Electroplating apparatus and processing method for super-thick board
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202611126503.2
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2026-07-27
- Publication Date
- 2026-09-08
AI Technical Summary
[0003]然而,现有技术的作用区域仍主要集中在待镀板外侧板面附近,对于通孔孔口及孔内深部区域的镀液更新与流体交换作用相对有限,在实际生产过程中,现有工艺通常仅能较为稳定地实现约1:30厚径比范围内的通孔电镀;当厚径比进一步提高时,由于通孔孔径减小、孔深增加,镀液进入孔内并持续更新的能力受限,导致孔内外镀液交换不充分、深孔区域金属离子补给不足,易出现孔内沉积速率降低、孔中心区域镀层变薄以及沉积连续性不足甚至电镀缺陷等问题
[0014] This invention provides an embodiment of a plating tank containing a plate with through holes. A first jetting unit, comprising multiple inclined nozzles, is positioned on one side of the plate, allowing the plating solution to act on the adjacent area of the plate at an inclined direction. Simultaneously, a driving mechanism drives the first jetting unit to move relative to the plate during the spraying process. Compared to existing technologies where spraying, aeration, or stirring primarily affects the outer surface of the plate, this invention enables the inclined-sprayed plating solution to continuously act on adjacent areas of different regions of the plate during its movement, increasing the local plating solution renewal frequency and improving the plating solution exchange conditions in the through-hole area.
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Figure CN122707227A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of electroplating technology, and more specifically to an electroplating equipment and processing method for ultra-thick circuit boards. Background Technology
[0002] Circuit boards are widely used in communication equipment, servers, power systems, and industrial control equipment. As electronic products continue to develop towards higher integration, higher power, and higher reliability, circuit boards are gradually showing a trend towards thicker plates, multi-layered structures, and high aspect ratio through-hole structures. To achieve reliable electrical connections between conductive layers, it is usually necessary to perform metallization electroplating on the inner walls of the through-holes to form a continuous metal plating layer that meets the target thickness requirements. Existing circuit board electroplating technologies typically employ methods such as overall jetting, air agitation, or mechanical stirring to improve the fluidity of the plating solution and the metal ion exchange efficiency near the outer surface of the board to be plated, thereby improving the uniformity of the plating layer on the board surface and the electroplating effect of conventional through-holes.
[0003] However, the effective area of existing technologies is still mainly concentrated near the outer surface of the plate to be plated. The effect of plating solution renewal and fluid exchange on the opening of the through hole and the deep area inside the hole is relatively limited. In actual production, existing processes can usually only achieve through hole electroplating within a thickness-to-diameter ratio range of about 1:30 relatively stably. When the thickness-to-diameter ratio is further increased, the ability of plating solution to enter the hole and continuously renew it is limited due to the decrease in hole diameter and increase in hole depth. This leads to insufficient exchange of plating solution inside and outside the hole, insufficient replenishment of metal ions in the deep hole area, and problems such as reduced deposition rate inside the hole, thinning of the coating in the center area of the hole, insufficient deposition continuity, and even electroplating defects.
[0004] Furthermore, even with increased current density, if the orifice area still lacks effective directional disturbance and fluid drive, it may lead to adverse phenomena such as localized plate burning and abnormal crystallization. Therefore, existing technologies still face significant technical bottlenecks in through-hole electroplating with higher aspect ratios, and there is an urgent need for an electroplating device and processing method that can directly act on the plating solution adjacent to the plate surface and create a pressure difference in the through-hole orifice area. Summary of the Invention
[0005] The purpose of this invention is to address the shortcomings and deficiencies of existing technologies by providing an electroplating apparatus for ultra-thick circuit boards, comprising: An electroplating tank for holding a plating solution, with a plate to be plated having through holes placed in the plating solution; The jetting component includes a first jetting unit, which includes multiple nozzles. The first jetting unit is disposed on one side of the plate to be plated, and the nozzles of the first jetting unit are inclined relative to the surface of the plate to be plated, for spraying plating solution into the area adjacent to the surface of the plate to be plated. A driving mechanism is used to drive the first jetting unit to move relative to the plate to be plated when spraying the plating solution.
[0006] Furthermore, the tilt angle of the nozzle of the first jet unit relative to the surface of the plate to be plated is adjustable.
[0007] Furthermore, the inclination angle of the nozzle of the first jet unit is 30°-75° relative to the surface of the plate to be plated. Furthermore, the second jetting unit is located on the opposite side of the plate to be plated. The second jetting unit includes multiple nozzles. The nozzles of the second jetting unit spray the plating solution in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the plate to be plated, and the tilt angle of the nozzles of the second jetting unit relative to the surface of the plate to be plated is adjustable.
