System and method for performing localized electroless nickel plating

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2025051926-A1
Application number	US-202218723709-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Dec 23, 2022
Priority date	Dec 30, 2021
Publication date	Feb 13, 2025
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for performing electroless nickel plating on a portion of a metallic piece comprises a chamber fixedly coupled to the metallic piece during operation of the system so that the portion of the metallic piece and the chamber define a closed volume. The chamber has an inlet to supply at least a plating fluid into the volume and an outlet to discharge the plating fluid from the volume, so that the portion of the metallic piece is exposed to the plating fluid and is plated.

First claim

1 . A system for performing electroless nickel plating on a portion of a metallic piece, the system comprising:
a chamber having an inlet and an outlet, the chamber being configured to be fixedly coupled to the metallic piece so that the portion of the metallic piece and the chamber together define a closed volume; wherein the inlet is configured to supply at least a first fluid into the volume, wherein the first fluid is a plating fluid and the portion of the metallic piece is exposed to the plating fluid for plating, wherein the outlet is configured to discharge the first fluid from the volume, and wherein the first fluid is supplied and discharged in a continuous way.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the chamber is rigid, in particular in the form of a bowl or a jar.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the chamber is flexible, in particular in the form of a sheet or a shell.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the chamber is made of a glass or a metal or a metallic alloy.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the chamber is made of a silicone or a fluoroelastomer or a polymer able to resist temperatures of at least 80° C., preferably temperatures of 85° C.-95° C., more preferably temperatures of 88° C.-92° C.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the chamber is made of a transparent or translucent material.

7 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a fixing member, in particular an adhesive or a magnet or a weight, configured to fixedly couple the chamber to the portion of the metallic piece.

8 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a sealing member attached to the chamber and configured to surround the portion of the metallic piece.

9 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a recirculation fluidly coupled to the inlet and the outlet-lit, and configured to recirculate at least the first fluid from the volume back to the volume.

10 . The system of claim 9 , wherein the recirculation circuit comprises:
a pump for pumping at least the plating fluid in the recirculation circuit; and at least a first tank for storing the plating fluid.

11 . The system of claim 9 ,
wherein the recirculation circuit is configured to recirculate at least one second fluid from the volume back to the volume, wherein the at least one second fluid is an alkaline fluid or an acid fluid, and wherein the chamber is resistant to the at least one second fluid.

12 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the recirculation circuit further comprises at least a second tank for storing the at least one second fluid.

13 . A method for performing an electroless nickel plating on a portion of a metallic piece, the method comprising the steps of:
B) covering with a chamber to define a closed volume; C) fixing the chamber to the metallic piece; F) supplying a plating fluid into the volume through an inlet of the chamber; G) discharging the plating fluid from the volume through an outlet of the chamber; and H) removing the chamber from the metallic piece, wherein step F and step G are performed simultaneously.

14 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising a step D of supplying a cleaning fluid into the volume through an inlet of the chamber and a step E of discharging the cleaning fluid from the volume through an outlet of the chamber,
wherein step D and step E are performed before step F.

15 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising a step A of treating the portion of the metallic piece with a chemical and/or mechanical treatment,
wherein step A is performed before step B, and wherein the chemical and/or mechanical treatment realizes cleaning of the portion of a metallic piece.

16 . The method of claim 13 , further comprising a step I of heating the portion of the metallic piece,
wherein step I starts before or during step F and ends during or after step G, and wherein during step I the portion of the metallic piece is heated up to at least 80° C., preferably up to 85° C.-95° C., more preferably up to 88° C.-92° C.

Assignees

• Nuovo Pignone Tecnologie Srl

Inventors

• Pranzetti Alice
• Bellacci Michelangelo
• Romanelli Marco
• Pulci Giovanni
• Marra Francesco
• Genova Virgilio
• Paglia Laura

Classifications

• C23C18/32

  Coating with nickel, cobalt or mixtures thereof with phosphorus or boron (C23C18/50 takes precedence) · CPC title

• C23C18/1824

  by chemical pretreatment · CPC title

• C23G3/00

  Apparatus for cleaning or pickling metallic material (with organic solvents C23G5/04) · CPC title

• C23C18/1678

  Heating of the substrate · CPC title

• C23C18/1632

  Features specific for the apparatus, e.g. layout of cells and of its equipment, multiple cells · CPC title