A closed plating process for curved plastic shells

Abstract

The application relates to the field of electroplating, in particular to a closed plating layer electroplating process for a curved plastic shell, which comprises the following steps: step S1, arranging a patterned shallow groove on the surface of an electroplated workpiece; the type of the electroplated workpiece is a curved plastic shell workpiece; the patterned shallow groove is located on the curved surface or the difference surface of the electroplated workpiece; the shape of the patterned shallow groove is adapted to the shape of an electroplated pattern; step S2, electroplating the electroplated workpiece to form a metal plating layer; the area of the metal plating layer is larger than that of the patterned shallow groove; step S3, arranging protective paint in the interior of the patterned shallow groove; the protective paint is fully arranged in the interior of the patterned shallow groove; step S4, removing the metal plating layer located outside the patterned shallow groove; and step S5, removing the protective paint located in the interior of the patterned shallow groove. The application has the effect of reducing the deviation of the protective paint on the surface of the curved plastic shell.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of electroplating, and in particular to a closed-loop electroplating process for curved plastic shells. Background Technology

[0002] With the rapid development of the automotive and consumer electronics industries, curved plastic shells are widely used in products such as automotive buttons, smart wearable device housings, and electronic device control panels due to their advantages such as ergonomic fit and aesthetic appeal. These curved plastic shells often require the preparation of closed metal plating layers (such as closed characters, circular logos, closed patterns, etc.) on their surface to achieve decorative and wear-resistant functions, thereby ensuring the structural integrity and aesthetic consistency of the shell.

[0003] In existing related technologies, metal plating of plastic shells mainly relies on water plating processes. The core logic is to form a conductive layer on the surface of the plastic shell, and then achieve metal plating through the conductivity of the conductive layer. Since there is no conductive path in the closed area, the water plating process is difficult to form a complete metal plating layer directly in the closed area. Usually, conductive openings need to be made at the edge of the closed area to allow current to flow, thereby completing the electroplating operation.

[0004] To address the issue of the continuity of the aforementioned metal plating, an improved process of "overall plating + selective protection + precise deplating" has gradually emerged in the existing technology. That is, the curved plastic shell is first water-plated to fully cover the surface with a metal plating. Then, a protective coating is applied to the target closed area by means of screen printing to form a protective barrier. Finally, a deplating agent is used to clean and remove the excess metal layer that is not protected. After the protective coating is peeled off, the target electroplated pattern is obtained.

[0005] Regarding the aforementioned technologies, due to the curvature and undulations of the curved plastic shell surface, and the potential for stepped height differences in some areas, it is difficult to achieve a fully uniform fit between the screen and the plastic shell surface during the screen printing process. The positioning accuracy is difficult to control, and the applied protective coating is prone to problems such as displacement, edge shrinkage, and missed coating. It is difficult to accurately cover the target closed area, resulting in blurred boundaries, incomplete shapes, and insufficient integrity of the final electroplated pattern, which does not meet the product design expectations. Summary of the Invention

[0006] To reduce the displacement of protective coating on the surface of curved plastic shells, this application provides a closed-loop electroplating process for curved plastic shells.

[0007] The closed-loop electroplating process for curved plastic shells provided in this application adopts the following technical solution: A closed-loop electroplating process for curved plastic shells includes the following steps: Step S1: Set shallow grooves with a pattern on the surface of the electroplated workpiece; The type of electroplated workpiece is a curved plastic shell workpiece, and the patterned shallow groove is located on the curved surface or drop surface of the electroplated workpiece. The shape of the patterned shallow groove is adapted to the shape of the electroplating pattern. Step S2: Electroplating is performed on the electroplated workpiece to form a metal coating; The area of ​​the metal plating layer is larger than the area of ​​the shallow grooves in the pattern; Step S3: Apply a protective coating inside the shallow groove of the pattern; The protective coating is fully applied to the interior of the shallow grooves in the pattern; Step S4: Remove the metal plating layer located outside the shallow groove of the pattern; Step S5: Remove the protective coating located inside the shallow groove of the pattern.

