U.S. patent application number 15/080982 was filed with the patent office on 2017-09-28 for brochette system and method for metal plating.
This patent application is currently assigned to Messier-Bugatti-Dowty SA. The applicant listed for this patent is Messier-Bugatti-Dowty SA. Invention is credited to Edgar Ricardo Guadarrama Calderon, Louis Enrique Ortega Ortega, Edgar David Tamayo Garcia.
Application Number | 20170275775 15/080982 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 58412980 |
Filed Date | 2017-09-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20170275775 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Guadarrama Calderon; Edgar Ricardo
; et al. |
September 28, 2017 |
BROCHETTE SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR METAL PLATING
Abstract
A method of metal plating components includes placing a
component and a spacer on a brochette, placing the brochette with
the component and the spacer on a structure, and placing the
structure with the brochette into a metal plating tank having a
metal plating solution such that the component is submersed in the
metal plating solution. The spacer is configured to mask a portion
of the least one component and the component and the spacer are
arranged on the brochette such that the spacer prevents the portion
of the component from being contacted by the metal plating
solution. The method also includes metal plating a surface of the
component submersed in the metal plating solution, removing the
structure with the brochette from the metal plating solution,
drying the component on the brochette, and removing the dried
component and the spacer from the brochette. Metal plating systems
are also provided.
Inventors: |
Guadarrama Calderon; Edgar
Ricardo; (Queretaro, MX) ; Ortega Ortega; Louis
Enrique; (Queretaro, MX) ; Tamayo Garcia; Edgar
David; (Queretaro, MX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty SA |
Velizy-Villacoublay |
|
FR |
|
|
Assignee: |
Messier-Bugatti-Dowty SA
Velizy-Villacoublay
FR
|
Family ID: |
58412980 |
Appl. No.: |
15/080982 |
Filed: |
March 25, 2016 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C25F 1/00 20130101; C25D
17/08 20130101; C25D 5/022 20130101; C25D 5/04 20130101; C25D 5/34
20130101; C25D 7/04 20130101; C25D 17/008 20130101 |
International
Class: |
C25D 5/02 20060101
C25D005/02; C25F 1/00 20060101 C25F001/00; C25D 7/04 20060101
C25D007/04; C25D 17/08 20060101 C25D017/08; C25D 5/04 20060101
C25D005/04; C25D 5/34 20060101 C25D005/34 |
Claims
1. A method of metal plating components, comprising: placing at
least one component and at least one spacer on a brochette, wherein
the at least one spacer is configured to mask a portion of the
least one component; placing the brochette with the at least one
component and the at least one spacer on a structure; placing the
structure with the brochette into a metal plating tank having a
metal plating solution such that the at least one component is
submersed in the metal plating solution, wherein the at least one
component and the at least one spacer are arranged on the brochette
such that the at least one spacer prevents the portion of the at
least one component from being contacted by the metal plating
solution; metal plating at least one surface of the at least one
component submersed in the metal plating solution; and removing the
structure with the brochette from the metal plating solution.
2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: drying the at least
one component on the brochette; and removing the dried at least one
component and the at least one spacer from the brochette.
3. The method of claim 1, further comprising: placing the structure
with the brochette into a cleaning tank having a cleaning solution
such that the at least one component is submersed in the cleaning
solution before placing the structure into the metal plating
tank.
4. The method of claim 3, wherein the at least one component and
the at least one spacer are arranged on the brochette such that the
at least one spacer prevents the portion of the at least one
component from being contacted by the cleaning solution.
5. The method of claim 1, further comprising: rotating the
brochette with the at least one component while the at least one
component is submersed in the metal plating solution.
6. The method of claim 5, wherein the structure comprises a
brochette rotation system configured to rotate the brochette with
the at least one component while the at least one component is
submersed in the metal plating solution.
7. The method of claim 6, wherein the structure comprises at least
one support interface configured to be placed on a support
structure above the metal plating tank while the at least one
component is submersed in the metal plating solution.
8. The method of claim 1, further comprising: providing an
electrical charge to the at least one component while the at least
one component is submersed in the metal plating solution via the at
least one support interface, from the structure to the brochette
via a contact point between the structure and the brochette, and
from the brochette to the at least one component.
9. The method of claim 1, wherein placing the at least one
component and the at least one spacer on the brochette comprises
placing the at least one component and the at least one spacer
between fasteners on the brochette.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising: applying a
compressive force to the at least one component and the at least
one spacer on the brochette between the fasteners.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein placing the at least one
component and the at least one spacer on the brochette comprises
placing the brochette through a bore of the at least one component
and a bore of the at least one spacer.