[0008] Furthermore, the jet component has at least two operating states: In the first state, the first jetting unit performs inclined jetting on the area adjacent to the plate to be plated during the movement, while the second jetting unit simultaneously performs vertical jetting on the through hole direction. In the second state, the second jetting unit performs inclined jetting on the area adjacent to the plate to be plated during the movement process, while the first jetting unit simultaneously performs vertical jetting on the through hole direction.
[0009] Furthermore, the nozzles are spaced apart along the arrangement direction of the first jet unit or the second jet unit, and the distance between adjacent nozzles is 50mm-500mm.
[0010] Furthermore, it also includes a vibration generating device, which is used to simultaneously generate vibration waves having a component parallel to the surface of the plate to be plated and a component perpendicular to the surface of the plate to be plated.
[0011] Furthermore, it also includes a rectifier for inputting current to the plate to be plated, the current being either direct current or pulsed current.
[0012] Furthermore, the rectifier is configured as a one-to-one output or a one-to-many output, wherein a one-to-one output means that one rectifier outputs current to one plate to be plated, and a one-to-many output means that one rectifier outputs current to multiple plates to be plated.
[0013] On the other hand, this application also provides an electroplating process for PCBs, applied to the electroplating equipment for ultra-thick PCBs as described above, the method comprising: S1. Place the plate to be plated with a through hole having a high thickness-to-diameter ratio into the plating solution in the electroplating tank. S2. A first jetting unit and a second jetting unit are respectively provided on opposite sides of the plate to be plated; S3. Drive the first jet unit to move at a preset speed relative to the plate to be plated in a direction parallel to the surface of the plate to be plated, and spray at an angle to the area adjacent to the surface of the plate to be plated during the movement. While the first jet unit moves, keep the second jet unit fixed relative to the plate to be plated and spray vertically in the direction of the through hole. S4. Keep the jet component in a static state for a preset time; S5. Drive the second jet unit to move at a preset speed relative to the plate to be plated in a direction parallel to the surface of the plate to be plated, and spray at an angle to the area adjacent to the surface of the plate to be plated during the movement. While the second jet unit moves, keep the first jet unit fixed relative to the plate to be plated and spray vertically in the direction of the through hole. S6. Keep the jet component in a static state for a preset time; S7. If the plate to be plated does not meet the preset electroplating conditions, repeat steps S3 to S6.
[0014] This invention provides an embodiment of a plating tank containing a plate with through holes. A first jetting unit, comprising multiple inclined nozzles, is positioned on one side of the plate, allowing the plating solution to act on the adjacent area of the plate at an inclined direction. Simultaneously, a driving mechanism drives the first jetting unit to move relative to the plate during the spraying process. Compared to existing technologies where spraying, aeration, or stirring primarily affects the outer surface of the plate, this invention enables the inclined-sprayed plating solution to continuously act on adjacent areas of different regions of the plate during its movement, increasing the local plating solution renewal frequency and improving the plating solution exchange conditions in the through-hole area.
[0015] Furthermore, the movement of the first jet unit can reduce the situation where the plating solution in a local area of the plate remains stagnant for a long time, making the jet effect on different areas more uniform. This helps to improve the problem of uneven replenishment of plating solution inside and outside the hole during the high aspect ratio through-hole electroplating process, and improves the stability and coating consistency of the through-hole electroplating process. Attached Figure Description
[0016] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.
[0017] Figure 1 This is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a side view of an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3This is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a flowchart of an electroplating process for a PCB according to the present invention.
[0018] Figure label: 1. Electroplating tank; 2. Jet component; 21. First jet unit; 22. Second jet unit; 23. Nozzle; 3. Drive mechanism; 4. Plate to be plated. Detailed Implementation
[0019] The present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0020] This specific embodiment is merely an explanation of the present invention and is not intended to limit the invention. After reading this specification, those skilled in the art can make modifications to this embodiment without contributing any inventive element, but such modifications are protected by patent law as long as they fall within the scope of the claims of the present invention.
