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  Thickening method of an electroforming shimUSPTO Application #: 20070039826Title: Thickening method of an electroforming shim Abstract: A thickening method of an electroforming shim is provided to increase the thickness of a metal shim. In this embodiment, an active solder with a rare earth element is used to increase the moisture on the substrate surface for the solder during the combining process. Afterwards the oxides of the rare earth element are expelled by mechanical stirring to produce a clean contact surface. The melted fillers moisturize on the substrate surface to achieve the combination. (end of abstract)
Agent: Rabin & Berdo, PC - Washington, DC, US Inventors: Chia-Hua Chang, Cherng-Yuh Su, Jen-Chin Wu, Jun-Lung Hsi USPTO Applicaton #: 20070039826 - Class: 205070000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Electrolysis: Processes, Compositions Used Therein, And Methods Of Preparing The Compositions, Electroforming Or Composition Therefor, Mold, Mask, Or Masterform The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070039826. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND [0001] 1. Field of Invention [0002] The invention relates to a thickening method of an electroforming shim and, in particular, to a thickening method of an electroforming shim to increase the connection between the metal shim and the metal die using an active solder with ultrasonic waves. [0003] 2. Related Art [0004] The optical molding machine is usually combined with the photolithography and electroforming potting technologies. The conventional electroforming machine has a very good affinity. A large electroforming machine with high precision can be accurately produced for repeatedly usable dies. This type of manufacturing process is very simple and involves very few steps. [0005] Electroforming is a chemical deposition technique whose deposition speed follows the Faraday's law. It is known that the deposition speed is affected by such parameters as the current density and composition. However, the optical molding machine has a very high demand on the precision and flatness. Therefore, the current density for electroforming cannot be too high. As a result, the metal deposition speed is slower. [0006] Traditionally, the manufacturing process of the electroforming mold is done by forming an electroplating layer on the surface of a pre-formed mold prototype, followed by mechanically machining the electroforming layer. The molding plate is combined using screws, solder, or fitting, thereby completing the combination of the molding plate with the electroforming mold. However, when combining the molding plate onto the electroforming layer of the electroforming mold, a thicker electroplating layer is usually needed to provide sufficient strength and thickness for providing an appropriate plane to combine with the molding plate during the mechanical machining. To obtain a thicker electroforming layer, a longer manufacturing time is required. For a mold with an uneven surface, the corner effect will result in an uneven electroforming layer too. If one wants to shorten the manufacturing time and only electroforms a thinner electroforming layer, the strength will be insufficient and difficult for further machining. This is inconvenient in product development. [0007] To shorten the mold electroforming time, a common method is vacuum adsorbing, e.g. CD stamper. Here the electroforming shim thickness is between hundreds of micrometers and several centimeters. However, the electroforming shim is adsorbed on the mother mold by vacuum, such that the lifetime of the mold is very limited. Using this method still requires precision back throwing for subsequent machining. [0008] Besides, a physical deposition technique, such as the metal spray technique, is used to thicken the electroforming shim, where the goal of rapid molding is also achieved. To prevent the deformation of the electroforming shim, the required thickness has to be more than several centimeters. Moreover, since the spray layer is a porous layered structure, its strength is insufficient. The deformation produced during the thickening process is not suitable for optical molding machines that have higher demands in deformation and strength. [0009] Therefore, the problem of bonding between the electroforming metal layer and the thickened metal layer needs to be studied. It is preferred to provide a method for rapidly thickening the electroforming metal layer without sacrificing its strength. SUMMARY [0010] In view of the foregoing, an object of the invention is to provide a thickening method of an electroforming shim to solve problems in the prior art. [0011] To achieve the above object, the disclosed method includes the steps of: acquiring the metal shim and a metal mold; coating two metal layers on the metal shim and the metal mold, respectively; preheating the metal layer coated metal shim and metal mold; coating two layers of active solder on the joining surfaces of the preheated metal shim and metal mold, respectively; using a mechanical stirring method to pre-moisturize the metal shim and the metal mold; and connecting the joining surfaces of the metal shim and the metal mold. [0012] The active solder contains rare earth elements. The material of the metal shim can be copper (Cu), nickel (Ni), iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), and their alloys. The material of the metal mold can be Cu, Ni, carbon steel, die steel, zinc (Zn), aluminum (Al), their alloys, and stainless steel. The metal layer for increasing the soldering can be made of tin (Sn), indium (In), silver (Ag), and Cu. [0013] The coating of the metal layer can be achieved by electroplating, electroless plating, evaporation, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), physical vapor deposition (PVD), and metal spray. [0014] The mechanical stirring method is to impose an ultrasonic wave. Therefore, one may utilize an ultrasonic soldering machine to perform the step of pre-moisturizing. [0015] In one embodiment of the invention, the metal shim and the metal mold are disposed on a hot press machine for preheating. The preheating temperature is determined by the materials of the metal shim and the metal mold. It is between 220.quadrature. and 400.quadrature., and preferably set at around 250.quadrature.. [0016] Using the disclosed method can rapidly thicken the electroforming optical mold. Before the electroforming metal shim and the thickening metal mold combine, one does not need to perform mirror polishing. Moreover, the electroforming metal shim and the metal mold combine into one body, instead of temporary adsorbing. Therefore, it is useful in elongating the mold lifetime. [0017] According to the disclosed method, there is no deformation problem because the process can be done at low temperatures. Moreover, the time for making the electroforming mold can be greatly reduced. The combination of the electroforming metal shim and the thickening metal mold can be implemented using cheap electroforming equipment, hot press equipment, and the ultrasonic soldering machine. Thus, the production cost can be reduced and the process can be simplified. It is tested that the combined metal shim and metal mold still have a high strength. [0018] Since the disclosed method does not need to use any flux, the manufacturing process is environmentally friendly. Moreover, the combination needs not be performed under a specially prepared state, such as a protective atmosphere or vacuum. Therefore, it ca achieve the requirement of a single process. [0019] Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0020] The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: [0021] FIG. 1 is a flowchart of the disclosed thickening method of an electroforming shim in a specific embodiment; Continue reading... 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