Seal Schedule Settings (Part 1) - Start of Dispense

In this Tech Transfer Short, we will go over the critical seal schedule settings that influence the start of a dispense in robotic dispense applications. Understanding these settings is essential for achieving consistent bead quality and optimizing your dispense process. We’ll explore how timing adjustments and pressure control work together to ensure smooth starts and precise placement. The video begins by introducing the generic dispense process signal timing diagram from the SpotTool+ manual. From there, we focus on four key settings that impact the start of a dispense:

1. Pre Pressure – Controls the initial flow rate as the valve opens, helping to avoid uneven bead starts.
2. Gun On Anticipation Time – Adjusts valve open timing to align bead placement with the robot’s motion.
3. Equipment Anticipation Time – Accounts for the response delay of metering equipment, ensuring accurate flow initiation.
4. Seal Start Offset Time – Fine-tunes the timing of flow commands relative to the gun-on signal for optimal bead shape.

We will explain how each setting works, why it matters, and provide practical examples to help you visualize their effects. For instance, pre pressure adjustments can correct beads that start too small or too large, while anticipation times compensate for valve and equipment delays. By the end, you’ll understand how these parameters interact and how to apply them effectively in your own seal schedules.

Requirements for Success

• SpotTool+ software configured for Dispense
• I/O configured for your dispenser
• Basic understanding of robotic dispense systems

What You Will Learn

• How to adjust PrePressure for uniform bead starts
• How anticipation times improve timing accuracy
• When and why to use Seal Start Offset Time for fine-tuning
• Best practices for combining these settings for consistent results

This session is designed to give you actionable insights without overwhelming detail, so you can confidently optimize your dispense process. If you’re ready to improve bead quality and reduce trial-and-error, this video is a great place to start.