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How does a mother tank for electroless nickel work?

My company is looking to purchase a plating line for an ENIG process. The supplier has talked about building the nickel baths with a mother tank. I have an impression of how I think a mother tank would work, intermittently refreshing the working tank. But I really don't know. Further, his design calls for a mother tank that is equal in size to the working tank, about 30 gallons. This doesn't sound right to me. Any information would be helpful to me.

Philip Farris Jr
Plating Engineer - Olean, NY, USA
September 15, 2009

I think that he is referring to a storage tank that you pump the solution into so that you can strip/passivate the plating tank on a regular interval. After the tank is treated, rinsed and neutralized, you can put the EN solution back in as long as there are no metal heaters or pumps in the tank. In this case, put it back in when you are ready to start it up.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
September 16, 2009

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