Development of drum-type manufacturing method for electroplated diamond wire tools

Abstract

Diamond wire saws are widely used in slicing various kinds of hard and brittle materials, such as silicon, sapphire, etc. Electroplated diamond wire tools are used for high-efficiency slicing process, because of high abrasion resistance. However, low production efficiency of diamond wire tools causes high cost in the production process, because the electroplating rate is low. To solve the problems, a drum-type manufacturing method for electroplated diamond wire tools was developed in this study. Multiple diamond wire tools could be manufactured simultaneously at high speed in one machine. The mechanism of drum type electroplating unit was introduced, firstly. Then the electroplating characteristics, such as maximum current density, Ni deposition rate and uniformity of electroplated wires, were evaluated. Composite electroplating experiments using diamond abrasive were carried out and the effect of electroplating factors on the amount of electrodeposited diamond grains was discussed, too. It was found that turbulence flow of electroplating solution could improve amount of deposited diamond grains. Long diamond wire tools were manufactured and used to slice Si ingot, it was confirmed that the developed wire tools have high slicing performance equal to the commercially available diamond wire tool.