A method of 3D printing a probe pin mold

Abstract

The application discloses a method for manufacturing a probe needle mold by 3D printing, and comprises the following printing process: according to a slice model file obtained by slicing a three-dimensional model of the probe needle mold into multiple two-dimensional models, a 3D printing method is used to print the probe needle mold layer by layer, and a tapered hole with a large upper part and a small lower part for a probe is formed on the probe needle mold in the layer-by-layer printing process. Through the setting of printing the probe needle mold layer by layer by using the 3D printing method, the manufacturing efficiency of the needle mold can be improved, the manufacturing cost can be reduced, and the shape of the micro-hole of the needle mold can be flexibly set; through the setting of forming the tapered hole with the large upper part and the small lower part for the probe on the probe needle mold, a "funnel" can be formed at the probe inlet, the probe is conveniently inserted, and manpower is saved.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present application relates to the field of 3D printing, in particular to a method for manufacturing a probe needle mold by 3D printing. BACKGROUND

[0002] In the production process of consumer electronics, the circuit board and module thereof need to be tested. The electrical property test is mainly tested by a probe contact mode. Since the electrical connection points or contacts of the circuit board and module are relatively small, the probe needs to be very thin, generally with a diameter of 0.1 mm to 1 mm. Moreover, since the electrical contacts are also very dense, the arrangement of the probe is also relatively dense. In particular, the probe with a diameter of 0.1 mm to 0.3 mm needs to be fixed by a needle mold relative position. The probe passes through the probe needle mold, and the relative position of the probe is fixed by the probe needle mold. Therefore, the probe needle mold has small holes arranged densely, and the diameter of the small holes is also between 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm.

[0003] The manufacture of the needle mold has always been an important difficulty of the electrical detection equipment. The small holes arranged on the probe needle mold are usually machined by a very thin drill. Since the small holes on the needle mold are very thin, only between 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm, the diameter of the drill is also only between 0.1 mm and 0.3 mm. The very thin drill is easy to break when drilling holes in the material. In order to reduce the stress of the drill, the drill is usually reciprocated in and out during the drilling process, and the hole is drilled little by little. Therefore, the punching speed is slow, and it usually takes several minutes to punch a hole. There are usually several tens of holes on a needle mold. Therefore, this processing method faces many problems such as drill breakage, fast drill wear, low processing efficiency, and low yield. Moreover, this processing belongs to particularly fine processing, and the processing equipment is expensive, usually in the order of millions of yuan. Therefore, the needle mold greatly increases the cost of the detection equipment. Moreover, in order to better fix the probe, the gap between the needle mold and the probe is relatively small, generally between 10 μm and 50 μm. The traditional drilling type manufacturing method manufactures small holes with equal diameters, which brings great difficulty to the subsequent needle threading process, and makes the needle threading a very labor-intensive work. SUMMARY

[0004] The present application aims to solve the problems of improving the manufacturing efficiency of the needle mold and reducing the difficulty of needle threading, and provides a method for manufacturing a probe needle mold by 3D printing.

[0005] To achieve the above-mentioned purpose, the present application adopts the following technical solutions:

[0006] The application discloses a method for manufacturing a probe needle mold by 3D printing, which comprises the following printing process: according to a slice model file obtained by slicing a three-dimensional model of the probe needle mold into a plurality of two-dimensional models, a 3D printing method is used to print the probe needle mold layer by layer, and a tapered hole with a large upper end and a small lower end for loading a probe is formed on the probe needle mold in the layer-by-layer printing process.

[0007] In some embodiments, when a layer forming the tapered hole is printed, the hole diameter formed by printing on the current layer is not greater than the expansion amount of the hole diameter on the previous layer relative to the thickness of the current layer.

[0008] In some embodiments, when a layer forming the tapered hole is printed, the expansion amount of the hole diameter in the layer-by-layer printing is controlled so that the tapered hole is formed as an acute angle.

[0009] In some embodiments, the tapered hole is printed from the bottom layer of the probe needle mold to the top layer, or a non-tapered hole is first printed from the bottom layer of the probe needle mold, and then the tapered hole is printed above the non-tapered hole to the top layer.

[0010] In some embodiments, the 3D printing is light-curing printing.

[0011] In some embodiments, the expansion amount of the hole diameter in the printing is controlled in units of printing exposure pixels.

