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Standards for salt spray testing

 

Dear sir/madam:

We are a company doing electroplating on ABS plastic with the process of copper, nickel and chrome plating. I would like to know about the standards for certain laboratory testings which are:

1.normal salt spray test.
2.copper accelerated salt spray test(cass)
3.acetic accelerated salt spray test(ass)

Please tell me about the standards which are; temp.; salt sol conc. and ph. Also tell me how much a slight difference in these standards, can affect the results. Please write to me soon.

Thanx and regards

Sandeep Jain
plastics - New Delhi, India

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The answers to all of your questions should be found in ASTM B117 [affil link] and ASTM B368 [affil link]. ASTM B117 [affil link] is the specification for salt spray. ASTM B368 [affil link] is the specification for the CASS test. CASS testing uses both copper and acetic acid, and I do not think there is a standard test that uses only copper or only acetic acid. CASS testing is appropriate for specific finishes only. We use CASS to test our nickel-chrome platings. Salt spray is the most universally accepted corrosion test method, and is the "default" test.

Tim Neveau
Rochester Hills, Michigan

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You may also want to refer to ASTM ASTM G85 [affil link], which includes an acetic acid salt spray. ISO 9227 [affil link] includes procedures for salt spray, cass and acetic acid.

Cynthia L. Meade
- Sylvania, Ohio, USA