Detection and maintenance method and detection and maintenance system for copper plating tank

Abstract

The invention discloses a detection and maintenance method and a detection and maintenance system for a copper plating tank, and relates to the technical field of copper plating tank maintenance. The method comprises the steps that the thickness of anode mud in an anode bag is detected through a thickness detection device, and when it is judged that the thickness of the anode mud is larger than or equal to a preset thickness threshold value, a titanium basket is subjected to cleaning electrolysis treatment through a cleaning electrolysis device to obtain the cleaned and activated titanium basket; the knocking device is controlled to knock the copper balls in the titanium basket every time a preset copper plating period is passed, vibration signals fed back by the knocking device every time knocking are analyzed, and knocking is stopped when it is judged that filling of the copper balls in the titanium basket is saturated and does not fall according to the vibration signals; the to-be-thrown copper balls are cleaned through the clean throwing device, and the cleaned to-be-thrown copper balls are supplemented into the titanium basket; and after the copper balls are supplemented, strong current cylinder dragging treatment is conducted on the copper plating tank, and the to-be-used copper plating tank is obtained. And a good reaction environment can be provided for copper plating treatment, and the roughness of a plating layer of a copper-clad circuit board is effectively reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present application relates to the technical field of copper plating tank maintenance, and in particular to a method and system for detecting and maintaining a copper plating tank. Background Art

[0002] When a copper-clad circuit board (CCP) has a high number of rough particles on its copper surface, the tip discharge effect caused by excessive single-point current during the copper plating process can form copper bumps based on the copper particles, resulting in high surface roughness. High roughness can lead to poor adhesion between the copper and nickel layers, thus affecting package reliability. One reason for the rough copper particles on the copper surface is that during the electroplating process, excessive anode mud generated by the dissolution of copper powder and anode copper balls in the copper plating tank causes conductive particles and foreign matter suspended in the plating solution to be attracted to the copper surface, forming single-point copper particles. However, copper balls serve as a source of copper ions in the plating solution, providing some stability. If there are too few copper balls, it may be difficult to maintain the copper ion concentration within the plating solution within the appropriate range, resulting in reduced plating solution stability. The copper ion concentration distribution in the plating solution may also be uneven, resulting in roughness or burrs on the plated surface. Therefore, to reduce the roughness of CCPs, copper plating tank inspection and maintenance are necessary. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present application aims to solve at least one of the technical problems existing in the prior art. To this end, the present application proposes a method and system for detecting and maintaining a copper plating tank, which can automatically detect the situation inside the copper plating tank and maintain the copper plating tank to provide a good reaction environment for copper plating. By maintaining a uniform distribution of copper ion concentration, the content of other impurities in the copper plating tank is effectively reduced, thereby improving the problem of high plating roughness caused by excessively high content of other impurities in the copper plating tank.

[0004] In a first aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a method for inspecting and maintaining a copper plating tank, which is applied to a controller of an inspection and maintenance system for the copper plating tank; the copper plating tank comprises: a tank cavity, an anode disposed in the tank cavity; the anode comprises: a titanium basket containing a plurality of copper balls, and an anode bag disposed below the titanium basket; the inspection and maintenance system comprises: a thickness detection device, a cleaning electrolysis device, a cleaning delivery device, and a knocking device, each electrically connected to the controller;

[0005] The method comprises:

[0006] The thickness of the anode mud in the anode bag is detected by the thickness detection device. When it is determined that the thickness of the anode mud is greater than or equal to a preset thickness threshold, the titanium basket is subjected to a cleaning electrolysis treatment by the cleaning electrolysis device to obtain a cleaned and activated titanium basket.

[0007] After each preset copper plating cycle, the knocking device is controlled to knock the copper balls in the titanium basket, and a vibration signal fed back by the knocking device each time is analyzed. When it is determined according to the vibration signal that the copper balls in the titanium basket are filled to saturation and there is no decrease in filling, the knocking is stopped;

[0008] The copper balls to be put in are cleaned by the cleaning and putting device, and the cleaned copper balls to be put in are added to the titanium basket;

[0009] After the copper balls are added, the copper plating tank is subjected to a high current dragging process to obtain a copper plating tank to be used.

[0010] According to some embodiments of the present application, the thickness detection device is disposed at a position away from the bottom of the anode bag by the preset thickness threshold, and the thickness detection device includes: a signal transmitter and a signal receiver disposed opposite to each other;

[0011] The detecting the thickness of the anode mud in the anode bag by the thickness detecting device includes:

[0012] controlling the signal transmitter to emit an optical signal;

[0013] When the signal receiver receives the optical signal, it is determined that the thickness of the anode mud in the anode bag is less than the preset thickness threshold;

[0014] When the signal receiver does not receive the optical signal, it is determined that the thickness of the anode mud in the anode bag is greater than or equal to the preset thickness threshold.

[0015] According to some embodiments of the present application, the cleaning electrolysis treatment of the titanium basket by the cleaning electrolysis device to obtain a cleaned and activated titanium basket includes:

[0016] Taking out the titanium basket, soaking the titanium basket in an alkaline solution for a first soaking time, and then washing the alkaline solution remaining on the surface of the titanium basket with clean water to obtain a preliminarily cleaned titanium basket;

[0017] Immersing the preliminarily cleaned titanium basket in an acidic solution for a second immersion time to obtain a preliminarily pickled titanium basket;

[0018] The titanium basket after the preliminary pickling is subjected to electrolytic activation treatment to obtain a clean and activated titanium basket.

[0019] According to some embodiments of the present application, the electrolytic activation treatment of the titanium basket after the preliminary pickling to obtain a clean and activated titanium basket includes:

[0020] The titanium basket is placed at the anode position of a copper chamber filled with 10% sulfuric acid, and a stainless steel plate or a copper plate is placed at the cathode position;

[0021] The titanium basket is electrolyzed at a preset voltage for a preset electrolysis time to obtain an activated titanium basket;

[0022] The activated titanium basket is washed with deionized water to obtain a clean activated titanium basket.