12. The method of claim 11, wherein placing the at least one
component and the at least one spacer on the brochette further
comprises placing a conical section of the spacer into the bore of
the at least one component.
13. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one component
comprises a plurality of components.
14. The method of claim 13, wherein two of the plurality of
components have one or more of different sizes or different
shapes.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the plurality of components
comprises a first component having a first surface and a second
component having a second surface.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein placing the at least one
component and the at least one spacer on the brochette comprises
placing the first component and the second component on the
brochette with the first surface facing the second surface.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein the placement of the first
component and the second component on the brochette with the first
surface facing the second surface is configured to prevent the
first surface and the second surface from being contacted by the
metal plating solution while the first and second components are
submersed in the metal plating solution.
18. A system for holding at least one component during a metal
plating process, wherein a portion of the at least one component is
not to be plated during the metal plating process, the system
comprising: a brochette configured to have the at least one
component placed thereon; at least one spacer configured to be
placed on the brochette and to mask the portion of the least one
component; and a structure configured to hold the brochette with
the at least one component and the at least one spacer; wherein the
at least one spacer is configured to be arranged on the brochette
such that, when the structure with the brochette is placed into a
metal plating tank having a metal plating solution such that the at
least one component is submersed in the metal plating solution, the
at least one spacer prevents the portion of the at least one
component from being contacted by the metal plating solution.
19. The system of claim 18, further comprising: a brochette
rotation system configured to rotate the brochette with the at
least one component while the at least one component is submersed
in the metal plating solution.
20. The system of claim 18, further comprising: fasteners
configured to exert a compressive force on the at least one
component and the at least one spacer on the brochette when the at
least one component and the at least one spacer are located between
the fasteners on the brochette.
Description
BACKGROUND
[0001] Metal plating is a process of depositing a metallic material
on a surface of an object. Metal plating can change the
characteristics of the surface of the object, such as increasing
corrosion resistance, increasing surface hardness, increasing or
decreasing surface friction, increasing or decreasing surface
adhesiveness, increasing aesthetic value, and the like. Many
methods have been developed for metal plating, including
electroplating and electroless plating. In electroplating, a
substrate is provided with an ionic metal and electrons are
supplied to cause a film of non-ionic metal to form on the
substrate. In electroless plating, the substrate is placed in an
aqueous solution where several simultaneous reactions occur without
the use of external electrical power to cause a layer of metal to
form on the substrate.
[0002] Existing metal plating processes are time-consuming and
hazardous. Some existing metal plating processes require
significant amounts of manual labor for preparation of components
to be plated and for finishing the plated components. The
preparation and finishing of these components in the existing metal
plating processes require manual work by a technician on each
component, taking large amounts of time for the labor and exposing
the technician to hazardous materials used during the preparation
and finishing of the components.
SUMMARY
[0003] Various examples of the present disclosure provide methods
of metal plating that address, among other things, the extraneous
manual labor and harmful solutions needed in the finishing process
of the prior art metal plating techniques.
[0004] In one embodiment, a method of metal plating components
includes placing at least one component and at least one spacer on
a brochette, placing the brochette with the at least one component
and the at least one spacer on a structure, and placing the
structure with the brochette into a metal plating tank having a
metal plating solution such that the at least one component is
submersed in the metal plating solution. The at least one spacer is
configured to mask a portion of the least one component. The at
least one component and the at least one spacer are arranged on the
brochette such that the at least one spacer prevents the portion of
the at least one component from being contacted by the metal
plating solution. The method further includes metal plating at
least one surface of the at least one component submersed in the
metal plating solution, removing the structure with the brochette
from the metal plating solution, drying the at least one component
on the brochette, and removing the dried at least one component and
the at least one spacer from the brochette.
[0005] In one example, the method further includes placing the
structure with the brochette into a cleaning tank having a cleaning
solution such that the at least one component is submersed in the
cleaning solution before placing the structure into the metal
plating tank. In another example, the at least one component and
the at least one spacer are arranged on the brochette such that the
at least one spacer prevents the portion of the at least one
component from being contacted by the cleaning solution.
[0006] In another example, the method further includes rotating the
brochette with the at least one component while the at least one
component is submersed in the metal plating solution. In another
example, the structure comprises a brochette rotation system
configured to rotate the brochette with the at least one component
while the at least one component is submersed in the metal plating
solution.
