Oxford-based equipment manufacturer and innovation leaders, M-Solv choose Trotec for precision laser cutting of polymers during printed electronic devices manufacture.
Initially specialising in the production of high-end laser and inkjet printing tools, M-Solv has gone on to develop a number of specialist production processes and now manufactures printed electronic devices, such as biomedical sensors and capacitive touch screens, for businesses who prefer to outsource this activity.
During the production of capacitive touch sensors it is necessary to laminate the sensor to the cover lens with a layer of transparent polymer. It is at this stage of the complex production process that M-Solv relies on the Trotec Speedy 360 laser cutter.
Although M-Solv has a suite of laser and printing tools in its arsenal, the process of cutting these polymer sheets had always been a manual process; M-Solv needed to find a more accurate, reliable and faster method.
David Brunt, manager of M-Solv’s Printed Electronics Device Fab said: “We make Industrial grade capacitive touch sensor modules with sizes from a few inches up to over 24 inches. The process of laminating the cover lenses to the sensors for critical display applications requires high precision as the polymer sheets have to be handled carefully and cut with intricate contours and are often very large.
“We have added the Speedy 360 to our production line and haven’t been disappointed by its ability to precisely laser cut the materials with minimal wastage. It increases yield and also saves us time compared to the manual method we’d previously been relying upon, so we are capable of producing higher volumes.”
The team at M-Solv has recognised additional uses for the laser cutter, also using it to create jigs and templates for use elsewhere in the production plant.
Dr Rumsby said: “M-Solv has over 10 years of experience and we pride ourselves on being at the forefront of innovation and technology, providing our customers with reliable and innovative products and services. We chose Trotec because we’d seen one of our partner companies using a Trotec machine for a similar application, the build-quality and local support has been infallible.
“The laser cutter has integrated well into our already established production line and as a result we have seen significant improvements in the accuracy and speed of this part of the production process.”
The Speedy 360 is a flatbed laser with a bed size of 813mm x 508mm, high-speed processing up to 3.55m/sec and a superior product build for dust protection; making it a versatile option for integration in to production lines where cutting, engraving and marking of materials, parts or components is required.
Trotec manufacture and supply a range of flatbed, galvo and large-format laser machines as well as a range of sheet materials.
