DE102021102032A1 - Process for producing a galvanized plastic component and galvanized plastic component using additive manufacturing - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a galvanized plastic component (1), in particular a motor vehicle, with the following method steps: a. Providing a base body (10) made of plastic by means of an additive manufacturing process with a 3D printer; b. Preparing a side (12) of the base body (10) to be electroplated in such a way that a step of electrochemical deposition of a metal layer (30) on the side (12) to be electroplated can be carried out; and c. electrochemical deposition of the metal layer (30) on the side (12) of the base body (10) to be electroplated. The invention also relates to a galvanized plastic component (1), in particular of a motor vehicle, with a base body (10) made of plastic and having a side (12) to be galvanized, preferably provided by means of an additive manufacturing process with a 3D printer, and with a by means of electrochemical deposition applied metal layer (30) on the side to be electroplated (12) of the base body (10). The invention also relates to a system for producing a galvanized plastic component (1).

Description

The invention relates to a method for producing a galvanized plastic component, in particular a motor vehicle, having the features of the preamble of claim 1. The invention also relates to a galvanized plastic component, in particular a motor vehicle, having the features of the preamble of claim 13. The invention also relates to a System for manufacturing a galvanized plastic component.

The use of plastic components is well known, particularly in the field of motor vehicles. For example, they are used in the interior lining of means of transport, both in vehicles and in airplanes. Residential interior fittings are also often manufactured as plastic components or are at least partially made up of plastic components. Housings or individual components of electronic devices such as smartphones, tablet computers, laptops, stationary PCs, headphones and televisions are also designed as plastic components. For decorative reasons or for surface consolidation, it is often desirable to coat the surfaces of such plastic components. In addition to a simple coating or application of paint, a metallization of the surface is often desired. The plastic surface can be metallized, for example, electrochemically (i.e. in an electroplating process).

The electrochemical metallization of flat plastic surfaces is known in principle from the prior art. The plastics used for this purpose, which are suitable for such a surface treatment, are referred to as plastics that can be electroplated or plastic components that can be electroplated.

It is generally known from the prior art to metalize injection-molded plastic components, i.e. to at least partially apply one or more metal layers to a surface of the injection-molded component. A large area of application for such plastic components is control elements in motor vehicles. The operating elements can be designed in such a way that they have symbols that can be backlit. In this context, controls for activating vehicle-specific functions such as the interior lighting, start/stop button, controls for an air conditioning system and switches for operating the vehicle lights are mentioned as examples—but not exhaustively. It should be expressly mentioned at this point that the present invention is not limited to operating elements as such. Plastic components of all kinds are covered by the present invention.

Essentially two methods are known from the prior art for the production of metallized plastic components, for example operating elements. These are based either on the metallization of a component made of plastic (e.g. injection molded) using the PVD process (physical vapor deposition), or on the electroplating of the plastic component using electrochemical processes.

1. a. Bereitstellen eines Grundkörpers aus Kunststoff, gegebenenfalls teilweise mittels eines additiven Fertigungsverfahrens mit einem 3D-Drucker;
2. b. Vorbereiten einer zu galvanisierenden Seite des Grundkörpers derart, dass ein Schritt eines elektrochemischen Abscheidens einer Metallschicht auf der zu galvanisierenden Seite durchführbar ist; und
3. c. elektrochemisches Abscheiden der Metallschicht auf der zu galvanisierenden Seite des Grundkörpers.

From the prior art specifically from the DE 10 2019 101 887 A1 , from which the present invention proceeds as closest, a galvanized plastic component is known with a base body made of plastic having a side to be electroplated and with a metal layer applied by means of electrochemical deposition on the side of the base body to be electroplated. It is from the DE 10 2019 101 887 A1 known to produce such a galvanized plastic component with the following process steps:

1. a. Providing a base body made of plastic, optionally partially by means of an additive manufacturing process with a 3D printer;
2. b. preparing a side of the base body to be electroplated in such a way that a step of electrochemically depositing a metal layer on the side to be electroplated can be carried out; and
3. c. electrochemical deposition of the metal layer on the side of the base body to be electroplated.

According to the teaching of DE 10 2019 101 887 A1 injection molding methods are preferably used either when the basic body is made of plastic, but at least when preparing that basic body for the electroplating that is to take place.