[0023] According to some embodiments of the present application, the striking device includes: a striking rod disposed above a titanium basket, and a vibration sensor disposed on the titanium basket;

[0024] The analyzing of the vibration signal fed back by the knocking device each time it knocks, and stopping the knocking when it is determined according to the vibration signal that the copper balls in the titanium basket are filled to saturation and have not decreased, comprises:

[0025] receiving and analyzing the vibration signal fed back by the vibration sensor each time the knocking rod knocks the copper ball;

[0026] When it is detected that the vibration signal reaches a preset amplitude and the frequency increases to a preset frequency, it is determined that the copper balls in the titanium basket are filled to saturation without decreasing;

[0027] When the number of times that the copper balls in the titanium basket are continuously judged to be saturated and not decreasing reaches a preset number threshold, the knocking rod is controlled to stop knocking.

[0028] According to some embodiments of the present application, the cleaning and dispensing device includes: a pickling tank and a dispensing module; the detection and maintenance system further includes: a distance measuring sensor electrically connected to the controller and arranged above the titanium basket;

[0029] The cleaning and placing device is used to clean the copper balls to be placed, and the cleaned copper balls to be placed are added to the titanium basket, including:

[0030] The copper balls to be added are cleaned using sulfuric acid in the pickling tank, and after a preset cleaning time, the cleaned copper balls to be added are obtained;

[0031] Controlling the feeding device to pick up the copper balls to be added from the pickling tank and add them to the titanium basket;

[0032] When the distance measuring sensor detects that the accumulation height of the copper balls in the titanium basket reaches a preset height threshold, the addition of new copper balls is stopped.

[0033] According to some embodiments of the present application, the high current cylinder dragging process includes:

[0034] Electrolysis was performed at a current density of 1 ampere / square decimeter for 4 hours to obtain a preliminary electrolytic copper plating bath;

[0035] The copper plating bath after preliminary electrolysis was electrolyzed at a current density of 1.8 amperes per square decimeter for 2 hours to remove impurities in the copper bath, thereby obtaining an electrolyzed copper plating bath. The electrolyzed copper plating bath was then allowed to stand for 24 hours.

[0036] According to some embodiments of the present application, the detection and maintenance system further includes: an alarm device, the alarm device including a status warning light;

[0037] The high current cylinder dragging process further includes:

[0038] The electrolytic copper plating tank is placed for maintenance, and after a preset maintenance period, a copper plating tank ready for use is obtained;

[0039] During the preset maintenance period, the alarm device is controlled to start, and the status warning light is controlled to be always on in yellow to indicate that the copper plating tank is in a static maintenance stage.

[0040] According to some embodiments of the present application, the alarm device further comprises: a thickness warning light;

[0041] The detection and maintenance method further includes:

[0042] When it is determined that the thickness of the anode mud is greater than or equal to a preset thickness threshold, the thickness warning light is controlled to light up red;

[0043] When it is determined that the anode mud thickness is less than a preset thickness threshold, the thickness warning light is controlled to light up green.

[0044] In a second aspect, an embodiment of the present application provides a detection and maintenance system, comprising: a controller, a thickness detection device, a cleaning electrolysis device, a cleaning delivery device, and a knocking device, each electrically connected to the controller;

[0045] The controller is used to: detect the thickness of the anode mud in the anode bag through the thickness detection device, and when it is judged that the thickness of the anode mud is greater than or equal to the preset thickness threshold, perform cleaning electrolysis on the titanium basket through the cleaning electrolysis device to obtain a clean and activated titanium basket; after each preset copper plating cycle, control the knocking device to knock the copper balls in the titanium basket, analyze the vibration signal fed back by the knocking device each time it knocks, and stop knocking when it is judged according to the vibration signal that the copper balls in the titanium basket are filled to saturation and there is no decrease; clean the copper balls to be put in through the cleaning delivery device, and add the cleaned copper balls to be put in to the titanium basket; after the copper balls are added, the copper plating tank is subjected to high current dragging and static maintenance to obtain a copper plating tank to be used.

[0046] The embodiment of the present application includes: when the copper plating tank is inspected and maintained by using the inspection and maintenance system, first, the thickness of the anode mud in the anode bag is detected by the thickness detection device, and when it is determined that the thickness of the anode mud is greater than or equal to the preset thickness threshold, the titanium basket is cleaned and electrolyzed by the cleaning electrolysis device to obtain a clean and activated titanium basket; it can automatically detect the situation in the copper plating tank, clean the titanium basket to reduce foreign matter in the electroplating solution, maintain the copper plating tank to provide a good reaction environment for copper plating, reduce the probability of foreign matter being adsorbed on the copper surface to form single-point copper particles, and help reduce the occurrence of copper plating. The roughness of the road plate; secondly, after each preset copper plating cycle, the knocking device is controlled to knock the copper balls in the titanium basket, so that the copper balls in the upper part of the titanium basket fall down to fill the local vacancies or local accumulations produced after the copper balls are consumed, thereby avoiding vacuum in the titanium blue; knocking the copper balls can improve the distribution of copper balls and the electroplating effect; on the one hand, by knocking the copper balls, it can be ensured that the copper balls are evenly distributed in the electroplating tank, avoiding local accumulation or vacancies, thereby improving the uniformity and consistency of electroplating; on the other hand, evenly distributed copper balls help to improve the quality and efficiency of electroplating and reduce defects in the electroplating process, such as burrs and roughness. Analyze the vibration signal fed back by the knocking device each time it knocks, and stop knocking when it is judged that the copper balls in the titanium basket are saturated and there is no decrease based on the vibration signal; clean the copper balls to be put in by the cleaning and feeding device, and add the cleaned copper balls to be put in to the titanium basket; after the copper balls are added, the copper plating tank is subjected to a strong current drag cylinder treatment to obtain a copper plating tank to be used. As the copper plating process progresses, the copper balls in the titanium basket are consumed. After a preset copper plating cycle, the copper balls in the titanium basket are automatically knocked to fill the empty space in the lower part of the titanium basket. The copper balls are automatically replenished to the titanium basket to ensure a uniform copper ion concentration in the electroplating solution, providing a good reaction environment for the copper plating process, ensuring uniform copper plating, and facilitating the reduction of the roughness of the copper-clad circuit board. In other words, the embodiment of the present application can automatically detect the situation in the copper plating tank and maintain the copper plating tank to provide a good reaction environment for the copper plating process. By maintaining a uniform copper ion concentration distribution, the content of other impurities in the electroplating copper tank is effectively reduced, thereby improving the problem of high plating roughness caused by excessively high content of other impurities in the electroplating copper tank.

