Abstract: A frame unit for tensioning a printing screen, the frame unit comprising a frame including at least one frame member, the at least one frame member comprising: a supporting frame element; at least one engagement element for engaging a fitted printing screen to tension the same, wherein the at least one engagement element comprises a body which is pivotally coupled to the supporting frame element such that the at least one engagement element is pivotable in one, tensioning sense to tension a fitted printing screen and the other, opposite sense to adopt a configuration in which a printing screen can be fitted to or removed from the frame unit, a first, engagement arm extending from the body for engaging a fitted printing screen, and a second, biasing arm extending from the body to which a biasing force is applied to bias the at least one engagement element to pivot in the tensioning sense; and at least one biasing element operative to apply a biasing force to the biasing arm of the at least one engagement eleme

Abstract: A screen printing head which, in a printing operation, is displaceable in a first direction over a surface of a workpiece to print deposits of a print medium on the workpiece, the screen printing head comprising: a print head assembly comprising a print unit comprising a main body including a print medium, cavity, which in use contains print medium, and a delivery aperture, which is in fluid communication with the print medium cavity and through which print medium is in use delivered from the print medium cavity to the surface of the workpiece, and a rotatable unit which is disposed in the print medium cavity of the main body and rotatable to displace print medium as contained in the print medium cavity; and a drive unit for rotating the rotatable unit such as to displace print medium as contained in the print medium cavity, wherein the drive unit is operative to rotate the rotatable unit to apply a force to the print medium at the delivery aperture in the main body in a second direction which is opposite to

Abstract: A printing screen unit (110), comprising: a printing screen (112), comprising a sheet, at least sections of at least one pair of opposite edges of which include one of engagement apertures (124) or engagement projections; and a supporting frame (114) including at least one pair of interface units (116, 117) which are attached to the at least one pair of opposite edges of the printing screen (112), wherein the interface units (116, 117) each comprise at least one coupling element (130) which includes the other of engagement apertures or engagement projections (158) for inter-engaging with the one of engagement apertures (124) or engagement projections at a respective one of the opposite edges of the printing screen (112), and an interface member (126) which includes a coupling slot (142) for captively receiving the at least one coupling element (130) therein.

Abstract: A pin locking apparatus (1) includes a housing, at least one pin (40) and at least one locking piston (11). The housing includes at least one locking bore (12) and at least one pin bore (14). The at least one pin is slidably contained within the pin bore and is positioned by application of pressure in the pin bore. The at least one locking piston is slidably contained within the locking bore and is actuated by pressure in the locking bore to apply a locking force on the pin.

Abstract: A screen printing apparatus and method for printing deposits of material onto a workpiece, the apparatus comprising an inspection station for determining a positional relationship of features on upper and lower surfaces of the workpiece. The inspection station comprises an imaging system for determining a positional relationship of features on upper and lower surfaces of the workpiece. The imaging system comprises at least two spaced imaging units for imaging features on an upper surface of the workpiece and at least two spaced imaging units for imaging features on a lower surface of the workpiece. A processing unit determines a positional relationship of the imaged features on the upper and lower surfaces of the workpiece. A printing station prints deposits of material onto the workpiece. Also described are a transport mechanism and an alignment system.

Abstract: A frame unit for tensioning a printing screen, the frame unit comprising a frame including at least one frame member, the at least one frame member comprising: a supporting frame element; at least one engagement element for engaging a fitted printing screen to tension the same, wherein the at least one engagement element comprises a body which is pivotally coupled to the supporting frame element such that the at least one engagement element is pivotable in one, tensioning sense to tension a fitted printing screen and the other, opposite sense to adopt a configuration in which a printing screen can be fitted to or removed from the frame unit, a first, engagement arm extending from the body for engaging a fitted printing screen, and a second, biasing arm extending from the body to which a biasing force is applied to bias the at least one engagement element to pivot in the tensioning sense; and at least one biasing element operative to apply a biasing force to the biasing arm of the at least one engagement eleme

Abstract: An applicator device for abutment by or attachment to a reciprocating mechanism of a viscous fluid material printing machine, the applicator device including: a body having a through passage with an upper, fluid inlet extending along the body and a lower, fluid outlet extending along the body; an elongate, horizontally-extending reservoir for fluid material formed with or detachably mounted on an upper side of the body and being in fluid communication with the inlet of the body; and a displaceable piston extending in the reservoir for displacing fluid material out of the reservoir into the inlet of the body and to the outlet of the body, with the piston being actuable from above by the reciprocating mechanism of the printing machine so as to be displaceable thereby and the applicator device being without and not requiring any other separate motive power source or pipe ducting means for such displacement.