[0012] In some embodiments, the light power density of the light-curing printing is controlled to be 3-100 mw / cm 2 , the printing layer thickness is 0.005-0.2 mm, the number of bottom layers is 3-30, the bottom layer printing time is 1-60 s, the general layer printing time is 0.5-10 s, the lifting speed is 0.01-5 mm / s, the lowering speed is 0.01-5 mm / s, the waiting time before exposure is 0.5-10 s, and the waiting time after exposure is 0.5-10 s.

[0013] In some embodiments, the method further comprises ultrasonic cleaning of the probe needle mold using an organic solvent or water, and drying after cleaning.

[0014] In some embodiments, the method further comprises using air flow to blow through the hole on the probe needle mold.

[0015] In some embodiments, the method further comprises drying and ultraviolet light post-curing of the probe needle mold, wherein the probe needle mold is first dried at 40-80 DEG C for 30-60 minutes, and then naturally cooled to room temperature, and then cured at room temperature or an elevated temperature under ultraviolet light irradiation for 1-20 minutes.

[0016] The application has the following beneficial effects:

[0017] The present application can improve the manufacturing efficiency of the needle mold, reduce the manufacturing cost, and flexibly set the shape of the micro-hole of the needle mold by using the 3D printing method to print the settings of the probe needle mold layer by layer; the 3D printing is used to form the large-small tapered hole setting for the probe on the probe needle mold, a "funnel" is formed at the probe entrance, which brings convenience for inserting the probe, reduces the difficulty of inserting the needle, and saves manpower. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0018] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a probe needle mold made by the method of using 3D printing to make a probe needle mold in an embodiment;

[0019] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a probe needle mold made by the method of using 3D printing to make a probe needle mold in another embodiment;

[0020] Figure 3 is a flow chart of the process of 3D printing, testing the probe needle mold, and inserting the needle in the embodiment of the present application;

[0021] Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of the tapered hole area of the probe needle mold in the embodiment of the present application;

[0022] Figure 5 is a schematic diagram of the taper setting of the tapered hole of the probe needle mold in the embodiment of the present application;

[0023] Figure 6 is a schematic diagram of the case that the taper is too large to make the probe top on the step in the embodiment of the present application;

[0024] Figure 7 is a schematic diagram when the single-layer thickness is equivalent to the single-layer inner diameter expansion amount in the embodiment of the present application;

[0025] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS:

[0026] 1-probe needle mold upper surface, 2-probe needle mold lower surface, 3-tapered hole, 4-tapered hole area, 5-probe, H-single layer thickness, NH-multi-layer thickness, L-single layer inner diameter expansion amount. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] The embodiments of the present application are described in detail below. It should be emphasized that the following description is only exemplary and is not intended to limit the scope of the present application and its applications.

[0028] It is to be understood that when an element such as a layer, region or substrate is referred to as being "on" or "connected to" another element, it can be directly on or connected to the other element or intervening elements can be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being "directly on" or "directly connected to" another element, there are no intervening elements present. It will also be understood that, when a layer is referred to as being "formed on" or "formed over" another layer, it can be directly formed on or over the other layer or intervening layers can be present. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

[0029] It is to be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", and the like as can be used herein, merely describe orientations in relation to the application embodiment illustrated and described herein and are not intended to limit the scope of the application to the positions described. The terms "first", "second", "third", etc. as can be used herein and in the appended claims is meant for purposes of differentiation rather than limitation.

[0030] In addition, the terms "first", "second", "third", etc. are used herein and in the appended claims merely to define different stages in the process of the application, and are not intended to limit the scope of the application, nor are they intended to imply that relative importance or significance to one feature or element over another feature or element. Thus, a feature defined with "first", "second", "third", etc. can include one or more such features either explicitly or implicitly.

[0031] The application embodiment adopts micro-nano 3D printing to make a needle mold, replacing the traditional rack manufacturing method. On the one hand, it improves the manufacturing efficiency of the needle mold and reduces the manufacturing cost, and on the other hand, it improves the flexibility of the needle mold design and brings convenience for the needle insertion.

[0032] The needle mold made by the 3D printing method of the application embodiment can flexibly design the shape of the micro-hole of the needle mold, print a tapered hole, and form a "funnel" at the probe entrance, which brings convenience for the insertion of the probe, and the taper of the tapered hole can be adjusted arbitrarily.

[0033] The method for 3D printing of the probe needle mold of the application embodiment includes the following printing process: according to the slice model file obtained by slicing the three-dimensional model of the probe needle mold into multiple two-dimensional models, the probe needle mold is printed layer by layer using a 3D printing method, and a large-to-small tapered hole for loading a probe is formed on the probe needle mold during the layer-by-layer printing process. In some embodiments, the probe needle mold and the tapered hole thereof made by using the method of the application embodiment are as shown in Figure 1 、 Figure 2 The tapered hole 3 is formed between the upper surface 1 and the lower surface 2 of the probe needle mold.

