WO2015086514A1

WO2015086514A1 - Method for applying paste on a surface of elevated portions of a component, apparatus suitable for carrying out the method and product manufactured by the method

Info

Publication number: WO2015086514A1
Application number: PCT/EP2014/076855
Authority: WO
Inventors: Stroiczek MARTIN
Original assignee: Höganäs Ab (Publ)
Priority date: 2013-12-10
Filing date: 2014-12-08
Publication date: 2015-06-18

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for applying paste on a surface of elevated portions of a component, an apparatus suitable for carrying out the method and a product manufactured by the method, said method for applying paste onto a surface of elevated portions of a component, said method comprising the steps of providing a component at a support surface, the component having one or more elevated portions, transferring paste from a paste reservoir to one or more paste rollers, the paste roller having a resiliently surface, wherein causing relative movement of the support surface and/or the one or more paste rollers relative to each other in a direction of motion, the direction of motion being parallel with a longitudinal axis of the one or more paste rollers and with an extent of the support surface, whereby an uppermost part of the elevated portions of said component passes and indents into the resilient surface of the one or more paste rollers, simultaneously squeezing the paste from the one or more paste rollers to positions adjacent the uppermost part of the elevated portions of the component.

Description

Method for applying paste on a surface of elevated portions of a component, apparatus suitable for carrying out the method and product manufactured by the method

The present invention relates to a method for applying paste on a surface of elevated portions of a component, an apparatus suitable for carrying out the method and a product manufactured by the method.

Background

The terms solder, soldering and solder paste used onwards are meant to cover also the terms braze, brazing and braze paste, respectively.

Methods for preparing a component, such as a corrugated metal sheet for the manufacture of honeycomb bodies, which are wound or stacked and intertwined from sheets, are known in numerous forms. These components are used in the manufacturing of various products such as heat exchangers and catalytic

converters, absorbers and/or filter bodies in the automotive industry.

Moreover various techniques are known for the application of a bonding agent prior to the winding or stacking of the sheets, including application of solder paste through the use of rolling prior to assembly. Thus application of solder paste by roller coating is well known.

In the prior art the roller coating is applied with a hard faced steel roll onto the elongated ridges of the corrugated sheets/components. The solder paste is applied in a thin layer, which undesirably adds to the total thickness of the corrugated component.

An EGR (Exhaust Gas Recirculation) Cooler is a heat exchanger in the EGR circuit. The EGR system recirculates exhaust back to the engine, and the cooler simply cools the exhaust gas prior to gas being reintroduced into the engine.

Manufacturers use various cooler/heat exchanger technologies, although tube and shell is the most common type used currently.

EGR coolers with flat tubes need to have fin plates brazed inside the tube for improving heat transfer performance. During assembly the tube wall will act like a knife and scrape off the paste from the coated fin.

Therefore, state of the art techniques use metal foil instead, having the drawback of being more costly and not to be available for today's required high performance, corrosion resistance alloys, like BrazeLet^® Ni613 or BrazeLet^® F300. Metal catalytic converters consist of a corrugated fin coiled together with a flat foil and brazed. Typically, the foil thickness is 30 to 100 prn. Metal catalytic converters need to withstand thermo cycles and are elevated to temperatures of up to 900°C. Long lasting lifetime requires to have selected brazed areas only. This worked out by coiling in a brazing filler metal foil, alternatively performing partial roller coating or applying a binder and "glue" powder by spraying powder.

The roller coating is the most cost cutting application but a disadvantage is the thickness addition. There is an increased risk for additional brazing failures by gap size or erosion with burn through holes in the foil.

As mentioned above, a disadvantage of having solder paste on top of the elongated ridges of the component results is that the paste may be scraped off by other components during assembly. In addition, the applied paste adds to the overall thickness which may result in a less effective structure such as a less effective honeycomb structure.

Brief description of the invention

The present invention seeks to set forth a method, apparatus and component which overcome at least some of the above-mentioned disadvantages, by preparing a component with paste while preventing an increase of the thickness of the coated component and while providing a reduction in the amount of solder paste used and in related cost.

