Best practice in innovative electroplating plant and processes

Recent developments on processes and specific process equipment have opened up new opportunities in electroplating. This paper presents an integrated system which uses a robot for guiding electroplating tools. This is enabled by the advancement of the brush plating technique and by innovative developments in electroplating tools, together with modular, self-sufficient and mobile units which both supply the tools with process fluids and have them disposed of. Specific areas of a workpiece can be selectively approached and plated. The plating process avoids any contamination and the flooding of the plated part with process fluids. A requirement of this technology is the adaptation of the electrolyte formulations. The presented system design allows completely new application scenarios in electroplating, particularly with a view to manufacturing integration, selectivity and mobility.