Summary for coating thickness check Discussion
Coating thickness check for very small parts is the main concern in this thread, especially 1 mm pins and 0.5 mm-thick components made from zinc-base alloys, fasteners, and small pins. The question asks what instruments can measure such thin coatings and whether process parameters and plating time can be controlled to get consistent deposits for nickel, silver, zinc, and tin. The excerpt provided does not include any expert replies, so no specific instrument recommendation or process guidance is shown here. Based on the question alone, the practical need is for a method suitable for tiny parts and for tight control of plating conditions to improve repeatability. Because the answer text is missing, the thread cannot be used to confirm which measurement tools or plating parameters were actually recommended by the respondents.
Q. Dear Sir,
I am interested to know how to check the coating thickness of tiny components like small pins of Dia 1 mm, 0.5 mm thk components. Those may be of
1. Zinc base alloys (Big Castings)
2. Fasteners And pins as said above.
1. Let me know the instruments that can be used?
2. Can we control the parameters and time to obtain consistent coating? If yes, What are all the parameters for Ni, Ag, Zn & Sn plating?
Thanks,
S. Selvavinayagam
– Hosur, India
2003
A. You can measure these coatings by x-ray fluorescence with a collimator small enough for your parts.
Neil Bell
Albuquerque, New Mexico