Pressurization system

A pressurization system for executing a pressurization process for a workpiece and a related process related to the pressurization process, the pressurization system comprising:

• a plurality of execution areas in which any one of a plurality of processes including the pressurization process and the related process is executed;
• a chamber unit configured to accommodate the workpiece and conveyed through the plurality of execution areas;
• a raising and lowering device disposed in each of the execution areas;
• a conveying device configured to convey the chamber unit;
• a heating unit configured to heat the workpiece;
• and
• a preheating unit configured to preheat the workpiece and/or a cooling unit configured to cool the workpiece after the pressurization, wherein
• the plurality of execution areas is disposed according to an order in which the processes are executed, and
• the chamber unit includes
• a ceiling portion disposed above the workpiece including a pressurizing pad having a flexible layer that is deformable to conform to a shape of a surface of the workpiece and configured to function as an upper pressurizing unit that pressurizes the workpiece from above in the pressurization process,
• a floor portion disposed below the workpiece and configured to function as a lower pressurizing unit that pressurizes the workpiece from below in the pressurization process,
• a peripheral wall portion disposed in such a way as to surround an entire perimeter of the workpiece and configured to define, together with the ceiling portion and the floor portion, an accommodating chamber in which the workpiece is accommodated, and
• an upper mold disposed above the pressurizing pad and configured to function as the upper pressurizing unit by pressurizing the pressurizing pad downward in the pressurization process,
• the plurality of execution areas includes
• a pressurizing area in which the heating unit is disposed and a pressurizing process for the workpiece is executed, and
• a preheating area in which the preheating unit is disposed and a preheating process for the workpiece is executed as the related process and/or a cooling area in which the cooling unit is disposed and a cooling process for the workpiece after the pressurization is executed as the related process,
• the raising and lowering device disposed in the pressurizing area raises and lowers the heating unit,
• the raising and lowering device disposed in the preheating area raises and lowers the preheating unit, and/or the raising and lowering device disposed in the cooling area raises and lowers the cooling unit,
• the heating unit abuts, when the pressurizing process is executed, on the floor portion by being raised from below the chamber unit in the pressurizing area,
• the preheating unit abuts, when the preheating process is executed, on the floor portion by being raised from below the chamber unit in the preheating area, and/or the cooling unit abuts, when the cooling process is executed, on the floor portion by being raised from below the chamber unit in the cooling area,
• the pressurizing area, the preheating area, and/or the cooling area include
• a raising and lowering space in which the heating unit, the preheating unit, and/or the cooling unit can be elevated and lowered above the raising and lowering device, and
• an upper space located above the raising and lowering space,
• the conveying device is disposed in the upper space, and
• the chamber unit passes through the upper space and is conveyed through the execution areas.