[0008] By adopting the above technical solution, the shallow groove of the pattern forms a physical limiting structure that matches the electroplating pattern on the curved or uneven surface of the curved plastic shell, so that the protective coating can be accurately and fully distributed inside the shallow groove of the pattern. With the blocking effect of the side wall of the shallow groove of the pattern, it is beneficial to reduce the problems of the protective coating shifting, shrinking and missing coating during the screen printing process, so as to achieve accurate coverage of the target closed electroplating area by the protective coating.

[0009] Meanwhile, after overall electroplating, only the metal plating layer outside the shallow groove of the pattern is removed, while the metal plating layer inside the groove is completely preserved under the protection of the protective coating. Electroplating can be completed without opening conductive openings in the closed area, which not only ensures the structural integrity of the curved plastic shell, but also makes the boundary of the final closed electroplated pattern clear and the shape complete. This effectively solves the problem that the electroplated pattern of the closed plating layer of the curved plastic shell does not meet the design expectations.

[0010] Optionally, in step S1: the depth of the shallow groove of the pattern is 0.05 to 0.15 mm, and the shallow groove of the pattern is set by laser etching process.

[0011] By adopting the above technical solution, the laser etching process has high-precision forming characteristics, which can accurately carve shallow grooves that match the electroplating pattern on the curved or uneven surface of the curved plastic shell, ensuring the consistency of the shape and size of the shallow grooves, and better adapting to the complex surface structure of the curved plastic shell.

[0012] Limiting the depth of the shallow grooves in the pattern to a reasonable range of 0.05 to 0.15 mm allows the grooves to form an effective physical restraint structure, providing a stable containment space for the protective coating and reducing the likelihood of overflow or displacement. It also reduces stress concentration on the plastic substrate caused by excessively deep grooves, lowering the probability of electroplating and stripping solutions remaining in the groove, thus reducing subsequent issues such as coating peeling and incomplete paint removal. Furthermore, this depth of groove minimizes the impact on the overall structural strength and appearance integrity of the curved plastic shell, ensuring uniform deposition of the metal coating within the groove, effectively balancing process convenience with product molding quality.

[0013] Optionally, when setting the shallow grooves of the pattern using a laser etching process, each shallow groove of the pattern is laser-scanned at least twice.

[0014] By adopting the above technical solution, laser etching uses at least two scanning methods to etch shallow grooves of patterns. This can reduce the energy density of a single laser strike on the plastic substrate, thereby reducing the melting and carbonization of the plastic substrate caused by instantaneous high temperature. This makes the groove walls and groove openings less prone to collapse and rough edges, effectively improving the overall forming regularity of the shallow grooves.

[0015] Meanwhile, multiple scanning can gradually create shallow grooves of a preset depth. Compared with single etching, it is easier to accurately control the depth and dimensional accuracy of the shallow grooves, which can better ensure the compatibility of the shape of the shallow grooves with the electroplating pattern. In addition, multiple scanning can make the sidewalls of the shallow grooves smoother, providing a better forming base for the subsequent full coverage of the protective coating in the groove, making it easier for the protective coating to be evenly spread in the groove.

[0016] In addition, this scanning method is more suitable for etching the curved or uneven surfaces of curved plastic shells, which can make the shallow groove forming effect in different areas of the plastic shell more uniform, improve the overall etching consistency, and lay a good structural foundation for the smooth progress of subsequent electroplating, screen printing and other processes.

[0017] Optionally, between two laser scans, a laser scan with a lower power than the laser etching process is used to remove the carbonized layer inside the shallow grooves of the pattern.

[0018] By adopting the above technical solution, a low-power laser scan is used to remove the carbonized layer between two laser etching scans. The energy density of the low-power laser is suitable for the carbonized layer cleaning requirements, and it is not easy to cause additional etching or thermal damage to the plastic substrate. It can effectively clean the carbonized layer initially formed inside the shallow tank, reduce the amount of carbonized layer residue in the tank, and make it less likely for carbonized layer to adhere to the inner wall of the shallow tank.