Abstract: A screen printing head for a method of applying a pasty product to a printing screen, the printing head comprising: a main body (30); wiper blades (31, 32) disposed to the main body for containing a printing screen (34); a first chamber (48) providing a reservoir for containing a supply of pasty product, the first chamber being defined at least in part by the main body and including at least one outlet opening (46) through which pasty product is in use forced under pressure; a second chamber (50) in fluid communication with the at least one outlet opening, the second chamber being defined in part by the main body and the wiper blades and being in use to communication with the printing screen; and a flow director (63) disposed in the second chamber and configured such as in use to cause a circulatory flow of pasty product contained therein which passes over the surface of the printing screen and a flow of pasty product towards the printing screen which acts to force pasty product of the circulatory flow toward

Abstract: An apparatus and accessories are disclosed for a flexible support apparatus 100, 900 using elongated support members 110 to support a face of a workpiece 10 and respective protrusions 335. The elongated support members 110 are arranged through at least one plane of perforated material 120, where the elongated support members 110 are profiled against the workpiece 10 and respective protrusions 335. The profile of the elongated support members 110 is created by contacting forces 132 generated by bringing the workpiece 330 and the plurality of elongated support members 110 together. A holding force is then applied to the elongated support members 110 to support the workpiece 10 against forces applied by a workstation. Fluid 902 is used to raise expansion members to raise the plurality of elongate support members 110. A perforated plate 920 is used to control the flow of fluid 902 between a fluid cavity 910 and the plurality of expansion members 904.

Abstract: An application device for applying viscous or paste fluid material to a surface therebeneath and having a fluid outlet aperture in its lower region and including a sealing gasket or foil for sealing the outlet aperture against the surface. The gasket or foil is formed from a sheet of flexible material with an uninterrupted or continuous, non-apertured outer part extending around the periphery of the outlet aperture and surrounding an inner aperture or apertured inner region of the gasket or foil.

Abstract: A tooling fixture includes a plurality of cylinders in a module fitted with pistons in which a portion thereof extends from the surface of the module. The cylinders are connected with a fluid source by a control valve assembly. The control valve assembly controls the amount of fluid to enter the cylinders in order to raise the pistons until a portion thereof are in contact with and support a workpiece. Once all of the pistons are in contact with and are fully supporting the workpiece, the fluid pressure is stabilized, maintaining the pistons at their set heights. Once the pistons are desired to be lowered, the valve assembly opens and the fluid can freely exit the cylinders and retract the pistons back into the module.

Abstract: A wiper blade for a screen printing head in which pasty product to be screen printed is biased toward a printing screen under pressure, the wiper blade comprising an elongate blade element having a thickness of between 0.1 and 0.5 mm, one edge of the blade element being configured to be fixed to a screen printing head and the other edge of the blade element being a forwardly-directed free edge which in use contacts a printing screen, and a strip fixed to the upper, non-screen contacting surface of the blade element along the free edge there of, wherein the strip and the free edge of the blade element together define a leading face which has a height of from 1 to 2.5 mm and encloses an acute angle with the printing screen.

Abstract: A viewing and imaging system is provided for use in a screen printer. Light is supplied to the screen and/or the board from a number of independently controller light sources. According to one aspect of the invention, one light source provides substantially collimated light and another light source provides diffuse light. The light sources are controlled by a controller that pulses the light sources in order to provide a stroboscopic image of the board and screen. The duration of the pulses is adjusted to adjust the effective brightness of the light sources. The timing of the pulses are adjusted so that the temporal midpoints of pulses from each of the light sources are coincident.