Expanding machine and expanding method

1 . An expanding machine for expanding a sheet having a workpiece bonded thereon, comprising:

an expansion mechanism configured to expand the sheet;

a cooling unit that cools the workpiece bonded on the sheet; and

a temperature distribution detection unit that, before expanding the sheet by the expansion mechanism, detects a temperature distribution of the workpiece cooled by the cooling unit, and

a controller that controls at least the expansion mechanism,

wherein the controller has a determination section configured to determine whether the temperature distribution of the workpiece as detected by the temperature distribution detection unit is abnormal or normal,

wherein a specified temperature is set within the controller, and when a temperature of the workpiece is higher than the specified temperature, the determination section determines the temperature distribution to be abnormal, and

wherein expansion of the sheet is performed only when the temperature distribution detected is determined to be normal.

2 . The expanding machine according to claim 1 , further comprising:

an alarm generation unit that generates an alarm;

wherein the controller controls the alarm generation unit, and

wherein the controller is configured to generate the alarm from the alarm generation unit when the temperature distribution of the workpiece is determined to be abnormal by the determination section.

3 . The expanding machine according to claim 1 , wherein

the expansion mechanism includes a plurality of sets of opposing sheet clamping units configured to clamp the sheet at opposing positions on an outer periphery of the sheet outside the workpiece, and a plurality of sets of expanding and moving units, each set of expanding and moving units being configured to move the opposing sheet clamping units in directions away from each other in each corresponding set of the opposing sheet clamping units,

the cooling unit includes a cooling table having a contact surface configured to come into contact with the sheet clamped by the sheet clamping units and cooling the sheet, and

the temperature distribution detection unit is arranged opposing the workpiece bonded on the sheet clamped by the sheet clamping units, and includes an infrared camera to image the workpiece.

4 . The expanding machine according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a rotary table including:

frame bonding rollers which press a back side of the sheet so that the annular frame and the sheet are more firmly bonded together; and

a sheet cutter which is brought into contact with the sheet from the back side of the sheet, so that the sheet is cut in a peripheral direction at a location where the annular frame is bonded on the sheet and along a circle corresponding to a substantial center in a width direction of the annular frame.

5 . The expanding machine according to claim 1 , wherein the controller determines the temperature distribution to be abnormal when the temperature of the workpiece is non-uniform across the workpiece.

6 . The expanding machine according to claim 1 , wherein the controller determines the temperature distribution to be abnormal when one or more regions of the workpiece have a temperature higher than other regions of the workpiece.

7 . The expanding machine according to claim 1 , further comprising:

a display monitor which is configured to display a thermogram representing the temperature distribution of the workpiece detected by the temperature distribution detection unit, wherein the thermogram visually indicates whether the temperature distribution of the workpiece is uniform or non-uniform.

8 . The expanding machine according to claim 7 , wherein the thermogram displays insufficiently cooled regions of the workpiece in a color different from other regions of the workpiece.

9 . The expanding machine according to claim 1 , wherein the cooling unit includes a cooling table configured to be brought into contact with a back surface of the sheet to cool the workpiece via the sheet.