Electroplating equipment and electroplating method

Abstract

The invention discloses electroplating equipment and an electroplating method in the field of electroplating. The electroplating equipment comprises an electroplating bath, and anode sets are fixed to the opposite inner walls of the electroplating bath; the cathode is fixed above the electroplating bath between the two anode groups, and a workpiece to be electroplated is fixed on the cathode; the swinging mechanism is movably installed above the electroplating bath, the two sides of the swinging mechanism can swing, the two swinging sides are arranged in the area between the adjacent cathode and anode sets, and jet flow mechanisms are fixed to the two sides of the swinging mechanism which can swing; the control equipment is electrically connected with the anode group and the cathode; according to the device, the to-be-plated workpiece is uniformly covered with the liquid medicine through the jet flow mechanism and the swinging mechanism, then the control equipment calculates the copper thickness required by each area according to the product data of the to-be-plated workpiece, a model is established, the current actually required by each area is accurately output, the output current is matched with the product requirement, and uniform electroplating of the copper thickness is completed.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the field of electroplating technology, and in particular to an electroplating device and an electroplating method. Background Art

[0002] PCB (Printed Circuit Board, PCB for short) is an important component for interconnecting electronic components and is considered the foundation of the electronic world. With the development and innovation of technology, under the catalysis of new technologies such as new energy, 5G, and AI, PCB design is also developing towards higher number of layers, thicker board thickness, smaller aperture, more stable impedance and signal integrity control. This also poses new challenges to PCB processing equipment, and electroplating equipment that affects interlayer conduction and copper thickness is of utmost importance.

[0003] PCB electroplating equipment uses the principle of electrolysis to apply current between the cathode and the anode to plate copper on the PCB fixed on the cathode, so as to achieve inter-layer conduction and meet the designed copper layer thickness. Common PCB electroplating equipment includes through-hole electroplating, hole-filling electroplating, pattern electroplating, etc. According to the different process designs of the PCB board factory, it can achieve only hole plating or only pattern plating, or both hole plating and pattern plating. But no matter which electroplating method is used, because the holes and patterns on the PCB products are designed by the customer in advance, there is an uneven distribution in position, and different positions need to be plated with different amounts of copper, that is, the product is uneven. In addition, the electroplating equipment itself also has the problem of electroplating uniformity, that is, the unevenness of the equipment. Under the dual influence, the thickness of the electroplated copper finally plated on the PCB is uneven, resulting in one or more indicators of hole copper thickness, surface copper thickness, hole-filling depression, line copper thickness or line width not meeting the design requirements, thus affecting product performance.

[0004] In response to the above problems, various PCB factories and electroplating equipment manufacturers have proposed a variety of solutions mainly from the perspective of solving the unevenness of the equipment, thereby improving the uniformity of the equipment itself. There are also electroplating solution suppliers that have developed solutions that effectively improve the uniformity of electroplating. However, none of them can completely overcome the unevenness of the product due to the different amounts of copper plating required at different locations on the product, so innovative designs are needed. Summary of the invention

[0005] The purpose of the present application is to provide an electroplating device and an electroplating method to solve the defect of uneven electroplating of workpieces caused by the prior art.

[0006] In order to achieve the above objectives, this application is implemented by adopting the following technical solutions: In a first aspect, the present application discloses an electroplating device, comprising: An electroplating tank, wherein an anode group is fixed on opposite inner walls of the electroplating tank; A cathode, the cathode being fixed above the electroplating tank between the two anode groups, and a workpiece to be plated being fixed on the cathode; A swing mechanism, wherein the swing mechanism is movably installed above the electroplating tank, the two sides of the swing mechanism can swing, and the two sides of the swing are arranged in the area between the adjacent cathode and anode groups, and the two sides of the swingable swing mechanism are fixed with a jet mechanism; A control device is provided, wherein the control device is electrically connected to the anode group and the cathode.

[0007] In a further solution of the present application, the anode group includes a plurality of infusible anodes, and a plurality of the infusible anode matrices are installed on opposite side walls of the electroplating tank.

[0008] According to a further solution of the present application, the swing mechanism comprises a frame arranged above the electroplating tank, and the jet mechanism is installed on the edge of the frame along the arrangement direction of the two anode groups.

