Summary for plating defects vs root cause Discussion
plating defects vs. root cause is the core need here: Vicki Miller asked for a quick-reference manual for QC staff that would describe common plating defects, likely causes, and solutions. Milt replied that he had never seen a true all-in-one book, but said the closest source he knew of was the Canning Handbook, which includes defect-versus-likely-cause lists for plated finishes. He also mentioned that McGean-Rohco once sold a 12-page brochure with similar detail, and suggested asking other platers if they could share copies from their files. A later note added that Atotech, as McGean-Rohco’s corporate heir, may have similar narrative defect descriptions in some product handouts, including for zinc-nickel alkaline baths. The discussion does not identify a definitive manual, but points to a few partial references and industry handouts.
Q. I am looking for a defect description/root cause manual that can be a quick easy reference for our QC guys. Something that would describe a defect and list likely causes and solutions. I have not had any luck finding something like this. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks
Vicki Miller
Quality Manager – Cleveland Ohio US
2007
A. This would indeed be a great book, Vicki, but I’ve never seen anything like it. The closest that I know of is the Canning Handbook with its lists of defect vs. likely cause for the various plated finishes. Sorry.
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com – Pine Beach, New Jersey
Need quick confidential answers? $25
Need project assistance? $100/hr.
2007
2007
A. Anyone interested in such a visual comparison for defect vs. cause should review Arthur Brace’s
“Anodic Coating Defects.” Brace has done an awesome job of relating photos of defective anodize and hen relating it to cause. I rely on it heavily when confronted by aluminum finishing issues.
Milt Stevenson, Jr.
Plating shop technical manager – Syracuse, New York
Thanks, Milt. I’ve heard of that book but have never read it; it sounds great.
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com – Pine Beach, New Jersey
Need quick confidential answers? $25
Need project assistance? $100/hr.
2007
A. There is a brief narrative description of various ugly Hull Cell ⇦ huh?
plates, and the corrective actions to be taken for each, in Lawrence Durney’s Electroplating Engineering Handbook ⇦ this on
eBay,
AbeBooks, or
Amazon [affil link]
McGean-Rohco, which, sadly, is no more, used to sell Hull cells. They had a 12 page or so brochure that had the same kind of thing in a bit more detail. Perhaps, if you check with various platers a bit, and ask nicely, one will look in his files and make you a copy of his.
Atotech, whose zinc-nickel alkaline bath I’m researching, is the corporate heir of McGean-Rohco, and has a similar narrative description on its product handout for their Zn-Ni. Perhaps they do on others, as well.
Dave Wichern
Consultant – The Bronx, New York
2007