Metal Surface Finishing
Electroplating Quality Standards, control & Reliability
Avinash Barve
Metal Finishing Consultant
Contact No: 9881302617/8080164584
Quality Norms Inspection
Appearance : Uniform, no patch , No scratch marks,
No roughness, No pitting, No burning,
No cracks, No stains or discoloration
Thickness Specifications
Coverage: No under cover on significant area
Blisters : No blisters, i.e No bubble appearance
on job
Adhesion: No removal of plating by rubbing with
smooth metal implement for 15sec
Corrosion Resistance : Neutral Salt spray test with 5%
NaCl in salt spray chamber as per IS 9844
Electroplating Technology for Engineers
Quality Laboratory Tests
1. pH ,TDS &Conductivity Meter
2. Temperature
3. Hull cell
4. Bath Analysis
5. Thickness Tester
6. Nitric Acid test
7. Detection of tri/hexa valent chrome
Passivation
8. Adhesion Test
9. CASS Test
Electroplating Technology for Engineers
Quality Laboratory Tests
pH Meter
It is a measure of the relative concentration of
Hydrogen ions. The more Hydrogen ions, makes
the solution more acidic & the lesser Hydrogen ions,
makes it more alkaline
Neutral water has 7 pH, 0 -7 Acidic & 7 -14 Alkaline
Acidic ← Neutral → Alkaline
Electroplating Technology for Engineers
Quality Laboratory Tests
• TDS Meter
Total dissolved solids (TDS) comprise inorganic salts
(calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, bicarbonates,
chlorides, and sulphates) and a small amount of organic
matter that are dissolved in water
Electroplating Technology for Engineers
Quality Laboratory Tests
Conductivity
Pure water (H2O) is non conductive. When
water soluble salts are added, the dissolved
salt ions disintegrate to make it conductive.
More the TDS, the conductivity increases to
make it an Electrolyte
Lesser the conductivity water is purer
Electroplating Technology for Engineers
Quality Laboratory Tests
Temperature
It is a physical quantification to express hot and cold
It is measured with a thermometer
Electroplating Technology for Engineers
Quality Laboratory Tests
Hull cell
Hull Cell is a testing tank for plating, invented by Dr. R. O. Hull.
It observes plating deposition under current density with continuous wide & actual
plating condition, it is important to know the plating bath to control quality of final product
This test is for visually observing the brightness and coverage at various current
densities
Electroplating Technology for Engineers
Quality Laboratory Tests
Thickness Tester
Common and complex plating and other coating thickness
Electroplating Technology for Engineers
Quality Laboratory Tests
Nitric Acid Test
Applied for High Phosphorus electroless Nickel
Not Ok Ok
Passivation Existence of tri/hexavalent chrome
Testing with Diphynil Carbazide
Electroplating Technology for Engineers
Quality Laboratory Tests
Neutral Salt Spray Test (ASTM B-117)
• This test is carried out in a
closed chamber which is filled neutral
salt fog. The test specimen is exposed
to a required time and inspected during
its exposure. It is carried out to check the
coatings corrosion resistance
• The test consists of spraying the sample
with a mist of 5% sodium chloride
solution in a closed cabinet, under
conditions of temperature and spray rate
Electroplating Technology for Engineers
Quality Laboratory Tests
CASS Test
Copper-accelerated Acetic Acid Salt Spray (CASS) Test. Similar to NSS but with
the addition of copper salts and Acetic Acid to adjust pH in the mist solution
Temperature 50 0 C pH 3.5-4.5
Electroplating Technology for Engineers
Quality Laboratory Tests
Adhesion Test ASTM D 3359
Such adhesion is usually obtained if good
electro- plating practices are followed. attempt
to separate the coating from the substrate
Electroplating Technology for Engineers
Quality Laboratory Tests
Sulfur Dioxide Test
• The specimen is suspended in a closed
chamber in the presence of sulfur dioxide gas
• The usual method of expressing corrosion
rates is in weight loss expressed as
milligrams per square decimeter per day
Electroplating Technology for Engineers
Quality Laboratory Tests
Mandrel Testing
The mandrel test is used to test the plating
speed and metallurgical properties of chrome
baths deposit at a fixed current density
This is a great tool for problem solving and for
annual verification of the deposits
metallurgical properties
Observations that can be made with the
Mandrel Test are deposits brightness,
smoothness, pitting tendency, crack structure,
hardness and adhesion
Electroplating Technology for Engineers
National Institute of Coating Technology
National Institute of Coating Technology
Thank You
Avinash Barve Meghan Manjrekar - Coating Application Expert
Metal Finishing Consultant 9822752450
Contact No: 9881302617/8080164584
[email protected]