Electrolysis: processes – compositions used therein – and methods – Electrolytic coating – Involving measuring – analyzing – or testing
Patent
1992-06-18
1994-03-08
Valentine, Donald R.
Electrolysis: processes, compositions used therein, and methods
Electrolytic coating
Involving measuring, analyzing, or testing
205 96, C25D 2112, C25D 1900
Patent
active
052924246
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The invention relates, first, to a method for controlling the work cycle of horizontal, continuously running, electroplating plants, in which the parts to be electroplated, especially plateshaped parts, pass through the plant one after another and are electroplated by means of currents emanating from anodes. In horizontal, continuously operating plants, which are used in particular for the electroplating of printed circuit boards, it is possible for any number of reasons that the individual parts to be electroplated are not conveyed through the plant one immediately after the other, but instead with varying intervals between them. If the interval between the parts is greater than that provided for, the lines of electric force emanating from the anodes which are ordinarily disposed above and below this conveying path become concentrated at the corresponding front edges of the parts which are passing through the plant. This concentration of the lines of force causes a heavier deposition of the metal to be applied by electroplating, in the form of so-called "buds" or in a columnar form. Parts with such buds or columns, for example the above-mentioned printed circuit boards, are at the very least of a much lower quality, if not completely unusable. The removal of such buds or columns from electroplated components is costly and always involves the risk of damaging the plated coating applied to other areas of the part.
In accordance with this the objective of the invention consists of in so improving a method for controlling the work cycle of horizontal, continuously running, electroplating plants that even if the parts to be electroplated follow each other with undesirable intervals between them, undesirable heavier deposits on the affected front faces or edges of the parts are prevented or are at least reduced to a harmless value.
The means by which this objective is achieved are characterized by the fact that the positions of the parts (1) passing through the plant one after another and/or the intervals (a.sub.1, a.sub.2) between these parts is detected, and that the delivery of the electroplating current is so adjusted by the switching on and off of the anodes (4, 7) adapted to these positions and/or intervals, that the flux density on all regions of the parts (1) is roughly equal. All deviations of the position of the parts to be electroplated from the positions which the parts must have with regard to the arrangement and layout of the electroplating plant can be detected in this way. Based on the above-mentioned deviations, which usually take the form of relatively large, unacceptable intervals between the parts as they follow each other, the anodes of the electroplating plant are switched on and off in such a way that despite the described deviations, the lines of force emanating from the anodes to the parts for electroplating have roughly the same flux density. This prevents a damaging concentration of lines of force and the heavier deposits (buds, etc.) resulting therefrom.
A further objective of the invention is to provide an arrangement which serves to implement the method of the invention.
The arrangement characterized by the fact that provided above and below each anode (4, 7) are sensors, detectors, optical means or like detecting means (11) for checking the plane (2) of conveyance of the parts (1) for the presence (or absence) of parts to be electroplated, and that the means of detection, in a control connection with the current supply to the aforesaid anodes, switch these anodes on and off as required, is provided here for this purpose. Such means of detection are already known. They can be used in the required manner, and especially at the required locations, and further, can be placed at the necessary electrical connection with the electrical means which turns the anodes on and off.
As an alternative to the arrangement described above, an arrangement characterized by the fact that the means of detection (12) is provided at a specified location in the plant, preferably at the location where the
REFERENCES:
patent: 4240881 (1980-12-01), Stanya
patent: 4534832 (1985-08-01), Doiron, Jr.
patent: 5084153 (1992-01-01), Mosse et al.
Blasing Horst
Maurer Manfred
Schroder Rolf
Atotech Deutschland GmbH
Valentine Donald R.
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