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What is the definition of room temperature for the plating industry?

We run plating tanks at "room temperature" but with the New England winter and summer variations in temperature, is "room temperature" acceptable or do we need to define a temp. range for tanks that do not require chillers or heaters?

Lynne Nason
metal finishing - Methuen, Massachusetts
2006

You live in an extreme climate area, so what? Most of the time you certainly enjoy an air conditioning environment and you absolutely understand the concept. It's the same thing. What would be an acceptable temperature setting for a ROOM heater or cooler in your opinion? Do not expect a fixed value. A reasonable variation or tolerance is acceptable.

Guillermo Marrufo
Monterrey, NL, Mexico

Hello Lynne,
The determination you make on having to use heaters or chillers in your tanks would depend on the process and the chemical supplier's reaction to the temp ranges you experience in your shop. Room temp or ambient solutions normally have a larger window for temperature variations. You could record the temps of the baths on the coldest morning, and on the hottest day, submit the data to your supplier and ask them if heaters or chillers would be required. Good luck, and hey, spring is around the corner!

Mark Baker
process engineer - Malone, New York

What tanks are you running? Have you noticed a performance affect caused by the weather?

The primary effect of temperature (unless there is a definite minimum or maximum required due to the chemistry involved) is speed - ice will melt at "room temperature", but it will melt a lot faster in my kitchen when I'm cooking during summer than it will in my living room next to my windows during winter.

Jim Gorsich
Compton, California, USA

Dear Lynne Nason,
Very interesting question.Room temperature is a normal or average temp. in a room.And it varies. In Antarctica it is zero degree or <0. I Mumbai where I stay, it is 22 to 35 degree C depending on season change and again in Delhi the capital of India, my country, it will be 5 degree C to 40 °C.
But when you read a tech literature of international standard and are trying to adopt please consider the temp between 20-30 °C (about 65-75 °F.)
I would like to narrate an incident happened to me when I was an young tech. sales executive at 21, some thirty years ago, discussing Bright silver plating, referring to a tech.literature printed at England.The data sheet mentioned optimum temp as 22 degree C and also mentioned to install heating coil in the bath.When my customer (in MUMBAI) mentioned that the working temp. must have been wrongly printed.I had to mention that the process is brought to India from England where the room temp is very low!
Regards

T.K. Mohan
plating process supplier - Mumbai, India

First of two simultaneous responses --

The issue partly revolves around semantics as everyone seems to be alluding to but not stating. There is room temperature and there is ambient temperature. Ambient temperature is whatever the actual temperature in the room happens to be (my apologies to those who realize that this is a simplification); room temperature is generally regarded by most process manufacturers to be between 68 and 72 degrees F. although it is regularly stretched to a range of 65 to 85 deg. F. when it is convenient for marketing purposes

(note: I have been developing processes, servicing plating shops and writing technical data sheets for over 30 years and the above is based upon my experience)

Gene Packman
- Great Neck, New York
2006

Second of two simultaneous responses -- 2006

Check with your supplier.
Room Temperature is a bit vague, and a term I have never seen used by solution manufacturers.
By suppliers yes, but not manufacturers.
Do your tanks stand on concrete?
This can lower the temperature in tanks drastically.
Are the tanks very tall?
Temperature variations in tall tanks can be quite significant.
Do you have pumps or spargers to maintain circulation and keep temperature stable?
Temperature variations affect color, plating rate, amperage requirements, drop out and consumption of brighteners and metals.
I would not buy from a supplier that did not give full specifications.
All solutions have performance parameters.
The manufacturer knows them and should supply them along with the products.

Steve Clark
polishing and plating - Belfast, Maine

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