FOM vectorSC Manual

FOM vectorSC
OPERATION & MAINTENANCE MANUAL
Revised January 2023

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Contents
1. Introduction ..............................................................................................................1
1.1. Equipment specifications ...................................................................................1
1.2. Safety: disclaimers & equipment hazards ..........................................................2
2. Description of equipment .........................................................................................5
2.1. Relevant standards............................................................................................9
2.1.1. Machine standards ......................................................................................9
2.1.2. Electrical panel standards............................................................................9
2.2. System requirements.......................................................................................10
2.2.1. Wiring information......................................................................................12
2.2.2. Compressed air .........................................................................................12
3. Setup instructions...................................................................................................13
3.1. Safe startup......................................................................................................13
3.2. Installation........................................................................................................14
3.3. Connecting a FOM machine to the internet......................................................18
3.3.1. Introduction to IXON Router ......................................................................19
3.3.2. Get connected to the internet ....................................................................20
4. Laptop control interface..........................................................................................23
4.1. Home screen & Quick Access Ribbon .............................................................23
4.2. Coating screen.................................................................................................26
4.3. Protocol screen................................................................................................31
4.4. Import and save protocol screen......................................................................35
4.5. Settings screen ................................................................................................38
4.6. Motion settings screen.....................................................................................41

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4.7. Heating settings screen....................................................................................43
4.8. Miscellaneous settings screen .........................................................................45
4.9. Alarms screen..................................................................................................46
5. Slot-die, syringe, the substrate mounting...............................................................48
5.1. Slot-die assembly, syringe & tubing connection...............................................48
5.2. Slot-die mounting.............................................................................................51
5.3. Mounting syringe into the pump.......................................................................56
5.4. Reversing syringe mounting orientation...........................................................59
5.5. Substrate mounting..........................................................................................61
6. Getting started with coating....................................................................................62
7. Service & maintenance ..........................................................................................66
7.1. Standard maintenance.....................................................................................66
8. Appendices ............................................................................................................68
8.1. Appendix 1: Software background calculations for film thickness, pump rate, and
coating width..............................................................................................................68

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1. Introduction
This document is the operation and maintenance manual for the FOM Technologies
vectorSC. The FOM vectorSC is a benchtop slot-die coating tool with rigid and flexible
substrates. The tool is designed to deposit thin films composed of a wide variety of
solution-processed precursor materials onto an additionally wide variety of coating
substrates. It, therefore, represents a miniaturized demonstration of industrial-scale roll-
to-roll and sheet-to-sheet manufacturing technologies. Furthermore, by providing simple,
precise control over coating speed, thickness, and substrate heating, the FOM vectorSC
offers a user-friendly coating experience that is ideally suited for a lab-scale materials
research environment and upscaling to pilot scale coating processes.
1.1. Equipment specifications
Several key specifications of the FOM vectorSC are outlined below:
Table 1 Key equipment specifications of the FOM vectorSC.
Specification
Value
Coating width
≤ 200 mm
Substrate compatibility
Rigid and flexible
Substrate throughput
≤ 5.0 m min-1
Syringe pump
Integrated
Substrate heating
≤ 200 °C
Slot-die heating
≤ 80 °C (optional)
Slot-die height repeatability
± 12.5 μm
Protocol control
Yes
Dimensions (D x W x H)
870 x 630 x 505 mm3
Weight
71 kg
Intended lifetime of equipment and safety components
20 years
Site workspace requirement
Suitable extraction

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The FOM vectorSC has been designed and dimensioned for convenient glovebox
compatibility. In addition, the stated temperature rating and coating speed are ideally
suited to achieve stable coating of a wide range of materials with thicknesses of less than
one to several tens of microns.
1.2. Safety: disclaimers & equipment hazards
IMPORTANT
To ensure successful operation of the FOM vectorSC and the safety of all lab users,
operators, trainees and maintenance personnel should read and understand this manual
before beginning with any coating experiments or tool maintenance. Operators must be
of sound mind and body before operating this equipment. Operators under the age of 18
should not attempt to operate this equipment. The general public should not be permitted
to use this equipment.
It is recommended that new users should be trained in the use of this equipment by
experienced operators, any deviation from the instructions provided in this manual may
lead to personal and material damage for which FOM Technologies A/S cannot be held
responsible.
The FOM vectorSC is equipped with an emergency stop button, which immediately halts
all ongoing operations in case of an emergency. Thisbutton must be tested once per year
to guarantee its function.
Further information on the risks and hazards associated with the operation of the FOM
vectorSC is provided below.

