Shaping system including an evaporation cover, shaping process, and method of manufacturing an article

A shaping system comprising:

• a dispensing station including:
• a first substrate chuck configured to hold a substrate;
• and
• a dispenser configured to dispense formable material on the substrate while the first substrate chuck is holding the substrate;
• a shaping station including:
• a second substrate chuck configured to hold the substrate;
• and
• a plate chuck configured to hold a plate and configured to contact the dispensed formable material on the substrate with the plate while the plate chuck is holding the plate;
• a positioning system configured to move the substrate having the dispensed formable material from the dispensing system to the shaping station;
• a cover positioned to enclose the substrate and the dispensed formable material while the substrate having the dispensed formable material is being moved by the positioning system from the dispensing system to the shaping station;
• and
• a porous pad disposed inside the cover while the cover encloses the substrate and the dispensed formable material.

A shaping method, comprising:

• dispensing formable material on a substrate at a first location while the substrate is held by a first substrate chuck;
• moving the substrate having the dispensed formable material from the first location to a second location;
• and
• while a plate is held by a plate chuck and while the substrate is held by a second substrate chuck at the second location, contacting the dispensed formable material on the substrate with the plate to form a film layer,
• wherein, while the substrate having the dispensed formable material is moved from the first location to the second location, a cover having one or more walls is positioned to enclose the substrate and the dispensed formable material such that a ratio of a diameter of the substrate to a distance between the cover and the substrate is 80:1 to 30:1.

A method of manufacturing an article, comprising:

• dispensing formable material on a substrate at a first location while the substrate is held by a first substrate chuck;
• moving the substrate having the dispensed formable material from the first location to a second location;
• while a plate is held by a plate chuck and while the substrate is held by a second substrate chuck at the second location, contacting the dispensed formable material on the substrate with a plate at the second location to form a film layer;
• curing the film layer to form a cured film layer;
• and
• processing the cured film layer to make the article,
• wherein, while the substrate having the dispensed formable material is moved from the first location to the second location, a cover having one or more walls is positioned to enclose the substrate and the dispensed formable material such that a ratio of a diameter of the substrate to a distance between the cover and the substrate is 80:1 to 30:1.