The prior art described is in need of improvement in that the tool costs and thus the overall production costs are relatively high, in particular due to the injection molding process used. Therefore, the use of this technology is often only worthwhile when there is a relatively large number of galvanized plastic components to be produced. The tool costs for injection molding, even with regard to simple geometries, are often in the range of around €50,000. As part of the ever-increasing need for the implementation of small series, for example with a quantity of only around 300 parts per year, it is therefore desirable to further reduce the tool costs and thus the overall production costs and to make the production of galvanized plastic components profitable even in small quantities.

Proceeding from this state of the art, the object of the invention is therefore to further develop and improve the known method for producing a galvanized plastic component in such a way that inexpensive production in small series is possible. Furthermore, the object is to provide a structurally simple galvanized plastic component which enables production with simple process steps and under cost-effective conditions. Furthermore, the task is to provide a system for the production of an electroplated plastic component, with which a cost-effective production in small series is possible.

This object is solved by a method having the features of the characterizing part of claim 1, and by an electroplated plastic component having the features of the characterizing part of claim 13. In addition, the object is solved by a system according to claim 17.

Essential to the invention is the finding that the described disadvantages of the prior art can be avoided by preparing the side of the plastic component to be electroplated for the electroplating step by simply applying an inexpensive plastic film made of a plastic that can be electroplated to this side of the plastic component is provided. On the one hand, the base body of the plastic component can then be made from almost any plastic, preferably in a simple and inexpensive manner. A particular advantage is that the cost-intensive production by injection molding can be dispensed with. The base body of the plastic component, which is preferably produced using an additive manufacturing process, is specifically prepared on the surface by the plastic film for the later production step of electrochemical deposition of the metal layer. On the other hand, this step of preparing the surface for the electrochemical deposition by applying the plastic film is much simpler and therefore also cheaper than previously known measures for such a preparatory method step. For this purpose, too, in order to change an initially non-electroplateable base body into an electroplateable state on its side to be electroplated, for example, a complex spraying on of electroplateable plastic layers was carried out using an injection molding process. Advantageously, the proposed method can now be used to make use of the simple production method of 3D printing, which is also economical for small quantities, in order to provide a base body, which base body then has its property as a surface that can be electroplated in a simple manner by providing the plastic film made of electroplatable receives plastic. The proposed galvanized plastic component is particularly suitable for being produced in small quantities, and at the same time provides a galvanized outer surface of particularly good quality, since the plastic film leads to particularly uniform, uniform properties of the outer surface to be galvanized, which in turn results in a uniform metal layer after the electrochemical Separation guaranteed.

1. a. Bereitstellen eines Grundkörpers aus Kunststoff mittels eines additiven Fertigungsverfahrens mit einem 3D-Drucker;
2. b. Vorbereiten einer zu galvanisierenden Seite des Grundkörpers derart, dass ein Schritt eines elektrochemischen Abscheidens einer Metallschicht auf der zu galvanisierenden Seite durchführbar ist; und
3. c. elektrochemisches Abscheiden der Metallschicht auf der zu galvanisierenden Seite des Grundkörpers.

The proposed method for producing a galvanized plastic component, which can in particular be a galvanized plastic component of a motor vehicle, has the following method steps:

1. a. Providing a base body made of plastic by means of an additive manufacturing process with a 3D printer;
2. b. preparing a side of the base body to be electroplated in such a way that a step of electrochemically depositing a metal layer on the side to be electroplated can be carried out; and
3. c. electrochemical deposition of the metal layer on the side of the base body to be electroplated.

The proposed method is characterized in that the method step of preparing the side of the base body to be electroplated comprises at least the following method step: applying a plastic film made of a plastic that can be electroplated to the side of the base body to be electroplated.

The proposed galvanized plastic component, which can in particular be a galvanized plastic component of a motor vehicle, has a base body made of plastic, which is preferably provided by means of an additive manufacturing process with a 3D printer. According to the proposal, the base body has a side to be electroplated. Furthermore, according to the proposal, a metal layer applied by means of electrochemical deposition is provided on the side of the base body to be electroplated.

The proposed galvanized plastic component is characterized in that between the side to be galvanized of the base body Pers and the metal layer is a plastic film made of a plastic that can be electroplated.