[0047] Other features and advantages of the present application will be described in the following description, and in part will become apparent from the description, or will be understood by practicing the present application. The purpose and other advantages of the present application can be realized and obtained through the structures particularly pointed out in the description and the drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0048] Figure 1 This is a schematic structural diagram of a copper plating tank provided in one embodiment of the present application;

[0049] Figure 2 This is a functional structure diagram of a detection and maintenance system provided by an embodiment of the present application;

[0050] Figure 3 This is a flow chart of a method for inspecting and maintaining a copper plating tank provided by one embodiment of the present application;

[0051] Figure 4 This is an embodiment of the present application. Figure 3 Flow chart of the specific method of step S120;

[0052] Figure 5 This is an embodiment of the present application. Figure 3 Flow chart of the specific method of step S130. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] In order to make the purpose, technical solutions and advantages of this application more clear, this application is further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments.

[0054] It should be understood that in the description of this application, descriptions of orientations, such as up, down, front, back, left, right, etc., indicating orientations or positional relationships, are based on the orientations or positional relationships shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they cannot be understood as limitations on this application.

[0055] It should be noted that although a logical order is shown in the flowchart in the description of this application, in some cases, the steps shown or described may be performed in an order different from that in the flowchart. In the description of this application, "several" means one or more, and "more" means two or more. The description of "first" and "second" is only used to distinguish technical features, and cannot be understood as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly indicating the number of the indicated technical features or implicitly indicating the order of the indicated technical features.

[0056] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application pertains. The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing the embodiments of this application only and are not intended to limit this application.

[0057] The present application provides a method and system for inspecting and maintaining a copper plating tank, relating to the technical field of copper plating tank maintenance. The method comprises: detecting the thickness of anode mud in an anode bag using a thickness detection device; when the thickness of the anode mud is determined to be greater than or equal to a preset thickness threshold, performing a cleaning electrolysis on a titanium basket using a cleaning electrolysis device to obtain a clean and activated titanium basket; controlling a knocking device to knock copper balls in the titanium basket after each preset copper plating cycle; analyzing the vibration signal fed back by the knocking device during each knocking; and stopping the knocking when it is determined, based on the vibration signal, that the copper balls in the titanium basket are saturated and not decreasing; cleaning the copper balls to be added using a cleaning feeding device and adding the cleaned copper balls to be added to the titanium basket; and performing a high-current dragging treatment on the copper plating tank after the copper balls are added to obtain a copper plating tank ready for use. The method provides a good reaction environment for copper plating, effectively reduces the content of other impurities in the copper plating tank by maintaining a uniform copper ion concentration distribution, thereby improving the problem of high coating roughness caused by excessively high content of other impurities in the copper plating tank.

[0058] The embodiments of the present application are further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0059] like Figure 1 As shown, copper plating tank 200 includes a tank cavity 201 and an anode disposed in tank cavity 201. The anode includes a titanium basket 203 containing multiple copper balls 204 and an anode bag 205 disposed below titanium basket 203. Copper plating tank 200 also includes, but is not limited to, a spray pipe 206, an upper shield 207, and a lower shield 208. This application does not impose any specific limitations on the structure of the copper plating tank.

[0060] Specifically, a titanium basket is used to hold anode material (such as copper balls) and is placed in the copper plating tank. Its corrosion resistance allows for long-term, stable use in the electroplating solution. During the electroplating process, the copper balls dissolve and release copper ions into the plating solution. These copper ions are reduced and deposited on the cathode surface, forming a uniform copper coating. An anode bag is typically placed over the titanium basket to effectively filter impurities and sludge generated during the copper ball dissolution process, preventing these impurities from entering the plating solution.

[0061] like Figure 2 As shown, the inspection and maintenance system 100 includes a controller 110, a thickness detection device 120 electrically connected to the controller 110, a cleaning electrolysis device 130, a cleaning dispensing device 140, an alarm device 150, a knocking device 160, and a distance sensor 170 positioned above the titanium basket. Specifically, the thickness detection device 120 is positioned at a predetermined thickness threshold from the bottom of the anode bag. The thickness detection device 120 includes a signal transmitter 121 and a signal receiver 122 positioned opposite each other. The alarm device 150 includes a status warning light 151 and a thickness warning light 152.

[0062] Specifically, the thickness detection device 120 is used to detect the thickness of the anode mud in the anode bag. Specifically, mounting holes are drilled on opposite sides of the anode bag to form corrosion-resistant transparent observation windows. A signal transmitter 121 is installed in one transparent observation window, and a signal receiver 122 is installed in the other transparent observation window, so that the signal transmitter 121 and the signal receiver 122 are arranged opposite each other. The thickness detection device 120 operates as follows: When the signal transmitter 121 emits a light signal (e.g., near-infrared light or infrared laser), the light signal passes through the anode bag and the internal medium (copper balls, anode mud, plating solution). The signal receiver 122 determines the height of the obstruction (anode mud) based on the intensity change of the received light signal. If the signal receiver 122 receives the light signal, it determines that the light path is not completely blocked and the anode mud thickness is below a preset thickness threshold. If the signal receiver 122 does not receive the light signal, it determines that the light path is completely blocked and the anode mud thickness is greater than or equal to the preset thickness threshold.

[0063] Specifically, the cleaning electrolysis device 130 is used to perform a cleaning electrolysis treatment on the titanium basket to obtain a cleaned and activated titanium basket.

[0064] Specifically, the knocking device 160 is used to knock the copper balls in the titanium basket every time a preset copper plating cycle passes, so that the copper balls in the upper part of the titanium basket fall down to fill the space left by the consumed copper balls. Figure 2 As shown, specifically, the knocking device 160 includes: a knocking rod 161 arranged above the titanium basket, and a vibration sensor 162 arranged on the titanium basket. The vibration sensor 162 is rigidly connected to the titanium basket. The knocking rod 161 is used to knock the copper balls in the titanium basket, so that the copper balls in the upper part of the titanium basket fall down to fill the local vacancies or local accumulations left after the copper balls are consumed, thereby avoiding vacuum in the titanium blue; knocking the copper balls can improve the distribution of the copper balls and the electroplating effect; the vibration sensor 162 is used to feedback a vibration signal every time the knocking rod knocks the copper balls, so that the controller can judge whether the copper balls in the titanium basket are saturated and not decreasing based on the vibration signal analysis.