[0034] As shown in Figure 3 , the specific process of making, testing and inserting the probe needle mold includes the following steps:

[0035] (1) needle mold needle hole shape design, each hole is numbered, according to the need to determine whether to design into a tapered hole;

[0036] (2) determine the influence of 3D printing steps on the needle, design appropriate taper, in this embodiment, when printing the layer forming the tapered hole, the hole diameter formed on the current layer is not greater than the hole diameter on the previous layer. The expansion amount of the current layer, and when printing the layer forming the tapered hole, the expansion amount of the hole diameter printed layer by layer is controlled to form the tapered hole into an acute angle. As shown in Figure 4 The taper of the tapered hole region 4 of the probe needle mold is determined by the single layer inner diameter expansion amount and the thickness, in this embodiment, the expansion amount of the printed hole diameter is controlled in units of printing pixels, in order to ensure the smoothness of the needle, according to the relationship between the layer thickness and the size of the exposure pixel, the expansion amount of the printed hole diameter can be controlled in units of printing exposure pixels (for example, set the "single layer inner diameter expansion amount L" not more than one exposure pixel), and if the "single layer thickness H" is greater than the "single layer inner diameter expansion amount L", the "single layer inner diameter expansion amount" is allowed to be connected to multiple layers, as shown in Figure 5 If the "single layer thickness H" is less than the "single layer inner diameter expansion amount L", a "single layer inner diameter expansion amount" is allowed between multiple layers corresponding to the multiple layers of the layer thickness NH, avoiding shrinking multiple pixels per layer, making the taper too large, and making the step too long.

[0037] Since one pixel of the 3D printer is several microns (such as 2 μm, 5 μm, 6 μm, 7 μm or 10 μm), and the layer thickness of a layer is 5 μm to 50 μm. Taking 7 μm as the pixel and 10 μm as the layer thickness as an example, if one pixel (7 μm) is expanded on the radius of each layer, the diameter is expanded by 14 μm, so the taper can already form an obtuse angle, if multiple pixels are expanded per layer, the taper will be larger, as shown in Figure 6 In this case, when the probe 5 is inserted, the probe 5 may be stopped on the step, in order to make it more smoothly through the hole, the taper of the hole cannot be too large, if the single layer thickness is greater than the single layer expansion amount, the taper angle will not be too large. Referring to Figure 7 When the single layer thickness is comparable to the expansion amount, the dashed angle is 90°; if the single layer thickness is greater than the expansion amount, an acute angle can be formed; if the single layer thickness is less than the expansion amount, an obtuse angle will be formed. Obtuse angle is not conducive to needle insertion.

[0038] (3) 3D printing of the needle mold model;

[0039] In this embodiment, the process includes the following steps:

[0040] First, the needle mold model is processed with a slicing software, the direction, size and number are adjusted, the support is increased, the slicing layer thickness is set, the three-dimensional model is sliced into multiple two-dimensional models, and the slicing model file is saved;

[0041] Then, the substrate of the printer is leveled, the material tank is installed, and the appropriate amount of photosensitive resin is added into the material tank; the process parameters of the micro-nano light-curing printer are set: the light power density of the printer is 3-100 mW / cm 2 , the printing layer thickness is 0.005-0.2 mm, the number of bottom layers is 3-30, the printing time of the bottom layer is 1-60 s, the printing time of the ordinary layer is 0.5-10 s, the lifting speed is 0.01-5 mm / s, the falling speed is 0.01-5 mm / s, the waiting time before exposure is 0.5-10 s, and the waiting time after exposure is 0.5-10 s;

[0042] Finally, after the needle mold model is printed, the resin on the substrate is scraped into the material tank with a plastic spatula, and the model is scraped off the substrate with a metal spatula.

[0043] During printing, the conical hole can be printed from the bottom layer of the probe needle mold to the top layer, or the hole without taper is printed first from the bottom layer of the probe needle mold, and then the conical hole is printed above the hole without taper to the top layer.

