Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

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Some problems about plating

2005

Hi.....! Dipak here. I am working as Quality Assurance Engineer in India. Some problems about plating we are facing largely nowadays.These are follows-


1. Plating problem arises to headrest rods. These rod inserted in mold before moulding.After moulding some foam deflashes are remains around the rod.
2. We are using regular blades for removing these flashes.
3. Plating peel off occurred to many rods in particular area which was deflashed.
4. Is it happening because of blades contact or any other?
5. Already for 4 minutes mold kept in high temp. zone (50 °C) for foam curing. Is this high temperature affected on plating layer of rod?

We already facing lot of problems because of only plating peel of problem.Please help us.

Thanks,

Manjarekar Dipak M.
Quality Assurance Engineer - Pune, Maharashtra, India

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First of two simultaneous responses -- 2005

50 °C is not a problem for any plating that I am aware of.
You failed to say what the plating is.
You failed to say what the foam is.
Some foam is very corrosive and if there is any porosity in the plating in that area, it will penetrate and react with the steel and lead to an exfoliation that you do not want. Scraping on the area will only compound the problem in the short term. Since it will fail in the long term if you used solvents to get rid of the flash, it is unacceptable. A different plate or thickness may be the needed solution.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida

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Second of two simultaneous responses -- 2005

Dear Dipak,
1)We are supplying headrest to some our customer where they are doing the same process which you are doing.
2)Plating peel of is because of cleaning problem, passivation problem,power interruption,or brightener unbalance of semi-bright or bright nickel.
3)After plating component we are keeping in hot water at 85 °C so at 50 degrees there will not be any problem.
4) By using blades peeling will not occur because plating should with stand for adhesion test ,quenching test, bending test.
There may be some other problem you talk to your plater.

Vishwas Nangare
motorcycle accessories mfgr.
- Aurangabad, Maharashtra, India

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2005

Dear Dipak
The type of plating you apply is very important to solve your problem. Every metal is having different type of properties and plating to be selected according to the needs. My suggestion according to your information is your coating is having porosity which has to be avoided.There are easy platings available without pores,having good adhesion even if you bend them below 60 degree and resistant to corrosion.
Good Luck
with regards,

Kansdaswmy Raveendhran
- Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, INDIA

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Hello Dipak;

Mr Vishwas is generally on the spot with identifying your poor plating as the cause of peel off.

I have plated about a million headrests without a single complaint of this nature, and all chrome plated headrests generally undergo all the post plating operations that you mentioned.

Khozem Vahaanwala
Saify Ind

Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

2005

adv.