Electroplating Wheel With Air Gap for Simultaneous Plating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electroplating systems with plating wheels often fail to adequately prevent the electroplating solution from contacting non-plating areas, leading to unwanted plating and require a second plating wheel to coat both sides of a workpiece, increasing complexity, cost, and time.
Innovation Solution
The electroplating system employs a plating wheel with ribs and a flange that create an air gap between the workpiece and the cylindrical wall, allowing the solution to spray radially and enabling simultaneous plating of both sides using a single wheel without a mask.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a mask is used to shield non-plating areas, then plating precision is improved, but device complexity increases and the mask may not adequately seal against the workpiece
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the mask component entirely and replaces it with an air gap created by spacing the cylindrical wall away from the workpiece. This extraction of the mask eliminates the sealing problems and complexity associated with masks while maintaining plating precision through the air gap barrier.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces air as an intermediary substance between the electroplating solution and the non-plating areas. By creating an air gap through spaced cylindrical walls, the air acts as a barrier that prevents solution contact with non-plating areas without requiring a physical mask.
2Productivity
If a second plating wheel is added to plate both sides of the workpiece, then productivity is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cylindrical wall into multiple sections with selective openings. Different sections of the cylindrical wall can be configured with openings at different positions and orientations, allowing the single wheel to plate different areas of the workpiece including both sides through strategic placement and rotation of the wheel.
Solution Approach 2:
The single plating wheel is designed to perform multiple functions by configuring the cylindrical wall with openings that can plate both sides of the workpiece. The wheel can be rotated to present different opening configurations to the workpiece, eliminating the need for a second dedicated plating wheel while maintaining the ability to plate both sides.
3Ease of operation
If the mask is sandwiched between the cylindrical wall and workpiece, then ease of operation is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to inadequate sealing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the mask entirely and replaces it with a spaced cylindrical wall configuration that creates an air gap. This eliminates the sealing issues inherent in sandwiched masks while maintaining ease of operation, as the spaced configuration naturally prevents solution contact without requiring precise mask alignment.
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 configuration effectively prevents unwanted plating on non-plating areas and reduces system complexity and cost by allowing both sides of the workpiece to be plated in a single operation, improving efficiency and reducing plating time.
Implementation Method 1
Electroplating uses electrical current to reduce cations of the desired plate material from an electroplating solution and coat the workpiece with the plate material.
Implementation Method 2
The ribs are configured to engage the workpiece to create an air gap between the workpiece and the exterior face of the cylindrical wall.
Data Source
AI summary
An electroplating system is provided for electroplating a workpiece. The system includes a plating wheel having a side and a cylindrical wall extending from the side. The plating wheel has an interior chamber that at least partially defines a solution chamber that is configured to hold an electroplating solution. The cylindrical wall includes an opening extending through the cylindrical wall into fluid communication with the interior chamber. An external anode is located proximate to and positioned outside the cylindrical wall of the plating wheel to define an electroplating work area therebetween. An internal anode is held within the interior chamber of the plating wheel and positioned to align with the work area.