The proposed system for producing a galvanized plastic component is characterized by: a 3D printer for providing a base body made of plastic by means of an additive manufacturing process. Furthermore, according to the proposal, a preparation unit is provided for applying a plastic film made of a plastic that can be electroplated onto a side of the base body that is to be electroplated. Finally, according to the proposal, an electroplating unit is provided for the electrochemical deposition of a metal layer on the side of the base body to be electroplated.

The features explained in the application and in particular below and the associated advantages of the proposed method or preferred embodiments thereof, as well as the proposed galvanized plastic component and its preferred embodiments are also independent of the category of the respective embodiment or the respective claim, insofar as they make technical sense , transferable to the other category. This also applies to the proposed system, explained below, for producing a galvanized plastic component in combination with the proposed method and the proposed galvanized plastic component.

In principle, the plastic film applied to the base body serves as an intermediary between the outside of the base body and the metal layer, which is preferably the outermost layer in the final product. The outer layer of the base body can therefore be clearly separated from the external environment and also from the applied metal layer by means of the plastic film. Any properties of the plastic base body itself, which could result in an electrochemical deposition process not being possible or only possible to a limited extent, can thus be remedied by providing the appropriate plastic film.

In a particularly advantageous manner, the plastic film results in a specific surface being provided with a desired surface structure which is optimally suited for the electroplating step. It is particularly advantageous that this surface of the plastic film has essentially no irregularities and is essentially non-porous.

In principle, only a part, for example only the part that is visible when used as intended, of the base body or of the resulting galvanized plastic component can represent the side to be galvanized. In principle, however, several sides to be electroplated can also be provided on the base body. The entire outer surface of the base body can also be provided with a metal layer and in this sense the entire outer surface can be formed by sides to be electroplated. Then, so to speak, an “all-round electroplating” of the plastic component takes place.

A preferred embodiment of the method is characterized in that, in order to apply the plastic film to the side of the base body to be electroplated, the plastic film is formed into a shape adapted to the side of the base body to be electroplated. In this way, the manufacturing process is advantageously made more effective. This is because the entire side to be electroplated is preferably covered with the plastic film with a precise fit, which plastic film can in turn be electroplated, so that the metal layer is effectively deposited only at the intended locations of the plastic component.

In addition, it can preferably be provided that the plastic film is shaped by means of thermoforming into the shape adapted to the side of the base body to be electroplated. Thermoforming is a particularly effective and cost-effective variant of the forming process.

In addition, it can preferably be provided that, for thermoforming the plastic film, a thermoforming tool preferably made of aluminum is used as a negative mold. Such a thermoforming tool enables a particularly effective and cost-effective reshaping of the plastic film. The preparation of the side to be electroplated can then proceed advantageously by firstly producing a preform from the plastic film made of the electroformable plastic by means of thermoforming before this preform is applied to the base body.

According to a further embodiment, it is preferably provided that the base body is used as a positive mold for thermoforming the plastic film. The component itself, which is to be provided with the plastic film, therefore represents the positive mold. This provides a particularly cost-effective manufacturing method. Significant tool costs can be saved, especially for small series, which would otherwise be incurred for the production of a tool as a positive mold. The production of separate positive molds for the thermoforming of plastics is very expensive and can be saved in this way.

In addition, it can preferably be provided that the plastic film can also be applied behind an undercut of the base body, viewed in an application direction of the plastic film, preferably during thermoforming, furthermore preferably by means of a slide. In this way, even more complex geometries of base bodies can be provided with the plastic film at various points and in particular behind edges, in a particularly advantageous manner. Advantageously, different individual production steps are not necessary for this. A sliding technique can be used. After the base body has been introduced into the thermoforming tool, a protruding part of the plastic film is then pushed behind an undercut, for example on an edge, in the desired manner using a slide and connected to the base body at the desired location. For this purpose, the slide is preferably moved in a slide direction which is offset from the application direction of the plastic film and is preferably essentially perpendicular. In the present case, the direction in which the plastic film is applied means the direction pointing from the thermoforming tool to the base body immediately before the base body is introduced into the thermoforming tool. The direction in which the plastic film is applied is therefore opposite to the direction in which the base body is introduced into the recess of the thermoforming tool. The preferred embodiment thus advantageously avoids the situation that after the step of thermoforming with simultaneous application of the plastic film to the base body, surfaces that are actually intended to be provided with the plastic film are still not equipped with a plastic film behind an edge of the base body viewed in the application direction.

