JPH0521996B2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a barrel plating method and an inner barrel for barrel plating.

[Conventional technology]

Barrel plating is commonly used to nickel and solder plate electrodes of relatively small electronic components such as chip resistors. In the barrel plating method, stainless steel balls are placed in a barrel that rotates in a plating solution to evenly distribute the current to a large number of objects to be plated, and a plating current is passed through the objects to be plated. This is a method in which a large number of the above-mentioned small electronic components as objects to be plated are placed together with a non-conductive ceramic ball for adjustment, and electrical current is applied while stirring in the above-mentioned barrel to perform plating. . The barrel used in the barrel plating method is formed by, for example, covering a hexagonal columnar frame made of a non-conductive Teflon frame with a net made of a non-conductive resin such as Saran resin. An electrode connected to an external power source is provided inside the framework in order to apply a plating current to the plating object placed inside. Usually, the electrode on the barrel side that contacts the object to be plated is used as a cathode, while an anode is placed outside the barrel in the plating solution, and a direct current is passed between the anode and the cathode. Then, the metal ionized in the plating solution is deposited in a thin film on the metal surface of the object to be plated which is electrically connected to the cathode, and the object to be plated is plated. The object to be plated is stirred together with the ceramic ball and the stainless steel ball in a rotating barrel that rotates in the plating solution, and during this time, the object to be plated is in direct contact with the electrode or in contact with the stainless steel ball that has been in contact with the electrode. Therefore, a substantially uniform plating current is applied. As a result, each object to be plated can be plated uniformly.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

By the way, the barrel plating method described above can uniformly plate the same number of small objects to be plated at once, but the number of objects to be plated that should be put into the rotating barrel is It is almost determined by the size of the rotating barrel, and if the amount of material to be plated is too small or too large, the efficiency of the plating process will decrease or it will not be possible to perform the desired plating process. The problem arises that it cannot be done. For this reason, when plating a small amount of products, a method is often adopted in which two or more types of objects to be plated are processed at the same time. However, if two or more types of plating objects are simultaneously fed into the rotating barrel and plated, the optimal plating current may not flow due to differences in shape, etc., and the desired plating process may not be achieved. It may not be possible to do so. In such a case, even if a small amount of the object to be plated is required, a larger quantity than necessary must be processed to fit the size of the rotating barrel, which increases costs. There was a problem that it was not possible to cope with low-volume, high-mix production. In addition, when processing two or more types of objects to be plated by putting them into one rotating barrel,
After the plating process, the two types of objects to be plated have to be sorted out, which causes a problem in that the work efficiency of the plating process is reduced. The present invention was devised under the above-mentioned circumstances, and solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and allows a small amount of plating objects to be plated at the same time as ordinary plating objects under desired conditions. The object of the present invention is to provide a barrel plating method that can perform plating processing and that does not require post-processing sorting even when two or more types of objects to be plated are processed at the same time, and an apparatus for use in the method. .

[Means to solve the problem]

The present invention takes the following technical measures to solve the above-mentioned problems. That is, the invention stated in claim 1 of the present application is
In the barrel plating method, in which the object to be plated is put into a rotating barrel that rotates in a plating solution, the object to be plated is directly put into the rotating barrel, and a different type of object to be plated is also added. The object is housed in an inner barrel made of a non-conductive material and equipped with an electrode that conducts between the outer surface and the inside, and a communication part through which the plating liquid can go in and out of the inside, and the inner barrel is rotated as described above. It is characterized in that by charging the plating object directly into the rotating barrel and the different type of plating object housed in the inner barrel at the same time by charging the plating object into the barrel in an idle state. . The invention described in claim 2 of the present application is an invention of an inner barrel suitable for use in the barrel plating method of claim 1, which accommodates a plating object and rotates in a plating solution. The inner barrel for barrel plating is inserted into a rotating barrel in a floating state, and has a ball-shaped form made of a non-conductive material and can be opened and closed, and is housed inside around the periphery of the opening and closing joint. It is characterized by being provided with a removable electrode that connects the outer surface and the interior in order to energize the plating object, and also having a communication portion through which the plating liquid can enter and exit the interior.

