Level measurement and protection for PCB electroplating

Thursday, 03 September, 2015 | Supplied by: SICK Pty Ltd

Level measurement and protection for PCB electroplating

Varioprint was founded in 1970 in Heiden, Switzerland, and today employs 140 people and is one of the leading technology suppliers in Europe. Two modern plants, the latest equipment, as well as clean and airy premises provide the environment for the building of customised printed circuit board solutions.

Varioprint has an export share of over 70% and delivers to more than 25 different countries, which in addition to European countries include the USA, South America and Asia.

A cutting-edge Galvabau AG electroplating system has been running at the circuit board specialist since 2013. It has a total of 52 dip tanks with 80 stopping points along a 27 m long line equipped with three automatic carriages. The fully automated system also features sensor solutions by SICK: UP56 ultrasonic sensors for level measurement and C4000 safety light curtains for area protection.

The electroplating process involves a current passing through an electrolyte bath. The metal to be applied to the object in question — such as copper or nickel — is connected to the positive terminal (anode), while the object to be coated is connected to the negative terminal (cathode). The current causes the metal ions to be detached from the anode and deposited on the workpiece.

Chemistry plays a crucial role in the electroplating process: the tanks contain a mixture of water and additives which must be in perfect proportion with one another. Furthermore, these mixtures must not exceed or fall below certain levels in the tanks.

“For level sensors that detect evaporation losses and leaks in the tanks, and monitor the medium supply, bubbling and spattering media create a really tough environment to work in,” said Patrick Risi, product manager at SICK’s Stans site in Switzerland. “Thanks to the UP56, we were able to provide Galvabau with a rugged, reliable solution that has none of the disadvantages associated with ordinary float switches or capacitance probes.”

As well as providing accurate measurements, ultrasonic level sensors are also distinguished by their ability to withstand a range of aggressive media. The corrosion-resistant stainless steel housing has been issued an IP67 enclosure rating. The transducer is protected by a Teflon coating.

“The UP56’s measurements and notifications are reliable and error-free,” confirmed Christoph Hutter, head of technical services and senior manager at Varioprint AG. “The level measurement values at the individual dip tanks are displayed on the control system’s visualisation screen. If the level is too low, the medium in question is automatically refilled to the right level.”

Galvabau’s managing director, Markus Gisler, also has high praise for the number of sensor parameters that can be configured when commissioning the electroplating system.

“We can switch the analog signal and adjust the switching signal limits using the integrated operator display, a PC or even Connect+,” he said.

A total of three carriages are responsible for transportation at the fully automated electroplating plant. They transport three to six circuit boards to the dip tanks at a time and then return them again once the electroplating process is complete. To prevent the carriages from colliding with other objects or people in the plant, vertical C4000 safety light curtains monitor the path of the carriages. Classified as Performance Level PL e according to EN ISO 13849 and Type 4 according to IEC 61496, these sensors meet the very highest standards of protection. The main benefits for Varioprint AG are the system’s sensing range of 7 m, the ability to cascade the systems over the entire length of the facility and the beam coding feature, which prevents the sensors from interfering with one another during operation. If anyone breaches the protective field, the C4000 safety light curtains stop the carriages in their tracks instantly.

Online: www.sick.com.au
Phone: 1800 334 802
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