Roll to Roll
Mustang specializes in advanced and non-traditional roll to roll processes where precision deposition, tension and uniformity are required. Many companies look only at roll-to-roll handling and ignore the critical interactive impact of temperature and tension on web handling and the material stress factors associated with roll-to-roll processes. Mustang combines their deep understanding of deposition source design with the temperature and high vacuum web transport to define solutions optimized for your requirements.
Mustang believes that optimizing systems for production adds the highest value and that the process should define the system taking into account: Substrate, deposition material, layer stack, temperature control and uniformity.
- Precise recipe controlled web tension and active web steering
- Single sides touch systems with or without interleaf available for highly scratch sensitive coatings.
- Single or multiple temperature controlled drum based systems provide precise web temperature during deposition.
- Single or multiple deposition zones available as free span or drum backed.
Mustang team works with customers to take each these design factors into account and configure a fully optimized deposition system that balances the cost of capital with production uptime and yield. Each product and application has unique cost and yield drivers; we work with customers to identify each of these critical factors to ensure the highest level of customer value.
Glossary of Terms
Free Span Web Architecture
Free span describes a deposition area where the substrate is suspended in the deposition area with no physical contact to rollers. This is highly effective for high temperature processes as well as corrosive material deposition to reduce maintenance on rollers and feedthroughs.
Drum backed systems
A single or multiple smooth rotating back side contact for substrate heating or cooling. Uniform temperature control over larger substrate sizes is critical for uniform thin film material properties. Mustang has engineered a number of proprietary solutions for precision temperature control when needed.
Single side touch
Many thin film process have critical handling requirements for the deposition size to eliminate surface abrasion. Single side touch arranges all rollers on a single side of the film which has a significant impact on the web path and overall system design.
Virtual Source Isolation
Close proximity deposition of dissimilar materials or at differing pressure levels can be achieved through vacuum system design and vacuum pumping design allowing Mustang to create highly complex multi-stage deposition systems in a compact format while remaining highly robust.
Interleaf
second barrier film that is inserted as the roll is wound to ensure the back side of the substrate does not touch the coated side of the substrate. This can also be essential for applications where both sides of the substrate are coated.
Web Steering
Wind and unwind rolls are actively adjusted so that substrates are presented to deposition zones consistently and rolls do not telescope. Metal and plastic flexible materials tend to have residual stress from the cutting and trimming processes that encourage lateral movement during unwind. This can cause flexible substrates to walk and wrinkle. Mustang actively controls or steers the wind and unwind for both substrates and interleaf to ensure wrinkle free handling of even the most delicate web materials.
Web Tension
Uniform tension control is essential to ensure consistent stress-free deposition on flexible materials especially temperature sensitive materials. Utilizing independent tension control systems and taper drive allow us to control tension as a simple recipe function.
Load Lock
Independently vacuum isolated unwind and wind chambers are achieved by isolating the process chamber from the load chamber with a contact web valve allowing vacuum on one side and atmosphere on the other side of the valve. For high speed processes and longer campaign times, isolation of the wind and unwind positions from the deposition chambers is optimal. Roll-to-roll processes have a significant amount of moisture and out gassing during the unwind process especially for substrates that sit in atmosphere for extended periods of time. Venting of process chambers for roll changes increases shield changes and the amount of time required for preventative maintenance. Mustang isolated wind and unwind chambers allow you to hold vacuum in the process chamber while making roll changes.