[0019] Timely cleaning of the carbonized layer allows subsequent laser etching scanning to more easily target a clean substrate surface, improving the overall forming accuracy and smoothness of the shallow groove. It also reduces the adverse effects of the carbonized layer on subsequent electroplating processes, resulting in a tighter bond between the metal plating and the plastic substrate, enhancing the adhesion stability of the plating, and reducing the probability of peeling or flaking. Furthermore, this method utilizes the same laser equipment to complete both etching and carbonized layer cleaning, eliminating the need for additional decarburization equipment or workpiece transfer. This simplifies the laser etching process, improves the overall processing efficiency of patterned shallow grooves, and is well-suited for the precision etching needs of curved plastic shells.

[0020] Optionally, in both step S1 and step S2, the electroplated workpiece is placed on the same fixture.

[0021] By adopting the above technical solution, the laser etching pattern shallow grooves and subsequent electroplating processes use the same fixture to position the electroplated workpiece, eliminating the need for secondary clamping and positioning. This reduces positioning deviations caused by multiple clamping operations, resulting in more precise positioning of the pattern shallow grooves and the deposition of the electroplated metal layer. The positioning benchmarks between processes are more consistent, and the workpiece is less prone to positional shifts. Furthermore, eliminating the secondary clamping operation simplifies the overall process flow, making it easier to improve the overall efficiency of the pre-processing steps for electroplating curved plastic shells and reducing clamping time.

[0022] In addition, reducing the number of clamping operations can also reduce the probability of workpieces being bumped or scratched during clamping, making the surface of curved plastic shells less prone to damage, ensuring the appearance integrity of the plastic shell substrate, and stable fixture positioning can make the metal plating layer deposit more evenly around the shallow groove of the pattern during electroplating, making it easier to lay a good positioning foundation for subsequent protective coating screen printing, precise deplating and other processes, and improving the smoothness of the connection between each process.

[0023] Optionally, the fixing fixture includes a fixture base, a sliding rack, a fixed gear, a positioning rod, and an electroplating fixture. The sliding rack is slidably fitted to the fixture base, the fixed gear is rotatably fitted to the fixture base and meshes with the sliding rack, the positioning rod is mounted on the fixed gear, and the electroplating fixture is rotatably fitted to the sliding rack.

[0024] By adopting the above technical solution, the structural design and operating principle of the fixing fixture are highly compatible with the processing requirements of different processes such as laser etching and electroplating, realizing differentiated positioning and clamping of curved plastic shell workpieces with the same fixture, and making it easier to balance the processing adaptability and positioning accuracy of the two processes.

[0025] Specifically, after the workpiece is fixed in the electroplating fixture, the movement of the sliding rack can drive the fixed gear to move together, thereby causing the positioning rod to press against the side of the workpiece, forming multiple positioning constraints on the workpiece. This makes the workpiece less prone to shaking or displacement during the laser scanning etching process, effectively ensuring the positional accuracy and forming regularity of the shallow groove pattern, and laying a good structural foundation for subsequent electroplating, screen printing and other processes.

[0026] During electroplating, the fixed fixture is set vertically. Under the influence of gravity or other external forces, the sliding rack can move in the opposite direction, causing the positioning rod to rotate and move away from the workpiece. Simultaneously, the electroplating fixture can rotate to the outside of the fixed fixture, ensuring the workpiece's electroplating surface is fully and unobstructed in the electroplating environment. This facilitates more uniform deposition of the metal plating layer on the workpiece surface, improving the overall electroplating effect and preventing plating blind spots caused by the positioning components obstructing the plating layer. This fixture allows for seamless switching between etching and electroplating processes without changing clamping components, simplifying the operation process, improving process efficiency, and easily adapting to the clamping and positioning needs of curved plastic shells of different specifications. This effectively enhances the versatility and practicality of the fixed fixture. Optionally, the fixture base is equipped with a scanning base and an electroplating base. The scanning base is installed on the electroplating hanger in step S2, and the scanning base is installed on the laser equipment for performing the laser etching process. The scanning base is equipped with a base magnet, and the base magnet magnetically engages with the sliding rack.

[0027] By adopting the above technical solution, the scanning base and electroplating base of the fixture base can correspond to the two core processes of laser etching and electroplating, respectively, and can be adapted and installed with laser equipment and electroplating hangers, making it easier for the fixed fixture to achieve precise docking with processing equipment of different processes. There is no need to design special fixtures for the two processes separately, which effectively improves the equipment adaptability and versatility of the fixture.

