GB2362264A - Surface-metallisated plastic package where metallisation is performed by lifting off masked region - Google Patents
Surface-metallisated plastic package where metallisation is performed by lifting off masked region Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- GB2362264A GB2362264A GB0011567A GB0011567A GB2362264A GB 2362264 A GB2362264 A GB 2362264A GB 0011567 A GB0011567 A GB 0011567A GB 0011567 A GB0011567 A GB 0011567A GB 2362264 A GB2362264 A GB 2362264A
- Authority
- GB
- United Kingdom
- Prior art keywords
- package
- plastic
- base material
- layer
- metallised
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 title claims abstract description 59
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 title claims abstract description 59
- 238000001465 metallisation Methods 0.000 title description 8
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims abstract description 52
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 35
- 238000010146 3D printing Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 11
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 claims description 9
- 230000008021 deposition Effects 0.000 claims description 5
- 238000000151 deposition Methods 0.000 description 4
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 4
- 238000011960 computer-aided design Methods 0.000 description 3
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 3
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 3
- 238000004049 embossing Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000010329 laser etching Methods 0.000 description 2
- 238000000465 moulding Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000015572 biosynthetic process Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000004590 computer program Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000010586 diagram Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000005516 engineering process Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000005226 mechanical processes and functions Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H05—ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- H05K—PRINTED CIRCUITS; CASINGS OR CONSTRUCTIONAL DETAILS OF ELECTRIC APPARATUS; MANUFACTURE OF ASSEMBLAGES OF ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS
- H05K3/00—Apparatus or processes for manufacturing printed circuits
- H05K3/02—Apparatus or processes for manufacturing printed circuits in which the conductive material is applied to the surface of the insulating support and is thereafter removed from such areas of the surface which are not intended for current conducting or shielding
- H05K3/04—Apparatus or processes for manufacturing printed circuits in which the conductive material is applied to the surface of the insulating support and is thereafter removed from such areas of the surface which are not intended for current conducting or shielding the conductive material being removed mechanically, e.g. by punching
- H05K3/046—Apparatus or processes for manufacturing printed circuits in which the conductive material is applied to the surface of the insulating support and is thereafter removed from such areas of the surface which are not intended for current conducting or shielding the conductive material being removed mechanically, e.g. by punching by selective transfer or selective detachment of a conductive layer
- H05K3/048—Apparatus or processes for manufacturing printed circuits in which the conductive material is applied to the surface of the insulating support and is thereafter removed from such areas of the surface which are not intended for current conducting or shielding the conductive material being removed mechanically, e.g. by punching by selective transfer or selective detachment of a conductive layer using a lift-off resist pattern or a release layer pattern
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01L—SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES NOT COVERED BY CLASS H10
- H01L21/00—Processes or apparatus adapted for the manufacture or treatment of semiconductor or solid state devices or of parts thereof
- H01L21/02—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof
- H01L21/04—Manufacture or treatment of semiconductor devices or of parts thereof the devices having potential barriers, e.g. a PN junction, depletion layer or carrier concentration layer
- H01L21/48—Manufacture or treatment of parts, e.g. containers, prior to assembly of the devices, using processes not provided for in a single one of the subgroups H01L21/06 - H01L21/326
- H01L21/4814—Conductive parts
- H01L21/4846—Leads on or in insulating or insulated substrates, e.g. metallisation
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B29—WORKING OF PLASTICS; WORKING OF SUBSTANCES IN A PLASTIC STATE IN GENERAL
- B29L—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASS B29C, RELATING TO PARTICULAR ARTICLES
- B29L2031/00—Other particular articles
- B29L2031/34—Electrical apparatus, e.g. sparking plugs or parts thereof
- B29L2031/3493—Moulded interconnect devices, i.e. moulded articles provided with integrated circuit traces
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B33—ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
- B33Y—ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3-D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3-D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
- B33Y80/00—Products made by additive manufacturing
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
- Microelectronics & Electronic Packaging (AREA)
- Ceramic Engineering (AREA)
- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Condensed Matter Physics & Semiconductors (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Computer Hardware Design (AREA)
- Power Engineering (AREA)
- Laminated Bodies (AREA)
Abstract
A surface-metallised plastic package is fabricated using layers of plastic base material (11), and a discontinuous mask layer (12,14,16) deposited on the base material (11). An upper surface of the package (20) is metallised to create metallised areas on portions of the upper surface of the base material (11) not covered by the mask layer (12,14,16). The mask layer (12,14,16) is then removed e.g. by lift-off, such that the metallised areas (30) on the base material (11) constitute surface metallised areas of the plastic package. The plastic base material (11) and mask layer (12,14,16) may be fabricated by using a three-dimensional printing process. The plastic package may be used as a prototype package, or as a moulded interconnect device.
