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Tin plating on aluminum is blistering

2004

Query from an industrial engineer
1. When we are doing Tinplating on Aluminium parts, we are getting blisters on sides of the parts?
2. When we are doing Tinplating on Aluminium, can we give cyanide copper or direct Nickel after Zincating?
3. Please send us the plating sequences and concentrations for Tin Plating on Aluminium parts with Nickel as undercoat.

P.G. Chandra Mani
Plating shop engineer - Bangalore, Karnataka, India

Cyanide copper or an alkaline electroless nickel will be okay. In my experience electrolytic nickel is no go on zincate.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2004

2004

I am going under the belief that your zincate film is being applied correctly and is forming correctly.

You did not say whether your TIN deposit is from a Bright Acid electrolyte or a Matte Acid Electrolyte. The differences can be like night and day.

I suggest that possibly the brighteners in a bright acid tin could cause stress in a tin deposit (especially thicker films.) I further suggest contacting your plating supplier to get a sample of an Acid Matte Tin bath. The stress to the deposit will be reduced, and I predict that you will be able to deposit films in excess of 24 microns without the pits.

Ed Budman [dec]
- Pennsylvania
With deep sadness we advise that our good friend Ed passed away Nov. 24, 2018

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