[0028] The base magnet on the scanning base forms a magnetic attraction with the sliding rack, which enables the sliding rack to drive the fixed gear to rotate and make the positioning rod close to the side of the electroplated workpiece. This makes the sliding rack less prone to slippage or movement during laser etching and electroplating, further ensuring the positioning stability of the fixture for curved plastic shell workpieces of different specifications, and providing a reliable positioning basis for the precise engraving of shallow grooves and the uniform coating of metal.

[0029] Meanwhile, relying on the sliding switching between the scanning base and the electroplating base, the fixed fixture can be directly adapted and converted between the two processes without the need for secondary clamping of the workpiece or overall disassembly and debugging of the fixture. This simplifies the operation process of process connection, reduces the time spent on equipment debugging and workpiece clamping, and improves the overall processing efficiency. Moreover, the magnetic attraction method is convenient to operate and does not require additional locking and fixing components. It is easier to achieve quick disassembly and positioning of the fixture, which is suitable for the production needs of mass production of curved plastic shells.

[0030] Optionally, the fixture base has a base positioning hole that extends vertically.

[0031] By adopting the above technical solution, the vertical extension base positioning hole opened in the fixture base can be adapted to the vertical positioning structure of laser etching equipment and electroplating equipment, providing a precise vertical positioning reference for the installation of the fixture on various equipment, making the equipment installation positioning of the fixture easier to align, and effectively improving the docking accuracy between the fixture and the equipment.

[0032] Optionally, the sliding rack is slidably fitted to the fixture base via a rack slide bar, the sliding rack having a rack keyway extending through it, the extension direction of the rack keyway being parallel to the sliding direction of the rack slide bar, and the sliding rack being mounted to the rack slide bar by bolts passing through the rack keyway.

[0033] By adopting the above technical solution, the rack keyway opened on the sliding rack can be matched with the bolt to realize the fine adjustment of the position of the sliding rack on the rack slide rod, which can be adapted to curved plastic shell workpieces of different specifications and different clamping and positioning requirements, making the clamping versatility of the fixed fixture better.

[0034] Optionally, the rack slide bar is provided with anti-slip texture, which is located at the end of the rack slide bar away from the fixed gear.

[0035] By adopting the above technical solution, anti-slip texture is set at the end of the rack slide bar away from the fixed gear, which can effectively increase the friction between the hand and the slide bar surface when the sliding rack needs to be manually adjusted. This makes it less likely for the operator to slip when pushing or pulling the slide bar, making the sliding adjustment operation of the rack smoother and easier to control the stroke, thus improving the efficiency and accuracy of the fixture adjustment operation.

[0036] In summary, this application includes at least one of the following beneficial technical effects: By utilizing shallow grooves in the pattern to form a physical limiting structure that matches the electroplating pattern on the curved or uneven surface of the curved plastic shell, the protective coating can be precisely and fully distributed inside the shallow groove. With the help of the sidewall barrier effect of the shallow groove, it is beneficial to reduce problems such as offset, shrinkage and missing coating of the protective coating during the screen printing process, so as to achieve precise coverage of the target closed electroplating area by the protective coating. Meanwhile, after overall electroplating, only the metal plating layer outside the shallow groove of the pattern is removed, while the metal plating layer inside the groove is completely preserved under the protection of the protective coating. Electroplating can be completed without opening conductive openings in the closed area, which not only ensures the structural integrity of the curved plastic shell, but also makes the boundary of the final closed electroplated pattern clear and the shape complete. This effectively solves the problem that the electroplated pattern of the closed plating layer of the curved plastic shell does not meet the design expectations.

[0037] Laser etching uses at least two scanning methods to create shallow grooves. This reduces the energy density of a single laser strike on the plastic substrate, thereby reducing the melting and carbonization of the plastic substrate due to instantaneous high temperatures. This makes the groove walls and openings less prone to collapse or rough edges, effectively improving the overall regularity of the shallow groove's formation. Meanwhile, multiple scanning can gradually create shallow grooves of a preset depth. Compared with single etching, it is easier to accurately control the depth and dimensional accuracy of the shallow grooves, which can better ensure the compatibility of the shape of the shallow grooves with the electroplating pattern. In addition, multiple scanning can make the sidewalls of the shallow grooves smoother, providing a better forming base for the subsequent full coverage of the protective coating in the groove, making it easier for the protective coating to be evenly spread in the groove.