According to a further embodiment, it is preferably provided that the plastic film is applied to the side of the base body to be electroplated by means of lamination. In this way, a firm, secure connection between the base body and the plastic film can be achieved. Lamination is a cheap method, so that the overall production costs for the galvanized plastic component can be kept low. It is preferably provided that the lamination of the plastic film is carried out in a common process step with the thermoforming of the plastic film. As a result, an even cheaper and, above all, faster manufacturing method is provided. Method steps are combined in an advantageous manner, specifically the forming of the plastic film and the application of this to the base body. This means that separate process steps can be saved.

According to a further embodiment, it is preferably provided that, in order to carry out the process step of applying the plastic film made of a plastic that can be electroplated onto the side of the base body to be electroplated, an adhesive is applied to the side of the base body to be electroplated before the application. Alternatively or additionally, an inside of the plastic film pointing in the direction of the base body can be provided with an adhesive layer, with the adhesive layer preferably being activatable by means of heat, with the adhesive layer also preferably being applied after the plastic film is basically applied to the side of the base body to be electroplated has been activated by means of heat. The fundamentally applied plastic film is to be understood here as meaning that the plastic film has only been positioned as intended, but the finally desired fixed connection between the plastic film and the base body has not yet been realized. Advantageously, the step of merely locally applying the plastic film to the base body and the ultimately intended fixed connection of the two components can then be separated from one another. Alternatively or additionally, to carry out the process step of applying the plastic film made of a plastic that can be electroplated onto the side of the base body to be electroplated, it can also be provided that the plastic film is connected to the base body by means of thermal welding, preferably by means of a radiant heater and/or a contact heating unit.

In principle, the plastic film can preferably be formed from an acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer (ABS) or a polycarbonate-acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene blend (PC/ABS blend). In principle, the plastic film can also be made of polyamide.

According to a further embodiment, it is preferably provided that the base body is additively manufactured with a 3D resin printer using stereolithography (SLA). In this way, the base body can be manufactured in a particularly cost-effective manner. Simple manufacturing methods can be used and cheap UV-sensitive resins can be processed using a laser to form the desired base body, for example by means of stereolithography. Later, this simple, inexpensive base body can be specifically refined for the process of electrochemical deposition by applying the plastic film. In principle, inkjet 3D printing processes with inkjet technology and liquid UV-curing material or 3D printing processes with filament printers can also be used as additive manufacturing processes. The body can also be made by means of art fabric freeforming can be additively manufactured. Plastic free-forming means that particularly good cost-effectiveness can be achieved even with small series or base bodies that have to be quickly adapted in shape and therefore components that have to be electroplated. Basically, the additive manufacturing step of plastic free-forming is designed in such a way that after the plastic granules have been melted, preferably in a plasticizing screw, tool-free free-forming of the base body takes place, with a high-frequency clocked nozzle closure dispensing small plastic drops of molten plastic and these small plastic drops using a movable component carrier as intended be positioned. In this way, any basic body can be additively manufactured layer by layer, and the production of the basic body from a plurality of components, for example different plastics, can advantageously also be used.

An example of an application for a base body—and thus also after the subsequent manufacturing steps for a plastic component galvanized according to the proposed method—is a fin of a heat sink, for example a motor vehicle. Such a fin can, for example, have a width of 175 mm to 225 mm and a height of 15 mm to 25 mm, and a thickness of approximately between 5 mm and 10 mm. The proposed method can be used to produce cooling bodies with a realistic metallic appearance in a particularly simple and cost-effective manner, even in small quantities for small series.

In principle, the plastic film can preferably have a thickness of 0.05 mm to 4.00 mm, preferably 0.20 mm to 1.00 mm, in a direction pointing away from a surface of the side of the base body to be electroplated. A preferred embodiment of the galvanized plastic component is accordingly characterized in that the plastic film has a thickness of 0.05 mm to 4.00 mm, preferably 0.20 mm to 1.00 mm, in a direction pointing away from a surface of the side of the base body to be galvanized mm.

