Screen printing apparatus and screen printing method

A screen printing method comprising:

• arranging a plurality of workpieces on a plurality of first vertical openings of a carrier below a mask plate on which a plurality of pattern holes for printing are formed;
• lifting up the plurality of workpieces from the carrier while supporting the plurality of workpieces by a plurality of workpiece supporters by inserting the plurality of workpiece supporters from below through the plurality of first openings;
• aligning the plurality of workpieces such that arrangement of the plurality of workpieces lifted up by the plurality of workpiece supporters and arrangement of the plurality of pattern holes match each other;
• after the aligning, imaging and detecting positions of the plurality of workpieces on the plurality of workpiece supporters, and verifying the alignment relative to the plurality of pattern holes;
• and
• a returning step of returning the plurality of workpieces to the carrier by drawing out the plurality of workpiece supporters downward from the plurality of first openings after printing on the plurality of workpieces.

A screen printing method comprising:

• a carrier carry-in step of disposing a carrier through which a plurality of first openings vertically penetrate and in which a plurality of workpieces are disposed on the plurality of first openings, below a mask plate on which a plurality of pattern holes for printing are formed;
• a lifting-up step of lifting up the plurality of workpieces from the carrier while supporting the plurality of workpieces by the plurality of workpiece supporters by inserting the plurality of workpiece supporters from below the plurality of first openings;
• an aligning step of aligning the plurality of workpieces such that arrangement of the plurality of workpieces lifted up by the plurality of workpiece supporters and arrangement of the plurality of pattern holes match each other;
• an alignment step of relatively moving the plurality of workpiece supporters and the mask plate so as to position the plurality of aligned workpieces and the mask plate to each other;
• a printing step of printing a paste on the plurality of aligned workpieces through the plurality of pattern holes by moving a print head on an upper surface of the mask plate;
• and
• a returning step of returning the plurality of workpieces to the carrier by drawing out the plurality of workpiece supporters downward from the plurality of first openings after the printing step,
• wherein the aligning step includes
• a workpiece position detecting step of detecting a positional deviation from an ideal position of each of the plurality of workpieces by detecting positions of the plurality of workpieces on the plurality of workpiece supporters,
• a workpiece pickup step of picking up at least one workpiece among the plurality of workpieces after completing the workpiece position detecting step, from the plurality of workpiece supporters by a workpiece pickup unit,
• a position correcting step of relatively moving the pickup unit and the plurality of workpiece supporters based on the positional deviation detected in the workpiece position detecting step, and
• a placing step of placing at least one workpiece picked up by the workpiece pickup unit on the plurality of workpiece supporters, after the position correcting step,
• wherein, further, after the aligning step, the workpiece position detecting step is executed again, and when all of the positional deviations of the plurality of workpieces are within the allowable range, a pass is determined,
• wherein, when the pass is determined, the process proceeds to the alignment step, and
• wherein, when the pass is not determined, the aligning step is performed with respect to the workpiece that exceeds the allowable range.

A screen printing apparatus comprising:

• a mask plate on which a plurality of pattern holes for printing are formed;
• a carrier supporter which supports a carrier through which a plurality of first openings vertically penetrate and in which a plurality of workpieces are disposed on the plurality of first openings;
• a backup unit which has a plurality of workpiece supporters that support the plurality of workpieces from below and have a size insertable into the plurality of first openings, and which is configured to be raised and lowered to lift up and lower the plurality of workpieces relative to the carrier;
• and
• a workpiece position detector that, after an alignment of one or more of the plurality of workpieces on the plurality of workpiece supporters, images the plurality of workpieces on the plurality of workpiece supporters, detects positions of the plurality of workpieces, and verifies alignment relative to the plurality of pattern holes prior to printing occurring on the plurality of workpieces.