[0021] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. The components of the embodiments of the present invention described and shown in the accompanying drawings can generally be arranged and designed in various different configurations. Therefore, the following detailed description of the embodiments of the invention provided in the accompanying drawings is not intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention, but merely to illustrate selected embodiments of the invention. All other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art based on the embodiments of the invention without inventive effort are within the scope of protection of the invention. Reference Figure 1-3 This invention provides an electroplating apparatus for ultra-thick circuit boards, comprising: Electroplating tank 1 is used to hold plating solution, and plate 4 with through holes is placed in the plating solution; The spraying component 2 includes a first spraying unit 21, which includes a plurality of nozzles 23. The first spraying unit 21 is disposed on one side of the plate to be plated 4. The nozzles 23 of the first spraying unit 21 are inclined relative to the plate surface of the plate to be plated 4 and are used to spray plating solution into the area adjacent to the plate surface of the plate to be plated 4. The driving mechanism 3 is used to drive the first jetting unit 21 to move relative to the plate to be plated 4 when spraying the plating solution.
[0022] In this embodiment, the plate to be plated 4 is placed in the plating solution in the electroplating tank 1, so that its through-hole structure is completely submerged, providing a basic reaction environment for the electroplating process; the spraying component 2 is at least disposed on one side of the plate to be plated 4, and the first spraying unit 21 includes multiple nozzles 23. The nozzles 23 are inclined relative to the surface of the plate to be plated 4, so that the sprayed plating solution can act on the area adjacent to the surface of the plate to be plated 4, forming a directional flow action area near the surface of the plate. The driving mechanism 3 is used to drive the first spraying unit 21 to move relative to the plate to be plated 4 along the surface direction while spraying the plating solution, so that the spray action area changes with the movement process, so that different positions of the plate to be plated 4 are successively subjected to the spray action, avoiding local areas from being in a relatively static fluid environment for a long time.
[0023] Specifically, the velocity vector of the inclined sprayed plating solution can be decomposed into a tangential component along the direction of the plate to be plated 4 and a normal component perpendicular to the plate to be plated 4. The tangential component is used to form a dominant flow extending along the plate surface in the area adjacent to the plate surface, so that the plating solution forms a continuous transverse renewal flow field around the orifice opening. The normal component is used to apply radial disturbance to the orifice opening area, so that the plating solution has a tendency to locally penetrate into the hole at the orifice opening, enhancing the fluid exchange capacity at the orifice opening. On this basis, the driving mechanism 3 is used to drive the first spray unit 21 to move relative to the plate to be plated 4 along the plate surface direction while spraying the plating solution, so that the spray action center forms a continuous spatial migration trajectory in the plate surface direction, so that the orifice opening areas at different positions enter the spray action range in sequence.
[0024] Furthermore, the jet velocity vector and the moving velocity vector of the jet component 2 are superimposed in space, causing the equivalent flow direction acting on the adjacent area of the plate to continuously shift over time, forming a periodically changing local pressure difference field at the orifice opening, so that the plating solution renewal conditions on both sides of the orifice opening are continuously activated.
[0025] Meanwhile, the tilting spray of the first jet unit 21 is synchronized with the movement process relative to the plate to be coated 4, so that the spraying action is manifested in space as a dynamic flow field that unfolds continuously along the moving path, rather than a local impact action at a fixed position, thereby improving the continuous renewal capability of the plating solution in the through hole orifice area and the penetration capability in the deep hole direction.
[0026] This invention provides an electroplating tank 1 containing a plate 4 with through holes. A first jetting unit 21, comprising multiple inclined nozzles 23, is positioned on one side of the plate 4. This allows the plating solution to act on the adjacent area of the plate 4 at an inclined direction. Simultaneously, a driving mechanism 3 drives the first jetting unit 21 to move relative to the plate 4 during the spraying process. Compared to existing technologies where spraying, aeration, or stirring primarily affects the outer surface of the plate, this invention enables the inclined-sprayed plating solution to continuously act on adjacent areas of different regions of the plate 4 during its movement, increasing the local plating solution renewal frequency and improving the plating solution exchange conditions in the through hole area.
[0027] Furthermore, the movement of the first jet unit 21 can reduce the situation where the plating solution in a local area of the plate remains stagnant for a long time, making the jet effect on different areas more uniform. This is beneficial to improving the problem of uneven replenishment of plating solution inside and outside the hole during the high aspect ratio through-hole electroplating process, and improving the stability and coating consistency of the through-hole electroplating process.
[0028] In one embodiment, the jetting process of the first jetting unit 21 is synchronized and continuous with its movement process, so that the jetting action forms a continuous action zone on the movement path.
[0029] At any position of movement, the jetting range of the jetting component 2 at least covers the effective electroplating area of the plate to be plated 4.
[0030] In one embodiment, the nozzle 23 sprays at a speed of 0.5 L / min to 8 L / min, and the jet unit moves at a speed of 0.1 m / s to 1 m / s. The spray speed is greater than the moving speed to ensure that the jet flow is the dominant driving force. The moving speed is used to change the spatial distribution of the spray action area so that the jet flow field forms a continuous scanning effect on the surface of the plate to be coated 4.
