VCP electroplating hanger and method for improving electroplating uniformity thereof

Abstract

The invention discloses a VCP electroplating hanger which comprises a main frame, an upper cross beam, a lower cross beam and vertical frames, the upper cross beam is fixedly connected with the main frame through a connecting piece, the two ends of the upper cross beam are connected with the upper ends of the two vertical frames, and the lower ends of the two vertical frames are connected with the two ends of the lower cross beam respectively; clamp chucks are arranged on the upper cross beam and the lower cross beam; wherein the upper cross beam and the lower cross beam are made of first metal, and the vertical frame is made of second metal. By using the VCP electroplating hanger provided by the invention, the electroplating uniformity can be improved, and meanwhile, the production cost is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of electroplating equipment technology, specifically to a VCP electroplating rack and a method for improving electroplating uniformity. Background Technology

[0002] In the Vertical Continuous Plating (VCP) process, the rack is used to fix the workpiece to be plated and conduct current. The frame of the traditional rack is usually made of a single metal material, such as titanium or copper. This design has obvious defects: due to the uneven resistance distribution, the current density during the plating process differs significantly between the edge and center of the rack. This uneven current distribution will cause problems such as uneven plating thickness and edge effects (such as scorching or excessive thinness) on the workpiece, which seriously affect the product quality.

[0003] In the prior art, in order to solve the problem of uneven current distribution, additional power supply or auxiliary anodes are usually used. However, these methods increase the complexity of equipment and production costs. In addition, these solutions often require frequent adjustment of process parameters, which increases the difficulty of operation and maintenance costs. Summary of the Invention

[0004] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to provide a VCP electroplating rack and a method for improving electroplating uniformity in order to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art. The rack can improve electroplating uniformity and reduce production costs.

[0005] To achieve the above objectives, according to one aspect of the present invention, a VCP electroplating fixture is provided, comprising: It includes a main frame, an upper crossbeam, a lower crossbeam, and vertical side frames. The upper crossbeam is fixedly connected to the main frame via connectors. The two ends of the upper crossbeam are connected to the upper ends of the two vertical side frames, and the lower ends of the two vertical side frames are respectively connected to the two ends of the lower crossbeam. Both the upper crossbeam and the lower crossbeam are equipped with clamps. The upper and lower crossbeams are made of a first metal, and the vertical frame is made of a second metal.

[0006] In the above scheme, the resistivity of the first metal is higher than that of the second metal, and / or the cross-sectional area of ​​the upper beam and the lower beam is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the vertical frame.

[0007] In the above scheme, the first metal is titanium or a titanium alloy.

[0008] In the above scheme, the second metal is copper or a copper alloy.

[0009] In the above scheme, the vertical frame is equipped with an adjustable resistor module.

[0010] In the above scheme, the adjustable resistor module is a sliding rheostat.

[0011] In the above scheme, the surfaces of both the upper crossbeam and the lower crossbeam are covered with an insulating coating.

[0012] In the above scheme, the insulating coating is a polytetrafluoroethylene coating.

[0013] The present invention also provides a method for improving electroplating uniformity using the above-described VCP electroplating fixture, comprising the following steps: The workpiece to be plated is fixed onto the VCP electroplating rack using the clamp chuck; Immerse the VCP electroplating fixture into the electroplating tank and allow current to flow through the upper beam, lower beam, and vertical frame. The upper and lower crossbeams suppress the current density in areas where current tends to concentrate, while the vertical frame enhances the current density in areas where current is weak, thereby achieving an overall balance of current density and obtaining a uniform coating.

[0014] In the above scheme, before electroplating, the resistance values ​​of the upper beam, the lower beam, and the vertical frame are adjusted according to the shape, size, and distribution of the part to be plated, as well as the target plating thickness.

[0015] In this invention, by using metals of different materials on the upper and lower beams and the frame of the hanger and setting the resistance distribution ratio, a high-resistance section is set in the area where the current is easily concentrated, and a low-resistance section is set in the area where the current is weak. By setting the resistance difference to compensate for the current distribution, the uniformity of electroplating is improved.

[0016] In summary, compared with the prior art, the above-described technical solutions conceived by this invention can achieve the following beneficial effects: This invention provides a VCP electroplating rack and a method for improving electroplating uniformity. The rack can improve electroplating uniformity while reducing production costs. Furthermore, the rack has a simple frame structure and is compatible with existing rack production lines. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Various other advantages and benefits will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of preferred embodiments. The accompanying drawings are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, the same reference numerals denote the same parts throughout the drawings. In the drawings: Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of a VCP electroplating fixture in Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

[0018] Figure label: 0. Main frame; 1. Upper crossbeam; 2. Lower crossbeam; 3. Vertical frame; 4. Clamping head. Detailed Implementation

[0019] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative and not intended to limit the invention. Furthermore, the technical features involved in the various embodiments of this invention described below can be combined with each other as long as they do not conflict with each other.

[0020] It should be understood that the sequence number of each step in the embodiment does not imply the order of execution. The execution order of each process should be determined by its function and internal logic, and should not constitute any limitation on the implementation process of the embodiments of this application.