[0044] (4) Clean the needle mold, soak the needle mold in alcohol or isopropyl alcohol or other organic solvents that can dissolve uncured liquid resin or water, and clean it with an ultrasonic cleaning machine (for water-soluble resin, soak in water and clean with an ultrasonic cleaning machine); take out and blow dry with compressed air; repeat the cleaning until there is no resin and solvent residue on the surface of the needle mold;

[0045] (5) Clean the residual liquid in the needle hole, use air flow to blow through the hole on the probe needle mold: use compressed air gun to blow through the micro hole after cleaning; or install it under a special tool, make the needle mold and the male tool airtight, and make the air flow blow out from the micro hole;

[0046] (6) Check if there is any residue in the needle hole, and check if the micro hole is blown through on the fluorescent lamp, if not, return to the cleaning steps (4) and (5);

[0047] (7) Dry and post-cure the probe needle mold under ultraviolet light to improve the mechanical properties of the material, first put the model into a 40-80℃ drying box for 30-60 minutes to dry the solvent in the model, and naturally cool to room temperature to increase the hardness of the model and reduce the bending deformation caused by the secondary curing of ultraviolet light, then put it into a ultraviolet light post-curing box for 1-20 minutes of curing at room temperature or elevated temperature;

[0048] (8) Check the size, and the needle mold with a tolerance that meets the requirements enters the next step;

[0049] (9) Test the penetration of the probe, and record the hole number for the hole that cannot penetrate the probe;

[0050] (10) The needle model cannot be inserted into the probe micropore, and the drill bed is used to dredge (the drill bed is easier to drill than the hole, and the dredging hole is very fast);

[0051] (11) Complete the needle.

[0052] The above is a further detailed description of the present application in combination with specific / preferred embodiments, and cannot be considered as limiting the specific implementation of the present application to these descriptions. For those skilled in the art to which the present application belongs, without departing from the concept of the present application, they can make several substitutions or modifications to the described embodiments, and these substitutions or modifications shall be considered as belonging to the protection scope of the present application. In the description of the present application, the description of the terms "an embodiment", "some embodiments", "preferred embodiment", "example", "specific example", or "some examples" means that the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described in combination with the embodiment or example are contained in at least one embodiment or example of the present application. In the present application, the illustrative description of the above terms does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment or example. Moreover, the specific features, structures, materials or characteristics described can be combined in any one or more embodiments or examples in a suitable manner. Those skilled in the art can combine and combine the different embodiments or examples described in the present application and the features of the different embodiments or examples without contradiction. Although the embodiments of the present application and their advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and modifications can be made herein without departing from the scope of the patent application.

Claims

1. A method for 3D printing a probe mold, characterized in that, The printing process includes the following: Based on the sliced ​​model file obtained by slicing the three-dimensional model of the probe mold into multiple two-dimensional models, the probe mold is printed layer by layer using 3D printing. During the layer-by-layer printing process, a tapered hole with a larger top and a smaller bottom is formed on the probe mold for inserting the probe. When printing the layer that forms the tapered hole, the outward expansion of the hole diameter printed on the current layer relative to the hole diameter on the previous layer is not greater than the thickness of the current layer. The outward expansion of the hole diameter printed layer by layer is controlled so that the tapered hole forms an acute angle. The outward expansion of the printed hole diameter is controlled in units of printing exposure pixels, forming a "funnel" at the probe entrance, thereby facilitating probe insertion and reducing the difficulty of threading the needle.

2. The method for 3D printing a probe mold as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The tapered hole is printed from the bottom layer of the probe mold to the top layer, or, a non-tapered hole is printed first from the bottom layer of the probe mold, and then the tapered hole is printed on top of the non-tapered hole until the top layer.

3. The method for 3D printing a probe mold as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The 3D printing method is photopolymerization printing.

4. The method for 3D printing a probe mold as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The optical power density of the photopolymerization printing is controlled to be 3-100 mw / cm². 2 The printing layer thickness is 0.005-0.2 mm, the number of bottom layers is 3-30, the bottom layer printing time is 1-60 s, the ordinary layer printing time is 0.5-10 s, the lifting speed is 0.01-5 mm / s, the lowering speed is 0.01-5 mm / s, the pre-exposure waiting time is 0.5-10 s, and the post-exposure waiting time is 0.5-10 s.

5. The method for 3D printing a probe mold as described in claim 1, characterized in that, It also includes ultrasonic cleaning of the probe mold using organic solvents or water, followed by drying.

6. The method for 3D printing a probe mold as described in claim 5, characterized in that, It also includes using airflow to blow open the holes on the probe mold.

7. The method for 3D printing a probe mold as described in claim 6, characterized in that, It also includes drying and UV curing of the probe mold, wherein the probe mold is first dried at 40-80℃ for 30-60 minutes, then naturally cooled to room temperature, and then cured at room temperature or at elevated temperature for 1-20 minutes under UV irradiation.

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