Lot Control and Condition Control in Plating Processes

Problem: Components are inserted in a plating bath for metal plating. When multiple components are inserted, each of the individual components must be managed. Paper and labels are used for this purpose in other processes, but they cannot be used here because the components are inserted into the bath. Human errors and missing components can result because it is difficult to keep track of which components, from which lots, are in the plating process. In some cases, the plating conditions are determined prior to plating and written up into work instructions for manual input. Due to the short life cycles of products today, and the speed at which model revisions occur, this instruction system becomes quite rushed and subject to human error and other mistakes. An operating method with greater accuracy and efficiency is needed. Mount a Data Carrier (ID Tag) onto the plating basket (pallet) carrying the components. Write the component data, lot data, urgent-item flag data, and plating conditions onto the Data Carrier. Mount a R/W Head (Antenna) onto the controller of the plating device. Prior to placing the components into the bath, use the a R/W Head to read the lot data, product data, and plating conditions simultaneously, and automatically make the condition settings for the plating device. In order to achieve more advanced work process management, configure a system that writes the work start and end times for each plating job. This will enable process history and process progress control, making it easy to determine where components are in the process at any time.