2. What is Electro Plating ?
Electroplating is a process that uses
electric current to reduce dissolved
metal cations so that they form a
thin coherent metal coating on an
electrode
Electroplating is the application of
a metal coating to a metallic or
other conducting surface by an
electrochemical process.
3. THE PURPOSES OF ELECTOPLATING
Some of the purposes for which
articles are electroplated are:
(1) Appearance
(2) Protection
(3) Special surface properties
(4) Engineering or mechanical
properties.
5. Common way of Electroplating
Electroplating of a metal (Me) with
copper in a copper sulfate bath
The most common way of electroplating involves
the follow 4 things:
•A chemical (electrolyte) which contains one or more
dissolved metal salts as well as other ions that
permit the flow of electricity
•A rectifier (electrical device that transforms
alternating into direct current) supplies a direct
current to the anode, oxidizing the metal molecules
that comprise it and allowing them to dissolve in the
solution
•An anode (+ positively charged metal for the coat)
which maybe in a soluble anode form, or in an
insoluble form such as titanium, platinum, carbon,
lead, or steel
•A cathode (- negitively charged article to be plated),
where electrons are stimulated to form a film of non-
ionic metal (via the chemical solution) to the target
object (anode)
6. Barrel electroplating
The barrel plating method is an efficient and relatively
low-cost method of electroplating. Parts and
components are placed inside a barrel that slowly
rotates while it is immersed in the metal plating
solution. Electrical contact is made through the use of
danglers or center bars that are located inside the
barrel. This electroplating method is usually
recommended since high volumes of parts can be plated
with uniform coverage.
7. Rack Plating Electroplating
The rack plating method is a process used for large,
complex, or fragile parts and is excellent for producing
selective deposits. During the rack plating method,
parts are hung on a "rack" that is then submersed in the
plating solution. Metal hooks or bands are used to hold
the parts in place as well as provide the necessary
electrical contact.
8. Vibratory
Plating Electroplating
The process is used when parts are very delicate and
may bend or disfigure during the tumbling of the barrel
plating method. This procedure operates using a basket
with metal button contacts and a vibration generator.
While the parts are immersed in the plating solution,
the vibrations that are generated cause the parts to
move delicately around while making contact with the
metal buttons located on the bottom of the basket. This
particular method of electroplating has excellent
throwing power and can quickly yield highly uniform
plating.
9. Reel-to-Reel Electroplating
The reel-to-reel plating method is an efficient and
economical process which allows for select deposits of
metal. This reel-to-reel plating process can plate strips
of manufactured products or reels of raw material
before they are stamped into parts.
This starts by loading the reels onto a de-reeling
station. Then by using a capstan system, the product is
fed through various electroplating processes. At the end
of the line is a take-up system which re-spools the
material once the appropriate metal finish is achieved.
Multiple reels can run with the use of an accumulator
which facilitates a smooth transition between them.
10. Effects of Electroplating
Electroplating changed the chemical, physical and mechanical properties of
the work piece.
An example of a chemical changes in when nickel plating improves corrosion
resistance .
An example of physical change is a change in the outward appearance .
An example of mechanical change is change in tensile strength or surface
hardness which is required in tooling industry.
11. Electroplating Uses
Electroplating is widely Used in various industries for
coating metal objects with a thin layer of a different
metal
For example Electroplating has wide usage in various
industries. it is also used in making inexpensive jewelry.
Electroplating increase life of the metal and prevents
corrosion
For example – Chromium plating is done on many
objects such as car parts, bath taps, kitchen gas
burners, wheel rims and many others
As chromium is very corrosion resistant and thus
prolongs the life of the parts