Choosing the Right Bright Nickel Process

Bright Nickel plating has been used in nearly every area of manufacturing. Whether it is plumbing, automotive, food service, military, machine and equipment components, or fasteners bright nickel provides an aesthetic finish with good corrosion resistance.  Bright nickel electroplating processes may be in coil / sheet lines, reel to reel, barrel or rack processes.  For this discussion we will consider the rack and barrel processes.  Bright nickel typically serves as a bright finish to provide a cosmetically pleasing finish over steel, brass, or copper. Usually it is a decorative under layer … [Read more...]

Ratios in Metal Plating

3 common, “rule of thumb” ratios I come across regularly in metal plating deal with bright acid tin, spray washing, and high metal alkaline zinc.  This article will briefly discuss each “rule” and offer suggestions based on real life scenarios to determine if they are “rules”, helpful suggestions, or flat out myths.  It is advised that you contact your supplier before making any changes to your existing metal plating system, but these may be helpful when analyzing your baths and considering the efficiency, distribution, and/or bath life of the chemistry in your process. Bright Acid Tin … [Read more...]

Use Potassium Permangante to Remove Contaminents in Bright Nickel Plating Solution

Unwanted organic contamination is a common problem when using bright nickel plating solutions. To remove contaminants both from outside sources and from brightner breakdown Oxidation treatments are routinely needed. Using potassium permanganate to oxidize and breakdown the organic contaminants so they can be more easily removed on a carbon pack-on filter is a common solution. Permanganate is a popular choice because it is a much stronger oxidizing agent than hydrogen peroxide and will will remove the more stubborn organic materials. Unfortunately overuse of the permanganate will cause … [Read more...]