[0009] In a further solution, the jet mechanism includes a plurality of spray bars, which are alternately arranged and connected to the frame edge, and a plurality of nozzles are fixed on the spray bars.

[0010] In a further solution of the present application, the control device includes a control unit and a rectifier unit that are electrically connected, and the rectifier unit is electrically connected to the anode group and the cathode.

[0011] In a second aspect, the present application discloses an electroplating method based on the above electroplating equipment, which comprises the following steps: Fixing the workpiece to be plated on the cathode; Uploading product data to the control device, and the control device establishing an electroplating model that matches the workpiece to be plated according to the product data; Performing electroplating data processing according to the electroplating model to obtain the actual electroplating current required on the workpiece to be plated, the actual electroplating current is generated by the control device and input to the anode group, and the swing mechanism and the jet mechanism are started to perform the electroplating operation; After the electroplating of the workpiece to be plated is completed, the workpiece to be plated is taken out.

[0012] Further solutions of this application; The electroplating data processing includes dividing the workpiece to be plated into a plurality of electroplating areas, Obtaining the electroplating current corresponding to each of the electroplating areas according to the electroplating thickness of each of the electroplating areas; The electroplating currents of various intensities are generated by the control device and input into the anode group.

[0013] In a further embodiment, the electroplating data is calculated by a control unit to obtain an electroplating current, and the electroplating current is transmitted to each infusible anode in the anode group through a rectifier unit.

[0014] In a further solution, the product data includes limited to graphic information of the workpiece to be plated, hole information in the workpiece to be plated, size of the workpiece to be plated, thickness of the workpiece to be plated, electroplating thickness requirements and the number of the workpieces to be plated.

[0015] In a third aspect, the present application discloses a PCB board, which is manufactured by the above-mentioned electroplating method.

[0016] The beneficial effects of this application are: The present application adopts a jet mechanism and a swing mechanism to make the liquid medicine completely cover the surface of the workpiece to be plated. At this time, the liquid medicine covering the workpiece to be plated is evenly distributed. The control equipment then calculates the copper thickness required for each area based on the product data of the workpiece to be plated, establishes a model, and accurately outputs the current actually required for each area, so that the output current matches the product requirements, ensures the uniformity of the coating thickness on the workpiece to be plated, and solves the problem of uniformity of electroplated copper thickness caused by different amounts of copper required to be plated at different positions on the product. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the electroplating equipment in Example 1 of the present application; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the anode arrangement structure in Example 1 of the present application; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the jet mechanism in Example 1 of the present application; Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the process of the electroplating method in Example 2 of the present application.

[0018] in: 1. Electroplating tank; 2. Anode group; 3. Cathode; 4. Jet mechanism; 5. Swing mechanism; 6. Control unit; 7. Rectifier unit; 21. Infusible anode; 41. Spray rod; 42. Nozzle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0019] The following will be combined with the drawings in the embodiments of the present application to clearly and completely describe the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present application. Obviously, the described embodiments are only part of the embodiments of the present application, not all of the embodiments. The following description of at least one exemplary embodiment is actually only illustrative and is by no means intended to limit the present application and its application or use. Embodiment 1

[0020] like Figure 1As shown, the present embodiment discloses an electroplating device, which can uniformly electroplate a workpiece to be plated, and the device includes an electroplating tank 1, a cathode 3, a swing mechanism 5 and a control device, wherein an anode group 2 is fixed on the opposite inner walls of the electroplating tank 1, the cathode 3 is fixed at the upper position of the electroplating tank 1 between the two anode groups 2, and the arrangement is parallel to the horizontal center line of the anode group 2, and the workpiece to be plated is fixed on the cathode 3; the swing mechanism 5 is erected above the electroplating tank 1, and the opposite sides of the swing mechanism 5 can swing in an arc shape up and down, and the two sides of the swing are arranged in correspondence with the area between the adjacent cathode 3 and the anode group 2, and the two sides of the swing are in line with the arrangement direction of the cathode 3, and the two sides of the swing of the swing mechanism 5 are fixed with a jet mechanism 4 along the arrangement direction of the cathode 3, and the jet mechanism 4 is used to spray liquid onto the workpiece to be plated, and the control device is electrically connected to the anode group 2 and the cathode 3.