[0031] In this embodiment, the tilt angle of the nozzle 23 of the first jet unit 21 relative to the surface of the plate to be plated 4 is adjustable, so that the jetting direction of the nozzle 23 can be adaptively adjusted according to the thickness of the plate to be plated 4, the diameter of the through hole and the electroplating process parameters.
[0032] Specifically, by adjusting the tilt angle of the nozzle 23, the ratio of the tangential component to the normal component of the sprayed plating solution in the area adjacent to the plate surface 4 changes. When the tilt angle increases, the normal component of the spraying action is enhanced, which is beneficial to improving the penetration effect in the orifice area. When the tilt angle decreases, the tangential component of the spraying action is enhanced, which is beneficial to improving the flow renewal capacity in the area adjacent to the plate surface.
[0033] In this embodiment, the adjustable angle setting allows the jetting effect to maintain a better effect under different thickness-to-diameter ratios, thereby improving the adaptability of the first jetting unit 21 to different specifications of the plate to be coated 4.
[0034] Furthermore, the tilt angle of the nozzle 23 of the first jetting unit 21 is 30°-75° relative to the surface of the plate to be plated 4. The nozzle 23 sprays the plating solution, which can simultaneously form a composite effect of tangential and normal components. The tangential component is used to drive the plating solution in the adjacent area of the plate to be plated 4 to form a flow renewal along the plate surface direction, and the normal component is used to enhance the plating solution disturbance and penetration ability in the through hole opening area. When the tilt angle is less than 30°, the spraying effect is mainly concentrated in the tangential direction, resulting in insufficient normal effect on the through hole opening area. When the tilt angle is greater than 75°, the spraying effect tends to be mainly in the normal direction, and the flow renewal ability in the adjacent area of the plate surface is relatively weakened. By limiting the tilt angle of the nozzle 23 to the range of 30°-75°, the tangential and normal effects can be kept in relative balance, which can improve the fluid exchange effect in the through hole opening area while ensuring the renewal of the plating solution in the plate surface area.
[0035] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the nozzle 23 can be configured as a rotatable adjustable structure. The nozzle 23 is connected to the main jet pipe through a rotary joint. The rotary joint is used to provide the nozzle 23 with the degree of freedom to adjust its angle relative to the jet component 2, so that the nozzle 23 can adjust its angle around its own axis or a preset rotation axis, thereby changing the jet direction.
[0036] In one embodiment, the nozzle 23 can be connected to the jet support via a universal ball joint. The universal ball joint includes a spherical rotating part and a locking structure. The spherical rotating part is used to adjust the angle of the nozzle 23 in multiple directions, and the locking structure is used to fix the nozzle 23 after setting the angle to maintain a stable jet direction.
[0037] In one embodiment, the nozzle 23 can be mounted on an adjustable swing arm structure, which is linked to the drive mechanism 3, so that the nozzle 23 can swing at a small angle while moving with the jet unit, so as to realize the dynamic adjustment of the jet direction, thereby forming a variable coverage trajectory in the direction of the jet action area on the plate surface 4 to be coated.
[0038] In one embodiment, the nozzle 23 can be disposed on a rotary nozzle assembly, the rotary nozzle assembly including an angle adjustment mechanism driven by a stepper motor or a servo motor, the angle adjustment mechanism being used to control the nozzle 23 to deflect periodically within a preset angle range, so that the direction of the sprayed plating solution changes with time, thereby enhancing the uniformity of disturbance to the orifice area.
[0039] It should be noted that the rotatable adjustment structure, universal ball joint structure, adjustable swing arm structure, and rotating nozzle assembly of the nozzle 23 described above are all used to achieve adjustable control of the spray direction of the nozzle 23. Essentially, they all aim to give the nozzle 23 at least one degree of angular freedom relative to the spray component 2 or the plate to be plated 4. Regardless of whether a rotary joint, universal ball joint, swing arm linkage, or motor-driven rotation method is used, the spray direction of the nozzle 23 can be variably adjusted within a preset range to change the direction and intensity distribution of the sprayed plating solution in the vicinity of the plate surface 4. The different structural forms described above are merely one or more specific implementation paths for achieving adjustable nozzle angle. Those skilled in the art can also use other equivalent structures with nozzle angle adjustment functions to replace them without departing from the concept of this invention. Furthermore, the second jetting unit 22 is disposed on the opposite side of the plate to be plated 4. The second jetting unit 22 includes a plurality of nozzles 23. The nozzles 23 of the second jetting unit 22 spray the plating liquid in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the plate to be plated 4, and the tilt angle of the nozzles 23 of the second jetting unit 22 relative to the surface of the plate to be plated 4 is adjustable.
