Electroplating Profile - pt.5
Reprint from an article in Product Finishing Magazine, July 2002 issue Profile of Professional Plating By Beverly Graves, editor Another aspect of the ProPlate® culture is the belief that there is a reason for every problem. Repeating mistakes is a waste of precious resources. The company spends a lot of time understanding what is happening at a detailed level in its baths. "We cannot cost effectively achieve our desired results if we are reduced to guessing about what is going on in the baths. We need to know the facts to be able to control the process," stated Mr. Ingalls, who also expects the staff, from the platers and inspectors on up to the vice president and himself, to fully commit to the continuous pursuit of learning and improvement. Mr. Ingalls compares ProPlate's® culture to sports, "We are not gymnasts or golfers, each competing against individuals to be the single champion. We are much more like a football team where there is one first place, and we all share the common victory." The finish ProPlate® engineers recommend is usually not a single finish. It is usually a combination of finishes. It all depends on the customers' requirements. For example, one small part, a test probe, is made up of three smaller parts, a plunger, a barrel and a spring. Although all three pieces have a gold plated final finish, each piece has a different set of finish requirements. Obviously, the spring is going to need a finish that allows for flexibility and wear resistance, so a sulfamate nickel finish is used as an underplate. The plunger and barrel also need strong wear resistance and hardness because of the sliding motion, so electroless nickel will likely be suggested. In very high temperature or high vibration environments, we may suggest that rhodium is the appropriate final electroplated finish. If cost is critical, then a non-precious finish such as tin or tin/lead alloy may be best. |