In principle, the proposed galvanized plastic component, or a preferred embodiment thereof, can be produced particularly advantageously by means of the proposed method, or a preferred embodiment thereof.

According to one embodiment of the proposed system, it is preferably provided that the 3D printer is designed as a 3D resin printer for using stereolithography (SLA) or as a filament printer. It can be a system for plastic free-forming, in which the smallest plastic droplets are layered on top of each other in the form of small spheres, resulting in a wide range of flexible design options.

According to a further embodiment of the system, it is preferably provided that the preparation unit is set up for forming the plastic film into a shape that is adapted to the side of the base body to be electroplated, preferably by means of thermoforming.

According to a further embodiment of the system, it is preferably provided that the preparation unit, for thermoforming the plastic film, has a thermoforming tool, preferably made of aluminum, as a negative mold. Preferably, the preparation unit can also have at least one slide for additional application of the plastic film behind an undercut of the base body, in particular during thermoforming, as viewed in an application direction of the plastic film. More preferably, for thermoforming the plastic film, the base body can be provided as a positive mold.

In principle, the proposed galvanized plastic component, or a preferred embodiment thereof, can be produced with the proposed system in a particularly advantageous manner. In principle, the system can be designed to carry out the proposed method, or a preferred embodiment of this.

• 1 eine schematische Übersicht über das vorschlagsgemäße Verfahren;
• 2 eine Ausführungsform des vorschlagsgemäßen Verfahrens in einer schematischen Übersicht;
• 3 eine schematische Seitenansicht auf Komponenten des vorschlagsgemäßen galvanisierten Kunststoffbauteils, jedoch in einem Zustand noch vor Fertigstellung des Kunststoffbauteils; und
• 4 ein vorschlagsgemäßes galvanisiertes Kunststoffbauteil in einer schematischen Seitenansicht.

Further advantageous and preferred configurations emerge from the following description with reference to the figures. In the drawing showing only one exemplary embodiment

• 1 a schematic overview of the proposed method;
• 2 an embodiment of the proposed method in a schematic overview;
• 3 a schematic side view of components of the proposed galvanized plastic component, but in a state before the completion of the plastic component; and
• 4 a proposed galvanized plastic component in a schematic side view.

According to the in the 1 illustrated proposed method for producing a galvanized plastic component 1, three process steps are carried out in principle. First, in a method step a, a base body 10 made of plastic is provided (see also 3 and 4 ). Then, in method step b, one of the sides 12 of the base body 10 to be electroplated is prepared in such a way that a step of electrochemically depositing a metal layer 30 on the side 12 to be electroplated can be carried out. The latter process step is then carried out as process step c. Specifically, here the metal layer 30 is applied to the side 12 of the base body 10 to be electroplated by means of electrochemical deposition.

According to the proposal, the method is characterized by the specific implementation of method step b. According to the proposal, side 12 of base body 10 to be electroplated is prepared by applying a plastic film 20 made of a plastic that can be electroplated to side 12 of base body 10 to be electroplated.

It is particularly advantageous that the disadvantages of the prior art can be avoided by preparing the side 12 of the plastic component 1 to be electroplated for the electroplating step by simply applying the inexpensive plastic film 20 made of electroplatable plastic to this side 12 of the base body 10 of the electroplated Plastic component 1 is applied. As a result, on the one hand, the base body 10 of the electroplated plastic component 1 can be produced from almost any plastic, preferably in a simple and inexpensive manner by means of 3D printing. It is of particular advantage that the cost-intensive production by means of injection molding can be dispensed with. The base body 10 is specifically prepared on the surface side by the plastic film 20 for the later production step of the electrochemical deposition of the metal layer 30 . On the other hand, this step of preparing the surface for the electrochemical deposition by applying the plastic film 20 is much simpler and therefore also cheaper than previously known, comparable measures for such a preparatory treatment of the surface. For example, the time-consuming spraying on of plastic layers that can be electroplated by means of an injection molding process can be dispensed with.