[0065] It's important to emphasize that the purpose of beating the copper balls is to improve their distribution and electroplating results. On the one hand, it improves copper ball distribution: beating the copper balls ensures their even distribution in the plating tank, avoiding localized accumulation or gaps, thereby improving the uniformity and consistency of electroplating. On the other hand, it enhances the electroplating effect: evenly distributed copper balls help improve the quality and efficiency of electroplating and reduce defects such as burrs and roughness during the electroplating process.

[0066] Specifically, the method of striking the copper ball is usually to strike it regularly, and the frequency and strength can be adjusted according to the specific situation.

[0067] Specifically, the alarm device 150 is configured to illuminate a thickness warning light 152 red when the anode slime thickness is greater than or equal to a preset thickness threshold, and illuminate green when the anode slime thickness is less than the preset thickness threshold. During a preset maintenance cycle, the alarm device is activated and the status warning light 151 is illuminated solid yellow, indicating that the copper plating tank is in a static maintenance phase.

[0068] Specifically, if Figure 2 As shown, the cleaning and feeding device 140 includes an acid cleaning tank 141 and a feeding module 142. The acid cleaning tank 141 is used to clean the copper balls to be added using sulfuric acid. The feeding module 142 is used to clamp the copper balls to be added from the acid cleaning tank and add them to the titanium basket. Specifically, the feeding module 142 is a movable robot.

[0069] Specifically, the distance sensor 170 is used to detect the height of the accumulated copper balls in the titanium basket. The distance sensor is positioned at a preset height. It transmits ultrasonic pulses to the titanium basket without copper balls, receives the reflected waves, and calculates the distance using the airborne propagation time of the sound waves to obtain the initial distance. When the titanium basket is loaded with copper balls, the distance sensor transmits ultrasonic pulses to the basket with the accumulated copper balls, receives the reflected waves, and calculates the distance using the airborne propagation time of the sound waves to obtain the current distance. Subtracting the current distance from the initial distance yields the accumulated height of the copper balls in the titanium basket.

[0070] When the copper plating tank is inspected and maintained using the inspection and maintenance system, the controller 110, thickness detection device 120, cleaning electrolysis device 130, cleaning feeding device 140, alarm device 150, knocking device 160, and distance sensor 170 work together to automatically detect the conditions within the copper plating tank and maintain the tank, thereby providing a good reaction environment for copper plating. By maintaining a uniform copper ion concentration distribution, the content of other impurities in the copper plating tank is effectively reduced, thereby improving the problem of high plating roughness caused by excessively high content of other impurities in the copper plating tank. This can effectively reduce the plating roughness of copper-clad circuit boards.

[0071] Those skilled in the art will understand that the system structure shown in the figure does not constitute a limitation on the embodiments of the present application, and may include more or fewer components than shown in the figure, or a combination of certain components, or a different arrangement of components.

[0072] The system embodiment described above is merely illustrative. The units described as separate components may or may not be physically separate, i.e., they may be located in one place or distributed across multiple network units. Some or all of the modules may be selected based on actual needs to achieve the objectives of this embodiment.

[0073] Those skilled in the art will understand that the system architecture and application scenarios described in the embodiments of the present application are intended to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present application, and do not constitute a limitation on the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application. Those skilled in the art will know that with the evolution of the system architecture and the emergence of new application scenarios, the technical solutions provided in the embodiments of the present application are also applicable to similar technical problems.

[0074] Based on the above system structure, various embodiments of the method for detecting and maintaining a copper plating tank of the present application are proposed below.

[0075] First, as Figure 3 As shown, the detection and maintenance method for the copper plating tank can be applied to Figure 2 In the controller of the inspection and maintenance system shown, the copper plating tank includes a tank cavity and an anode disposed in the tank cavity; the anode includes a titanium basket containing multiple copper balls and an anode bag disposed below the titanium basket; the inspection and maintenance system includes a thickness detection device, a cleaning electrolysis device, a cleaning delivery device, and a knocking device disposed above the titanium basket, each electrically connected to the controller. The inspection and maintenance method for the copper plating tank may include, but is not limited to, steps S110 to S140.

[0076] Step S110: The thickness of the anode mud in the anode bag is detected by a thickness detection device. When it is determined that the thickness of the anode mud is greater than or equal to a preset thickness threshold, the titanium basket is cleaned and electrolyzed by a cleaning electrolysis device to obtain a cleaned and activated titanium basket.

[0077] Step S120: After each preset copper plating cycle, control the knocking device to knock the copper balls in the titanium basket, analyze the vibration signal fed back by the knocking device each time it knocks, and stop knocking when it is determined based on the vibration signal that the copper balls in the titanium basket are filled to saturation and there is no decrease.

[0078] Step S130: cleaning the copper balls to be delivered by the cleaning delivery device, and adding the cleaned copper balls to be delivered into the titanium basket.

[0079] Step S140: After the copper balls are added, the copper plating tank is subjected to a high current dragging process to obtain a copper plating tank to be used.

[0080] It should be noted that during the entire production process, try not to move the anode bag of the copper cylinder to prevent the anode mud from leaking into the cylinder and causing rough electroplating.