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Table 2 Risks and hazards associated with the use of the FOM vectorSC.
Risk
Comment
Hot surfaces
Operators should avoid touching the heated vacuum chuck when it is hot,
as temperatures can reach 200 °C. Operators should also avoid touching
the heated slot-die when hot, as temperatures can reach 80 °C. It should
be noted that both the chuck and the heated slot-die will remain hot for
some time even after the equipment has been shut down, representing a
burn risk for operators even when power is not supplied to the tool.
Crushing/pinching
Operators should avoid placing their fingers or other body parts in the
path of the slot-die, chuck, or syringe pump while moving. Damage to
items and persons may occur if they become caught between the slot-die
and chuck, the chuck and the vectorSC housing case, or the syringe pump
shaft and plates as they move.
Electric shock
Operators should avoid contact with cables and plugs at the rear of the
tool while the main power is being supplied. Operators should avoid
contact with wiring for the chuck energy chain and heated slot-die while
mains power is being supplied. Operators should avoid contact with
electrical cabinet wiring while mains power is being supplied. Operators
should take care to only touch the physical power switch on the exterior
of the electrical cabinet when switching on the mains power supply for
the tool.
Chemical exposure
In some cases, processing solutions without enclosure may lead to the
evaporation of solvents and other hazardous materials. Therefore,
operators should ensure that the tool is installed in a suitably ventilated
location to avoid unintended exposure to these chemical hazards. In
addition, operators should be fully aware of the material risks associated
with their work.
Misc.
Repairs and servicing of the FOM vectorSC along with all electrical
components should only be carried out by authorized, trained
technicians. If on-site servicing is required, please contact FOM
Technologies directly.

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Figure 1: Burn risk. Hot surface hazards are present on the FOM vectorSC. (1) Hazard due to heated
vacuum chuck surface, (2) Hazard due to heated slot-die head.
Figure 2: Crushing/pinching. (a) VectorSC render showing crushing and pinching hazards; (1) Hazard
between moving syringe pump components, (2) Hazard between slot-die and moving chuck
component, (3) Hazard between moving chuck and end-stop components.
12
3
1
32
1
2
ab

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2. Description of equipment
The FOM vectorSC is a compact slot-die coating tool with a simple, user-friendly design.
The exterior of the tool consists of several simple components, as seen below:
Figure 3: FOM vectorSC renders (right) along with a closeup of the slot-die head and bridge elements.
(1) Gantry system for lateral adjustment, (2) integrated syringe pump, (3) heated vacuum pump, (4)
emergency stop button, (5) quick buttons panel, (6) leveling and height mount feet, (7) slot-die head,
(8) lateral positioning dial (9) Vertical position positioning dial with digital display.
1. Coating bridge: supports the slot-die positioning gantry over the substrate.
2. Syringe pump: holds the syringe and pumps solution into the slot-die at the rate
set by software.
3. Vacuum chuck enabled with heating allows for substrate fixation via microporous
flat material for laminar flow suction.
4. The emergency stop button immediately stops all ongoing processes. Twist to
release the button and return the tool to a normal functioning state.
5. Hardware quick buttons: provide quick access to standard tool functions such as
pumping, chuck motion, vacuum activation, and experiment execution.
6. Height-adjustable feet: allows for tool leveling via easy height adjustment of
individual feet.
6
5
4
3
2
1
8
7
9

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7. Slot-die: receives coating fluid from the syringe and distributes it evenly across
the desired coating width on the substrate.
8. Horizontal position knot: for manual positioning of the slot-die head across the
coating area width.
9. Vertical positioning knot: for manual positioning of the slot-die to the desired
coating height.
The FOM vectorSC also features several ports on the rear panel of the tool for power
and control of tool functions, as seen below (Figure 4):
Figure 4: Rear side of VectorSC tool showing connection hub. (1) 8 mm vacuum supply tube; (2) Power
and control plugs.
1. Power and control plugs: supply power and control data for heating and motion
functions from the electrical cabinet.
2. 8 mm vacuum supply tube: supplies a vacuum via an 8 mm push-fit connection
to drive suction on the heated vacuum chuck.
1
2