[0007] In another example, the method further includes providing an
electrical charge to the at least one component while the at least
one component is submersed in the metal plating solution. In
another example, the structure comprises at least one support hook
configured to be placed on a support structure above the metal
plating tank while the at least one component is submersed in the
metal plating solution. In another example, providing the
electrical charge to the at least one component comprises providing
the electrical charge from the support structure to the structure
via the at least one support hook, from the structure to the
brochette via a contact point between the structure and the
brochette, and from the brochette to the at least one
component.
[0008] In another example, placing the at least one component and
the at least one spacer on the brochette comprises placing the at
least one component and the at least one spacer between fasteners
on the brochette. In another example, the method further includes
applying a compressive force to the at least one component and the
at least one spacer on the brochette between the fasteners.
[0009] In another example, placing the at least one component and
the at least one spacer on the brochette comprises placing the
brochette through a bore of the at least one component and a bore
of the at least one spacer. In another example, placing the at
least one component and the at least one spacer on the brochette
further comprises placing a conical section of the spacer into the
bore of the at least one component.
[0010] In another example, the at least one component comprises a
plurality of components. In another example, two of the plurality
of components have one or more of different sizes or different
shapes. In another example, the plurality of components comprises a
first component having a first surface and a second component
having a second surface. In another example, placing the at least
one component and the at least one spacer on the brochette
comprises placing the first component and the second component on
the brochette with the first surface facing the second surface. In
another example, the placement of the first component and the
second component on the brochette with the first surface facing the
second surface is configured to prevent the first surface and the
second surface from being contacted by the metal plating solution
while the first and second components are submersed in the metal
plating solution.
[0011] In another embodiment, a system for holding at least one
component during a metal plating process includes a brochette
configured to have the at least one component placed thereon, at
least one spacer configured to be placed on the brochette and to
mask a portion of the least one component, and a structure
configured to hold the brochette with the at least one component
and the at least one spacer. The at least one spacer is configured
to be arranged on the brochette such that, when the structure with
the brochette is placed into a metal plating tank having a metal
plating solution such that the at least one component is submersed
in the metal plating solution, the at least one spacer prevents the
portion of the at least one component from being contacted by the
metal plating solution.
[0012] In one example, the system further includes a brochette
rotation system configured to rotate the brochette with the at
least one component while the at least one component is submersed
in the metal plating solution. In another example, the system
further includes fasteners configured to exert a compressive force
on the at least one component and the at least one spacer on the
brochette when the at least one component and the at least one
spacer are located between the fasteners on the brochette.
[0013] This summary is provided to introduce a selection of
concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in
the Detailed Description. This summary is not intended to identify
key features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to
be used as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject
matter.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0014] The foregoing aspects and many of the attendant advantages
of the disclosed subject matter will become more readily
appreciated as the same become better understood by reference to
the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with
the accompanying drawings, wherein:
[0015] FIG. 1 depicts an existing metal plating process for plating
a component;
[0016] FIGS. 2A and 2B depict a front view and a side
cross-sectional view, respectively, of an embodiment of a component
suitable for plating by one embodiment of a metal plating
process;
[0017] FIGS. 3A and 3B depict a front view and a side
cross-sectional view, respectively, of another embodiment of a
component suitable for plating by one embodiment of a metal plating
process;
[0018] FIGS. 4A and 4B depict a side view and a perspective view,
respectively, of an embodiment of a spacer usable to hold and mask
components in one embodiment of a metal plating system;
[0019] FIG. 5 depicts an embodiment of a metal plating system for
plating one or more components using spacers, such as, for example,
the spacers depicted in FIGS. 4A and 4B;
[0020] FIGS. 6A and 6B depict a side view and a cross-sectional
view, respectively, of an embodiment of a brochette with various
embodiments of the components installed thereon using spacers, such
as, for example, the spacers depicted in FIGS. 4A and 4B;
[0021] FIGS. 7A to 7F depict one representative embodiment of a
process for metal plating components using a metal plating system,
such as, for example, the system depicted in FIG. 5; and
[0022] FIG. 8 depicts an embodiment of a metal plating process for
plating a plurality of components in accordance with an aspect of
the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] Embodiments of systems and methods are disclosed herein for
metal plating using a brochette to hold components and spacers. In
some embodiments, the spacers hold the components to the brochette
and mask portions of the components during the metal plating
process. The systems and methods disclosed herein for metal plating
provide advantages over existing metal plating processes.