[0038] In addition, this scanning method is more suitable for etching the curved or uneven surfaces of curved plastic shells, which can make the shallow groove forming effect in different areas of the plastic shell more uniform, improve the overall etching consistency, and lay a good structural foundation for the smooth progress of subsequent electroplating, screen printing and other processes. Attached Figure Description

[0039] Figure 1 This is an overall schematic diagram of the curved plastic shell of Embodiment 1 of this application.

[0040] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the cooperation between the fixing fixture and the scanning base in Embodiment 2 of this application.

[0041] Figure 3 This is a first overall schematic diagram of the fixing fixture in Embodiment 2 of this application.

[0042] Figure 4 This is a second overall schematic diagram of the fixing fixture in Embodiment 2 of this application.

[0043] Figure 5 This is an internal schematic diagram of the fixing fixture in Embodiment 2 of this application.

[0044] Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the fit between the fixing fixture and the electroplating base in Embodiment 2 of this application.

[0045] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached drawings: 1. Electroplated workpiece; 101. Pattern shallow groove; 2. Fixture base; 201. Base positioning hole; 202. Base through hole; 21. Base sliding rib; 3. Sliding rack; 301. Rack keyway; 31. Rack slide bar; 311. Anti-slip texture; 32. Ferromagnetic block; 4. Fixed gear; 5. Positioning rotating rod; 6. Electroplating fixture; 7. Scanning base; 71. Base magnet; 8. Electroplating base. Detailed Implementation

[0046] The following is in conjunction with the appendix Figure 1-6 This application will be described in further detail.

[0047] Example 1: This application discloses a closed-loop electroplating process for curved plastic shells. (Refer to...) Figure 1 The closed-loop electroplating process for curved plastic shells includes the following steps: Step S1: Create shallow grooves 101 with patterns on the surface of the electroplated workpiece 1.

[0048] The electroplated workpiece 1 is a curved plastic shell workpiece. The patterned shallow groove 101 is located on the curved or uneven surface of the electroplated workpiece 1. The shape of the patterned shallow groove 101 is adapted to the shape of the electroplating pattern so as to accurately form the required electroplating pattern inside the patterned shallow groove 101. Specifically, in the embodiments of this application, refer to Figure 1 The patterned shallow groove 101 is located on the curved surface of the electroplated workpiece 1, and the patterned shallow groove 101 is shaped like an "A" and the center of the patterned shallow groove 101 is surrounded by a closed area of ​​"△".

[0049] The patterned shallow groove 101 is formed using a laser etching process. Based on the electroplating pattern designed with closed characters, a patterned shallow groove 101 is formed on the curved target electroplating area of ​​the electroplated workpiece 1 using a laser beam scanning method, conforming to the shape of the electroplating pattern. The depth of the patterned shallow groove 101 is 0.05 to 0.15 mm to prevent the protective coating from overflowing and to minimize the residue of the stripping solution. Furthermore, the sidewalls of the patterned shallow groove 101 can be tapered at 2 to 5 degrees, and the groove opening is rounded to reduce the sharp edges of the groove opening, making it easier for the protective coating to fully coat the interior of the patterned shallow groove 101.

[0050] During the laser scanning etching process, each area of ​​the patterned shallow groove 101 is etched using multiple laser scans. That is, after the first laser scan produces a complete patterned shallow groove 101 of a certain depth, the entire patterned shallow groove 101 is scanned again until the depth of the patterned shallow groove 101 meets the requirements. Furthermore, between the two laser scans, a laser scan with lower power than the laser etching process is used to remove the carbonized layer inside the patterned shallow groove 101 to ensure the overall forming accuracy and smoothness of the groove walls.

[0051] For example, the initial grooving can be performed using an 8-watt laser power and a scanning speed of 500 mm / s during the first laser scan. Between the first and second laser scans, a low-power 3-watt laser is used to scan the inside of the shallow groove once to remove the carbonized layer generated during the grooving process. The second laser scan uses the same power and speed as the first scan to etch the shallow groove 101 of the pattern to the preset depth.