Description
2362264 SURFACE-METALLISED PLASTIC PACKAGE AND METHOD FOR FABRICATING THE
SAME
Field of the Invention 5 This invention relates to surface-metallised packages such as moulded electronic devices and particularly but not exclusively to the fabrication of prototype packages.
Background of the Invention
Plastic packages containing electronic circuitry and mechanical parts, such as Moulded Interconnect Devices (MIDs) are becoming increasingly popular, as they enable the formation of a module or component combining mechanical functions (such as a user operated switch) and electronic functions (such as switch power, control and sensing circuitry), as well as three-dimensional interconnections.
Such devices are contemplated for many applications, especially in the automotive industry. Vehicle controls such as electric window and sunroof switches, Anti- lock Braking System interconnects and t1le like canbe provided in MED technology, replacing separate electronic and mechanical packages.
Typically pre-production prototypes are required for any given application and these must be designed, tested and modified, perhaps several times before a decision is made whether or not to enter production. These devices and their prototypes are produced as plastic packages, and have metal conductive paths created either by hot embossing metal onto the plastic package, metallising the entire surface of the plastic and then laser etching those areas not requiring conductive paths, or by a two-shot moulding process.
A problem with all of the above production processes is that the tooling and engineering costs required to create small numbers of prototypes is prohibitively expensive, running into thousands of pounds, and takes many hours of effort. If modifications are required, the cost becomes even higher, and the time taken also lengthens.
Therefore what is needed is a relatively low cost, rapid method for producing prototype MIDs or similar surface-metallised plastic packages. This invention seeks to provide a surface metallised plastic package and method therefor which mitigate the above mentioned disadvantages.
Summary of the Invention
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for fabricating a surface-metallised plastic package comprising thesteps of. fabricating at least one layer of plastic base material; fabricating a discontinuous mask layer on an upper surface of the at least one layer of plastic base material; metallising a surface of the package to create at least one metallised area on portions of the surface of the at least one layer of plastic base material not covered by the discontinuous mask layer; and removing the discontinuous mask layer, wherein the at least one metallised area on the at least one layer of plastic base material constitutes at least one surface-metallised area of the plastic package.
Preferably the steps of fabricating the at least one layer of plastic base material and the discontinuous mask layer are performed using a three-dimensional printing process. The three dimensional printing process is preferably controlled by a computer-aided-design software tool.
According to a second aspect of the p resent in6ntion there is provided a surface- metallised plastic package comprising: at least one layer of plastic base material., and a discontinuous surface pattern formed by a mask layer fabricated on a surface of the at least one layer of plastic base material, the mask layer being removed after metallising a surface of the package to leave metallised areas on portions of the surface of the at least one layer of plastic base material not covered by the discontinuous pattern of the mask layer; wherein the at least one metallised area on the at least one layer of plastic base material constitutes at least one surface-metallised area of the plastic package' The fabrication of the discontinuous mask layer and the at least one layer of plastic base material are preferably performed using a three- dimensional printing process. Preferably the three-dimensional printing process is a fuse deposition modelling process.
Preferably the plastic package is a prototype package. The plastic package is preferably a Moulded Interconnect Device pack-age for a vehicle The plastic base material is preferably acrylo-butadienen-styrene.
In this way surface-metallised plastic packages may be produced in a rapid, cost effective manner, suitable for use as prototypes or preproduction samples and without the need for expensive tooling.
Brief Description of the Drawings
An exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be descriW with reference to the drawings in which:
FIG. I shows, in three stages of fabrication, a preferred embodiment of a surfacemetallised plastic package in accordance with the invention; and, FIG. 2 shows a flow diagram illustrating the method of fabricating the package of FIG. 1.
Detailed Description of a Preferred Embodiment
Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a plastic package 10, fabricated using a three dimensional printing process such as a Fuse Deposition Modelling (FDM) process or similar. Such a process involves the use of a plastic material such as Acrylo-ButadieneStyrene (ABS) in conjunction with apparatus (ii6t shown) comprising a dispensing arm which has freedom of movement in X- and Y-planes, and a tablet upon which the material is deposited, the tablet having freedom of movement in the Z- plane.
The dispensing arm is controlled by a suitably programmed computer (typically using a Computer-Aided-Design (CAD) software tool), such that a layer of plastic material is deposited according to the required modelling dimensions. Once the dispensing arm has completed a layer, the tablet is lowered under the control of the computer and the dispensing arm deposits a further layer on top of the first. In this way successive layers of plastic material may be deposited to fabricate a three dimensional plastic model. The plastic package 10 has a series of layers 11 fabricated in the above manner using suitable plastic base material such as ABS.