[0021] Example 1 This application provides a VCP electroplating fixture. Please refer to [link / reference]. Figure 1 ,like Figure 1 As shown, in this embodiment, the VCP electroplating fixture includes a main frame 0, an upper crossbeam 1, a lower crossbeam 2, and two vertical frames 3. The upper crossbeam 1 is fixedly connected to the main frame 0 by bolts. The two ends of the upper crossbeam 1 are connected to the upper ends of the two vertical frames 3, and the lower ends of the two vertical frames 3 are respectively connected to the two ends of the lower crossbeam 2. Clamping heads 4 are provided on both the upper crossbeam 1 and the lower crossbeam 2. The upper crossbeam 1 and the lower crossbeam 2 are made of titanium alloy, and the vertical frames 3 are made of copper alloy. In this embodiment, high-resistance material is mainly arranged in the upper and lower ends of the fixture (upper crossbeam 1 and lower crossbeam 2) to suppress strong current at the edges, while low-resistance material is mainly arranged in the central area of ​​the fixture (vertical frames 3) to enhance the current in the central area. Through this alternating arrangement, a periodic resistance distribution of "high-low-high" is formed along the entire length of the fixture frame, effectively balancing the current.

[0022] This embodiment uses a VCP electroplating rack to improve electroplating uniformity, including the following steps: The workpiece to be plated is fixed onto the VCP electroplating fixture using clamp 4; The VCP electroplating fixture is immersed in the electroplating tank through the main frame 0, and the current passes through the upper crossbeam 1, the lower crossbeam 2 and the vertical frame 3. The upper crossbeam 1 and lower crossbeam 2 suppress the current density in areas where current tends to concentrate, while the vertical frame 3 enhances the current density in areas where current is weak, thereby achieving an overall balance of current density and enabling the workpiece to obtain a uniform coating.

[0023] The rack provided in this embodiment optimizes the current path by fixing the resistance distribution, eliminating the need for an additional power supply or auxiliary anode, thus reducing costs. Replacing an old electroplating rack in a factory with the VCP electroplating rack in this embodiment is expected to save approximately 800 yuan per rack, and a total of approximately 100,000 yuan for all 128 racks in the line.

[0024] In summary, the embodiments of this application provide a VCP electroplating rack and a method for improving electroplating uniformity. The VCP electroplating rack can improve electroplating uniformity while reducing production costs.

[0025] Example 2 This application provides a VCP electroplating fixture, wherein the VCP electroplating fixture of this embodiment is basically the same as that of Embodiment 1, except that in this embodiment: The vertical frame 3 is also equipped with an adjustable resistor module; in this embodiment, the adjustable resistor module is a sliding rheostat. In this embodiment, by adjusting the sliding rheostat on the vertical frame 3, different electroplating parameters can be accommodated.

[0026] Example 3 This application provides a VCP electroplating fixture, wherein the VCP electroplating fixture of this embodiment is basically the same as that of Embodiment 1, except that in this embodiment: The surfaces of the upper crossbeam 1 and lower crossbeam 2 of the VCP electroplating fixture are covered with an insulating coating; in this embodiment, the insulating coating is a polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) coating. By covering the surfaces of the upper crossbeam 1 and lower crossbeam 2 with a PTFE coating, the insulation performance is further improved, thereby achieving a further control over the current path.

[0027] It should be noted that, depending on the implementation needs, the various steps described in this application can be broken down into more steps, or two or more steps or parts of the steps can be combined into new steps to achieve the purpose of this invention.

[0028] Those skilled in the art will readily understand that the above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, and improvements made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A VCP electroplating fixture, comprising a main frame, an upper crossbeam, a lower crossbeam, and a vertical frame, characterized in that, The upper crossbeam is fixedly connected to the main frame via connectors. The upper crossbeam is connected to the upper ends of the two vertical frames at both ends, and the lower ends of the two vertical frames are respectively connected to the two ends of the lower crossbeam. Both the upper crossbeam and the lower crossbeam are equipped with clamps. The upper and lower crossbeams are made of a first metal, and the vertical frame is made of a second metal.

2. The VCP electroplating fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that, The resistivity of the first metal is higher than that of the second metal, and / or the cross-sectional area of ​​the upper beam and the lower beam is smaller than the cross-sectional area of ​​the vertical frame.

3. A VCP electroplating fixture according to claim 2, characterized in that, The first metal is titanium or a titanium alloy.

4. A VCP electroplating fixture according to claim 3, characterized in that, The second metal is copper or a copper alloy.

5. A VCP electroplating fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that, The vertical frame is equipped with an adjustable resistor module.

6. A VCP electroplating fixture according to claim 5, characterized in that, The adjustable resistor module is a sliding rheostat.

7. A VCP electroplating fixture according to claim 1, characterized in that, The surfaces of both the upper and lower crossbeams are covered with an insulating coating.

8. A VCP electroplating fixture according to claim 7, characterized in that, The insulating coating is a polytetrafluoroethylene coating.

9. A method for improving electroplating uniformity using a VCP electroplating rack as described in any one of claims 1-8, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: The workpiece to be plated is fixed onto the VCP electroplating rack using the clamp chuck; Immerse the VCP electroplating fixture into the electroplating tank and allow current to flow through the upper beam, lower beam, and vertical frame. The upper and lower crossbeams suppress the current density in areas where current tends to concentrate, while the vertical frame enhances the current density in areas where current is weak, thereby achieving an overall balance of current density and obtaining a uniform coating.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that, Before electroplating, the resistance values ​​of the upper beam, the lower beam, and the vertical frame are adjusted according to the shape, size, and distribution of the part to be plated, as well as the target plating thickness.

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