Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

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Decorative Chrome finish defect: speckle

September 28, 2009

I am having a defect with decorative chrome finish.
The defect looks like small speckles.
The part is a flat plate.So it is easy to see any defects.
Cartridge brass is the base material.
The process is dull nickel, bright nickel, chrome.
The supplier tells me it is a filtration problem with the chrome bath.
What can cause this defect? Temperature? contaminated bath? How do I know
when the bath needs to be replaced?
Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Joseph Nichols
Product Designer - Boyertown, PA, USA

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Hi,
Probably stress in the nickel solution, to much of additive.

Regards

Anders Sundman
4th Generation Surface Engineering
Consultant - Arvika,
Sweden
September 30, 2009

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Hi Joseph,

You have speckle problem 1) check catalyst concentration in your chrome 2) Make sure you have good filtration in nickel tank ,pull out nickel tank solution -clean TANK -pull back solution 3) If you have wood nickel strike -check any parts or foreign particles in the tank ,pull out clean tank -pull back. 4) check any rinse tank have algae build up -clean refill.

Popatbhai B. Patel
electroplating consultant - Roseville, Michigan
October 2, 2009