[0052] After laser etching is completed, the electroplated workpiece 1 is conveyed to a plasma cleaning device via a conveyor belt. Air plasma is introduced to clean the shallow groove 101 of the pattern and the surface of the workpiece, further removing residual carbonized powder and scorch marks. After cleaning, the workpiece is removed and dried to facilitate subsequent processes.

[0053] Step S2: Electroplating is performed on the electroplated workpiece 1 to form a metal coating.

[0054] Before electroplating, the workpiece 1, after laser etching, needs to undergo standard pretreatment for plastic electroplating in this field, including at least: first, degreasing and cleaning with a neutral ultrasonic cleaner, followed by surface roughening treatment with a roughening solution. Then, sensitization and activation processes are sequentially performed to form a uniform activation layer on the surface of the workpiece 1. Next, a conductive substrate is deposited to enable the curved plastic shell material to conduct electricity.

[0055] The electroplated workpiece 1, after the conductive substrate deposition is completed, is placed in a rack electroplating tank for overall electroplating treatment, so that a metal coating is deposited on the surface of the electroplated workpiece 1. The area of ​​the metal coating deposited in the metal coating needs to be larger than the area of ​​the pattern shallow groove 101 to ensure that the interior of the pattern shallow groove 101 is fully electroplated, thereby facilitating the formation of a metal coating that meets the process requirements.

[0056] Step S3: Apply protective coating inside the shallow groove 101 of the pattern.

[0057] A low-viscosity, high-wetting UV-curable protective coating is selected, and a CCD vision-aligned precision screen printing machine is used to accurately screen print the protective coating onto the interior of the shallow pattern groove 101. Through self-leveling technology and the limiting function of the shallow pattern groove 101, the protective coating naturally and completely covers the bottom and walls of the groove 101 without gaps, exposed substrate, or overflowing the groove opening, thus ensuring that the metal plating layer inside the shallow pattern groove 101 is fully covered and protected. After screen printing, the electroplated workpiece 1 is placed in a low-temperature UV curing oven for UV curing treatment, allowing the protective coating to form a stable protective layer inside the shallow pattern groove 101.

[0058] Step S4: Remove the metal plating layer located outside the shallow groove 101 of the pattern.

[0059] The electroplated workpiece 1, after the protective coating has cured, is placed in a temperature-controlled spray stripping machine. A weakly acidic stripping agent suitable for the metal coating is selected and directionally sprayed onto the surface of the electroplated workpiece 1 to remove the metal coating on the outside of the shallow pattern groove 101 that is not covered with protective coating, while retaining the metal coating at the bottom of the shallow pattern groove 101. After stripping, the metal workpiece is rinsed to remove the residual stripping agent on the surface of the metal workpiece, and then dried.

[0060] Step S5: Remove the protective coating inside the shallow groove 101 of the pattern.

[0061] The electroplated workpiece 1, after being stripped and rinsed, is placed in a fully automatic paint stripping and cleaning machine. A weakly alkaline paint stripper, compatible with the plastic shell, is used to immerse the workpiece in the paint stripping process, allowing the protective coating inside the shallow pattern groove 101 to fully swell and peel off. Subsequently, high-pressure pure water is used to precisely spray and rinse the area of ​​the shallow pattern groove 101 to remove any remaining protective coating residue. Finally, the electroplated workpiece 1 is rinsed and dried sequentially, thus completing the electroplating process for the closed plating layer of the entire curved plastic shell, resulting in a closed character metal plating layer with clear boundaries and a complete shape on the curved surface of the plastic shell.

[0062] The implementation principle of the closed plating process for a curved plastic shell in Embodiment 1 of this application is as follows: the patterned shallow groove 101 forms a physical limiting structure that matches the electroplating pattern on the curved surface or drop surface of the curved plastic shell, so that the protective coating can be accurately and fully distributed inside the patterned shallow groove 101. With the sidewall barrier effect of the patterned shallow groove 101, it is beneficial to reduce the problems of protective coating shifting, shrinking, and missing coating during the screen printing process, so as to achieve accurate coverage of the target closed electroplating area by the protective coating.

