Aluminium Strip Degreasing Medium for Stable Electro-Chemical Graining
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing manufacturing speed in the surface roughening of lithographic printing strips and sheets results in insufficient removal of contaminants by sodium hydroxide pre-treatment, leading to unstable electro-chemical graining and surface defects, while traditional methods require high facility equipment expenses and time.
Innovation Solution
A surface conditioning method for aluminum alloy strips using a degreasing medium with 1.5-3% sodium tripolyphosphate, 3-10% sodium gluconate, 3-8% non-ionic and anionic surfactants, and 0.5-70% soda, with added sodium hydroxide at 0.01-5% concentration, enhancing pickling rate and allowing faster electro-chemical graining with improved surface quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If the manufacturing speed in surface roughening is increased, then productivity improves, but the pre-treatment with sodium hydroxide becomes insufficient to remove all contaminants, leading to unstable electro-chemical graining and surface defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the chemical composition parameters of the pre-treatment medium by adding sodium hydroxide (0.01-5% by weight) to the existing degreasing medium containing sodium tripolyphosphate, sodium gluconate, and surfactants. This parameter change enables the medium to effectively remove contaminants even at high manufacturing speeds, resolving the contradiction between productivity and surface quality
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite cleaning medium by combining multiple chemical agents: degreasing agents (sodium tripolyphosphate, sodium gluconate, surfactants) with pickling agents (sodium hydroxide). This composite formulation provides both degreasing and pickling functions in a single medium, enabling effective contaminant removal at high speeds while maintaining surface quality
2Manufacturing precision
If traditional two-step degreasing and pickling methods are used, then surface cleaning effectiveness is maintained, but facility equipment expenses and process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the traditionally separate degreasing and pickling processes into a single integrated process by formulating a unified medium that contains both degreasing agents (sodium tripolyphosphate, sodium gluconate, surfactants) and pickling agents (sodium hydroxide). This eliminates the need for separate facility equipment and process steps while maintaining cleaning effectiveness
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a multi-functional medium that simultaneously performs degreasing, emulsification, and pickling functions. The medium contains surfactants for emulsification, chelating agents for metal ion binding, and hydroxide for pickling, making it a universal solution that replaces multiple specialized processes
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This method enables higher manufacturing speeds with stable electro-chemical graining results and reduced facility equipment costs, achieving finer and more homogeneous graining structures for improved printing characteristics.
Implementation Method 1
the aqueous degreasing medium contains 1,5 to 3 % by weight of a composite of 5 - 40 % sodium tripolyphosphate, 3 - 10 % sodium gluconate
Implementation Method 2
3 - 8 % of a composite of non-ionic and anionic surfactants
Implementation Method 3
sodium hydroxide is added to the aqueous degreasing medium such that the concentration of sodium hydroxide in the aqueous degreasing medium is 0,01 to 5 % by weight and wherein the degreasing medium has an increased pickling rate
Implementation Method 4
electro-chemical graining is herein further called surface roughening process of litho-strips
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The invention relates to a method of conditioning the surface of a work piece, in particular of a litho-strip or litho-sheet, consisting of an aluminium alloy. The object of the invention to provide a method for conditioning the surface of a work piece and a work piece consisting of an aluminium alloy enabling an increasing manufacturing speed in surface roughening while maintaining a high quality of the electro-chemical grained surface of the work piece with relative low effort related to facility equipment, is solved in that the method of conditioning comprises at least the step of degreasing the surface of the work piece with a degreasing medium, wherein the aqueous degreasing medium contains at least 1,5 to 3 % by weight of a composite of 5 - 40 % sodium tripolyphosphate, 3 - 10 % sodium gluconate, 3 - 8 % of a composite of non-ionic and anionic surfactants and optionally 0,5 to 70 % soda, preferably 30 - 70 % soda, wherein sodium hydroxide is added to the aqueous degreasing medium such that the concentration of sodium hydroxide in the aqueous degreasing medium is 0,01 to 5 % by weight, preferably 0,1 to 1,5 % by weight, more preferably 1 to 2,5 % per weight.