This is achieved by a method for applying paste onto a surface of elevated portions of a component, said method comprising the steps of providing a component at a support surface, the component having one or more elevated portions; transferring paste from a paste reservoir to one or more paste rollers, the paste roller having a resilient surface; causing relative movement of the support surface and/or the one or more paste rollers relative to each other, whereby an uppermost part of the elevated portions of said component passes and indents into the resilient surface of the one or more paste rollers, and paste from the one or more paste rollers is squeezed away from the uppermost part to positions adjacent the uppermost part of the elevated portions of the component, preferably leaving no (or at least only an insignificant amount of) paste on top of the uppermost part. In some

embodiments less than 10%, preferably less than 5% most preferably less than 2% of the total amount of paste applied to an elevated portion is left on the uppermost part, such as a top surface, of the elevated portion .

Hereby a method for applying paste by roller coating is achieved without adding to the total thickness of a paste coated component. According to one embodiment, said method comprises the step of causing said relative movement of the support surface and/or the one or more paste rollers relative to each other to occur in two parallel planes, wherein one plane is defined by an extent of a longitudinal axis of the one or more paste rollers and another plane is defined by an extent of the support surface. In some embodiments, the direction of the relative movement is normal to the longitudinal axis of the one or more paste roller.

According to one embodiment, said method comprises the step of setting/adjusting the distance between the longitudinal axis and the support surface. Hereby the method is adaptable to different sizes of components.

According to a further embodiment, said method comprises the step of setting the distance between the longitudinal axis and the support surface, such that during operation the elevated portions of the component indent approximately 0.1 to 4 mm, such as 0.1 to 2 mm into the resilient surface of the one or more paste rollers. It has been found that provides such indentations result in a particularly uniform distribution of the paste along the sides of the elevated portions while substantially avoiding any paste being deposited on the uppermost top of the elevated portion.

According to an embodiment, said method comprises the step of synchronizing the relative movement between the one or more paste rollers and the support surface, wherein the peripheral rotational speed and the direction of rotation of said one or more paste rollers are synchronized with the relative movement of said support surface. The peripheral rotational speed and the direction of rotation of said one or more paste rollers may be synchronized with the relative movement of said support surface such that the tangential velocity of a point on the circumference of the paste roller which touches an elevated portion of the component has substantially the same direction and magnitude as the velocity of the component relative to the axis of the paste roller. The magnitude of the tangential velocity of the surface of the paste roller and the velocity of the component may deviate by no more than +/- 20% of the velocity of the component, such as by no more than +/- 10% of the velocity of the component, such as by no more than +/- 5% of the velocity of the component. Hence, when the peripheral rotational speed and the direction of rotation of said one or more paste rollers are synchronized with the relative movement of said support surface, the paste roller rolls across the component with only little or even no slip between the paste roller and the component. It has been found that such synchronization provides a particularly uniform distribution of the paste along the sides of the elevated portions while substantially avoiding any paste being deposited on the uppermost top of the elevated portion.

Generally, in some embodiments, said method comprises the step of setting the distance between the longitudinal axis and the support surface and setting the peripheral velocity of the paste roller relative to the velocity of the component so as to cause the elevated portions of the component to indent the paste roller such that paste is distributed only as separate stripes of paste adjacent to the uppermost parts of the elevated portions, e.g. such that less than 10%, preferably less than 5% most preferably less than 2% of the total amount of paste applied to an elevated portion is left on the uppermost part, such as a top surface or the uppermost 10% such as the uppermost 5% of the surface of the elevated portion.

According to an embodiment, said elevated portions are elongated ridges and wherein said method further comprises the step of positioning said component on the support surface having the elongated ridges oriented approximately parallel to said longitudinal axis of rotation of said one or more paste rollers. The elongated ridges define a crest or uppermost edge and side walls on either side of the crest/uppermost edge. The paste is preferably distributed only along an upper portion of each side wall adjacent to but displaced from the crest/uppermost edge.

According to another embodiment, said elevated portions are elongated ridges and wherein said method further comprises the step of positioning said component on the support surface having the elongated ridges oriented approximately

perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of rotation of said one or more paste rollers.

According to an embodiment, said method further comprises the step of using paste having a viscosity of 50-150 Pa s (Brookfield T-spindle C with Helipath, speed 2.5 rpm, 20°C).

According to a further embodiment, said method comprises the step of using paste having a viscosity of approximately 90 Pa s (Brookfield T-spindle C with Helipath, speed 2.5 rpm, 20°C).