[0081] Through steps S110 to S140, when the copper plating tank is inspected and maintained by using the inspection and maintenance system, first, the thickness of the anode mud in the anode bag is detected by the thickness detection device. When it is determined that the thickness of the anode mud is greater than or equal to the preset thickness threshold, the titanium basket is cleaned and electrolyzed by the cleaning electrolysis device to obtain a clean and activated titanium basket; the situation in the copper plating tank can be automatically detected, the titanium basket is cleaned to reduce foreign matter in the electroplating solution, and the copper plating tank is maintained to provide a good reaction environment for copper plating, thereby reducing the probability of foreign matter being adsorbed onto the copper surface to form single-point copper particles, which is beneficial to reducing copper plating. The roughness of the circuit board; secondly, after each preset copper plating cycle, the knocking device is controlled to knock the copper balls in the titanium basket, so that the copper balls in the upper part of the titanium basket fall down to fill the local vacancies or local accumulations produced after the copper balls are consumed, thereby avoiding vacuum in the titanium blue; knocking the copper balls can improve the distribution of copper balls and the electroplating effect; on the one hand, by knocking the copper balls, it can be ensured that the copper balls are evenly distributed in the electroplating tank, avoiding local accumulation or vacancies, thereby improving the uniformity and consistency of electroplating; on the other hand, evenly distributed copper balls help to improve the quality and efficiency of electroplating and reduce defects in the electroplating process, such as burrs and roughness. Analyze the vibration signal fed back by the knocking device each time it knocks, and stop knocking when it is judged that the copper balls in the titanium basket are saturated and there is no decrease based on the vibration signal; clean the copper balls to be put in by the cleaning and feeding device, and add the cleaned copper balls to be put in to the titanium basket; after the copper balls are added, the copper plating tank is subjected to a strong current dragging cylinder treatment to obtain a copper plating tank to be used. As the copper plating process progresses, the copper balls in the titanium basket are consumed. After a preset copper plating cycle, the copper balls in the titanium basket are automatically knocked to fill the empty space in the lower part of the titanium basket. The copper balls are automatically replenished to the titanium basket to ensure a uniform copper ion concentration in the electroplating solution, providing a good reaction environment for the copper plating process, ensuring uniform copper plating, and facilitating the reduction of the roughness of the copper-clad circuit board. In other words, the embodiment of the present application can automatically detect the situation in the copper plating tank and maintain the copper plating tank to provide a good reaction environment for the copper plating process, which is conducive to reducing the roughness of the copper-clad circuit board.

[0082] According to some embodiments of the present application, a thickness detection device is positioned at a predetermined thickness threshold relative to the bottom of the anode bag. The thickness detection device includes a signal transmitter and a signal receiver positioned relative to each other. Further describing step S110, detecting the thickness of the anode slime in the anode bag by the thickness detection device includes, but is not limited to, controlling the signal transmitter to emit a light signal; when the signal receiver receives the light signal, determining that the thickness of the anode slime in the anode bag is less than the predetermined thickness threshold; and when the signal receiver does not receive the light signal, determining that the thickness of the anode slime in the anode bag is greater than or equal to the predetermined thickness threshold. This allows for rapid determination of the thickness of the anode slime in the anode bag, facilitating initiation of cleaning electrolysis of the titanium basket.

[0083] Specifically, the preset thickness threshold is 4cm. During use, anode mud, organic impurities, and other deposits may adhere to the surface of the titanium anode basket. If the anode mud thickness is determined to be greater than or equal to the preset thickness threshold, it is considered that deposits are present on the titanium basket surface, potentially leading to uneven current distribution and, in turn, affecting the quality of the coating, such as unevenness or defects. Therefore, the titanium basket needs to be cleaned and electrolyzed. It is understood that anode mud thickness greater than 5cm is generally considered excessive, so the preset thickness threshold is generally set within 4cm.

[0084] According to some embodiments of the present application, step S110 is further described, wherein the titanium basket is subjected to a cleaning electrolysis treatment by a cleaning electrolysis device to obtain a cleaned and activated titanium basket, including but not limited to steps S111 to S113.

[0085] Step S111: taking out the titanium basket, soaking the titanium basket in an alkaline solution for a first soaking time, and then washing the alkaline solution remaining on the surface of the titanium basket with clean water to obtain a preliminarily cleaned titanium basket.

[0086] Step S112: soaking the preliminarily cleaned titanium basket in an acidic solution for a second soaking time to obtain a preliminarily pickled titanium basket.

[0087] Step S113: performing electrolytic activation treatment on the titanium basket after the preliminary pickling to obtain a clean and activated titanium basket.

[0088] Specifically, further describing step S111, the alkaline solution is a sodium hydroxide solution with a concentration of 2% to 5%. The first soaking time is 4 to 6 hours. During use, anode mud, organic impurities, and the like adhere to the surface of the anode titanium basket. The present embodiment uses a sodium hydroxide solution to initially and effectively remove organic impurities from the anode mud remaining on the titanium basket, preventing these impurities from entering the plating solution and affecting the coating quality and electroplating effect. The alkaline solution remaining on the titanium basket surface is then washed away with clean water to obtain a preliminarily cleaned titanium basket.

[0089] Specifically, further describing step S112, the acidic solution is specifically a sulfuric acid solution having a concentration of 2%, and the second soaking time is 4 to 6 hours. In this embodiment of the present application, the sulfuric acid solution is used to neutralize the alkaline solution used in step S111. Simultaneously, the sulfuric acid solution further effectively removes metallic impurities from the anode mud remaining on the titanium basket, preventing impurities from entering the plating solution and affecting the coating quality and electroplating effect. This also lays the foundation for subsequent electrolysis in an acidic environment.

[0090] According to some embodiments of the present application, step S113: performing electrolytic activation treatment on the titanium basket after preliminary pickling to obtain a clean and activated titanium basket, including: placing the titanium basket at the anode position of a copper chamber filled with 10% sulfuric acid, and placing a stainless steel plate or a copper plate at the cathode position; using a preset voltage to stabilize the electrolysis of the titanium basket, and obtaining an activated titanium basket after a preset electrolysis time; and using deionized water to wash the activated titanium basket to obtain a clean and activated titanium basket.

[0091] Specifically, the preset electrolysis time is one hour, and the preset voltage range is 6V to 8V.

[0092] After the cleaning process in steps S111 and S112, impurities may still remain on the titanium basket surface that cannot be cleaned with sodium hydroxide solution or sulfuric acid solution. Therefore, in the embodiment of the present application, in step S113, electrolysis treatment is performed in an acidic environment to dissolve or strip impurities on the titanium basket surface through electrochemical reactions, further removing anode mud and organic impurities. In addition, the electrolysis treatment can activate the surface of the anode titanium basket, remove the surface oxide layer, make the anode surface more active, and improve its reaction efficiency during the electroplating process.

