PRESSING TOOL AND METHOD FOR PRODUCING A PRESSING TOOL

Abstract

A method for producing a pressing tool for producing a workpiece, the pressing tool may include a pressing surface having a structure of protrusions and recesses, the method may include applying a mask for covering regions, applying a metal layer to the regions not covered by the mask while adding mineral particles, and/or repeating the foregoing steps until the pressing surface with the structure of the protrusions and recesses is formed by repeated, layered application of masks and metal layers while adding mineral particles. The pressing surface may have regions of different degrees of gloss and/or metal of at least two metal layers may be different in order to obtain the regions of different degrees of gloss.

Claims

1. A method for producing a pressing tool provided for producing a workpiece, the pressing tool includes a pressing surface having a structure of protrusions and recesses, the method comprising: a) applying a mask for covering regions; b) applying a metal layer to the regions not covered by the mask while adding mineral particles; and c) repeating steps a) and b) until the pressing surface with the structure of the protrusions and recesses is formed by repeated, layered application of masks and metal layers while adding mineral particles; wherein the pressing surface has regions of different degrees of gloss; and wherein metal of at least two metal layers is different in order to obtain the regions of different degrees of gloss.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising applying the mask dependent on image data assigned to the structure of the pressing surface.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising treating the pressing surface after step c).

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising treating the pressing surface after step c) by means of polishing or matting of the pressing surface, and/or by means of a chemical or galvanic method and/or by means of a laser.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the regions of different degrees of gloss are regions of predetermined different degrees of gloss.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein a multilayer composite of metal layers is treated prior to the application of a top metal layer.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising tempering of the pressing surface after step c), so that the pressing surface obtains a hardness of at least 1100 HV.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the metal layers are one of chromium-free metal layers, nickel layers, and/or the method is a non-etching method, and/or the metal layers are applied by means of a chemical or galvanic method.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mineral particles have a Mohs hardness of at least 8 and/or are diamond particles and/or have a size in a nanometer or micrometer range and/or have a volume share of at least 50% with regard to the volume of a relevant metal layer with mineral particles embedded therein.

10. The method according to claim 1, in which wherein the pressing tool is a pressing plate, further comprising: applying the masks using a print head, which is arranged above the pressing surface to be produced and which is moved during the application of the masks in a plane parallel to the pressing surface, and moving the print head in a direction orthogonal to the pressing surface, such that a distance between the currently applied mask and the print head is kept constant.

11. A pressing tool for producing a workpiece, comprising: a pressing surface having a structure of protrusions and recesses and multiple metal layers superimposed in layers; wherein metal layers and mineral particles are embedded and which form the pressing surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0043] Exemplary embodiments of the disclosure are shown in the enclosed schematic figures by way of example. These show:

[0044] FIG. 1 a pressing plate with a pressing surface in a perspective representation;

[0045] FIG. 2 a cutout from a lateral view of the pressing plate in a sectional representation;

[0046] FIG. 3 an intermediate state of the pressing plate during its production; and

[0047] FIG. 4 a device for applying masks.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0048] FIG. 1 shows, in a perspective representation, a pressing plate 1 with a pressing surface 2 as an example of a pressing tool. FIG. 2 shows a cutout of a lateral view of the pressing plate 1 in a sectional representation, and FIG. 3 shows an intermediate state of the pressing plate 1 during its production.

[0049] The pressing surface 2 comprises a structure of recesses 3 and protrusions 4 and is assigned, for example, to a wood grain.

[0050] In case of the present exemplary embodiment, the pressing surface 2 is rectangular and has a transverse extension 7 and a longitudinal extension 8. Moreover, the structure of the structured pressing surface 2 extends along a preferential direction 6, which in the case of the present exemplary embodiment extends along the longitudinal extension 8.

[0051] By the pressing plate 1, a workpiece, e.g. a pressing plate, for example a laminate, can be produced by pressing. After pressing, the workpiece has a surface structured correspondingly to the structure of the pressing surface 2.

[0052] In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, the pressing plate 1 comprises a base carrier 21 of steel and multiple metal layers 22 arranged on top of one another and/or superimposed in layers, wherein each of the metal layers 22 has mineral particles 23 embedded therein and is arranged on the base carrier 21. The metal layers 22 are particularly nickel layers. The metal layers 22 with the mineral particles 23 embedded therein form the pressing surface 2.

[0053] The mineral particles 23 have, in particular, a Mohs hardness of at least 8 and a size in the nanometer or micrometer range. The volume share of the mineral particles 23 is preferably at least 50% with regard to the volume of the metal layer 22 with the mineral particles 23 embedded therein.