[0063] Example 2: This application discloses a closed-loop electroplating process for curved plastic shells, which, in addition to all the technical features of Example 1, also includes the following technical features: In both step S1 and step S2, the electroplated workpiece 1 is placed in the same fixed fixture to reduce the number of clamping operations and reduce the occurrence of collisions and scratches during the clamping process.

[0064] Reference Figures 2 to 5 The fixing fixture includes a fixture base 2, a sliding rack 3, a fixed gear 4, a positioning rotating rod 5, and an electroplating fixture 6. The fixture base 2 has two base positioning holes 201, both extending vertically. These positioning holes 201 are compatible with the vertical positioning structures (vertically extendable rods, not shown in the figure) of laser etching equipment and electroplating equipment, providing a precise vertical positioning reference for the installation of the fixing fixture on various devices. This makes the equipment installation and positioning of the fixing fixture easier to align, effectively improving the docking accuracy between the fixture and the equipment.

[0065] The sliding rack 3 is slidably fitted onto the fixture base 2 via the rack slide bar 31. The width of the sliding rack 3 is greater than the width of the rack slide bar 31. The fixture base 2 has two base through holes 202, located at opposite ends of the fixture base 2. The specifications of the base through holes 202 are adapted to the rack slide bar 31 to allow for clearance. The sliding rack 3 has two rack keyways 301 extending through it, distributed along the length of the sliding rack 3. The extending direction of the rack keyways 301 is parallel to the sliding direction of the rack slide bar 31. The sliding rack 3 is mounted to the rack slide bar 31 by bolts passing through the rack keyways 301, allowing for fine-tuning of the position of the sliding rack 3 to accommodate electroplated workpieces 1 of different widths. The conductive electroplating fixture 6 is rotatably engaged with the sliding rack 3 via a rack and pinion slide 31. Damping is provided at the rotatable connection between the electroplating fixture 6 and the rack and pinion slide 31 to prevent the electroplating fixture 6 from rotating under slight external forces. The electroplating fixture 6 is located at the end of the rack and pinion slide 31 to facilitate clamping and fixing the electroplated workpiece 1. When the electroplating process requires placing the electroplated workpiece 1 into the electroplating tank, the electroplating fixture 6 is rotated to the other side to ensure that the electroplated workpiece 1 is in full contact with the electroplating solution.

[0066] Two fixed gears 4 are provided, located on either side of the sliding rack 3. The fixed gears 4 are rotatably engaged with the fixture base 2 and mesh with the sliding rack 3, facilitating synchronous rotation of the two fixed gears 4. Two positioning rods 5 are provided, each corresponding to one of the fixed gears 4. The positioning rods 5 are L-shaped, with one end fixed to the top of the fixed gear 4 by a bolt (not shown in the figure), allowing for adjustment of the initial angle of the positioning rods 5 through disassembly and reassembly. The sliding rack 3 causes the positioning rods 5 to press against the electroplated workpiece 1, thus cooperating with the electroplating fixture 6 to prevent the electroplated workpiece 1 from shaking or shifting before electroplating. Specifically, after the electroplated workpiece 1 is clamped and fixed by the electroplating fixture 6, pulling the sliding rack 3 causes the vertical portions of the two positioning rods 5 to press against both sides of the electroplated workpiece 1.

[0067] Reference Figure 2 and Figure 6The fixture base 2 is slidably fitted with a scanning base 7 and an electroplating base 8 via base sliding ribs 21 on both sides. The scanning base 7 is fixedly installed on the electroplating hanger in step S2 to facilitate electroplating of the workpiece 1. The scanning base 7 is fixedly installed on the laser equipment for laser etching to facilitate precise positioning and processing by the laser equipment. A base magnet 71 is fixedly installed on the scanning base 7. The base magnet 71 is magnetically attracted to the sliding rack 3 via a ferromagnetic block 32 at the end of the rack slide bar 31, so that the sliding rack 3 can be fixed by the attraction and pulling of the base magnet 71, thereby ensuring that the positioning rotating rod 5 is stably attached to the electroplated workpiece 1. The end of the rack slide bar 31 away from the ferromagnetic block 32 is provided with anti-slip texture 311, and the anti-slip texture 311 is also set away from the fixed gear 4 to facilitate manual adjustment of the rack slide bar 31 by the operator when necessary.

