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Plating of Bimetallic Stainless Steel and Copper

Can you suggest an appropriate cleaning and activation process for plating an adherent deposits to a bimetallic part that consists of stainless steel brazed to a glass seal which is then to copper? The metals are therefore insulated from each other, but will contact each other during in the barrel until the first underplate is applied.The final finish needs to be gold, but the underplate can be copper or nickel. This is for a hermetic application.

David L [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Attleboro, Massachusetts
2003

It seems you have no choice but to do a nickel strike (Wood's Nickel) of the stainless steel. That doesn't sound particularly good for the copper but it may be okay. If it isn't, you'll have no choice but to copper plate the stainless or nickel plate the copper before assembly.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey

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