[0054] In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, the mineral particles 23 are industrial diamond particles.

[0055] In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, the metal layers 22 were produced by means of a chemical or galvanic method.

[0056] The pressing plate 1 was produced without etching in that a mask 24 was applied to cover regions, a metal layer 22 was applied to the regions 25 not covered by the mask 24 while adding the mineral particles 23, and this was repeated until the pressing surface 2 with the structure of protrusions 4 and recesses 3 was formed by means of repeated, layered application of masks 24 and metal layers 22 while adding mineral particles 23.

[0057] FIG. 3 shows in particular a cutout from a lateral view in a sectional representation of an intermediate state of the pressing plate 1 during its production. FIG. 3 shows in particular a multilayer composite of multiple metal layers 22 arranged on top of one another and/or superimposed in layers, with mineral particles 23 embedded therein, to which a mask 24 is applied in order to cover regions. In the subsequent step, a further metal layer 22 is applied to this multilayer composite while adding mineral particles 23. This is repeated, as already described, until the pressing surface 2 with the structure of protrusions 4 and recesses 3 is formed. The metal layers 22 with the mineral particles 23 embedded therein are partial metal layers.

[0058] FIG. 4 shows a top view of an example of a device 41 for applying the masks 24 to the multilayer composite. In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, this device 41 comprises a support table 42 which has a support surface 44 made of multiple individual planar surfaces 43. To produce the pressing plate 1, the base carrier 21 is first placed on the support surface 42 such that its side, on which the pressing surface 2 is to be built, faces away from the support surface 44.

[0059] The support surface 44 is, in particular, rectangular and has dimensions adapted to the dimensions of the pressing plate 1.

[0060] In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, the device 41 comprises an electronic controller 45 which controls the operation of the device 41.

[0061] In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, suction orifices, which draw the pressing plate 1 and/or the base carrier 21 onto the planar surfaces 43 by means of a vacuum pump of the device 41, said vacuum pump not being shown and controlled by the electronic controller 45, are formed in the planar surfaces 43, whereby the pressing plate 1 and/or its base carrier is fixed on the support surface 44.

[0062] The device 41 is embodied such that the pressing plate 1 and/or its base carrier 21 fixed on the support surface 44 is arranged between the support surface 44 and the print head 49.

[0063] Thus, it is possible to move the print head 49 to the desired position relative to the base carrier 21, controlled by the electronic controller 45. In particular, it is provided that the print head 49 is moved in the direction orthogonal to the pressing surface 2 by means of the electrical drive 52, such that the distance between the currently applied mask 24 and the print head 49 is kept constant.

[0064] In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, the pressing surface 2 is assigned to a wood surface. In order to obtain the structure of the pressing surface 2, it can be provided that a model, for example a wood surface is scanned to obtain image data. This image data includes, in particular, information about the structure that the pressing surface 2 is to have. The image data obtained by scanning can, for example, be edited manually to obtain image data 5 assigned to the structure of the pressing surface 2.

[0065] In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, the application of the masks 24 and of the metal layers 22 is carried out dependent on the image data 5 assigned to the structure of the pressing surface 2.

[0066] In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, the image data 5 assigned to the structure of the pressing surface 2 is stored in the electronic controller 45. The electronic controller is, in particular, configured to control the electrical drive 50, the further electrical drive 51 and print head 49 dependent on the image data 5.

[0067] In the case of the present exemplary embodiment, the pressing surface 2 is possibly cleaned in order to remove residues of the masks 24, for example.

[0068] The pressing surface 2 in particular has regions with the different, preferably predetermined degrees of gloss. In order to achieve this, it may be provided that the metal of at least two metal layers 22 is different. It may also be provided that the multilayer composite of metal layers 22 is treated prior to the application of the last and/or top metal layer. This treatment may comprise a mechanical treatment, for example polishing or matting, and/or a galvanic and/or a chemical treatment of the pressing surface 2 and/or the treatment may be carried out with the aid of a laser.

[0069] The pressing surface 2 can still be treated. This treatment may comprise a mechanical treatment, for example polishing, and/or a galvanic and/or a chemical treatment of the pressing surface 2 and/or the treatment may be carried out with the aid of a laser. The treatment of the pressing surface 2 may also be a thermal treatment, such as tempering of the pressing surface 2. Thus, the pressing surface 2 may have a hardness of, for example, at least 1100 HV, particularly in the case of nickel layers.