[0024] One existing metal plating process 100 for plating a
component (e.g., a bushing) is depicted in FIG. 1. At block 102,
the component is masked to cover a surface of the component that
will not be plated. The component, for example, can include a
through bore defining an interior bore surface. In one example,
masking the component includes placing a masking material (e.g.,
masking tape) over the interior bore surface. At block 104, the
component is blast cleaned to prepare the unmasked surfaces of the
component that will be plated. At block 106, the component is
prepared with a wire. In one example, a wire is fed through a bore
in the component such that the wire touches only the masked
portions of the component. At block 108, the component is metal
plated and dried. In one example, the component is held by the wire
during the metal plating and drying process and passes electrical
current to the component during the plating process.
[0025] After the component has dried, the wire is then removed from
the component and the component is unmasked at block 110. In one
example, uninstalling the wire includes removing the wire from a
bore in the component. In another example, unmasking the component
includes removing masking tape from the component. At block 112,
the unmasked component is cleaned. Cleaning the unmasked component
includes removing adhesive left on the component by the masking
tape. In some examples, cleaning the unmasked component also
includes removing metal plating from the surface that was not to be
plated (e.g., when a gap existed in the masking tape during the
plating process). At block 114, the metal plating on the component
is brushed and polished. In some instances, the brushing and
polishing is necessitated by the presence of defects in the metal
plating, such as contaminants, air pockets, and the like. After the
brushing and polishing, the metal plating process 100 of the
component is completed and the component is ready to be used.
[0026] The metal plating process 100 depicted in FIG. 1 has a
number of deficiencies. In one example, the metal plating process
100 requires a significant amount of manual labor for each
component. Each component is individually masked and cleaned prior
to plating, individually plated and dried, and individually
cleaned, brushed, and polished after being plated. In another
example, the possibility for failure of the process is high due to
the amount of manual labor required for each component. The masking
process is susceptible to human error in applying the masking
material (e.g., masking tape). The dipping of a component using a
wire results in non-homogenous metal plating on the component.
Pores can also form in the metal plating due to the presence of
contaminants or air pockets formed during the plating process. The
amount of manual labor can further increase the risk of exposure of
a technician to hazardous materials used in the metal plating
process 100, including cleaning agents used to clean the component
before plating, solvents used to clean excess adhesive from the
masked areas on the component, polish used to polish the plated
regions of the component, and the like.
[0027] Embodiments of metal plating processes, systems, and
apparatuses are described herein that address some of the
deficiencies of the metal plating process 100 depicted in FIG. 1.
Specifically, embodiments of the metal plating processes, systems,
and apparatuses described herein are capable of achieving one or
more of the following: metal plating multiple components at one
time, increasing homogeneity of metal plating applied to
components, reducing the number of defective components by reducing
the opportunity for human error in the metal plating process.
[0028] FIGS. 2A and 2B illustrate an embodiment of a component 120
suitable for plating in a metal plating process. The component 120
includes a bore 122. The component 120 also includes outer surfaces
124a-d that are to be plated in a metal plating process and an
outer surface 128 that is not to be plated during the metal plating
process. The bore 122 of the component 120 includes an inner bore
surface 126 that is also not to be plated during the metal plating
process. In some examples, the component 120 is made from a metal
or metal alloy, such as iron, steel, and the like. As can be seen
in FIG. 2B, the bore 122 runs through the component 120 from the
outer surface 124a to the outer surface 128, and thus, can be
referred to as a through bore.
[0029] FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate an embodiment of a component 130
for plating in a metal plating process. The component 130 includes
a bore 132. The component 130 also includes an outer surface 134
that is to be plated in a metal plating process. The bore 132 of
the component 130 includes an inner surface 136 that is not to be
plated during the metal plating process. In some examples, the
component 130 is made from a metal or metal alloy, such as iron,
steel, and the like. As can be seen in FIG. 3B, the bore 132 runs
through the component 130 from one side to the other to give the
component 130 a tube-like structure.
[0030] The embodiments of components 120 and 130 are just two
examples of components that can be plated in metal plating
processes of the present disclosure described below. However, any
number of other components can be metal plated in one or more of
these metal plating processes. Such components may take any number
of forms, shapes and sizes, and such components may have any number
of features, such as bores, countersinks, surfaces, ridges, and the
like. Various embodiments of metal plating systems and methods are
described herein using the examples of the components 120 and 130.
However, it should be understood that embodiments of the metal
plating systems and methods described herein can be used with any
type of component or combination of components.
[0031] Referring now to FIGS. 4A and 4B there is depicted an
embodiment of a spacer 140. The spacer 140 is suitable for holding
and masking one or more components in one representative embodiment
of a metal plating system described below, for example, in FIG. 5.
