadow mask may be formed on a substrate by metal deposition in addition to etching in a multi-layer configuration by a transfer printing technology based alignment method. Through such a method, a material in which patterning is impossible may be patterned through photolithography.

A printing screen includes a screen-shaped fabric layer with fabric threads being angled relative to one another to form a carrier layer. An imaged stencil layer is connected to the fabric layer and provided with passages. A respective passage forms a continuous channel and has an opening that is smaller on a printing material side of the printing screen than on a squeegee side of the printing screen. Such a printing screen has sufficient stability and advantageously allows the finest lines and dots to be printed. A method for imaging such a printing screen is also provided.

A printing screen, comprising a sheet, at least sections of at least one pair of opposite edges of which are folded such as to define attachment elements, and a printing screen unit including at least one pair of interface members attachable to the attachment elements at the at least one pair of opposite edges of the sheet.

A printing screen unit comprising a mesh printing screen and a supporting frame which is attached to the printing screen, wherein the printing screen comprises a first, outer mesh which is attached to sides of the supporting frame and includes an aperture therein, and a second, inner mesh which is attached to the outer mesh, wherein threads, providing warp and weft, of the outer mesh are aligned so as to be substantially orthogonal to the sides of the supporting frame, wherein threads, providing warp and weft, of the inner mesh being aligned so as to have acute angles of between 0 degrees and 45 degrees to the respective sides of the supporting frame, wherein the printing screen is tensioned by an external tensioning assembly to a first tension when the printing screen is attached to the supporting frame, and the sides of the supporting frame are displaceable such that the sides of the supporting frame are displaced on release of the first tension by the external tensioning assembly, and the printing screen has a second, residual tension lower than the first tension.

A stencil for applying a viscous material to a substrate includes a substantially planar plate affixed to the substrate, the plate having at least one aperture of a first dimension and at least one relief hole of a second dimension, the at least one aperture configured to align with a printing surface of the substrate and the at least one relief hole configured to align with a feature having a height greater than the printing surface; and a mask attached to a top surface of the plate and positioned over the at least one relief hole to protect the feature having the height greater than the printing surface from

A portable one-piece foam frame for use in securing a screen and/or screen stencil film for use in an off-contact stenciling operation. The assembly includes a paper or release covering an adhesive on one side of the frame. A non-skid coating may be applied to the base of the frame to keep it from shifting or moving during a stenciling operation.

A printing stencil (1) for forming conductor tracks on a substrate. The printing stencil (1) has a plurality of cutouts in the form of printing gaps (4) for forming the conductor tracks. Each printing gap (4) of the plurality of printing gaps (4) has at least one print definition region (3) adjacent to the printing side and at least one printing medium supply region (2) adjacent to the squeegee side, the volume of the print definition region (3) being smaller than the volume of the printing medium supply region. Moreover, a printing device for forming conductor tracks on a substrate and a method for producing a metallic contact structure of a photovoltaic solar cell are also provided.