The proposed galvanized plastic component 1 is particularly suitable for being produced in small numbers and at the same time provides a galvanized outer surface of particularly good quality, since the plastic film 20 leads to particularly uniform, uniform properties of the outer surface to be galvanized, which in turn creates a uniform metal layer 30 guaranteed after the electrochemical deposition. In a particularly advantageous manner, the plastic film 20 leads to the provision of a targeted surface with a desired surface structure which is optimally suited for the electroplating step. It is particularly advantageous that this surface of the plastic film 20 has essentially no irregularities and is essentially free of pores.

In 2 the proposed method is shown schematically with various preferred embodiment variants of the individual method steps. In comparison to 1 process steps that have been added or specified or supplemented are shown in dashed lines. In principle, the method according to 2 again the three superordinate process steps a, b, and c in the form of providing the base body 10 (process step a), preparing the side 12 of the base body 10 to be electroplated by applying the plastic film 20 to the side 12 of the base body 10 to be electroplated (process step b) and the electrochemical deposition of the metal layer 30 (method step c).

Method step a can specifically be implemented by providing the base body 10 using an additive manufacturing method with a 3D printer. The base body 10 is preferably produced with a 3D resin printer using stereolithography (SLA). Alternatively, additive manufacturing with a filament printer or by means of plastic free-forming is also possible.

Process step b in turn is preferably designed such that the side 12 of the base body 10 to be electroplated is prepared as follows: The plastic film 20 is first formed, namely into a shape adapted to the side 12 of the base body 10 to be electroplated. Thermoforming is preferably used as the forming process. It is particularly advantageous that the base body 10 itself, which is to be equipped with the plastic film 20, serves as a positive mold in this thermoforming process. Expensive tool costs are saved in this way, because a separately produced positive mold is no longer required.

Finally, the plastic film 20 is applied to the base body 10 by laminating the plastic film 20 to the side 12 to be electroplated. It is particularly advantageous if the forming step and the lamination of the plastic film 20 are carried out in a common process step. In this way, the plastic film 20 can be brought into the required form quickly and cost-effectively are simultaneously connected to the base body 10 as intended by lamination when the base body 10 is used as a positive mold of the thermoforming process.

In order to produce the best possible connection between the base body and the plastic film 20, various measures can be taken in addition or as an alternative to the lamination already mentioned.

It can thus advantageously be provided that, as part of method step b, to carry out the method step of applying the plastic film 20 to the side 12 of the base body 10 to be galvanized, an adhesive is applied to the side 12 of the base body 10 to be galvanized before the application. Alternatively or additionally, the plastic film 20 can also be provided with an adhesive layer on its inner side 22 pointing in the direction of the base body. It is particularly advantageous here if the adhesive layer can be activated by means of heat. Then, for example, the adhesive layer can only be activated by means of heat after the plastic film 20 has basically been applied to the side 12 of the base body 10 to be electroplated.

Alternatively or additionally, to carry out the process step of applying the plastic film 20 to the base body 10, the plastic film 20 can be connected to the base body 10 by means of thermal welding, for example by means of a radiant heater and/or a contact heating unit.

In 3 the base body 10 is shown with the side 12 to be electroplated in an intermediate step of the manufacturing process. The plastic film 20 is also shown, but it is not yet connected to the base body 10 .

The plastic film 20 has the thickness d and is designed to be flexible and basically suitable for the thermoforming forming process.

For such thermoforming, a thermoforming tool 40 made of aluminum is used in the exemplary embodiment shown, which with its recess 42 serves as a negative mold for the thermoforming process. The base body 10 in turn serves as a positive mold for the forming process and thus forces the plastic film 20 into the recess 42 in the thermoforming step. In this way, the plastic film 20 adapts to the shape of the side 12 of the base body 10 to be electroplated.

The base body is introduced into the thermoforming tool 40 in an insertion direction II of the base body 10 . The opposite direction, i.e. the direction pointing from the thermoforming tool 40 to the base body 10, is referred to as the application direction I of the plastic film 20 and in 3 marked. The base body 10 has 3 seen in that application direction I of the plastic film 20 an undercut 14. According to the proposal, it can be provided in the method that the plastic film 20 is additionally applied behind this undercut 14 of the base body 10 as seen in the application direction I. In this case, this step can advantageously take place during the thermoforming and is also preferably carried out by means of a slide 44 .

For this purpose, the slide 44 is configured to be movable along the slide direction III. The sliding direction III is basically offset to the application direction I of the plastic film 20, in the present case directed perpendicularly to it.