The spacer 140 includes two opposing conical sections 142a-b. The
conical sections 142a-b extend from a central portion 144 to
respective ends 146a-b of the spacer 140. The spacer 140 also
includes a through bore 148 extending between the ends 146a-b of
the spacer 140. Various dimensions of the spacer 140 (e.g., a
diameter of the central portion 144, a slope of the conical
sections 142a-b, a diameter of the ends 146a-b, a diameter of the
bore 148, a distance between the ends 146a-b, etc.) may be selected
based on one or more dimensions of components (e.g., a diameter of
the bore 122 in component 120, a diameter of the bore 132 in
component 130, etc.). In some embodiments, the spacer 140 is made
from a material, such as stainless steel, that does not adhere well
to metal plating. In these embodiments, the spacer 140 can be used
in a metal plating process, cleaned to remove any metal plating
residue after the metal plating process, and used in a subsequent
metal plating process. In other embodiments, the spacer 140 is made
from a material, such as silicone, plastic, etc., that adhere to
metal plating. In these embodiments, the spacer 140 can be used in
a metal plating process and then discarded.
[0032] FIG. 5 depicts an embodiment of a metal plating system 150
for metal plating a plurality of components, such as, for example,
components 120, 130, etc., using spacers, such as, for example,
spacers 140, in accordance with an aspect of the present
disclosure. The system 150 includes a structure 152 configured to
hold a number of brochettes 154a-e. The brochettes 154a-e include
first ends 156a-e, respectively, and second ends 158a-e,
respectively. Each of the first ends 156a-e and second ends 158a-e
is configured to be placed in the structure 152 such that the
brochettes 154a-e are held by the structure 152 and permitted to
rotate. In some embodiments, one or more of the first ends 156a-e
and second ends 158a-e are configured to make an electrical
connection with the structure 152 when the brochettes 154a-e are
placed in the structure 152.
[0033] The brochettes 154a-e are configured to carry a plurality of
components, shown as components 160a-e, respectively. In one
embodiment, one or more of the brochettes 154a-e carries components
160a-e having different shapes or sizes. As described in greater
detail below with respect to FIGS. 6A and 6B, in one embodiment,
the components 160a-e are held on the brochettes 154a-e using
spacers 140 that are configured to mask portions of the components
160a-e that are not to be plated during the metal plating
process.
[0034] The system 150 also includes a brochette rotation system
configured to rotate one or more of the brochettes either
individually or at the same time. In one embodiment, the brochette
rotation system includes a source of motion 162 and a transmission
comprising a plurality of motion transfer mechanisms 164a-f. In the
embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the source of motion 162 includes a
motor, such as a turbine, configured to produce a rotary driving
force. In one embodiment, the motor is driven by pressurized air
that is provided via a valve 166 and air lines 168. In other
embodiments, the source of motion 162 may include but is not
limited to a hydraulic-powered rotation mechanism, a manual
rotation mechanism (e.g., a rotating handle), an electrical motor,
or any other means for producing a rotary driving force. In the
embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the motion transfer mechanisms 164a-f
include gears that are configured to be rotationally driven by the
source of motion 162. In other embodiments, the source of motion
162 may produce a linear output that causes rotation of the gears
via a transmission device, such as a rack and pinion system, a
Scottish yoke, among others.
[0035] Rotation of the motion transfer mechanisms 164a-f causes the
brochettes 154a-e to rotate via direct or indirect coupling. In one
embodiment the first ends 156a-e of the brochettes 154a-e are
configured to be coupled to the motion transfer mechanisms 164a-f
such that rotation of the motion transfer mechanisms 164a-f causes
the brochettes 154a-e to rotate. In other embodiments, motion
transfer mechanisms 164a-f in the brochette rotation system are
replaced by another motion transfer mechanism or mechanisms, such
as a chain and sprocket system, a rack and pinion system, and the
like. In the case of the rack and pinion system, the source of
motion 162 may generate linear motion to drive the rack and the
pinion or pinions convert the linear motion of the rack to rotary
motion of the brochettes 154a-e.
[0036] In some embodiments, the system 150 includes additional
features, such as support hooks 170. In use, the support hooks 170
in one example are placed on a support structure over a tank (e.g.,
a cleaning solution tank or a metal plating solution tank) such
that the brochettes 154a-e are suspended in the tank. In this
example, when the brochettes 154a-e are suspended in a tank
containing solution, the source of motion 162 can be operated to
rotate the brochettes 154a-e and the components 160a-e via an
associated transmission, such as the motion transfer mechanisms
164a-f, within the solution contained in the tank. In some
embodiments, the support hooks 170 are made of an
electrically-conductive material that conducts electricity from a
support structure over a tank to the brochettes 154a-e to provide
an electrical charge during the metal plating process.