[Operation and effects of the invention]

In the present invention, together with the plating target directly charged into the rotating barrel, a different type of plating target is housed in the inner barrel and is charged into the rotating barrel, and the directly charged plating target and the inner plating target are charged into the rotating barrel. The present invention relates to a method of simultaneously plating the above-mentioned different types of plating objects housed in a barrel, and an apparatus used in the method. In conventional barrel plating methods, it was necessary to process a number of objects to be plated, which was determined by the size of the barrel. Furthermore, when two or more types of objects to be plated are input, it is not possible to set conditions suitable for each object to be plated, so that it may not be possible to perform the desired plating process. In the barrel plating method according to the present invention, a normal plating object is charged into a rotating barrel, and a different type of plating object is placed between electrodes made of a non-conductive material and electrically connected between the outer surface and the inside. The plating solution is housed in an inner barrel having a communication portion through which the plating liquid can enter and exit, and the inner barrel is inserted into the rotating barrel in an idle state. The inner barrel, which accommodates the different types of objects to be plated and is introduced into the rotating barrel, is made of a non-conductive material such as Teflon, and is equipped with an electrode for energizing the objects to be plated housed inside. , and also includes a communication portion through which plating liquid can enter and exit the interior. The inner barrel is directly put into the rotating barrel, and the object to be plated is stirred in the rotating barrel and immersed in the plating solution, so that the outer part of the electrode is attached to the electrode inside the rotating barrel. or contact a stainless steel ball that is in contact with the electrode. As a result, a plating current flows to a different type of plating object housed inside the inner barrel, and the plating process is performed. As a result, it is possible to process a desired quantity of different types of plating objects at the same time as normal plating objects, and the ratio of ceramic balls and stainless steel balls fed into the inner barrel can be controlled by rotating the outside of the inner barrel. Since the ratio of ceramic balls and stainless steel balls charged into the barrel can be varied, the plating current applied to a different type of plating object housed inside the inner barrel can be directly supplied to the rotating barrel. It is possible to set a value different from that of the plating target, and to perform the desired plating process on the plating target directly fed into the rotating barrel and on a different type of plating target stored in the inner barrel. becomes possible. As a result, production efficiency in low-volume, high-mix production can be greatly increased, and experiments and
It also has the effect of being able to handle small-scale processing of sample products, etc., and greatly promoting technological development. In addition, in conventional processing methods, when processing two or more types of plating objects by putting them into a rotating barrel, it is necessary to sort out the two or more types of plating objects after processing, For this reason, there was a problem that the efficiency of plating work was reduced. In the present invention, since processing is performed with different types of objects to be plated housed in the inner barrel, there is no need to sort out objects to be plated after processing as in the past, dramatically improving work efficiency. can be improved. Further, the present invention can be implemented very easily and at low cost by simply preparing the above-mentioned inner barrel without making any modification to the existing barrel plating device. The invention set forth in claim 2 of the present application relates to an inner barrel for use in the above-mentioned barrel plating method. The inner barrel has a ball-shaped form made of a non-conductive material such as Teflon, so when it is thrown into the rotating barrel, it is conveniently stirred with stainless steel balls and ceramic balls, and when it is directly thrown into the rotating barrel, it is heated. The accumulating objects accommodated in the inner barrel are also conveniently stirred inside, while the processing of the objects is not affected. In addition, the inner barrel is equipped with a communication part through which the plating solution can enter and exit the inner barrel, so that the plating solution can be sufficiently distributed inside the inner barrel, and the plating solution with high ion concentration can be transferred to each part. It can be brought into even contact with the object to be plated. Note that the communication portion can also be provided by forming a slit or a net-like opening in the outer shell of the inner barrel that communicates with the inside. An electrode for energizing the plating object housed inside is removably provided at the periphery of the opening/closing joint of the shell wall of the inner barrel. Therefore, it is possible to change the number of attached electrodes or to employ electrodes with various current capacities. Therefore, depending on the number of electrodes installed or the setting of the electric capacity, etc., different processing conditions may be applied to the plating target placed directly into the rotating barrel and a different type of plating target housed in the inner barrel. It becomes easier to set the settings, and plating can be performed under optimal processing conditions according to each of the objects to be plated.

[Explanation of Examples]

