Electroplating Vessel Overflow Rinsing Organic Contaminants

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Solution Overview

Problem

In electroplating processes, organic compounds in plating bath solutions tend to rise and climb up the reservoir walls, leading to concentration imbalances and extended downtime for dilution and removal, which current methods fail to address effectively.

Innovation Solution

The electroplating apparatus features a vessel design with a conveyance apparatus that pumps the plating solution over the top rim and onto the inner walls, creating a flow to rinse organic species back into the tank, maintaining concentration within specified limits, using a pipe or nozzle bar with openings to direct the solution flow effectively.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If organic compounds are added to plating bath to meet EPA requirements, then plating quality is improved, but organics climb up reservoir walls causing concentration imbalance

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveplating qualityVSAvoidorganic concentration

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of trying to prevent organics from climbing up the walls, the invention inverts the approach by allowing organics to climb and then using gravity-driven overflow to wash them back down. The reservoir is designed with an overflow mechanism where excess liquid containing washed-down organics flows out, creating a continuous circulation that maintains concentration balance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The system uses the organic compounds themselves as part of the washing mechanism. As organics climb the walls, they are naturally washed down by the overflow liquid, and this self-cleaning process maintains the proper concentration without requiring external intervention or additional chemicals.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Quantity of substance

If organics wash back down into plating chemistry, then concentration increases above upper specification limit, but removing excess organics requires extended downtime

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveorganic concentrationVSAvoiddowntime

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The overflow mechanism operates continuously to wash down organics as they climb, maintaining concentration within specification limits without interruption. This continuous action eliminates the need for periodic shutdowns to perform dummy plating or dilution, thereby eliminating extended downtime while maintaining proper organic concentration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Stability of the object's composition

If dummy plating is used to consume organics and dilute bath, then organic concentration is reduced below upper limit, but this does not eliminate the fundamental climbing problem

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveorganic concentrationVSAvoidorganic climbing

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The invention converts the harmful effect of organics climbing walls into a beneficial washing mechanism. The climbing organics are naturally washed down by the overflow liquid, and this continuous washing process actually helps maintain concentration balance. The harmful climbing behavior becomes part of the self-regulating mechanism that prevents excess concentration buildup.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

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 solution prevents organic compounds from climbing the reservoir walls and ensures continuous rinsing, maintaining the concentration of organic species within the plating solution within upper and lower specification limits, thereby reducing downtime and product defects.

Implementation Method 1

a means for preventing an organic species of the solution from wicking up inner wall surfaces of the vessel toward the top rim

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Implementation Method 2

a pump connected to the pipe for pumping liquid solution in the pipe through the opening

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPumping: Pump

Data Source

PatentUS10718062B2Prevent and remove organics from reservoir wells

Publication Date: 2020.07.21 INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINE CORPORATION

AI summary

Plating bath and well structures and methods are described to stop the organic compounds present in plating reservoir wells or bath solution from rising, i.e., climbing up the reservoir wall. An electroplating apparatus includes a vessel holding a liquid solution including metal plating material and an organic species, and a method of operating an electroplating apparatus. The apparatus is designed with plating bath and structures and methods to stop the organic compounds present in plating reservoir wells or bath solution from rising, i.e., climbing or wicking up the inner surfaces of reservoir walls, and to wash them back down on a continuous or cyclical basis in order to maintain a concentration of organic compounds in the plating solution within upper and lower specification limits.