[0037] Referring now to FIGS. 6A and 6B, side and cross-sectional
views of an embodiment of the brochette 154a is depicted with
components 120, 120', 130, and 130' installed thereon using spacers
140 and 140', in accordance with an aspect of the present
disclosure. In this embodiment, the brochette 154a includes a
threaded rod with first end 156a and second end 158a. From left to
right in the depiction shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, the following
components are installed on the brochette 154a: a fastener 180, the
spacer 140 through the bore 148, the component 120 through the bore
122, component 120' through the bore 122', the spacer 140 through
the bore 148, the spacer 140' through the bore 148', the component
130 through the bore 132, the spacer 140' through the bore 148',
the component 130' through the bore 132', the spacer 140' through
the bore 148', and the fastener 180'.
[0038] The spacers 140 in some embodiments are configured to engage
the bores 122 and 122' of the components 120 and 120'. The spacers
140' are configured to engage the bores 132 and 132' of the
components 130 and 130'. The spacers 140 and 140' are also
configured to mask the bores 122, 122', 132, and 132' as the
components are supported by the brochette 154. In one embodiment,
the fasteners 180 and 180' are configured to engage the threads on
the brochette and to exert a compressive force against the
components 120, 120', 130, and 130' and the spacer 140 and 140'.
The combination of the configuration of the spacers 140 and 140' to
mask the bores 122, 122', 132, and 132' and the compressive force
exerted by the fasteners 180 and 180' prevents a solution (e.g.,
cleaning solution, metal plating solution, etc.) from entering the
bores 122, 122', 132, and 132' and contacting the inner bore
surfaces 126, 126', 136, and 136' of the components 120, 120', 130,
and 130' when the brochette 154a is submersed in the solution. This
arrangement allows for such solution to contact and/or plate the
outer surfaces 124a-d, 124a'-d', 134, and 134' of the components
120, 120', 130, and 130' when the brochette 154a is submersed in
the solution but prevents plating at the location of inner bore
surfaces.
[0039] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, there is no
spacer between the component 120 and the component 120'. The
component 120 and the component 120' are placed on the brochette
154 with outer surfaces 128 and 128' facing each other. In this
embodiment, the outer surfaces 128 and 128' are not to be plated
during a metal plating process. With the outer surfaces 128 and
128' facing each other, the compressive force exerted by the
fasteners 180 and 180' prevents a solution from contacting the
outer surfaces 128 and 128' or entering the bores 122 and 122' when
the brochette 154a is submersed in the solution. The arrangement
shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B allows the brochette 154a to be submersed
in metal plating solution during a metal plating process without
plating the inner surfaces 126, 126', 136, and 136' of the
components 120, 120', 130, and 130' and the outer surfaces 128 and
128' of the components 120 and 120'. No masking material, such as
masking tape, is required to mask any portion of the components
120, 120', 130, and 130'.
[0040] In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B, there are two
spacers 140 and 140' between the component 120' and the component
130. In some embodiments, the use of two spacers between components
enables components of different sizes and/or shapes, such as the
component 120' and the component 130, to be placed on the same
brochette. This ability increases the number of components that can
be held on a brochette during a single metal plating process.
[0041] One representative process for metal plating components
using a metal plating system, such as, for example, the system
shown in FIG. 5, will now be described with reference to FIGS. 7A
to 7F. In FIG. 7A, components 202 and spacers 204 are installed on
a brochette 200. The spacers 204 are configured to mask portions of
the components 202 that are not to be plated during the plating
process. In some examples, the components 202 and/or the spacers
204 have different sizes and/or shapes. In these examples, at least
some of the spacers 204 have different sizes or shapes to mask the
portions of the components 202 that are not to be plated. In FIG.
7B, the brochette 200 with the installed components 202 and spacers
204 is placed into a structure 206. The structure 206 includes a
brochette rotation system 208 configured to selectively rotate the
brochette 200 and, optionally, other brochettes placed in the
structure 206.
[0042] An assembly composed of the structure 206 and the brochette
200 is then placed in a cleaning solution tank 210 that holds
cleaning solution 212, as shown in FIG. 7C. As shown in FIG. 7C,
the brochette 200, the components 202, and the spacers 204 are
submersed in the cleaning solution 212. The spacers 204 are
configured to mask portions of the components 202 such that the
portions of the components 202 are not contacted by the cleaning
solution 212 when the brochette 200, the components 202, and the
spacers 204 are submersed in the cleaning solution 212. In one
embodiment, the components 202 and the spacers 204 are located on
the brochette 200 between fasteners that exert a compressive force
to prevent the portions of the components 202 from being contacted
by the cleaning solution 212.