[0093] Through steps S111 to S113, the copper plating tank's conditions are automatically monitored, and the titanium basket is cleaned to reduce foreign matter in the plating solution. This maintains the copper plating tank, providing a favorable reaction environment for the copper plating process and reducing the probability of foreign matter being adsorbed onto the copper surface and forming single-point copper particles, thereby reducing the roughness of the copper-clad circuit board. Cleaning and electrolytic treatment of the titanium basket effectively improves electroplating quality and production efficiency, extending the service life of the equipment.

[0094] According to some embodiments of the present application, the knocking device includes: a knocking rod arranged above the titanium basket, a vibration sensor arranged on the titanium basket; Figure 4 , further explaining step S120, step S120: analyzing the vibration signal fed back by the knocking device each time it knocks, when it is determined according to the vibration signal that the copper balls in the titanium basket are filled to saturation and there is no decrease, stopping the knocking, including but not limited to steps S121 to S123.

[0095] Step S121: receiving and analyzing the vibration signal fed back by the vibration sensor each time the striking rod strikes the copper ball.

[0096] Step S122: When the vibration signal is detected to have a preset amplitude and the frequency has increased to a preset frequency, it is determined that the titanium basket is filled with copper balls and is saturated and has not decreased.

[0097] Step S123: When the number of times that the titanium basket is continuously judged to be saturated with copper balls without decreasing reaches a preset number threshold, the knocking rod is controlled to stop knocking.

[0098] Specifically, as the electroplating reaction proceeds, the copper balls in the lower portion of the titanium basket are continuously consumed. It is necessary to strike the upper copper balls in the titanium basket at intervals after a preset copper plating cycle to cause them to fall and fill the space vacated by the consumed copper balls in the lower portion of the titanium basket. This frees up the upper space for new copper balls to ensure sufficient copper balls in the titanium basket. The preset copper plating cycle can be 12 hours, 4 hours, or other timeframes. This needs to be determined based on the rate at which the copper balls are consumed by the electroplating reaction. Therefore, the present embodiment does not impose any specific restrictions on the value of the preset copper plating cycle.

[0099] Specifically, step S121 includes: receiving a vibration signal fed back by the vibration sensor each time the striking rod strikes the copper ball, the vibration signal being a time-domain signal; and performing a fast Fourier transform (FFT) on the time-domain vibration signal to analyze the spectrum. Step S121 reliably analyzes the time-domain vibration signal.

[0100] Specifically, the preset amplitude is the amplitude of the vibration signal when the titanium basket is saturated with copper balls; the preset frequency is the frequency of the vibration signal when the titanium basket is saturated with copper balls. The preset amplitude and preset frequency are used as a reference to determine whether the titanium basket is saturated with copper balls without decreasing. Specifically, the preset amplitude is obtained by taking the average value of multiple tapping tests, and the preset frequency is obtained by taking the average value of multiple tapping tests.

[0101] It is understandable that when the copper balls fill the titanium basket, the vibration transfer characteristics will change. Specifically, when the copper balls tightly fill the lower part of the titanium basket container, the vibration energy is quickly transmitted to the entire filling area through the contact points between the particles. The friction and collision between the copper balls consume a lot of energy, causing the amplitude to decay rapidly. In addition, after filling with copper balls, a "quasi-solid" structure is formed, which is more tightly coupled with the container wall. The vibration energy is transmitted through solid conduction rather than air, which reduces the free vibration space and reduces the overall amplitude. When the titanium basket is not filled, there is an air gap in the container, the equivalent stiffness of the system is low, and the main vibration frequency tends to be low frequency; after the titanium basket is filled, the close stacking of the copper balls significantly increases the overall stiffness of the system, resulting in an increase in the natural frequency. Through step S122, the amplitude and frequency of the vibration signal are analyzed to provide a reference for judging whether the copper balls in the titanium basket are saturated and there is no decrease.

[0102] It should be noted that there is a tip effect in the copper plating process. The tip effect means that during the copper plating process, the single-point current at the sharp corner is too large, forming an edge effect and causing the accumulation of reactants. By knocking the copper balls, the distribution of copper balls can be improved, and the sharp corners can be blocked, which can reduce the concentration of current at the edge and thus alleviate the edge effect.

[0103] Specifically, in step S123, the preset number threshold can be 3 times or 5 times. This application does not impose any specific restriction on the value of the preset number threshold.

[0104] It is understandable that analysis based on vibration signals can lead to misjudgments, and if the space to be filled within the titanium basket is already small, determining that the basket is saturated with copper balls and has not decreased based on a single vibration signal analysis may be inaccurate. Therefore, step S123 implements a comprehensive decision-making mechanism that can more reliably and accurately determine whether the basket is saturated with copper balls and has not decreased.

[0105] Through steps S121 to S123, the vibration signal can be analyzed to reliably determine whether the titanium basket is saturated with copper balls and has not decreased, thereby providing a reference for controlling whether to stop the percussion rod. As the copper plating process progresses, the copper balls in the titanium basket are consumed. After a preset copper plating cycle, the copper balls in the titanium basket are automatically percussed to fill the empty space in the lower part of the titanium basket, freeing up the upper space to provide space for the subsequent addition of new copper balls.

[0106] According to some embodiments of the present application, the cleaning and delivery device includes: a pickling tank, a delivery module; the detection and maintenance system also includes: a distance measuring sensor electrically connected to the controller and arranged above the titanium basket; Figure 5 , further explaining step S130, step S130: cleaning the copper balls to be put in by the cleaning and putting device, and adding the cleaned copper balls to be put in to the titanium basket, including but not limited to steps S131 to S133.

[0107] Step S131: The copper balls to be added are cleaned using sulfuric acid in a pickling tank, and after a preset cleaning time, the cleaned copper balls to be added are obtained.

[0108] Step S132: controlling the feeding device to pick up the copper balls to be added from the pickling tank and add them to the titanium basket.

[0109] Step S133: When the distance measuring sensor detects that the accumulation height of the copper balls in the titanium basket reaches a preset height threshold, the addition of new copper balls is stopped.

[0110] Specifically, in step S131, the concentration of sulfuric acid in the pickling tank is 3% to 5%, and the preset cleaning time is 10 minutes to 15 minutes.