In this way, even more complex geometries of base bodies 10 can be provided with plastic film 20 at various points and in particular behind edges 16 in a particularly advantageous manner. Advantageously, different individual production steps are not necessary for this. The described slide technique can be used in that, after the base body 10 has been introduced into the recess 42 of the thermoforming tool 40, a protruding part of the plastic film 20 is pushed behind the edge 16 or the undercut 14 by means of the slide 44 and there at the desired location is connected to the base body 10. This additional option is in the in 4 illustrated, finished galvanized plastic component 1 but been omitted.

With the described preferred embodiment, and therefore basically with the proposed method, it is advantageously possible to avoid that after the thermoforming step with simultaneous application of the plastic film 20 to the base body 10, surfaces that are actually intended to be provided with the plastic film 20, for example behind an edge 16 of the base body 10 viewed in the direction of application I, are not yet equipped with a plastic film 20 .

in the in 3 In the exemplary embodiment shown, the lamination of the plastic film 20 onto the base body 10 also takes place in an advantageous manner during the indicated forming step. In this way, the base body 10 is then provided with the plastic film 20 on its side 12 to be electroplated and can then be subjected to the process rens step of electrochemical deposition are supplied.

In 4 the result of the manufacturing method described is shown in the form of the proposed galvanized plastic component 1 . In this case, the base body 10 is firmly connected to the plastic film 20 . The plastic film 20 separates this base body 10 from the metal layer 30, which is applied to the outside of the plastic film 20 via the process of electrochemical deposition.

The plastic film 20 thus serves to provide an optimal outer surface of a base body 10 in order to be able to apply the metal layer 30 to the base body 10 under the best possible conditions.

Since simple 3D printing technologies can also be used within the scope of the proposed method in order to provide the base body 10, which is further refined by the provision of the plastic film 20, galvanized plastic components 1 can also be produced economically in small series. The combination of the simple process in the form of 3D printing of the base body 10 and the lamination of the plastic film 20 via thermoforming enables a particularly economical production of galvanized plastic components 1.

The advantages described can basically be achieved with the proposed system for producing the galvanized plastic component 1 shown, with the proposed system comprising at least the following components: a 3D printer for providing the base body 10 made of plastic by means of an additive manufacturing process, and a preparation unit for Application of the plastic film 20 made of a plastic that can be electroplated on the side 12 of the base body 1 to be electroplated, and an electroplating unit for electrochemically depositing the metal layer 30 on the side 12 of the base body 10 to be electroplated.

QUOTES INCLUDED IN DESCRIPTION

This list of documents cited by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Patent Literature Cited

• DE 102019101887 A1 [0006, 0007]

Claims (20)