[0040] In this embodiment, the second jetting unit 22 is located on the opposite side of the plate to be plated 4. The second jetting unit 22 includes a plurality of nozzles 23, which spray plating solution in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the plate to be plated 4 to provide axial liquid replenishment to the orifice area of the through hole. Furthermore, the jet component 2 has at least two operating states: In the first state, the first jetting unit 21 performs inclined jetting on the area adjacent to the surface of the plate to be plated 4 during the movement process, while the second jetting unit 22 simultaneously performs vertical jetting on the through hole direction. The first jetting unit 21 moves relative to the plate to be plated 4 and performs inclined jetting on the area adjacent to the surface of the plate to be plated 4 during the movement process. The second jetting unit 22 remains relatively fixed and performs vertical jetting on the through hole direction, so that one side of the plate to be plated 4 forms a composite action state dominated by inclined jetting and the other side forms a composite action state dominated by vertical jetting. In the second state, the second jetting unit 22 performs an inclined jetting on the area adjacent to the surface of the plate to be plated 4 during the movement, while the first jetting unit 21 simultaneously performs a vertical jetting on the through hole direction; the second jetting unit 22 moves relative to the plate to be plated 4 and performs an inclined jetting on the area adjacent to the surface of the plate to be plated 4 during the movement, while the first jetting unit 21 remains relatively fixed and performs a vertical jetting on the through hole direction, so that the jetting action switches between the two sides of the plate to be plated 4.
[0041] In this embodiment, by alternating between the two working states, the two sides of the plate to be plated 4 periodically undertake inclined spraying and vertical spraying respectively, so that both ends of the through hole opening can obtain alternating fluid driving conditions, thereby improving the renewal capacity of the plating solution and the electroplating uniformity within the through hole. Furthermore, the nozzles 23 are spaced apart along the arrangement direction of the first jet unit 21 or the second jet unit 22, and the distance between adjacent nozzles 23 is 50mm-300mm. By setting multiple nozzles 23 spaced apart along the arrangement direction, the jetting effect can form a segmented coverage area in the direction of the plate surface 4 to be plated, avoiding the problem of uneven local flow caused by the limited range of a single nozzle 23.
[0042] Specifically, when the spacing between nozzles 23 is small, the spraying areas between adjacent nozzles 23 are easily superimposed, improving the overall flow continuity of the adjacent area of the plate; when the spacing between nozzles 23 is large, the action areas of each nozzle 23 are relatively independent, which is conducive to forming segmented disturbance areas at different positions and enhancing the coverage of different areas of the large-size plate to be coated 4.
[0043] In one embodiment, by limiting the spacing between the nozzles 23 to a range of 50mm-300mm, the jetting component 2 can ensure coverage while also taking into account the uniformity of the jetting flow and the feasibility of the structural arrangement, thereby improving the adaptability of the jetting component 2 to plates 4 of different sizes to be coated.
[0044] Furthermore, the nozzles 23 are spaced apart along the arrangement direction of the first jet unit 21 or the second jet unit 22, and the distance between adjacent nozzles 23 is 50mm-300mm.
[0045] In this embodiment, the nozzle 23 can be disposed on a plurality of vertical support structures extending along the height direction of the plate to be coated 4. The vertical support structures are used to arrange and fix the nozzle 23 in layers.
[0046] In one embodiment, each vertical support structure is provided with a single nozzle 23, and multiple vertical support structures are arranged at intervals along the length direction of the first jet unit 21 or the second jet unit 22. The drive mechanism 3 drives each vertical support structure to move synchronously, thereby realizing the overall scanning of the jet action area.
[0047] In another embodiment, multiple nozzles 23 are provided on each vertical support structure. The multiple nozzles 23 are spaced apart in the vertical direction so that the jet stream forms a multi-layer distributed action area in the height direction of the plate to be plated 4. The vertical spacing between adjacent nozzles 23 is a preset interval to adapt to the electroplating requirements of through holes at different height positions.
[0048] In another embodiment, the nozzle 23 can be independently configured as an adjustable mounting structure, so that the nozzle 23 has an adjustable position in the vertical direction and / or the tilting direction, thereby changing the intensity distribution of the jet in different height areas of the plate to be plated 4, so as to adjust the uniformity of electroplating of through holes in different areas.
[0049] Furthermore, it also includes a vibration generating device, which is used to simultaneously generate vibration waves having a component parallel to the surface of the plate to be plated 4 and a component perpendicular to the surface of the plate to be plated 4.
