Glass processing technology firm M&S Finetech Corp. has developed a fully automated substrate polishing machine for sixth-generation LCD panel lines.
The glass substrates used on sixth-generation lin…
Glass processing technology firm M&S Finetech Corp. has developed a fully automated substrate polishing machine for sixth-generation LCD panel lines. The glass substrates used on sixth-generation lines measure 1.5 meters on a side. To accommodate substrates of these dimensions, conventional polishing machines with one polisher must be extremely large. This makes them difficult to transport, and is also responsible for some unevenness on polished surfaces. The MS-1680DP is smaller, produces a completely polished surface, and, because it is fully automated, processing time is reduced. The machine uses a pair of small polishers that operate together, rotating clockwise and counterclockwise while the glass substrate moves in all four directions. The machine stands 4 meters high, measures 7.4 x 4.3 meters, and weighs 36 tons. M&S has priced the MS-1680DP at about JPY 100 million (USD 888,204) and is targeting first-year sales of JPY 2.5 billion. In August 2004 it will ship the first batch of machines to Taiwan-based LCD panel maker AU Optronics Corp., where production is migrating to sixth-generation lines. With modification, the MS-1680DP can also be used on seventh- and eighth-generation lines.