# US 2018/0021993 A1 · Molding system for applying a uniform clamping pressure onto a substrate > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2018/0021993 A1 - Document ID: US20180021993A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 15/213,576 - Filed: 2016-07-19 - Published: 2018-01-25 - Earliest claimed: 2016-07-19 - Assignees: Asm Technology Singapore Pte Ltd - Applicants: ASM Technology Singapore Pte Ltd - Inventors: Shu Chuen HO; Choon Hong CHEONG; Chin Guan ONG; Kai WU; Teng Hock KUAH; Ji Yuan HAO - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20180021993A1 ## CPC - B29C 45/14065: {Positioning or centering articles in the mould} - B29C 33/123: {for centering the inserts} - B29C 45/02: Transfer moulding, i.e. transferring the required volume of moulding material by a plunger from a "shot" cavity into a mould cavity - B29C 45/03: Injection moulding apparatus (transfer moulding B29C45/02) - B29C 45/14655: {connected to or mounted on a carrier, e.g. lead frame} - B29C 45/14819: {the inserts being completely encapsulated} - B29C 45/76: Measuring, controlling or regulating {(measuring in general G01; controlling or regulating in general G05)} - B29C 45/7653: {mould clamping forces} - H10P 72/0441: {Apparatus for sealing, encapsulating, glassing, decapsulating or the like} - B29C 2945/76096: Distance - B29C 2945/76294: Inserts - B29C 2945/76387: Mould closing - B29C 2945/76568: Position - B29L 2031/3481: {Housings or casings incorporating or embedding electric or electronic elements} - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - H10P: GENERIC PROCESSES OR APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OR TREATMENT OF DEVICES COVERED BY CLASS H10 - B29L: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES ## Abstract A molding system for encapsulating electronic devices mounted on a substrate, the molding system comprising a first mold chase with a first mold chase surface and a second mold chase with a second mold chase surface opposite to the first mold chase surface, the first and second mold chase surfaces being operative to clamp onto the substrate and to apply a clamping pressure thereto. The molding system further comprises a first sensor located at a first position for determining a first relative distance between the substrate and a mold chase facing the substrate at the first position, and a second sensor located at a second position for determining a second relative distance between the substrate and a mold chase facing the substrate at the second position. The molding system also comprises a first actuator located adjacent to the first position and a second actuator located adjacent to the second position, wherein the first and second actuators are operative to adjust the first relative distance with respect to the second relative distance for applying a uniform clamping pressure onto the substrate. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A molding system for encapsulating electronic devices mounted on a substrate, the molding system comprising: a first mold chase with a first mold chase surface and a second mold chase with a second mold chase surface opposite to the first mold chase surface, the first and second mold chase surfaces being operative to clamp onto the substrate and to apply a clamping pressure thereto; a first sensor located at a first position for determining a first relative distance between the substrate and a mold chase facing the substrate at the first position; a second sensor located at a second position for determining a second relative distance between the substrate and a mold chase facing the substrate at the second position; and a first actuator located adjacent to the first position and a second actuator located adjacent to the second position, wherein the first and second actuators are operative to adjust the first relative distance with respect to the second relative distance for applying a uniform clamping pressure onto the substrate. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The molding system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a clamping member which is resiliently mounted adjacent to the first or second mold chase surface, the clamping member being arranged and configured to clamp at least partially onto the substrate when the first and second mold chase surfaces clamp onto the substrate, the clamping member being adapted to be forcibly movable upon contact with the substrate relative to the first and second mold chase surfaces. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The molding system as claimed in claim 2, wherein each of the sensors is operative to detect a distance between a respective position on the clamping member and the sensor. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The molding system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second mold chases are quadrangular in shape and the molding system comprises a total of four sensors, each sensor being located adjacent to a corner of a mold chase surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The molding system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the molding system further comprises a total of four actuators, each actuator being located adjacent to a respective sensor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The molding system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second sensors are resiliently mounted onto a clamping plate that is configured to be movable towards the substrate to compress a molding cavity when the first and second mold chase surfaces clamp onto the substrate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The molding system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the first and second actuators are coupled to the clamping plate. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The molding system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the clamping plate is coupled to the first mold chase, and the first and second actuators are coupled to the second mold chase. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The molding system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each actuator is operative to move a portion of one mold chase towards or away from a corresponding portion of the other mold chase. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The molding system as claimed in claim 1, wherein each actuator is operative to adjust the first or second relative distance to tilt the first or second mold chase surface relative to the substrate so that the first and second relative distances are the same, and the surface of the substrate is parallel to a mold chase surface that is facing it. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The molding system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising one or more molding cavities in the first and/or second mold chase, and a plurality of runners connecting the or each molding cavity to a plurality of mold supply pots. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The molding system as claimed in claim 11, wherein each molding cavity is situated between at least two mold supply pots and a separate runner connects each mold supply pot to the molding cavity. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The molding system as claimed in claim 11, wherein each of the plurality of runners has substantially the same length. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The molding system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the or each molding cavity is circular in shape and the plurality of runners is distributed symmetrically on opposite sides of the molding cavity along a circumference thereof. ### Claim 15 A method for encapsulating electronic devices mounted on a substrate, the method comprising the steps of: clamping onto and applying a clamping pressure to the substrate with a first mold chase surface of a first mold chase and a second mold chase surface of a second mold chase that is opposite to the first mold chase surface; determining a first relative distance between the substrate and a mold chase facing the substrate with a first sensor located at a first position; determining a second relative distance between the substrate and the mold chase facing the substrate with a second sensor located at a second position; adjusting the first relative distance with respect to the second relative distance with a first actuator located adjacent to the first position and a second actuator located adjacent to the second position; and thereafter introducing liquefied molding compound onto the substrate to encapsulate the electronic devices. ### Claim 16 (depends on 16) The method for encapsulating electronic devices as claimed in claim 16, further comprising the steps of, after introducing liquefied molding compound onto the substrate: determining the first relative distance between the substrate and a mold chase facing the substrate with the first sensor; determining the second relative distance between the substrate and the mold chase facing the substrate with the second sensor; adjusting the first relative distance with respect to the second relative distance with the first and second actuators; and allowing the liquefied molding compound to cure.