[0043] As shown in FIG. 7C, the structure 206 includes support
hooks 213 that are configured to be placed on a support structure
214 (e.g., a bar or a pipe) located above the cleaning solution
tank 210. In one embodiment, the support structure 214 is located
at a position above the cleaning solution tank 210 such that all of
the brochettes on the structure 206 are submersed in the cleaning
solution 212 when the support hooks 213 of the structure 206 are
placed on the support structure 214. In one embodiment, the
cleaning solution 212 is configured to remove contaminants and
debris from surfaces of the components 202 that will be plated. The
cleaning solution in one embodiment is capable of removing
contaminants and debris from surfaces of the components 202 that
will be plated without movement of the components 202 in the
cleaning solution 212. In this embodiment, the brochette 200 is not
rotated by the brochette rotation system 208 while the brochette
200 is submersed in the cleaning solution 212.
[0044] After the components 202 have been cleaned in the cleaning
solution 212, the components 202 are ready to be plated. FIG. 7D
illustrates the structure 206 supporting the brochette 200 placed
in a metal plating tank 216 that holds a metal plating solution
218. As shown in FIG. 7D, the brochette 200, the components 202,
and the spacers 204 are submersed in the metal plating solution
218. The spacers 204 are configured to mask portions of the
components 202 such that the portions of the components 202 are not
contacted by the metal plating solution 218 when the brochette 200,
the components 202, and the spacers 204 are submersed in the metal
plating solution 218. In one embodiment, the components 202 and the
spacers 204 are located on the brochette 200 between fasteners that
exert a compressive force to prevent the portions of the components
202 from being contacted by the metal plating solution 218.
[0045] As shown in FIG. 7D, the support hooks 213 on the structure
206 are configured to be placed on a support structure 220 (e.g., a
bar or a pipe) located above the metal plating solution tank 216.
In one embodiment, the support structure 220 is located at a
position above the metal plating solution tank 216 such that all of
the brochettes on the structure 206 are submersed in the metal
plating solution 218 when the support hooks 213 of the structure
206 are placed on the support structure 220. The metal plating
solution 218 is configured to plate surfaces of the components 202.
In one embodiment, the components 202 are plated by the metal
plating solution 218 in response to an electrical charge being
provided to the components 202. In one embodiment, the support
hooks 213 are electrically conductive and an electrical charge is
provided to the components 202 from the support structure 220 to
the components 202 via the support hooks 213, the structure 206,
and the brochette 200. In this and other embodiments, portions of
the structure 206 can be covered by a dielectric material,
electrical insulation, etc., as long as an electrical conductive
path between the support hooks and the brochette is not
interrupted.
[0046] In one embodiment, the brochette rotation system 208 is
configured to rotate the brochette 200 while the brochette 200 is
submersed in the metal plating solution 218. In some embodiments,
rotating the brochette 200 while the brochette 200 is submersed in
the metal plating solution 218 results in more even metal plating
on the components 202 than if the brochette 200 remained
stationary. In one embodiment, pressurized air can be
advantageously used to power the brochette rotation system 208
because pressurized air will not harm the metal plating solution
218 if pressurized air is inadvertently released into the metal
plating solution 218. In addition, powering the brochette rotation
system 208 with an electrical motor may introduce an electrical
charge into the metal plating solution 218 that causes uneven
application of metal plating to the components 202. However, while
an electric motor may not be the preferred source of motion in the
brochette rotation system 208, an electric motor may be used in the
brochette rotation system 208 as a source of motion.
[0047] After the components 202 have been metal plated, as shown in
FIG. 7D, the structure 206 is removed from the metal plating tank
216 and the components 202 are dried. The components may be left on
the brochette 200 during the drying process, either with the
brochette 200 placed in the structure or with the brochette 200
removed from the structure. After the components 202 are dried, the
components 202 and the spacers 204 can be removed from the
brochette 200, as shown in FIG. 7E. In one example, removing the
components 202 and the spacers 204 from the brochette 200 includes
loosing fasteners from the brochette 200 and sliding the components
202 and the spacers 204 off of the brochette 200.