Embodiments of the present invention will be specifically described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing the outline of a barrel plating device. As shown in this figure, a general barrel plating apparatus 1 includes a plating tank 3 filled with a plating solution 2, an anode 5 immersed in the plating solution 2, and a plating tank 3 filled with a plating solution 2; A current is applied between a rotating barrel 6 that rotates while accommodating the plating object 4 and has a cathode 12 introduced therein, a drive device 7 that rotates the rotating barrel 6, and the anode 5 and cathode 12. A DC power supply 8 for supplying current is provided. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the rotating barrel 6 used in the barrel plating apparatus 1 has a hexagonal columnar frame 9 made of a non-conductive material such as Teflon, and a non-conductive saran plate. It is formed by stretching a net 10 made of a material such as resin. and,
The shaft is immersed in the plating solution 2 filled in the plating tank 3 with its central axis in the horizontal direction, and is rotatably supported by brackets 20 on both sides of the hexagonal shape, while extending from one side. A drive chain 21 is connected between the sprocket 22 provided on the external drive device 7 and the sprocket 11 provided on the external drive device 7.
is being passed around. Inside the rotating barrel 6, an internal electrode 12 as a cathode for passing a current through the plating object 4 inserted directly into the rotating barrel 6 is inserted into an electrode insertion hole 23 on the side surface of the rotating barrel 6. The internal electrode 12
is connected to the cathode of an external DC power source 8 via the electrode insertion hole 23 and the bracket 20.
The rotating barrel 6 is operated by the driving device 7 while passing a current through the object 4 housed therein.
The plating object 4 is rotated by the plating object 4 and processed while stirring it. Normally, in order to adjust the plating current flowing through the plating object 4 and distribute it evenly, the conductive stainless steel ball 14 of the non-conductive ceramic ball 13 is attached to the plating object 4 as well as the plating object 4. It is thrown into the rotating barrel 6. The plating object 4 is placed together with the ceramic ball 13 and the stainless steel ball 14 in the rotating barrel.
The plating object 4 is stirred in the plating solution 2 by the rotation of the rotating barrel 6, and the object 4 to be plated directly contacts the internal electrode 12 provided inside the rotating barrel 6, or By contacting the stainless steel ball 14, a plating current is caused to flow. Due to the stirring caused by the rotation of the rotating barrel 6, the current flowing through each plating object 4 becomes uniform, and each plating object 4 is subjected to a uniform plating process. Conventionally, when performing barrel plating, the only method available was to directly put the plating object 4 into the rotating barrel 6. It was necessary to process the plating object 4. Further, when two or more types of objects to be plated are input, it is not possible to set the optimum conditions for each object to be plated, so that it may not be possible to perform the desired plating process. In the barrel plating method of this embodiment, a normal plating object 4 is directly charged into the rotating barrel 6, and a different type of plating object 4a is accommodated in the inner barrel 17 and placed inside the rotating barrel 6. Inject in idle state. Inner barrel 17 that accommodates the different type of plating object 4a and is introduced into rotating barrel 6
is made of a non-conductive material such as Teflon, and has a different type of plating object 4a housed inside.
The plating solution 2 is provided with an electrode 15 for energizing, and a communication portion 16 through which the plating solution 2 can enter and exit the plating solution.
By directly putting the inner barrel 17 into the rotating barrel 6 and stirring it together with the plating object 4 in the plating solution 2, the outer part 15a of the electrode 15 exposed to the outside of the inner barrel becomes It directly contacts the internal electrode 12 provided inside the rotating barrel 6, or contacts the stainless steel ball 14 that is in contact with the internal electrode 12. This causes the inner part 1 of the electrode 15 to be attached to another type of plating object 4a housed inside the inner barrel 17.
5b or indirectly through the stainless steel ball 14a inserted into the inner barrel 17, a plating current is applied and the plating process is performed. Therefore, it is possible to perform plating on a small amount of a different type of plating object 4a at the same time as the normal plating object 4, and to control the ratio of ceramic balls 13a and stainless steel balls 14a charged into the inner barrel 17. , since the ratio of ceramic balls 13 and stainless steel balls 14 thrown into the rotating barrel 6 on the outside of the inner barrel can be made different.
It becomes possible to set the plating flow flowing to the different type of plating object 4a housed inside the inner barrel 17 to a value different from that of the plating object 4 directly introduced into the rotating barrel 6, and the above-mentioned rotating barrel 6
It becomes possible to perform a desired plating process on each of the object to be plated 4 directly thrown into the plating apparatus and the object to be plated of another type 4a housed in the inner barrel 17. As a result, it is possible to significantly increase production efficiency in low-volume, high-mix production, and also to support small-volume processing of experiments, sample products, etc., and has the effect of greatly promoting technological development. In addition, in the conventional processing method, when processing is performed by directly feeding two or more types of plating objects into the rotating barrel 6, the two or more types of plating objects must be sorted after processing. Therefore, there was a problem that the work efficiency of the plating work was reduced. In this embodiment, a different type of plating object 4a
