Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

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Spotting problems on gold plating

2004

My company is an electronics manufacturer. We have a problem with staining on gold plated parts. Base material is brass. Plating is copper then gold.

We have never experienced this problem in the U.S. The problem is in our facility in China. We've had a lab analyze the "spots" (they look like leopard spots) and there is a high concentration of carbon.

Our facility is in an area with high air temperatures and extreme shifts in humidity. We are finding condensation on parts within plastic bags sealed only with staples. The "spots" appear only on the O.D. of parts and not in the I.D.

Nicholas Augelli
Electronics Manufacturer - Naugatuck, Connecticut, USA

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First of two simultaneous responses -- 2004

Have you checked your gold plt solution , if your gold plated is reddish it means you may have copper contamination, and thickness of your plated gold .

Good luck and GOD BLESS

Khair Shishani
aircraft maintenance - Al Ain, UAE

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Second of two simultaneous responses --

Try a different bag. I vaguely recall an article, perhaps on this site, that antistatic bags in particular can cause corrosion problems. Or, if "money is no object" a dry Nitrogen fill and heat-seal.

Tom Gallant
- Long Beach, California, USA
2004