Typically the dispensing arm of above apparatus is arranged (typically by the provision of two nozzles) to dispense both base-material and a 'support material'. The support material (which may be a plastics material such as a different grade of ABS or ABS mixed with another chemical such as an oil based chemical) is used to provide a supporting layer portion where the finished model will have a cavity, in order that ABS material may be deposited on the layer above. After all the layers have been completed, any support material is removed manually, leaving the ABS material only to constitute the finished model.
A discontinuous 'mask' layer of support material is selectively deposited as portions 12, 14 and 16 on the upper surface of the series of layers of base-tr;, tterial 11. - Referring now also to FIG. 2, the two deposition steps are represented by blocks 50 and 60 respectively. After these two steps the package 10 is removed from the apparatus and the upper surface of the package is metallised (as depicted by the arrow 20 and block 70) using one of a number of well known metal deposition processes, to create metallised areas on the exposed portions of the base material I I and on the upper surface of each of the portions 12,14,16 of the discontinuous mask layer.
In an alternative arrangement, the support material may be formed using a suitable chemical composition (such as oil-filled ABS) to which metal deposits do not adhere. In this case the portions 12,14,16 of the discontinuous mask layer will not have metallisations on their upper surfaces (not shown).
The portions 12,14,16 of the discontinuous mas. k layer are then manually removed (block 80), in the same way as would be done in a typical FDM modelling process, leaing only the base material I I with metallisations (shown by arrow 30).
In this way, desired metallisations are easily formed on the surface of the package 10. The arrangement of these metallisations is determined by the composition of the discontinuous mask layer, which in turn is determined by the computer which is programmed to control the deposition of ABS and support material.
Therefore a suitable CAD computer program may be used to create a threedimensional virtual model of a MID package or similar, which may then be rapidly and inexpensively realised in ABS material (with metallisations) using an FDM process. Such a process represents a fraction of the costs involved in hot-embossing, laser etching or two-shot moulding processes.
It will be appreciated that alternative embodiments to the one described above are possible. For example the ABS material and support material may be replaced by materials having similar properties but different chemical compositions from those described above. Alternative processes to MM which render three- dimensional models in plastic material are also contemplated.
Furthermore, in addition to its function as a discontinuous mask layer, the support _5 material may be used to create cavities in the base material, as,-is described above in the 7--- -- - MM process. The metallisations may be created on any surface of the base material, including sides and interior cavities.
1.
Claims (12)
1. A method for fabricating a surface-metallised plastic package, the method comprising the steps of.
fabricating at least one layer of plastic base material (11); fabricating a discontinuous mask layer (12,14,16) on a surface of the at least one layer of plastic base material (11); metallising a surface of the package (20) to create at least one metallised area on portions of the surface of the at least one layer of plastic base material (11) not covered by the discontinuous pattern of the discontinuous mask layer (12,14,16); and, removing the discontinuous mask layer (12,14,16), wherein the at least one metallised area (30) on the at least one layer of plastic base material (11) constitutes at least one surface-metallised area of the plastic package.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the steps of fabricating the at least one layer of plastic base material and the discontinuous mask layer are performed using a three dimensional printing process.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the three dimensional printing process is controlled by a computer-aided-design software tool.
4. A surface-metallised plastic package comprising:
at least one layer of plastic base material (11); and a discontinuous surface pattern formed by a mask layer (12,14,16) fabricated on a surface of the at least one layer of plastic base material (11), the mask layer being removed after metallising a surface of the package (20) to leave metallised areas (25) on portions of the surface of the at least one layer of plastic base material (11) not covered by the discontinuous pattern of the mask layer (12,14,16); wherein the at least one metallised area (30) on the at least one layer of plastic base material (11) constitutes at least one surface-metallised area of the plastic package.
5. The package of claim 4 wherein the fabrication of the discontinuous mask layer is performed using a three-dimensional printing process.
6. The package of claim 4 or claim 5 wherein the at least one layer of plastic base material is fabricated using a three-dimensional printing process.
7. The method or package of any one of claims 2 to 6 wherein the threedimensional printing process is a fuse deposition modelling process.
8. The method or package of any preceding claim whercip, the plastic, package is a prototype package.
9. The method or package of any preceding claim wherein the plastic package is a Moulded Interconnect Device package for a vehicle.
