Abstract: A printer includes a print head for dispensing viscous material, such as solder paste. The print head defines a chamber and includes at least one source port and a dispensing slot. Within the chamber, a flexible membrane segregates the chamber into a dispensing region and an activation region. Viscous material flows from a supply mounted to the source port, into the dispensing region and out the slot. A displacement mechanism is positioned to displace the flexible membrane to reduce the volume of dispensing region and to thereby dispense viscous material through the slot. The print head also includes a removable envelope through which the viscous material flows and contacts as it passes through the envelope.

Abstract: A printer includes a print head for dispensing viscous material, such as solder paste. The print head defines a chamber and includes at least one source port and a dispensing slot. Within the chamber, a flexible membrane segregates the chamber into a dispensing region and an activation region. Viscous material flows from a supply mounted to the source port, into the dispensing region and out the slot. A displacement mechanism is positioned to displace the flexible membrane to reduce the volume of dispensing region and to thereby dispense viscous material through the slot. The print head also includes a removable envelope through which the viscous material flows and contacts as it passes through the envelope.

Abstract: A printer includes a dispensing head for dispensing viscous material, such as solder paste. The dispensing head defines a chamber and includes at least one source port and a dispensing slot, wherein the viscous material flows from a supply mounted to the source port, into the chamber and out the dispensing slot. Within the chamber, a stirring mechanism is mounted. The stirring mechanism is coupled to a drive mechanism that displaces the stirring mechanism through the chamber, thereby stirring the viscous material. The stirring mechanism is particularly effective in preventing or reducing compaction of solder paste within the chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for depositing a selected pattern of solder onto a substrate comprising a substrate support, a solder ejector, and an orifice defining structure. The substrate support has structure for bearing a substrate on which one or more electronic components are to be mounted. The solder ejector has a housing that defines a cavity for containing molten solder. The orifice defining structure includes a flat disk having an orifice defined therethrough for producing a stream of molten solder and a disk support structure that supports the disk around the orifice and is replaceably coupled to the cavity-defining structure. Also disclosed is an apparatus that deposits a selected pattern of solder onto a substrate and includes a substrate support, a solder ejector that directs solder droplets to desired positions on the support, and an ejector aligner that adjusts the orientation of the solder ejector in two angular dimensions to enable adjustment of the trajectory of the stream of molten solder droplets.

Abstract: Depositing a selected pattern of solder droplets onto a substrate on which one or more electronic components are to be mounted, the substrate being mounted on a substrate support and moved relative to a solder ejector along a scan axis, the droplets being deflected along a fan axis that is transverse to the scan axis by selectively applying a charge and passing the charged droplets through an electric field.

Abstract: An apparatus for dispensing a fluid includes a dispensing chamber coupled to a dispensing orifice and a fluid reservoir. The dispensing chamber is coupled to a transducer which is adapted to change the volume of the dispensing chamber in response to a signal applied to the transducer. The signal is characterized by 1) an initial rise time RT1 during which an increasing amplitude signal is applied to the transducer to gradually expand the dispensing chamber from a first volume at a first amplitude to a second volume at a second amplitude; 2) a fall time FT during which a decreasing amplitude signal is applied to the transducer to contract or compress the dispensing chamber rapidly (relative to the initial rise time RT1) to a third volume at third amplitude; 3) a final rise time RT2 during which an increasing amplitude signal is applied to the transducer to gradually expand the dispensing chamber to a fourth volume at a fourth amplitude.

Abstract: An apparatus for filling filtered solder into replaceable solder cartridges for use in a system for depositing a selected pattern of solder onto a substrate on which electronic components are to be mounted. The apparatus includes a cartridge support, an environmentally-controlled chamber, a solder receptacle, a heater, a molten solder flow conduit, and a separator.

Abstract: Depositing a selected pattern of solder droplets onto a substrate on which one or more electronic components are to be mounted, the substrate being mounted on a substrate support and moved relative to a solder ejector along a scan axis, the droplets being deflected along a fan axis that is transverse to the scan axis by selectively applying a charge and passing the charged droplets through an electric field.