Generally, the paste may be solder paste. In some embodiments, the paste is a shear thinning paste that has a viscosity that changes responsive to a shear force/stress applied to the paste. In particularly, the viscosity of the paste may decrease responsive to an increased shear force/stress.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus suitable for carrying out the method described above and in the following is disclosed herein; said apparatus comprises a support surface for supporting a component, one or more paste rollers, said one or more paste rollers having a resilient surface layer and a paste reservoir wherein said resilient surface layer of said one or more paste rollers has a thickness larger than 2 mm.

By exchanging the hard face of the steel roller with a layer of resilient material such as rubber it is hereby achieved to apply the same amount of paste exactly around the elevated portions, preventing thickness increase of the coated component. A resilient surface layer having a thickness of more than 2mm allows a sufficient indentation of the elevated portions of a components so as to squeeze the paste away from the uppermost part and to positions adjacent to the uppermost part. According to a further embodiment, said resilient surface layer of said one or more paste rollers having a thickness of at least 0.5cm such as at least 1 cm. The resilient surface layer may be provided by a roller having central body surrounded by a tubular layer of resiliently compressible material, such as rubber or a rubber- like material. The central body may be a shaft or drum which may be made of metal, such as, steel or another suitable material .

According to an embodiment, said surface layer of the one or more paste rollers is composed of rubber having a hardness of approximately 10-75 shore A.

According to a further embodiment, said surface layer of the one or more paste rollers composed of rubber having a hardness of approximately 30-45 Shore A, such as 38 Shore A.

According to a further embodiment, said surface layer of the one or more paste rollers constitutes rubber type NBR-PVC.

According to an embodiment, said apparatus comprises a distance-setting unit, wherein the distance between the support surface and the one or more paste rollers is adjustable.

According to an embodiment, said apparatus comprises transferring means, whereby said support surface and/or the one or more paste rollers moves relative to each other in two parallel planes, wherein one plane is defined by an extent of a longitudinal axis of the one or more paste rollers and another plane is defined by an extent of the support surface. In some embodiments, the direction of motion is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of rotation of the one or more paste rollers.

According to a further embodiment, said one or more paste rollers having a longitudinal axis of rotation extending perpendicular to said direction of motion. According to an embodiment said support surface is a surface of a conveyer for transferring the component passed the one or more paste rollers.

According to another embodiment of the present invention, a component is disclosed that is manufactured by the method described above and in the following and/or using the apparatus described above and in the following, said component comprises elevated portions wherein said elevated portions comprise paste deposited adjacent an uppermost part of said elevated portions of the component, whereby the elevated portions have two homogeneous stripes of paste on each elevated portion juxtaposed the uppermost part of the elevated portions.

Preferably, said elevated portions comprise paste deposited substantially only adjacent an uppermost part of said elevated portions of the component, whereby the elevated portions have two homogeneous stripes of paste on each elevated portion juxtaposed the uppermost part of the elevated portions and substantially no paste on top of the uppermost part. Brief description of the figures

Figure 1 illustrates a side view of an apparatus for applying solder paste to a component;

Figure 2 illustrates prior art, a side view showing a component having solder paste on the uppermost part of the elevated portions;

Figure 3 illustrates a close up view of a solder paste roller applying solder paste on an elevated portion of a component having a flat uppermost part;

Figure 4 illustrates a solder paste roller applying solder paste on elevated portions of a sinusoidal profiled component.

Detailed description with reference to the figures

With reference to the drawings, the invention will be described in the following .

Figure 1 illustrates an apparatus for applying solder paste to a component 10. The apparatus comprises a support surface 40, a solder paste reservoir 30 and a solder paste roller 20. A component 10 is provided at the support surface 40. When applying solder paste to the component the support surface 40 supporting the component and the solder paste roller 20 are moved relative to each other, whereby the solder paste roller 20 and the component 10 pass each other; hence the solder paste roller 20 applies solder paste 31 to the component. The movement is in a direction of motion, wherein the direction of motion being perpendicular with a longitudinal axis of the solder paste roller and in a plane parallel with the support surface.

The support surface 40 is, in figure 1, embodied as a conveyer. The conveyer causes the relative movement between the component 10 and the solder paste roller 20 by transporting the component 10 pass the solder paste roller 20 for applying solder paste 31, and the longitudinal axis of rotation 21 of the solder paste roller extends perpendicular to the direction of motion. In alternative embodiments, the paste roller may be moved instead of the support surface, or both the support surface and the paste roller may be moved.