[0111] Specifically, step S133 includes: before use, a distance measuring sensor set at a preset height sends an ultrasonic pulse to a titanium basket without copper balls, receives the reflected wave, and calculates the distance using the propagation time of the sound wave in air to obtain the initial distance between the setting position of the distance measuring sensor and the bottom of the titanium basket. When the titanium basket is loaded with copper balls, the distance measuring sensor sends an ultrasonic pulse to the titanium basket with the copper balls piled up, receives the reflected wave, and calculates the distance using the propagation time of the sound wave in air to obtain the current distance, which refers to the distance between the setting position of the distance measuring sensor and the surface after the copper balls are piled up. The stacking height of the copper balls in the titanium basket is obtained by subtracting the current distance from the initial distance.

[0112] It is understandable that when an excessive amount of copper balls is added, the copper balls are prone to fall; therefore, it is necessary to stop adding new copper balls when the stacking height is equal to a preset height threshold.

[0113] In one embodiment, the inspection and maintenance method of the copper plating tank of the present application also includes: taking a titanium basket to check the condition of the copper ball anode film to confirm whether the upper film is qualified. The qualified standard is: the anode film is black blue in color and has no copper original color, which is qualified.

[0114] Through steps S131 to S133, copper balls can be automatically added to the titanium basket to make the copper ion concentration in the electroplating solution uniform, providing a good reaction environment for copper plating, ensuring uniform copper plating, and helping to reduce the roughness of the copper-clad circuit board.

[0115] According to some embodiments of the present application, step S140 is further described, wherein the high-current dragging tank treatment includes: electrolysis at a current density of 1 ampere / square decimeter for 4 hours to obtain a preliminary electrolysis copper plating tank; electrolysis of the preliminary electrolysis copper plating tank at a current density of 1.8 amperes / square decimeter for 2 hours to remove impurities in the copper tank to obtain an electrolyzed copper plating tank, and the electrolyzed copper plating tank is left to stand for 24 hours.

[0116] It is understandable that in the embodiment of the present application, after adding copper balls, the copper plating tank is treated with a high current dragging cylinder to remove impurities in the copper tank, and the copper plating tank after the high current dragging cylinder treatment is left to stand for 24 hours to maintain the copper plating tank.

[0117] It should be noted that drag-out is a pretreatment process before electroplating. By running electricity through the plating tank, metal ions in the plating solution are deposited on the electrodes, thereby achieving the goals of cleaning the electrodes, adjusting the plating solution composition, and removing impurities. The embodiments of the present application use different combinations of current density and power-on time to remove different types or levels of impurities at different stages.

[0118] According to some embodiments of the present application, the detection and maintenance system further includes: an alarm device, the alarm device includes a status warning light; further illustrating step S140, wherein the high current cylinder dragging process includes but is not limited to steps S141 to S142.

[0119] Step S141: placing the electrolytic copper plating tank for maintenance, and obtaining a copper plating tank ready for use after a preset maintenance period.

[0120] Step S142: The alarm device is activated during the preset maintenance cycle, and the status warning light is controlled to be always on in yellow to indicate that the copper plating tank is in the static maintenance stage.

[0121] Further explaining step S141, the preset maintenance cycle is 24 hours. That is, the newly added copper balls and copper plating tank are maintained and production is stopped for 24 hours. This is because the oxide film on the surface of the newly added copper balls is not fully formed or is unevenly distributed. Direct production will cause the anode dissolution rate to fluctuate (±20%), resulting in uneven plating thickness. The embodiment of the present application extends the preset maintenance cycle and maintains the copper plating tank before putting it into use to ensure a good copper plating effect and reduce copper plating roughness.

[0122] Further explaining step S142, in order to avoid the copper plating tank from being misused during the preset maintenance cycle, the embodiment of the present application sets a warning mechanism, that is, the status warning light is always on in yellow during the preset maintenance cycle to remind the staff that the copper plating tank is in the static maintenance stage and should not be activated.

[0123] In some embodiments, when the copper plating tank is performing the copper plating process normally, the status warning light is constantly on green. When the copper plating tank cannot be used due to a fault, the status warning light is constantly on red.

[0124] Through step S141 to step S142, the copper plating tank is kept stationary for maintenance to ensure that the surface oxide film of the newly added copper balls is completely formed and evenly distributed, which is conducive to maintaining a stable anode dissolution rate and reducing the probability of uneven plating thickness.

[0125] According to some embodiments of the present application, the alarm device further includes: a thickness warning light; the detection and maintenance method further includes but is not limited to steps S210 to S220.

[0126] Step S210: When it is determined that the thickness of the anode mud is greater than or equal to the preset thickness threshold, the thickness warning light is controlled to light up red.

[0127] Step S220: When it is determined that the anode mud thickness is less than the preset thickness threshold, the thickness warning light is controlled to light green.

[0128] In some embodiments, the inspection and maintenance method for the copper plating tank also includes: when it is determined that the thickness of the anode mud is greater than or equal to a preset thickness threshold, an alarm notification is sent to a terminal device connected to the inspection and maintenance system to inform the staff that the thickness of the anode mud is too high and needs to be cleaned.

[0129] Through step S210 to step S220, the thickness warning light is used to remind the staff of the current anode mud thickness.

[0130] The above is a specific description of the preferred implementation of the present application, but the present application is not limited to the above implementation mode. Technical personnel familiar with the field can also make various equivalent modifications or substitutions without violating the spirit of the present application. These equivalent modifications or substitutions are all included in the scope defined by the present application.

Claims

1. A method for detecting and maintaining a copper plating tank, characterized in that: Controller used for the inspection and maintenance system of copper plating tanks; The copper plating tank includes: a tank cavity, an anode arranged in the tank cavity; the anode includes: a titanium basket containing multiple copper balls, and an anode bag arranged below the titanium basket; the detection and maintenance system includes: a thickness detection device, a cleaning electrolysis device, a cleaning delivery device, and a knocking device, each electrically connected to the controller; The method comprises: The thickness of the anode mud in the anode bag is detected by the thickness detection device. When it is determined that the thickness of the anode mud is greater than or equal to a preset thickness threshold, the titanium basket is subjected to a cleaning electrolysis treatment by the cleaning electrolysis device to obtain a cleaned and activated titanium basket. After each preset copper plating cycle, the knocking device is controlled to knock the copper balls in the titanium basket, and a vibration signal fed back by the knocking device each time is analyzed. When it is determined according to the vibration signal that the copper balls in the titanium basket are filled to saturation and there is no decrease in filling, the knocking is stopped; The copper balls to be put in are cleaned by the cleaning and putting device, and the cleaned copper balls to be put in are added to the titanium basket; After the copper balls are added, the copper plating tank is subjected to a high current dragging process to obtain a copper plating tank to be used.

