METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DEPOSITING POWDER ONTO A SUBSTRATE

摘要

The invention relates to a method and apparatus for depositing a powder locally onto a substrate, particularly for the purposes of high resolution printing onto glass, metal or ceramic substrates with burnable paints in a powder form. The method comprises the steps of generating a fluidised powder volume adjacent to the substrate; generating a concentrated laminar gas stream, the gas stream being in fluid communication with the fluidised powder volume; entraining at least a fraction of the powder from the fluidised powder volume into the laminar gas stream; transporting with the gas stream the entrained powder towards a predetermined location on the substrate, and controlling the parameters of the gas stream so that at least a portion of the transported powder is deposited on the substrate at the predetermined location. The apparatus comprises a fluidiser for generating a fluidised powder volume adjacent to the substrate; a nozzle for generating a concentrated laminar gas stream exiting from the fluidised powder volume; a positioner for positioning a predetermined location of the substrate relative to a trajectory of the laminar gas stream, and means for controlling the parameters of the gas stream. The parameters of the laminar gas stream and the substrate are controlled so that at least a portion of the transported powder is deposited on the substrate at the predetermined location.