[0050] In this embodiment, the vibration generating device is used to apply periodic composite vibration disturbance to the plate to be plated 4 and its adjacent plating solution in addition to the jetting effect, so that the plating solution generates micro-amplitude reciprocating vibration in both the plate surface direction and the through hole axial direction, and the reciprocating motion in the through hole axial direction is superimposed to form a unidirectional penetrating trend.
[0051] In one embodiment, the vibration generating device may include a drive motor and an eccentric excitation mechanism disposed at the output end of the drive motor. The eccentric excitation mechanism generates periodic centrifugal force through eccentric mass arrangement, thereby forming a composite vibration signal with a preset frequency and amplitude.
[0052] In one embodiment, by adjusting the mass distribution, eccentricity, and rotational speed of the eccentric block, the vibration wave can form a controllable component ratio between the direction parallel to the surface of the plate to be plated 4 and the direction perpendicular to the surface of the plate to be plated 4, so as to adapt to the electroplating requirements of through holes with different thickness-to-diameter ratios.
[0053] Furthermore, the composite vibration acts on the plating solution area near the plate surface, causing the plating solution in the through-hole opening area to undergo a periodic compression and release process, and forming an intermittent propagation trend in the axial direction of the through-hole, thereby increasing the renewal frequency of the plating solution in the hole and improving the problem of insufficient metal ion replenishment in the deep hole area; the vibration component parallel to the plate surface can periodically disturb the boundary layer in the adjacent area of the plate surface, causing the original stable boundary layer to be continuously destroyed and regenerated, thereby reducing the local concentration polarization phenomenon and improving the electroplating uniformity.
[0054] In one embodiment, the vibration generating device is disposed on the top of the electroplating tank 1 and is directly or indirectly connected to the electroplating fly rod. By applying vibration to the electroplating tank 1 as a whole, the plating solution forms an overall composite vibration field in the tank, thereby acting on the plate to be plated 4 and its through holes.
[0055] In another embodiment, the vibration generating device is disposed on the hanging structure or conductive bracket of the plate to be plated 4, so that the vibration is directly transmitted to the body of the plate to be plated 4, thereby enhancing the local vibration intensity of the plate surface and the through hole area of the plate to be plated 4.
[0056] In another embodiment, the vibration generating device is mounted on the mounting bracket of the jet component 2, so that the vibration effect and the jet effect are superimposed on the same action structure, thereby improving the micro-disturbance capability of the plating solution in the jet area.
[0057] In a preferred embodiment, the vibration generating device is simultaneously disposed on the intermediate support structure between the electroplating tank 1 and the jetting component 2, so that the vibration is transmitted through the structure simultaneously to the plating solution, the jetting component 2, and the plate to be plated 4, thereby realizing multi-path vibration coupling transmission. Furthermore, it also includes a rectifier for inputting current into the plate to be plated 4, the current being either direct current or pulse current.
[0058] In one embodiment, the rectifier is configured for either a one-to-one output or a one-to-many output. A one-to-one output means one rectifier outputs current to one plate 4, while a one-to-many output means one rectifier outputs current to multiple plates 4. The rectifier can be configured for either one-to-one or one-to-many output depending on the number of plates 4 and the electroplating control precision. In a one-to-one output configuration, each rectifier corresponds to a single plate 4, facilitating independent adjustment of the current magnitude, waveform, and electroplating time for each plate 4. This is suitable for scenarios requiring high uniformity in through-hole electroplating of thick plates. In a one-to-many output configuration, one rectifier outputs current to multiple plates 4, simplifying the power supply structure and reducing equipment configuration complexity. This is suitable for scenarios where the process parameters of multiple plates 4 are consistent or have minimal differences. Through this power supply method, the current input method can be flexibly adjusted according to different plate thicknesses, hole diameters, aspect ratios, and the number of mounting plates, allowing the current distribution to coordinate with the fluid disturbances formed by the paddle components, thereby improving the stability of the electroplating process for high aspect ratio circuit boards. On the other hand, the present invention also provides an electroplating process for PCBs, applied to the electroplating equipment for ultra-thick PCBs as described above, the method comprising: S1. The plate to be plated 4 with a high aspect ratio through hole is placed in the plating solution in the electroplating tank 1 to establish the basic environment for electroplating processing. The plate surface and the space inside and outside the through hole of the plate to be plated 4 are fully covered by the plating solution, forming a continuous electrolyte environment in space, and providing a uniform reaction medium condition for the subsequent electrodeposition reaction.