The component 10 comprises a corrugated configuration and is used for

manufacturing structures such as a honeycomb body. The corrugated component illustrated in figure 2 has a corrugation with a profile similar to a sinusoidal profile or a similar periodically varying profile having alternating elevated ridge portions and recessed valley portions, wherein these elevated ridge portions and recessed valley portions represent the extremities of the corrugated component. The corrugated component is delimited by the extremities of the elongated ridges that are running substantially parallel to one another, and during the subsequent assembly the extremities produce the contact locations with an adjacent

component.

In prior art the solder paste 31 is applied on top of the extremity forming the contact locations of the corrugated component 10, as illustrated in the figure. The solder paste is positioned at the uppermost part 14 of the elevated portions 11 prior to subsequent assembly.

According to the present invention the solder paste 31 is positioned at juxtaposed side walls of the elevated portions 11 adjacent to the uppermost part 14 of the component, as shown in figure 3 and 4, and not at the uppermost part itself.

The application of solder paste using a paste roller having a resilient surface may be used with components having different shapes of the elevated portions. In figure 3 and 4 there are shown two different configurations of a component. The component 10 illustrated in figure 3 has a flat uppermost part 14.

In prior art methods using a paste roller having a hard surface, the application of solder paste to a component having flat elongated ridges requires the rotation direction of the hard-faced solder paste roller to move against the moving direction of the component, in order to shear of the paste onto the component in a

homogeneous solder paste layer.

Solder paste viscosity of many solder pastes is not constant when experiencing shear stresses. The viscosity of such solder pastes is high when there is a little or no shear stress and low when shear stresses are high.

When the paste roller is in contact with the component, the relative motion causes shear forces and a prior art hard-faced roller shears the paste during paste application and consequently reduces the viscosity of the paste during the transfer. This property is utilized differently in the present invention by the use of a solder paste roller having a resiliently surface.

The viscosity property of the solder paste is utilized by applying the shear stresses/forces to the paste by pressing the elevated portions and the paste roller together. During movement of the component and/or the solder paste roller, the indentation of the resilient surface of the roller caused by the uppermost part of the component being pressed against and into the resilient surface of the paste roller applies shear forces to the paste. These shear forces have a lateral component directed away from the uppermost part of the ridges towards the adjacent valley portion of the corrugated profile. Consequently, the flexible surface of the solder paste roller 20 causes the paste to be squeezed from the uppermost part 14 and outward and the paste only remains on the sides of the elevated portions 11, adjacent the uppermost part 14 of the component 10. The shear stress is obtained by the solder paste roller squeezing the solder paste and thereby applying shear forces to the solder paste during the transfer of the paste, and the solder paste is applied to the sides of the elevated portions of the component near the component extremity, whereas no solder paste is applied to the uppermost part itself.

The surface indentation of the paste roller causes shear stressing of the paste in direction A, from the uppermost part to the adjacent positions on the elevated portions shown in figure 3, which gives a lower shear viscosity helping the solder paste to release from the solder paste roller and to stick homogenously around the ridges of the component, and the paste roller releases the component without leaving paste on the extremity of the ridges.

Figure 3 illustrates a front view of the paste roller 20, the elevated portion 11 having a flat uppermost part 14 .The resilient surface of the paste roller allows indentation by the uppermost part 14 of the elevated portion 11 of the component into the resilient surface of the paste roller, whereby the paste roller squeezes the paste from the uppermost part 14 of the component to positions adjacent the uppermost part 14.

Furthermore, the component 10 in figure 3 is positioned having the elongated elevated portions 11 oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of rotation 21 of the solder paste roller 20. Components for catalytic converters are often provided with solder paste with the ridges oriented perpendicular to the direction of motion, whereas EGR coolers often have the ridges oriented parallel to the direction of motion.

Figure 4 illustrates a component having the elongated ridges positioned parallel to the longitudinal axis of rotation 21 of the solder paste roller 20. . When the support surface 40 transfers the component 10, as illustrated in a close-up view in figure 4, the component 10 passes the solder paste roller 20. When the component passes the solder paste roller, the elevated portions 11 of the component 10 pass and indent into the resilient surface of the solder paste roller 20, the resilient surface of the solder paste roller 20 simultaneously squeezes the paste from the uppermost part 14 of the solder paste roller to positions adjacent the uppermost part 14 of the elevated portions 11 of the component 10.