[0048] FIG. 7F depicts the components 202 and the spacers 204
removed from the brochette 200. In some embodiments, the components
202 removed from the brochette 200 are plated on the surfaces that
were to be plated and not plated on the surfaces that were not to
be plated. In some embodiments, the components 202 do not require
post-plating cleaning because no adhesive masking materials were
used to mask the components 202. In embodiments that employed
brochette rotation during plating, polishing may also be avoided as
rotation of the components 202 during the plating in FIG. 7D can
result in plating that does not need to be polished.
[0049] FIG. 8 depicts an embodiment of a metal plating process 230
in accordance with an aspect of the present disclosure. At block
232, components are installed on a brochette using spacers that are
configured to mask a portion of the components. In some
embodiments, the components have different sizes and/or shapes. In
some embodiments, the spacers have different sizes and/or shapes.
In some embodiments, the components and the spacers are installed
on the brochette between fasteners that are configured to exert a
compressive force on the components and spacers. One example of
installing components on a brochette is depicted in FIG. 7A.
[0050] At block 234, the components are cleaned. In some
embodiments, the components are cleaned by submersing the brochette
with the components and spacers in a cleaning solution. The
components and spacers are installed on the brochette such that
portions of the components that will not be plated are not exposed
to the cleaning solution. In one example, the cleaning solution is
an electrolytic cleaning solution. One example of cleaning
components on a brochette is depicted in FIG. 7C.
[0051] At block 236, the cleaned components are metal plated and
dried. In some embodiments, the components are cleaned by
submersing the brochette with the components and spacers in a metal
plating solution. The components and spacers are installed on the
brochette such that portions of the components that will not be
plated are not exposed to the metal plating solution. In one
example, the metal plating solution is an aqueous solution with
cadmium for cadmium plating. In some embodiments, the components
are metal plated by passing an electrical charge to the components
while the components are submersed in the metal plating solution.
In some embodiments, the brochette with the components is rotated
by a brochette rotation system while the components are submersed
in the metal plating solution. One example of metal plating
components on a brochette is depicted in FIG. 7D.
[0052] At block 237, the plated and dried components and the
spacers are uninstalled (e.g., removed) from the brochette. In one
example, the metal plating process is complete when the plated and
dried components are removed from the brochette. In this example,
no polishing or adhesive cleaning is required after the plated and
dried components are removed from the brochette. One example of
uninstalling components from a brochette is depicted in FIG.
7E.
[0053] The method 230 depicted in FIG. 8 has a number of advantages
over the method 100 depicted in FIG. 1, some of which will now be
explained. In one example, the brochette used in the method 230 can
hold a larger number of components than the wires used in the
method 100, resulting in greater volume of components plated in
each metal plating process. In another example, the method 230
eliminates the time and expense of masking components that is done
in the method 100. In another example, the method 230 eliminates
the time and expense of unmasking the components in method 100, as
well as the risk to technicians from using a solvent to remove
adhesive left on the component from the masking tape in the method
100. In another example, the rotation of the brochette while in the
metal plating solution 218 results in more even metal plating on
the components than the wire dipping process used in the method
100. Such even metal plating from the method 230, in some
embodiments, eliminates the time and expense of brushing and
polishing done in method 100, as well as the risk to technicians
from using a polish to polish the component in the method 100. In
another example, the brochette and spacers used in the method 230
allow for treatment of components of different sizes on the same
brochette at the same time. In another example, the success rate of
plating components (i.e., the percentage of components that are
plated without a defect) is greater using the method 230 than the
method 100. The method 230 may have other advantages over the
method 100 not explicitly discussed herein.
[0054] It should be noted that for purposes of this disclosure,
terminology such as "upper," "lower," "vertical," "horizontal,"
"inwardly," "outwardly," "inner," "outer," "front," "rear," etc.,
should be construed as descriptive and not limiting the scope of
the claimed subject matter. Further, the use of "including,"
"comprising," or "having" and variations thereof herein is meant to
encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as
well as additional items. Unless limited otherwise, the terms
"connected," "coupled," and "mounted" and variations thereof herein
are used broadly and encompass direct and indirect connections,
couplings, and mountings.
[0055] The principles, representative embodiments, and modes of
operation of the present disclosure have been described in the
foregoing description. However, aspects of the present disclosure
which are intended to be protected are not to be construed as
limited to the particular embodiments disclosed. Further, the
embodiments described herein are to be regarded as illustrative
rather than restrictive. It will be appreciated that variations and
changes may be made by others, and equivalents employed, without
departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. Accordingly,
it is expressly intended that all such variations, changes, and
equivalents fall within the spirit and scope of the present
disclosure, as claimed.
* * * * *