[0021] When in use, the control device calculates the coating thickness of each area of ​​the workpiece to be plated by inputting relevant information of the workpiece to be plated into the control device. The control device transmits different intensity currents to the anode group 2 to achieve a uniform electroplating process of the workpiece to be plated.

[0022] As attached Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the anode group 2 includes a plurality of infusible anodes 21 , and a square matrix of the plurality of infusible anodes 21 is installed on opposite side walls of the electroplating tank 1 , and the swing diameter range of the swing mechanism 5 is controlled within the caliber range of the electroplating tank 1 .

[0023] The swing mechanism 5 in this embodiment includes a frame erected above the electroplating tank 1, and the jet mechanism 4 is installed on the frame edge along the arrangement direction of the two anode groups 2. In actual production, brackets can be fixed on both sides of the electroplating tank 1, and connecting shafts are provided on the opposite sides of the frame. The connecting shafts are rotatably installed on the corresponding brackets. The frame is rotated by controlling the motor, and the reciprocating swing of the frame can be achieved by switching the forward and reverse rotation of the motor. In some embodiments, a mounting seat is directly fixed on the side of the electroplating tank, and the connecting shaft is directly rotatably connected to the mounting seat. Both design schemes are acceptable and can be reasonably selected according to the actual situation on site.

[0024] As attached Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the spray mechanism 4 includes a plurality of spray bars 41, which are alternately arranged and connected to the frame edge, and a plurality of nozzles 42 are fixed on the spray bars 41; during production, the spacing between the spray bars 41 and the density of the nozzles 42 installed on the spray bars 41 are determined according to actual needs.

[0025] As attached Figure 1As shown, the control device in this embodiment includes an electrically connected control unit 6 and a rectifier unit 7, the rectifier unit 7 is connected to the anode group 2 and the cathode 3 by cables, the control unit 6 calculates the relevant data of the workpiece to be plated, and the rectifier unit 7 is used to regulate the current of different intensities of the anode group 2 to meet the control of the electroplating thickness of different electroplating areas on the workpiece to be plated, and complete uniform electroplating. Embodiment 2

[0026] This embodiment is implemented based on the electroplating equipment in the first embodiment. The electroplating method implemented by the above-mentioned electroplating equipment includes the following steps. The workpiece to be plated in this embodiment is a PCB product to be plated.

[0027] S1, board loading process, fix the PCB product to be plated on the cathode 3, and the two sides of the PCB product to be plated face the adjacent jet mechanisms 4 respectively, to ensure that the liquid sprayed by the nozzle 42 of the jet mechanism 4 can completely cover the surface of the PCB product to be plated, so as to ensure the final comprehensive electroplating; S2, uploading the data of the PCB product to be plated to the control unit 6, wherein the data of the PCB product to be plated includes but is not limited to the graphic data of the PCB to be plated, the data of the holes on the PCB to be plated (depth, diameter), the size of the PCB to be plated, the thickness of the PCB to be plated, the requirements for the electroplating thickness, and the number of PCBs to be plated; the electroplating metal in this embodiment is copper, and the electroplating thickness here is the electroplated copper thickness; S3, the control unit 6 establishes a model. According to the data of the PCB product to be plated uploaded in S2, the control unit 6 divides the PCB product to be plated into N equal-sized square areas, each square area corresponds to an insoluble anode 21, calculates the copper thickness required for each square area, and then establishes a model. According to the required electroplating thickness of each square area, the required electroplating current corresponding to each square area is obtained, and the current actually required for each area is output; S4, electroplating process, the control unit 6 issues instructions to the rectifier unit 7 according to the current actually required by each area, and the rectifier unit 7 outputs the current actually required by the corresponding square area to each infusible anode 21. During the process, the jet mechanism 4 and the swing mechanism 5 are started at the same time, and the metal copper is continuously electroplated onto the PCB product to be plated. S5: The electroplating is completed, the copper plating thickness on the PCB product to be plated reaches the standard, the control unit 6 stops working, the swing mechanism 5 and the jet mechanism 4 lose power and stop working, and the electroplated PCB product is taken out. Embodiment 3

[0028] This embodiment discloses a PCB board, which is manufactured by the electroplating method in the second embodiment, and the thickness of the metal electroplated on its surface is extremely uniform.

