A mathematical model to predict surface roughness and pattern thickness in roll-to-roll gravure printed electronics

The roll-to-roll printing processes have recently been applied for the manufacturing of printed electronics due to their advantages, such as their high-throughput capabilities and low associated costs. In a roll-to-roll printing machine, a web or substrate is moved from an unwinding roll to a winding roll. During printing, the operating tension is important for correct substrate handling to prevent substrate defects, such as wrinkles, scratches and breaks. Accordingly, the operating conditions of the moving web can affect the quality of the printed pattern. In this study, a mathematical model has been developed to predict the thickness and surface roughness of printed patterns. Because the dynamics of roll-to-roll printing systems are complicated and non-linear, a statistical model is preferred. A full factorial method has been used with four independent variables: operating tension, print speed, ink viscosity and theoretical transfer volume. This model accurately predicted the surface roughness and thickness of the printed pattern. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.