As illustrated in figure 3 as well as in figure 4, the surface indentation due to the resilient paste roller causes the resilient paste roller 20 to squeeze the paste away from the uppermost part 14 of the elevated portions 11, as the uppermost parts sink into the resilient surface of the solder paste roller. Consequently, the paste is applied only directly around the length of the ridges at the uppermost part 14 of and no (or at least only an insignificant amount of) paste remains on the uppermost part 14. The motion/speed of the support surface and the peripheral speed of the roll may be synchronized.

The apparatus may comprise a distance-setting unit, wherein the distance between the support surface 40 and the paste roller 20 is adjustable. Figure 4 illustrates that the distance H between the axis of rotation 21 of the solder paste roller 20 and the support surface 40 is smaller than the sum of the paste roller radius and the height of the component 10, in order to allowing the uppermost part 14 of the elevated portions 11 of the component 10 to indent into the resilient surface of the paste roller 20. The height of the component resting on the support surface is measured between the support surface and the uppermost parts of the elevated portions.

In an embodiment, the distance between the axis of rotation and the support surface is set, such that during operation the elevated portions 11 of the

component indent about 0.1 to 2 mm, such as 0.3 to 2 mm into the resilient surface of the one or more paste rollers.

The paste roller has a resilient surface in order to allow indentation of the

component. The paste roller may contain a metal core and an outer shell of elastic/flexible material. When the shell has a thickness larger than 2 mm it allows the indentation to have a sufficient depth and to enable the elevated portions 11 to indent into the resilient surface. Preferably the surface of the solder paste roller has a thickness larger than 0.5 cm, such as approximately 1 cm rubber.

The paste roller or the surface of the paste roller may be composed of rubber.

Preferably the surface has a hardness of approximately 10-75 Shore A or a rubber having a hardness of approximately 30-45 Shore A. In a preferred embodiment, the solder paste roller is composed of NBR-PVC having a hardness of approximately 38 Shore A. Generally, Shore A values referred to in this document refer to Shore A values determined according to standard ASTM D2240.

Solvents in paste formulations typical petroleum distillates and non-aromatize hydrocarbons (e.g. registration name: Hydrocarbons, C12-C15, n-alkanes, isoalkanes, cyclics, < 2% aromatics). The paste consists of a typical binder used for roller coating, but mixed with metal powder ball shaped particle sized below 106 μηι in range of 80-90 wt%.

The solder paste used in some embodiments of the present invention is solder paste having a low viscosity of about 50-150 Pa s, preferably the solder paste has a viscosity of approximately 90 Pa s. The solder paste viscosity is defined by measures with Brookfield T-spindle C with Helipath, speed 2.5 rpm, 20°C. Example 1

Solder paste of the type BrazeLet® F300R-8501was applied onto fins of a heat exchanger resting on a support that was moved relatively to the roller in a direction normal to the axis of the roller and along the direction of the fins. The diameter of the rubber roller was 162 mm. The roller was made of NBR-PVC rubber. The speed of the support relatively to the roller was 5 m/min. The dimensions of the heat exchanger plates were 206 mm x 54 mm x 7 mm. There were 17 fins/plate and the fins were 1.6 mm wide. The paste was applied to the crests/edges of the fins. The following table shows the results of 6 runs with different values of the rotational speed of the roller relatively to the velocity of the support and for different depths of indentations of the fins into the surface of the roller:

Run 1 Run 2 Run 3 Run 4 Run 5 Run 6

Rotational opposite opposite opposite same same Same direction of

roller versus

support

Speed +10 +10 0 0 +10 +20 difference of

roller versus

support [%]

Pressure 2 0,2 0,2 2 2 2

(deformation

of roller)

[mm]

Amount 7,99 3,10 2,50 2,53 3,80 4,56 paste

applied/plate

[grams]

Appearance Paste on Paste on Paste on Paste on Paste on Paste on of applied top, evenly top, evenly top, evenly side walls, side walls, side walls, paste on fins distributed distributed distributed evenly slightly unevenly distributed unevenly distributed distributed

Overall Too much Acceptable Acceptable excellent Acceptable Acceptable assessment paste, amount of amount of amount of amount of distribution paste, paste, paste, paste, of paste not distribution distribution distribution distribution acceptable of paste not of paste of paste of paste acceptable not good acceptable acceptable

Claims

1. Method for applying paste onto a surface of elevated portions of a component, said method comprising the steps of:

- providing a component at a support surface, the component having one or more elevated portions,

