Vacuum press

摘要

A laminating apparatus for bonding a plurality of substrates to form a unitary laminated product such as a printed circuit board. The machine includes a frame defined by a pair of parallel, spaced vertical side plates and upper and lower load bearing cross beams extending between said side plates. The frame defines a processing chamber including front and rear openings by which access to the chamber is provided. A plurality of platen assemblies are positioned within the chamber and front and rear doors are sealingly engageable with the frame to seal the chamber from atmosphere. One door is hingedly connected to the frame whereas the other door forms part of a door assembly that includes a trackway pivotally mounted to the processing unit for movement between adjacent and spaced positions. The other door is slidable along the trackway and is driven by a fluid pressure operated actuator. When movement in the door is desired, the trackway is pivoted to the spaced position whereby the other door disengages the frame and is allowed to move to an open position at which its associated chamber access opening is exposed. A fluid pressure operated ram is supported by the lower cross beam and is operative to apply a predetermined pressure to the platen assemblies. An evacuation system generates a subatmospheric pressure in the chamber and the heating system raises the temperature of the platen assemblies so that the combination of mechanical pressure, subatmospheric pressure in the chamber and heat cooperate to produce bonding between the individual substrates.