Non-Newtonian fluid flow model for ceramic tape casting

The current device of miniaturisation and higher device counts in integrated circuit (IC) packages has significantly increased the use of the multilayer ceramic packages (MLCP) and multilayer capacitors (MLC). Currently, one of the main methods used for the manufacture of flat ceramic packages with precise thickness control and consistency is the tape casting technique. Since these tapes can be cast with thickness of about 100 μm, it is crucial that the control of green tape thickness is precise, and that these thickness values are reproducible consistently. The flow of the slurry onto the casting surface can be modelled as a two dimensional fluid flow through a parallel channel. By choosing a suitable constitutive model, the predictions of the proposed model and existing models were compared with experimental results. The proposed model accurately described the fluid flow characteristics of the process, and had good agreement with experimental results. © 2000 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.