Intaglio printing plate electroplating process - copper plating: Copper layer quality standards!
Release Time:
Aug 29,2017
Offset printing plate electroplating process, copper layer quality standards
(1) Plate requirements
① No scratches, bumps, slants, sand holes, or significant grinding marks.
② The surface of the copper layer is smooth, without oxidation, corrosion spots, fingerprints, slants, or horizontal lines, and has no repair marks or dents.
(2)End face requirements
① The chamfer arc is smooth, transitions naturally, and is bright.
② The end face is flat, with good bonding strength of the coating, and no peeling phenomenon.
③ The holes are smooth, without rust, bumps, or corrosion.
(3)Dimension requirements
① The error of the complete set of plate rollers must not exceed 0.03mm.
② The taper, pin diameter, and ovality must not exceed 0.02mm, and the size difference between the large and small ends of the large plate must not exceed 0.03mm, while the size difference between the large and small ends of the small plate must not exceed 0.01mm.
(4)Thickness requirements
The thickness of the copper layer should reach the best standard and be uniform. If the copper layer is too thick, it will consume a lot of copper material; if it is too thin, the engraving needle may easily touch the steel body, leading to wear on the engraving needle or punching. The general quality standards are:
① The single-sided thickness of the soft packaging plate is 100μm, with a minimum of over 80μm;
② The single-sided thickness of the aluminum foil plate is 150μm, with a minimum of over 100μm;
③ The single-sided thickness of the paper plate is 250μm, with a minimum of over 150μm.
(5)Hardness requirements
ElectronicsThe engraved copper layer should have a certain hardness, but if the hardness is too high, it may lead to needle breakage and copper layer peeling, increasing costs; if the hardness is too low, the mesh holes may easily deform. According to CY/T9-94, the hardness of the copper layer should be between 180 and 210HV. Practical experience shows that a copper layer hardness of 190 to 220HV is appropriate, with the best hardness being 210HV. Hardness above 230HV can cause seriousneedle damage andpunching phenomena. At the same time, it is essential to ensure that the hardness of the copper layer is evenly distributed, which is the most challenging aspect. It is necessary to establish standard parameters for the copper plating process, strictly ensuring good conductivity and uniform hardness of the copper layer.
(6) CopperHardness shelf life
The hardness of the copper layer has two functions:
1. Ensure engraving;
2. Ensure support for the chrome surface;
Generally, companies tend to overlook the hardness shelf life,to ensure that the chrome is wear-resistant and does not pull fibers, the hardness shelf life must meet the customer's usage cycle, generally not less than six months. Just like paving an asphalt road, if the foundation is not well laid, the surface can easily become uneven after being pressed by vehicles, leading to poor durability.
Therefore, selecting the best performance hardness agent for electroplating is a crucial step, as controlling the hardness of the copper layer mainly relies on adjusting the amount of additives in the plating solution.It is recommended to use thecopper plating additive from Maituo Company, an acidic fastelectroplating hard copper additive, which has the advantages of a long hardness shelf life (up to over 1 year), easy hardness improvement (up to over 220HV), good brightness and leveling (can appropriately reduce copper plating thickness, saving copper balls and electricity), good positioning effect, high temperature resistance, oxidation resistance, etc., making it very suitable for the equipment and process conditions of domestic plate-making factories, with high cost-effectiveness. At the same time, we have a professional service team and technical research and development team, equipped with professional analysis and testing equipment, which is highly favored by plate-making companies.
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