Method for producing a galvanized plastic component (1), in particular a motor vehicle, with the following method steps: a. Providing a base body (10) made of plastic by means of an additive manufacturing process with a 3D printer; b. Preparing a side (12) of the base body (10) to be electroplated in such a way that a step of electrochemical deposition of a metal layer (30) on the side (12) to be electroplated can be carried out; and c. electrochemical deposition of the metal layer (30) on the side (12) of the base body (10) to be electroplated; characterized in that the process step of preparing the side (12) of the base body (10) to be electroplated comprises at least the following process step: applying a plastic film (20) made of a plastic that can be electroplated to the side (12) of the base body (10) to be electroplated. procedure after claim 1 , characterized in that, for applying the plastic film (20) to the side (12) of the base body (10) to be electroplated, the plastic film (20) is formed into a shape adapted to the side (12) of the base body (10) to be electroplated becomes. procedure after claim 2 , characterized in that the plastic film (20) is shaped by means of thermoforming into the shape adapted to the side (12) of the base body (10) to be electroplated. procedure after claim 3 , characterized in that, for thermoforming the plastic film (20), a thermoforming tool (40), preferably made of aluminum, is used as a negative mold. procedure after claim 3 or 4 , characterized in that, for thermoforming the plastic film (20), the base body (10) is used as a positive mold. procedure after claim 5 , characterized in that the plastic film (20), seen in an application direction (I) of the plastic film (20), is additionally applied behind an undercut (14) of the base body (10), preferably during thermoforming, furthermore preferably by means of a slide (44). becomes. Procedure according to one of Claims 1 until 6 , characterized in that the plastic film (20) is applied to the side (12) of the base body (10) to be electroplated by means of lamination, preferably further in that the lamination of the plastic film (20) is carried out in a common process step with the thermoforming of the plastic film (20 ) is carried out. Procedure according to one of Claims 1 until 7 , characterized in that, to carry out the process step of applying the plastic film (20) made of a plastic that can be electroplated onto the side (12) of the base body (10) to be electroplated, an adhesive is applied to the side (12) of the base body to be electroplated before the application (10) is applied. Procedure according to one of Claims 1 until 8th , characterized in that, to carry out the process step of applying the plastic film (20) made of a plastic that can be electroplated onto the side (12) of the base body (10) to be electroplated, an inside (22) of the plastic film (20) pointing in the direction of the base body be provided with an adhesive layer, wherein, preferably, the adhesive layer can be activated by means of heat, wherein, further preferably, the adhesive layer, after the plastic film (20) has basically been applied to the side (12) of the base body (10) to be galvanized, by means of heat is activated. Procedure according to one of Claims 1 until 9 , characterized in that, to carry out the process step of applying the plastic film (20) made of a plastic that can be electroplated onto the side (12) of the base body (10) to be electroplated, the plastic film (20) is welded to the base body (10) by means of thermal welding, preferably by means of a radiant heater and/or a contact heating unit. Procedure according to one of Claims 1 until 10 , characterized in that the plastic film (20) is formed from an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer (ABS) or a polycarbonate acrylonitrile butadiene styrene blend (PC/ABS blend) or from a polyamide. Procedure according to one of Claims 1 until 11 , characterized in that the base body (10) is additively manufactured with a 3D resin printer by means of stereolithography (SLA) or with a filament printer or by means of plastic free-forming. Galvanized plastic component (1), in particular of a motor vehicle, with a side (12) to be galvanized having a base body (10) made of plastic, preferably provided by means of an additive manufacturing process with a 3D printer, and with a means of electroche mixing deposition applied metal layer (30) on the side (12) of the base body (10) to be electroplated, characterized in that a plastic film (20) is formed between the side (12) of the base body (10) to be electroplated and the metal layer (30). an electroplatable plastic is arranged. Galvanized plastic component (1) after Claim 13 , characterized in that the plastic film (20) has a thickness (d) of 0.05 mm to 4.00 mm, preferably 0.20 mm, in a direction pointing away from a surface of the side (12) of the base body (10) to be electroplated mm to 1.00 mm. Galvanized plastic component (1) after Claim 13 or 14 , characterized in that the plastic film (20) is formed from an acrylonitrile butadiene styrene copolymer (ABS) or a polycarbonate acrylonitrile butadiene styrene blend (PC/ABS blend) or from a polyamide. Galvanized plastic component (1) according to one of Claims 13 until 15 prepared by a method according to any one of Claims 1 until 12 . System for producing a galvanized plastic component (1), in particular according to one of Claims 13 until 16 , Preferably for carrying out a method according to one of Claims 1 until 12 , characterized by : a 3D printer for providing a base body (10) made of plastic by means of an additive manufacturing process; a preparation unit for applying a plastic film (20) made of a plastic that can be electroplated onto a side (12) of the base body (10) to be electroplated; and an electroplating unit for electrochemically depositing a metal layer (30) on the side (12) of the base body (10) to be electroplated. system after Claim 17 , characterized in that the 3D printer is designed as a 3D resin printer for the use of stereolithography (SLA) or as a filament printer. system after Claim 17 or 18 , characterized in that the preparation unit for forming the plastic film (20) into a shape that is adapted to the side (12) of the base body (10) to be electroplated, preferably by means of thermoforming, is set up. system after claim 19 , characterized in that the preparatory unit for thermoforming the plastic film (20) has a thermoforming tool (40), preferably made of aluminum, as a negative mould, with the preparatory unit also preferably having at least one slide (44) for additionally applying the plastic film ( 20) seen in a direction of application of the plastic film (I) behind an undercut (14) of the base body (10), in particular during thermoforming, wherein, further preferably, for thermoforming the plastic film (20), the base body (10) as a positive mold is provided.

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