2. The method for detecting and maintaining a copper plating tank according to claim 1, wherein: The thickness detection device is arranged at a position away from the bottom of the anode bag by the preset thickness threshold, and the thickness detection device comprises: a signal transmitter and a signal receiver arranged opposite to each other; The detecting the thickness of the anode mud in the anode bag by the thickness detecting device includes: controlling the signal transmitter to emit an optical signal; When the signal receiver receives the optical signal, it is determined that the thickness of the anode mud in the anode bag is less than the preset thickness threshold; When the signal receiver does not receive the optical signal, it is determined that the thickness of the anode mud in the anode bag is greater than or equal to the preset thickness threshold.

3. The method for detecting and maintaining a copper plating tank according to claim 1, wherein: The cleaning electrolysis treatment of the titanium basket by the cleaning electrolysis device to obtain a clean and activated titanium basket includes: Taking out the titanium basket, soaking the titanium basket in an alkaline solution for a first soaking time, and then washing the alkaline solution remaining on the surface of the titanium basket with clean water to obtain a preliminarily cleaned titanium basket; Immersing the preliminarily cleaned titanium basket in an acidic solution for a second immersion time to obtain a preliminarily pickled titanium basket; The titanium basket after the preliminary pickling is subjected to electrolytic activation treatment to obtain a clean and activated titanium basket.

4. The method for detecting and maintaining a copper plating tank according to claim 3, wherein: The electrolytic activation treatment of the titanium basket after the preliminary pickling to obtain a clean and activated titanium basket comprises: The titanium basket is placed at the anode position of a copper chamber filled with 10% sulfuric acid, and a stainless steel plate or a copper plate is placed at the cathode position; The titanium basket is electrolyzed at a preset voltage for a preset electrolysis time to obtain an activated titanium basket; The activated titanium basket is washed with deionized water to obtain a clean activated titanium basket.

5. The method for detecting and maintaining a copper plating tank according to claim 1, wherein: The knocking device includes: a knocking rod arranged above the titanium basket, and a vibration sensor arranged on the titanium basket; The analyzing of the vibration signal fed back by the knocking device each time it knocks, and stopping the knocking when it is determined according to the vibration signal that the copper balls in the titanium basket are filled to saturation and have not decreased, comprises: receiving and analyzing the vibration signal fed back by the vibration sensor each time the knocking rod knocks the copper ball; When it is detected that the amplitude of the vibration signal decreases to a preset amplitude and the frequency increases to a preset frequency, it is determined that the copper balls in the titanium basket are filled to saturation without decreasing; When the number of times that the copper balls in the titanium basket are continuously judged to be saturated and not decreasing reaches a preset number threshold, the knocking rod is controlled to stop knocking.

6. The method for detecting and maintaining a copper plating tank according to claim 1, wherein: The cleaning and feeding device includes: a pickling tank and a feeding module; the detection and maintenance system also includes: a distance measuring sensor electrically connected to the controller and arranged above the titanium basket; The cleaning and placing device is used to clean the copper balls to be placed, and the cleaned copper balls to be placed are added to the titanium basket, including: The copper balls to be added are cleaned using sulfuric acid in the pickling tank, and after a preset cleaning time, the cleaned copper balls to be added are obtained; Controlling the feeding device to pick up the copper balls to be added from the pickling tank and add them to the titanium basket; When the distance measuring sensor detects that the accumulation height of the copper balls in the titanium basket reaches a preset height threshold, the addition of new copper balls is stopped.

7. The method for detecting and maintaining a copper plating tank according to claim 2, wherein: The high current cylinder dragging process includes: Electrolysis was performed at a current density of 1 ampere / square decimeter for 4 hours to obtain a preliminary electrolytic copper plating bath; The copper plating bath after preliminary electrolysis was electrolyzed at a current density of 1.8 amperes per square decimeter for 2 hours to remove impurities in the copper bath, thereby obtaining an electrolyzed copper plating bath. The electrolyzed copper plating bath was then allowed to stand for 24 hours.

8. The method for detecting and maintaining a copper plating tank according to claim 7, wherein: The detection and maintenance system further comprises: an alarm device, the alarm device comprising a status warning light; The high current cylinder dragging process further includes: The electrolytic copper plating tank is placed for maintenance, and after a preset maintenance period, a copper plating tank ready for use is obtained; During the preset maintenance period, the alarm device is controlled to start, and the status warning light is controlled to be always on in yellow to indicate that the copper plating tank is in a static maintenance stage.

9. The method for detecting and maintaining a copper plating tank according to claim 8, wherein: The alarm device further comprises: a thickness warning light; The detection and maintenance method further includes: When it is determined that the thickness of the anode mud is greater than or equal to a preset thickness threshold, the thickness warning light is controlled to light up red; When it is determined that the anode mud thickness is less than a preset thickness threshold, the thickness warning light is controlled to light up green.

10. A detection and maintenance system, characterized in that: include: A controller, a thickness detection device, a cleaning electrolysis device, a cleaning delivery device, and a knocking device electrically connected to the controller respectively; The controller is used to: detect the thickness of the anode mud in the anode bag by the thickness detection device, and when it is judged that the thickness of the anode mud is greater than or equal to the preset thickness threshold, perform cleaning electrolysis on the titanium basket by the cleaning electrolysis device to obtain a clean and activated titanium basket; after each preset copper plating cycle, control the knocking device to knock the copper balls in the titanium basket, analyze the vibration signal fed back by the knocking device each time it knocks, and stop knocking when it is judged according to the vibration signal that the copper balls in the titanium basket are filled to saturation and there is no decrease; clean the copper balls to be put in by the cleaning delivery device, and add the cleaned copper balls to be put in to the titanium basket; after the copper balls are added, the copper plating tank is subjected to high current dragging cylinder treatment and static maintenance treatment to obtain a copper plating tank to be used.

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