[0059] S2. A first jet unit 21 and a second jet unit 22 are respectively arranged on opposite sides of the plate to be plated 4. By arranging the first jet unit 21 and the second jet unit 22 on opposite sides of the plate to be plated 4, the two sets of jet units can respectively act on the adjacent areas of the two sides of the plate surface and the through hole area of the plate to be plated 4, providing structural conditions for the subsequent formation of alternating or synergistic jet action on both sides.
[0060] S3. Drive the first jet unit 21 to move at a preset speed relative to the plate to be plated 4 in a direction parallel to the surface of the plate to be plated 4, and spray at an angle to the adjacent area of the plate to be plated 4 during the movement. While the first jet unit 21 moves, keep the second jet unit 22 fixed relative to the plate to be plated 4 and spray vertically in the direction of the through hole to form a composite jet effect in the first working state.
[0061] Specifically, by driving the first jet unit 21 to move at a preset speed relative to the plate to be plated 4 in a direction parallel to the surface of the plate to be plated 4, the jet action area of the first jet unit 21 continuously migrates in the direction of the surface of the plate to be plated 4, so that the adjacent areas of the plate at different positions are successively subjected to the inclined jet action; during the movement of the first jet unit 21, its nozzle 23 continuously sprays the plating solution into the adjacent areas of the plate to be plated 4 in an inclined manner, so that the jet stream forms a dynamic action area that continuously expands with the direction of movement in space, enhancing the renewal ability of the plating solution in the adjacent areas of the plate; at the same time, the second jet unit 22 is kept fixed relative to the plate to be plated 4 and sprays vertically in the direction of the through hole, so that the plating solution acts directly on the orifice area in the axial direction of the through hole, forming an axial replenishment path inside the through hole.
[0062] S4. Keep the jetting component 2 stationary for a preset time. After the jetting component 2 stops moving, the fluid disturbance formed by the combined inclined and vertical jetting in the adjacent area of the plate surface and the through hole area of the plate to be plated 4 gradually decreases, so that the flow state of the plating solution gradually recovers from the dynamic disturbance state to a relatively stable state. By setting a stationary time interval, the local flow field formed by the jetting action in the previous stage can be dissipated, and the residual flow is avoided from superimposed interference on the action of the subsequent jetting stage.
[0063] S5. Drive the second jet unit 22 to move at a preset speed relative to the plate to be plated 4 in a direction parallel to the surface of the plate to be plated 4, and spray obliquely into the area adjacent to the surface of the plate to be plated 4 during the movement. While the second jet unit 22 moves, keep the first jet unit 21 fixed relative to the plate to be plated 4 and spray vertically into the through hole direction; to form a composite jet effect in the second working state.
[0064] Specifically, by driving the second jet unit 22 to move at a preset speed relative to the plate to be plated 4 in a direction parallel to the surface of the plate to be plated 4, the jet action area of the second jet unit 22 continuously migrates in the direction of the surface of the plate to be plated 4, so that the adjacent areas of the plate surface at different positions are successively subjected to the inclined jet action; during the movement of the second jet unit 22, its nozzle 23 continuously sprays the plating liquid into the adjacent area of the plate to be plated 4 in an inclined manner, so that the jet stream forms a dynamic action area that continuously expands with the direction of movement in space, and forms a continuously renewed tangential flow action in the adjacent area of the other side of the plate to be plated 4; at the same time, the first jet unit 21 is kept fixed relative to the plate to be plated 4 and sprays vertically in the direction of the through hole, so that the plating liquid continuously enters the interior of the through hole in the axial direction of the through hole, maintaining the axial liquid replenishment capacity of the through hole orifice area.
[0065] S6. Keep the jet component 2 in a stationary state for a preset time; S7. If the plate to be plated 4 does not meet the preset electroplating conditions, then repeat steps S3 to S6. When the plate to be plated 4 does not meet the preset electroplating conditions, the control system repeats steps S3 to S6, causing the first jet unit 21 and the second jet unit 22 to continuously alternate between different operating states, periodically applying a composite jetting effect to the adjacent areas on both sides of the plate to be plated 4 and the through-hole opening area. Through this cyclic execution method, the through-hole opening area continuously receives alternating tangential flow and axial liquid replenishment under multiple jetting cycles, continuously improving the renewal conditions of the plating solution within the through-hole and enhancing the stability of the electroplating process. When the plate to be plated 4 meets the preset electroplating conditions, the cyclic process of steps S3 to S6 is stopped, ending the entire jetting control process.