10 10. The method or package of any preceding claim wherein the plastic base material (11) is acrylo-butadienen-styrene.
11. A surface-metallised plastic package substantially as hereinbefore described and 15 with reference to the drawing of FIG. 1.
12. A method substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the drawings.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0011567A GB2362264A (en) | 2000-05-12 | 2000-05-12 | Surface-metallisated plastic package where metallisation is performed by lifting off masked region |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0011567A GB2362264A (en) | 2000-05-12 | 2000-05-12 | Surface-metallisated plastic package where metallisation is performed by lifting off masked region |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| GB0011567D0 GB0011567D0 (en) | 2000-06-28 |
| GB2362264A true GB2362264A (en) | 2001-11-14 |
Family
ID=9891533
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB0011567A Withdrawn GB2362264A (en) | 2000-05-12 | 2000-05-12 | Surface-metallisated plastic package where metallisation is performed by lifting off masked region |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| GB (1) | GB2362264A (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2017045421A1 (en) * | 2015-09-17 | 2017-03-23 | 中芯长电半导体（江阴）有限公司 | Chip packaging method |
Citations (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4339305A (en) * | 1981-02-05 | 1982-07-13 | Rockwell International Corporation | Planar circuit fabrication by plating and liftoff |
| US5338391A (en) * | 1993-10-12 | 1994-08-16 | Motorola, Inc. | Method of making a substrate having selectively releasing conductive runners |
| US5395740A (en) * | 1993-01-27 | 1995-03-07 | Motorola, Inc. | Method for fabricating electrode patterns |
-
2000
- 2000-05-12 GB GB0011567A patent/GB2362264A/en not_active Withdrawn
Patent Citations (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US4339305A (en) * | 1981-02-05 | 1982-07-13 | Rockwell International Corporation | Planar circuit fabrication by plating and liftoff |
| US5395740A (en) * | 1993-01-27 | 1995-03-07 | Motorola, Inc. | Method for fabricating electrode patterns |
| US5338391A (en) * | 1993-10-12 | 1994-08-16 | Motorola, Inc. | Method of making a substrate having selectively releasing conductive runners |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WO2017045421A1 (en) * | 2015-09-17 | 2017-03-23 | 中芯长电半导体（江阴）有限公司 | Chip packaging method |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| GB0011567D0 (en) | 2000-06-28 |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| US10748867B2 (en) | Extrusion-based additive manufacturing system for 3D structural electronic, electromagnetic and electromechanical components/devices | |
| Diegel et al. | Getting rid of the wires: Curved layer fused deposition modeling in conductive polymer additive manufacturing | |
| Novakova-Marcincinova et al. | Special materials used in FDM rapid prototyping technology application | |
| US7419630B2 (en) | Methods and systems for rapid prototyping of high density circuits | |
| US5173220A (en) | Method of manufacturing a three-dimensional plastic article | |
| US5555481A (en) | Method of producing solid parts using two distinct classes of materials | |
| Llewellyn-Jones et al. | Curved layer fused filament fabrication using automated toolpath generation | |
| Diegel et al. | Curved layer fused deposition modeling in conductive polymer additive manufacturing | |
| Ahn et al. | Development of translucent FDM parts by post‐processing | |
| US6158346A (en) | Electronic printing of non-planar macro and micro devices | |
| US10059056B2 (en) | Micro-dispensing multi-layered 3D objects with curing steps | |
| US20170042034A1 (en) | System and methods for additive manufacturing of electromechanical assemblies | |
| US20050288813A1 (en) | Direct write and freeform fabrication apparatus and method | |
| US8033014B2 (en) | Method of making a molded interconnect device | |
| CN101135843A (en) | Method of manufacturing a stamper | |
| CN110139757B (en) | Apparatus for producing objects by additive manufacturing and method of using the same | |
| Minev et al. | Technologies for rapid prototyping (RP)-basic concepts, quality issues and modern trends | |
| Chung et al. | Evaluation of micro-replication technology using silicone rubber molds and its applications | |
| Parupelli | Understanding hybrid additive manufacturing of functional devices | |
| WO2000057254A1 (en) | Customisation of jewellery | |
| US20140145522A1 (en) | Electromagnetic Digital Materials | |
| GB2362264A (en) | Surface-metallisated plastic package where metallisation is performed by lifting off masked region | |
| Kochan | Rapid prototyping gains speed, volume and precision | |
| Wasley et al. | Enabling rapid production and mass customisation of electronics using digitally driven hybrid additive manufacturing techniques | |
| DOBRESCU et al. | Mechatronic finger structure with pressure-sensitive conductive layer |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAP | Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1) |