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FOM VectorsSC electrical cabinet:
Figure 5: Front side photograph of the electrical panel showing some elements such as the physical,
electrical switch, and the compressed air-to-vacuum generator.
Figure 6: FOM vectorSC electrical cabinet. (1) Ethernet connection port, (2) compressed air vacuum
generator, (3) controlling electronics. The right-hand-side panel shows the CPU unit placed in the
door.
Physical power switch
Vacuum generator
Ethernet cable inlet
Compressed air
Vacuum line
connected to
chuck
1
1
3
2

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1. Ethernet connection port: enables a wired control connection via ethernet
between the FOM vectorSC and any PC. Beneficial for remote servicing
situations where a connection to both the tool and the internet are required.
2. Compressed air vacuum generator: accepts a compressed air supply (5-6 bar
line pressure recommended) to generate a venturi vacuum, which is supplied via
8 mm tubing to the vacuum chuck on the FOM vectorSC coating unit.
3. Controlling electronics: responsible for controlling heating, motion, and
communication between the coating unit and the control PC.
NOTE: the FOM vectorSC and its electrical cabinet are designed to be used and stored
indoors, out of direct sunlight, at room temperature. The tool is compatible with dry
environments such as glovebox environments but is not designed for extended exposure
to high humidity.

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2.1. Relevant standards
2.1.1. Machine standards
The machine is built according to machine directive EN 60204-1 and ISO 13849-1. Also
refer to Certificate of Quality Directive 2006 / 42 / EC Annex IIB, Declaration of conformity
of machinery.
2.1.2. Electrical panel standards
This panel is built according to UL508A Standard.
The panel additionally conforms to the following European Standards:
Table 3 Table of relevant European standards.
Parameter
Applicable standard
Symbols
EN 60617
Wire code
EN 60757
Reference Designations
ISO/IEC 81346, table 1 and table 2
Machine Safety
EN 60204-1
Electrical Safety
EN 61439-1 and EN 61439-2

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2.2. System requirements
Table 4 Power and cabling specs.
Parameter
Spec
Supply Voltage (Un)
(3+N) 3x 380..415 / 200..240 V a.c. and 3 x
200..230 / 115..132V
Supply Frequency (Hz)
50/60
Nominal Current (In)
24 Amps
Short Circuit Strength (Isc)
10 kA
Protection (maximum size)
C25A
Cable (minimum size)
12AWG / 2.5mm2
Earthing System
WYE/ TN-S
Cable Entry
Side
Figure 7: Tool power connection diagram.

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Figure 8: Electrical cabinet dimensions.

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2.2.1. Wiring information
Table 5 Wiring information table.
Spec list
LAPP multi-standard SC2.1
POWER - Black (Phase), White (Neutral), Green/Yellow (Ground)
24VDC CONTROL - Dark Blue (Positive), White with Dark Blue stripe (Negative)
INTERFACE SIGNALS - Orange (Signal), Orange with White stripe (Common)
This panel is built according to UL508A Standard
2.2.2. Compressed air
Table 6 Compressed air information table.
Spec list
5-7 bar. Clean and dry, non-lubricated. ISO 8573-1:2010 Class 1.2.3 or better
To be fitted to Ø8mm Festo push-fit connection

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3. Setup instructions
The following sections describe the recommended procedure for safe installation and
operation of the FOM vectorSC.
3.1. Safe startup
Before beginning any work with the FOM alphaSC, operators should ensure that they
have taken the following safety precautions:
•All operators of the tool must read and understand this user manual.
•Equipment should be used only for slot-die coating experiments, as recommended
by this user manual. Using this equipment for unintended applications and
conducting additional after-market modifications may result in damage to the
equipment and its operators.
•Users should apply the following personal protective equipment (PPE) when
operating the tool:
oSafety glasses
oLab coat
oSafety gloves (e.g. nitrile)
oAdditional precautions may apply depending on material use and
application (e.g. anti-static coat for hazardous nanomaterials or clean room
work)
•Do not operate the machine with loose clothing, wristbands, long loose hair or
anything that could get caught by the moving parts of the tool.
•The tool should be placed in a location with suitable ventilation to ensure that
operators are not exposed to volatile solvents and/or aerosolized materials (e.g.
fume hood, laminar flow housing or glove box)
•The physical power switch must be in the “ON” position at all times, to turn the
machine on and off should only be done through the software and the "engage
software" button. An exception can be done when plugging the tool into the main
power, installation (see section Error! Reference source not found.) or p

