• Proprietary nozzle-less ultrasonic spray head technology
• Cost effective, benchtop platform
• Thin, uniform defect free coating application down to sub micron, coatings include:
  • Photoresists
  • Polyimides
  • Carbon nanotube and nanoparticle solutions
  • SOL-GEL solutions
  • Silver paints for EMI and RF shielding
  • Other proprietary coatings
• Multiple liquid delivery system options including:
  • Precision Metering Pump liquid delivery system, features:
    • 50 ml capacity disposable syringe (PMP-50)
    • 100 ml capacity glass syringe (PMP-100)
    • Stepper drive positive displacement liquid metering pump
    • Optional integrated fluid stirring to keep suspensions and inks mixed
    • Process data logging
  • Pressurized reservoir (6oz, 20oz or 2-gallon) with liquid solenoid valve for flow control
• 3 axis (X-Y-Z) of motion
• 400 mm x 400 mm maximum coating area
• Laser pointer for programming
• Designed to spray flammable solvents
• Isolated and ventilated spray area
• Windows based Graphical User Interface

For Life Sciences

Options:

• Precision metering pump liquid delivery
• Integrated liquid stirring or agitation
• Substrate heater with vacuum
• 90-degree pneumatic head rotation

For Green Energy

Nozzle-less Difference

USI’s core technology is called tCAT, a proprietary nozzle-less ultra-Thin Coating Application Technology for the thin, uniform application of a wide variety of coatings from pure solutions to high-solids suspensions and slurries. tCAT utilizes “nozzle-less” ultrasonic spray technology combined with a precision metering pump liquid delivery system, which are part of a coating system platform with a motion and positioning system for the spray head, and a transport system for the substrates to be coated.

How it Works

The Ultra-Spray head is an integrated assembly consisting of an ultrasonic transducer with a spray forming tip, a liquid applicator and air directors. The ultrasonic transducer vibrates at an ultrasonic frequency (> 20 kHz). The particular ultrasonic frequency is selected based upon the material to be sprayed and the coating application requirements. In general, a lower frequency ultrasonic transducer is capable of spraying a higher viscosity liquid and producing higher flow rates. The amplitude of vibration of the spray-forming tip is also set with the ultrasonic generator.

The coating liquid is delivered to the spray-forming tip on the ultrasonic transducer by liquid applicator. The liquid is stored in a reservoir and fed to the liquid applicator at a precisely controlled flow rate by a positive displacement Precision Metering Pump (PMP). The ultrasonic vibrations of the spray-forming tip break up the liquid into small drops and propel them from the tip in the form of a spray. The spray produced with ultrasonic energy alone has a very low velocity “sheet-like” pattern.

Air directors are used to produce air streams to shape and accelerate the ultrasonically-produced spray. The air director impinges a jet of air on tip of the spray head opposite the liquid feed side. The resulting airflow entrains and expands the ultrasonically-produced spray to produce a flat (rectilinear) pattern up to five (5) times the width of the pattern produced by the ultrasonic energy alone. When using the air directors, the spray pattern width is a function of the spray-forming tip width and tip-to-substrate distance.