[0068] The implementation principle of the closed-loop electroplating process for curved plastic shells in Embodiment 2 of this application is as follows: In both step S1 and step S2, the electroplated workpiece 1 is always clamped in the same fixed fixture, which facilitates the use of the same positioning reference in the laser etching and electroplating pre-process, effectively eliminating the positioning deviation caused by secondary clamping, and matching the etching position of the shallow groove 101 with the deposition positioning height of the metal coating.

[0069] The above are all preferred embodiments of this application, and are not intended to limit the scope of protection of this application. Therefore, all equivalent changes made in accordance with the structure, shape and principle of this application should be covered within the scope of protection of this application.

Claims

1. A closed-loop electroplating process for curved plastic shells, characterized in that: Includes the following steps: Step S1: Set patterned shallow grooves (101) on the surface of the electroplated workpiece (1); The type of the electroplated workpiece (1) is a curved plastic shell workpiece. The patterned shallow groove (101) is located on the curved surface or drop surface of the electroplated workpiece (1). The shape of the patterned shallow groove (101) is adapted to the shape of the electroplating pattern. Step S2: Electroplating is performed on the electroplated workpiece (1) to form a metal coating; The area of ​​the metal coating is larger than the area of ​​the patterned shallow groove (101); Step S3: Apply a protective coating inside the shallow groove (101) of the pattern; The protective coating is fully applied to the interior of the shallow grooves (101) of the pattern; Step S4: Remove the metal plating layer located outside the shallow groove (101) of the pattern; Step S5: Remove the protective coating inside the shallow groove (101) of the pattern.

2. The closed-loop electroplating process for a curved plastic shell according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S1: the depth of the patterned shallow groove (101) is 0.05 to 0.15 mm, and the patterned shallow groove (101) is set by laser etching process.

3. The closed-loop electroplating process for a curved plastic shell according to claim 2, characterized in that: When the pattern shallow grooves (101) are set by laser etching process, each of the pattern shallow grooves (101) is laser scanned at least twice.

4. The closed-loop electroplating process for a curved plastic shell according to claim 3, characterized in that: Between two laser scans, a laser scan with a lower power than the laser etching process is used to remove the carbonized layer inside the shallow grooves (101) of the pattern.

5. The closed-loop electroplating process for a curved plastic shell according to claim 2, characterized in that: In both step S1 and step S2, the electroplated workpiece (1) is placed on the same fixture.

6. The closed-loop electroplating process for a curved plastic shell according to claim 5, characterized in that: The fixing fixture includes a fixture base (2), a sliding rack (3), a fixed gear (4), a positioning rod (5), and an electroplating fixture (6). The sliding rack (3) is slidably fitted to the fixture base (2), the fixed gear (4) is rotatably fitted to the fixture base (2) and meshes with the sliding rack (3), the positioning rod (5) is mounted on the fixed gear (4), and the electroplating fixture (6) is rotatably fitted to the sliding rack (3).

7. The closed-loop electroplating process for a curved plastic shell according to claim 6, characterized in that: The fixture base (2) is slidably adapted to a scanning base (7) and an electroplating base (8). The scanning base (7) is installed on the electroplating hanger for implementing step S2. The scanning base (7) is installed on the laser equipment for implementing the laser etching process. The scanning base (7) is equipped with a base magnet (71), which magnetically engages with the sliding rack (3).

8. The closed-loop electroplating process for a curved plastic shell according to claim 7, characterized in that: The fixture base (2) has a base positioning hole (201) that extends vertically.

9. The closed-loop electroplating process for a curved plastic shell according to claim 6, characterized in that: The sliding rack (3) is slidably fitted to the fixture base (2) via the rack slide rod (31). The sliding rack (3) has a rack keyway (301) through it. The extension direction of the rack keyway (301) is parallel to the sliding direction of the rack slide rod (31). The sliding rack (3) is installed on the rack slide rod (31) by bolts passing through the rack keyway (301).

10. The closed-loop electroplating process for a curved plastic shell according to claim 9, characterized in that: The rack slide bar (31) is provided with anti-slip texture (311), which is located at the end of the rack slide bar (31) away from the fixed gear (4).

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