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erforming tool maintenance, in which case the physical power switch can be set to
the “OFF” position.
•The Emergency stop button should be tested at least annually to ensure its
function.
3.2. Installation
The FOM vectorSC has been designed to allow a quick, simple installation process. The
following steps ensure successful installation.
1. Placing the tool and electrical cabinet
Place the tool in a location with suitable ventilation to ensure that operators are not
exposed to volatile solvents (e.g., fume hood or glove box). The surface should be roughly
waist high and strong enough to support the tool’s weight (ca. 71 kg). Ensure that the
equipment and personnel assigned to lifting and moving the FOM vectorSC are suitably
dimensioned for the task. For safety, the FOM vectorSC should always be lifted/moved
by two or more personnel members at once. When placed, the tool should be accessible
from the operator side, with sufficient clearance behind the back panel to connect the
required plugs, cabling, and tubing.
The electrical cabinet should be placed no more than 10 m away from the FOM vectorSC
tool. Cables of a suitable length will be provided with the electrical cabinet based on
requirements identified during the site survey.
2. Connecting tool to the electrical cabinet, vacuum, and mains electricity
Ensure that the main power switch on the electrical cabinet is set to the “off”position. For
safety, the tool should never be connected to the power supply during connection and
installation. Power should only be supplied to begin regular use once the tool has been
placed, installed, and connected to the unpowered electrical cabinet.
Connect the labeled power and control cables from the electrical cabinet into their
respective labeled plugs on the back panel of the FOM vectorSC tool, as shown
previously in the “Description of equipment”section of this manual.

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Connect the vacuum generator unit on the electrical cabinet to a compressed air supply
at the inlet (5-6 bar feed pressure recommended) and to the FOM vectorSC tool at the
outlet. These connections should be made via 8 mm tubing into the push-fit connection
ports at each point.
When the above connections have been established, connect the electrical cabinet to
mains power via the provided mains plug (typically a standard three-phase connection).
3. Adjusting tool height and levelness
The FOM vectorSC should be reasonably level before initiating any coating trials. The
tool is fitted with height-adjustable feet on the bottom, enabling easy leveling of the tool
along the down-web and across-web axes.
Figure 9: Schematic of a top-down view of the heated vacuum chuck with labels for the down-web
and across-web axes.
To ensure the tool is leveled, place a precision leveling tool in the center of the heated
vacuum chuck, parallel with either the down-web or across-web axis. Adjust the height of

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each foot until the tool is level to at least 0.1 mm/m. Next, reposition the leveling tool and
repeat this process for the other coating axis. It is recommended to level the across-web
axis first, followed by the down-web axis.
4. Powering on the tool
To power, the tool, turn the main switch to the “On”position. The internal electronics of
the electrical cabinet should light up, indicating that power is being supplied. It may take
several minutes for the electrical cabinet to fully boot.
Figure 10: front side electrical cabinet with the physical power switch in the ON position.
While the electrical cabinet is booting up, scan for available WiFi networks on the control
PC. When the cabinet has finished booting, it will broadcast its WiFi network named after
the build number of your particular tool. Connect to this WiFi network on the control PC
to control the tool wirelessly. The password for this network is typically 70169 or
FOM70169. Alternatively, the tool may be controlled via a wired ethernet connection, as
shown previously in this manual’s “Description of equipment”section.

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To connect to the tool interface, double-click the FOM shortcut on the desktop
environment of the supplied control PC. Alternatively, open a web browser and the
following link: https://fom-tech/webRH
You will be greeted by the User Login window when a successful connection is achieved.
You can then log in to the FOM vectorSC with username: USER and password:
Fom_1234.
Figure 11: The User Login window.
NOTE: This profile provides user permissions to the operator. If you are having difficulty
connecting to the tool at any point, or if admin permissions are required, for example, for
editing of default tool motion and heating settings, please get in touch with FOM
Technologies directly.