[0029] In the description of the present application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "up", "down", "front", "back", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inside", "outside" and the like indicate positions or positional relationships based on the positions or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present application and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and therefore cannot be understood as a limitation on the present application. In addition, the terms "first", "second", etc. are used only for descriptive purposes, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of technical features indicated. Thus, features defined as "first", "second", etc. may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of the features. In the description of the present application, unless otherwise specified, "multiple" means two or more.

[0030] In the description of this application, it should be noted that, unless otherwise clearly specified and limited, the terms "installed", "connected", and "connected" should be understood in a broad sense, for example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be a direct connection, or it can be indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, or it can be the internal communication of two components. For ordinary technicians in this field, the specific meanings of the above terms in this application can be understood by specific circumstances.

Claims

1. An electroplating device, characterized in that: include: An electroplating tank (1), wherein an anode group (2) is fixed on opposite inner walls of the electroplating tank (1); A cathode (3), the cathode (3) being fixed above the electroplating tank (1) between the two anode groups (2), and a workpiece to be plated being fixed on the cathode (3); A swing mechanism (5), the swing mechanism (5) being movably mounted above the electroplating tank (1), the two sides of the swing mechanism (5) being capable of swinging relative to each other, and the two sides of the swinging mechanism being correspondingly arranged in the area between the adjacent cathode (3) and the anode group (2), and the two sides of the swingable swing mechanism (5) being fixed with a jet mechanism (4); A control device, wherein the control device is electrically connected to the anode group (2) and the cathode (3).

2. The electroplating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The anode group (2) comprises a plurality of infusible anodes (21), and a matrix of the plurality of infusible anodes (21) is mounted on opposite side walls of the electroplating tank (1).

3. The electroplating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The swing mechanism (5) comprises a frame arranged above the electroplating tank (1), and the jet mechanism (4) is installed on the edge of the frame along the arrangement direction of the two anode groups (2).

4. The electroplating equipment according to claim 3, characterized in that: The jet mechanism (4) comprises a plurality of spray bars (41), the plurality of spray bars (41) being arranged alternately and connected to the frame edge, and a plurality of nozzles (42) being fixed on the spray bars (41).

5. The electroplating equipment according to claim 1, characterized in that: The control device comprises a control unit (6) and a rectifier unit (7) which are electrically connected, and the rectifier unit (7) is electrically connected to the anode group (2) and the cathode (3).

6. An electroplating method based on the electroplating equipment according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that: include Fixing the workpiece to be plated on the cathode (3); Uploading product data to the control device, and the control device establishing an electroplating model that matches the workpiece to be plated according to the product data; Performing electroplating data processing according to the electroplating model to obtain the actual electroplating current required on the workpiece to be plated, the actual electroplating current being generated by the control device and input to the anode group (2), while simultaneously starting the swing mechanism (5) and the jet mechanism (4) to perform the electroplating operation; After the electroplating of the workpiece to be plated is completed, the workpiece to be plated is taken out.

7. The electroplating method according to claim 6, characterized in that: The electroplating data processing includes dividing the workpiece to be plated into a plurality of electroplating areas, The control device obtains the required electroplating current corresponding to each of the electroplating areas according to the electroplating thickness of each of the electroplating areas; The electroplating currents of various intensities are generated by the control device and input into the anode group (2).

8. The electroplating method according to claim 7, characterized in that: The electroplating data is calculated by a control unit (6) to obtain an electroplating current, and the calculated electroplating current is transmitted to each infusible anode (21) in the anode group (2) through a rectifier unit (7).

9. The electroplating method according to claim 6, characterized in that: The product data includes graphic data of the workpiece to be plated, hole data in the workpiece to be plated, size of the workpiece to be plated, thickness of the workpiece to be plated, electroplating thickness requirements and the number of the workpieces to be plated.

10. A PCB board, characterized in that: It is produced by the electroplating method according to claim 6.

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