- transferring paste from a paste reservoir to one or more paste rollers, the paste roller having a resilient surface, characterized in that the method comprises:

- causing relative movement of the support surface and/or the one or more paste rollers relative to each other whereby an uppermost part of the elevated portions of said component passes and indents into the resilient surface of the one or more paste rollers, and paste from the one or more paste rollers is squeezed away from the uppermost part to positions adjacent the uppermost part of the elevated portions of the component.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein said method comprises the step of causing said relative movement of the support surface and/or the one or more paste rollers relative to each other to occur in two parallel planes, wherein one plane is defined by an extent of a longitudinal axis of the one or more paste rollers and another plane is defined by an extent of the support surface.

3. Method according to any one or more of the claims 1-2, wherein said method comprises the step of setting/adjusting the distance between the longitudinal axis and the support surface.

4. Method according to any one or more of the claims 1-3, wherein said method comprises the step of setting the distance between the longitudinal axis and the support surface, such that during operation the elevated portions of the component indent approximately 0.1 to 4 mm into the resilient surface of the one or more paste rollers.

5. Method according to any one or more of the claims 1-4, wherein said method comprises the step of synchronizing the relative movement between the one or more paste rollers and the support surface, wherein the peripheral rotation speed and rotation direction of said one or more paste rollers is synchronized with the relative movement of said support surface.

6. Method according to any one or more of the claims 1-5, wherein said elevated portions are elongated ridges and wherein said method further comprises the step of positioning said component on the support surface having said elongated ridges oriented approximately parallel to said longitudinal axis of rotation of said one or more paste rollers.

7. Method according to any one or more of the claims 1-5, wherein said elevated portions are elongated ridges and wherein said method further comprises the step of positioning said component on the support surface having said elongated elevated portions oriented approximately perpendicular to said longitudinal axis of rotation of said one or more paste rollers.

8. Method according to any one or more of the claims 1-7, wherein said method further comprises the step of using paste having a viscosity of 50-150 Pa s

(Brookfield T-spindle C with Helipath, speed 2.5 rpm, 20°C).

9. Method according to any one or more of the claims 1-8, wherein said method further comprises the step of using paste having a viscosity of approximately 90 Pa s (Brookfield T-spindle C with Helipath, speed 2.5 rpm, 20°C).

10. Apparatus suitable for carrying out the method according to any one or more of the claims 1-9, said apparatus comprises a support surface for supporting a component, one or more paste rollers, said one or more paste rollers having a resilient surface layer and a paste reservoir characterized in that said resilient surface layer of said one or more paste rollers having a thickness larger than 2 mm.

11. Apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said resilient surface layer of said one or more paste rollers having a thickness larger than 0.5 cm.

12. Apparatus according to any one or more of the claims 10-11, wherein said surface layer of the one or more paste rollers is composed of rubber having a hardness of approximately 10-75 shore A.

13. Apparatus according to any one or more of the claims 10-12, wherein said surface layer of the one or more paste rollers composed of rubber having a hardness of approximately 30-45 Shore A, such as 38 Shore A.

14. Apparatus according to any one or more of the preceding claims 10-13, wherein said surface layer of the one or more paste rollers constitutes rubber type NBR- PVC.

15. Apparatus according to any one or more of the preceding claims 10-14, wherein said apparatus comprises a distance-setting unit, wherein the distance between the support surface and the one or more paste rollers is adjustable.

16. Apparatus according to any one or more of the preceding claims 10-15, wherein said apparatus comprises transferring means, whereby said support surface and/or the one or more paste rollers moves relative to each other in a direction of motion, the direction of motion being parallel with a longitudinal axis of rotation of the one or more paste rollers and with an extent of the support surface.

17. Apparatus according to any one or more of the preceding claims 10-16, wherein said one or more paste rollers having a longitudinal axis of rotation extending perpendicular to said direction of motion.

18. Apparatus according to any one or more of the preceding claims 10-17, wherein said support surface is a conveyer transferring the component passes the one or more paste rollers.

19. Component manufactured by the method according to any one or more of the claims 1-9, using the apparatus according to any one or more of the claims 10-18, said component comprises elevated portions characterized in that said elevated portions comprise paste adjacent an uppermost part of said elevated portions of the component, whereby the elevated portions having two homogenous stripes of paste on each elevated portion juxtaposed the uppermost part of the elevated portions.