[0066] The above is only used to illustrate the technical solution of the present invention and is not intended to limit it. Any other modifications or equivalent substitutions made by those skilled in the art to the technical solution of the present invention, as long as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the technical solution of the present invention, should be covered within the scope of the claims of the present invention.
Claims
1. An electroplating apparatus for ultra-thick circuit boards, characterized in that, include: An electroplating tank (1) is used to hold the plating solution, and a plate to be plated (4) with through holes is placed in the plating solution; The spraying component (2) includes a first spraying unit (21), which includes a plurality of nozzles (23). The first spraying unit (21) is disposed on one side of the plate to be plated (4). The nozzles (23) of the first spraying unit (21) are inclined relative to the plate surface of the plate to be plated (4) and are used to spray plating solution into the area adjacent to the plate surface of the plate to be plated (4). The driving mechanism (3) is used to drive the first jet unit (21) to move relative to the plate to be plated (4) when the plating solution is sprayed.
2. The electroplating equipment for ultra-thick circuit boards according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tilt angle of the nozzle (23) of the first jet unit (21) relative to the plate surface (4) to be plated is adjustable.
3. The electroplating equipment for ultra-thick circuit boards according to claim 2, characterized in that, The tilt angle of the nozzle (23) of the first jet unit (21) is 30°-75° relative to the surface of the plate to be plated (4).
4. The electroplating equipment for ultra-thick circuit boards according to claim 2, characterized in that, The second jetting unit (22) is located on the opposite side of the plate to be plated (4). The second jetting unit (22) includes a plurality of nozzles (23). The nozzles (23) of the second jetting unit (22) spray the plating solution in a direction perpendicular to the plate surface of the plate to be plated (4). The tilt angle of the nozzles (23) of the second jetting unit (22) relative to the plate surface of the plate to be plated (4) is adjustable.
5. The electroplating equipment for ultra-thick circuit boards according to claim 4, characterized in that, The jet component (2) has at least two operating states: In the first state, the first jetting unit (21) performs inclined jetting on the area adjacent to the plate to be plated (4) during the movement process, and the second jetting unit (22) simultaneously performs vertical jetting on the through hole direction; In the second state, the second jet unit (22) performs inclined jetting on the area adjacent to the plate to be plated (4) during the movement process, while the first jet unit (21) simultaneously performs vertical jetting on the through hole direction.
6. The electroplating equipment for ultra-thick circuit boards according to claim 4, characterized in that, The nozzles (23) are arranged at intervals along the arrangement direction of the first jet unit (21) or the second jet unit (22), and the distance between adjacent nozzles (23) is 50mm-500mm.
7. The electroplating equipment for ultra-thick circuit boards according to claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes a vibration generating device, which is used to simultaneously generate vibration waves having a component parallel to the surface of the plate to be plated (4) and a component perpendicular to the surface of the plate to be plated (4).
8. The electroplating equipment for ultra-thick circuit boards according to claim 2, characterized in that, It also includes a rectifier for inputting current to the plate to be plated (4), the current being either direct current or pulse current.
9. The electroplating equipment for ultra-thick circuit boards according to claim 5, characterized in that, The rectifier is configured as a one-to-one output or a one-to-many output, wherein a one-to-one output means that one rectifier corresponds to the output current of one plate to be plated (4), and a one-to-many output means that one rectifier corresponds to the output current of multiple plates to be plated (4).
10. A method for electroplating a PCB, applied to the electroplating equipment for ultra-thick PCBs as described in any one of claims 1-9, characterized in that, The method includes: S1. Place the plate to be plated (4) with a high thickness-to-diameter ratio through hole into the plating solution in the electroplating tank (1); S2. A first jet unit (21) and a second jet unit (22) are respectively provided on opposite sides of the plate to be plated (4); S3. Drive the first jet unit (21) to move at a preset speed relative to the plate to be plated (4) in a direction parallel to the surface of the plate to be plated (4), and spray at an angle to the area adjacent to the surface of the plate to be plated (4) during the movement. While the first jet unit (21) moves, keep the second jet unit (22) fixed relative to the plate to be plated (4) and spray vertically in the direction of the through hole. S4. Keep the jet component (2) in a static state for a preset time; S5. Drive the second jet unit (22) to move at a preset speed relative to the plate to be plated (4) in a direction parallel to the plate surface (4), and spray at an angle to the adjacent area of the plate surface (4) during the movement. While the second jet unit (22) moves, keep the first jet unit (21) fixed relative to the plate to be plated (4) and spray vertically in the direction of the through hole. S6. Keep the jet component (2) in a static state for a preset time; S7. If the plate to be plated (4) does not meet the preset electroplating conditions, repeat steps S3 to S6.