Processing is performed while the material is housed in the inner barrel, that is, it is directly thrown into the rotating barrel 6 and separated from the target object 4. There is no need to sort and separate the plating object 4 from the plating object 4a of a different type, and work efficiency can be dramatically improved. FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 show an embodiment of the invention set forth in claim 2 of the present application. Inner barrel 1 of this embodiment
7 is made of a non-conductive material such as Teflon, and has a ball-shaped form that allows the upper and lower shell walls 18a, 18b to be opened and closed in half, and the upper and lower shell walls 18a, 18b
is joined to be able to open and close freely at the appropriate peripheral edge of the opening/closing joint, while on the opposite side to the rotating joint,
A locking mechanism 19 having a fixing screw is provided to prevent the shell walls 18a, 18b from opening during the plating process. Since the inner barrel 17 has a ball-like shape, when it is put into the rotating barrel 6, it is conveniently mixed with the object 4, the stainless steel balls 14, and the ceramic balls 13 that are directly put therein. Further, the object to be stirred 4a housed in the inner barrel 17 is also conveniently stirred inside. In addition, the inner barrel 1 of this example
7 is formed so that it can be opened and closed in half, but opening and closing joints may be formed in parts of the shell walls 18a and 18b. In the inner barrel 17, holes communicating with the inside are formed in appropriate parts of the shell walls 18a and 18b in order to bring the different type of plating object 4a housed inside into sufficient contact with the plating solution 2. A communication portion 16 is provided. This allows the plating solution to freely flow in and out, and a plating solution with a high ionic concentration is supplied to the interior of the inner barrel. The communication part 16
This can be provided by forming slit-like or net-like openings in the shell walls 18a, 18b of the inner barrel 17 that communicate with the inside. The electrode 15 is opened and closed in half of the inner barrel 17 to provide electrical continuity between the outer surface and the inside of the inner barrel in order to energize the different type of plating object 4a housed inside the inner barrel 17. Upper and lower shell walls 18
Upper and lower shell walls 1 are attached to the periphery of the opening/closing joints of a and 18b.
It is removably provided so as to be sandwiched between 8a and 18b. Therefore, by changing the number of these electrodes 15 according to the different types of plating objects 4a accommodated inside, it is possible to make the electrodes optimal for different types of plating objects 4a accommodated in the inner barrel 17. It becomes possible to flow a licking current. For this reason, even by adjusting the electrode 15, different processing conditions can be set for the plating object 4 directly thrown into the rotating barrel 6 and the different type of plating object 4a accommodated in the inner barrel. This makes it possible to perform plating under optimal processing conditions depending on each of the objects 4, 4a to be plated. The scope of the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments. In this example, the method according to the present invention was applied to a barrel plating device equipped with a rotating barrel in the shape of a hexagonal column, but the method according to the present invention can also be applied to a barrel plating device equipped with a rotating barrel having another shape. can do. Further, the size and quantity of the ceramic balls 13 and stainless steel balls 14 in the embodiment can be changed as appropriate depending on the object to be plated. Further, although two electrodes are provided at the opening/closing joint of the inner barrel, the electrodes can be increased or decreased as needed. Further, in this embodiment, a single inner barrel 17 is inserted into the rotating barrel 6, but a plurality of inner barrels can also be inserted to process a plurality of different types of objects to be plated.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing the outline of a barrel plating device in which the present invention is used, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the rotating barrel in the direction perpendicular to the axis, and FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of the inner barrel of the present invention. be. 2... Plating solution, 4... Plating object, 4a... Different type of plating object, 6... Rotating barrel, 15... Electrode, 16... Communication portion, 17... Inner barrel.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A barrel plating method in which an object to be plated is put into a rotating barrel rotating in a plating solution and plated, wherein the object to be plated is directly thrown into the rotating barrel, and Further, another type of plating object is housed in an inner barrel made of a non-conductive material, equipped with an electrode that conducts between the outer surface and the inside, and a communicating part through which the plating liquid can enter and exit the inside. By inserting this inner barrel into the rotating barrel in an idle state, the plating object directly introduced into the rotating barrel and the different type of plating object housed in the inner barrel are simultaneously plated. A barrel plating method characterized by applying. 2. An inner barrel for barrel plating that accommodates the object to be plated and is inserted in a floating state into a rotating barrel that rotates in a plating solution, and is in the form of a ball that can be opened and closed and made of a non-conductive material. An electrode is removably provided on the periphery of the opening/closing joint to provide electrical continuity between the outer surface and the interior in order to energize the plating object housed inside, and the plating liquid can flow in and out of the interior. An inner barrel for barrel plating, characterized by having a communication part.