Summary for zinc nickel plating thickness measurement Discussion
zinc nickel plating thickness measurement is the core issue here: Kamlesh Bhatt asked how to determine the thickness of electroless nickel undercoat and the zinc nickel top layer, plus the nickel percentage, on aluminum connectors when the zinc nickel bath itself also contains nickel and would distort ordinary readings. The concern was that a standard thickness reading would combine nickel from both layers and give a false result. Terry Tomt replied that depth profiling by Glow Discharge Spectroscopy is the right technique for this layered system because it can separate the coatings by depth and composition. He noted that LECO sells the instruments, but they are expensive. The thread does not mention alternative methods or disagreement, only this recommendation.
Q. Dear SIR,
We are a connectors company.
We are in the phase of developing zinc nickel plating over aluminium
— with electroless nickel as undercoat, and with top coat of zinc nickel with black passivation layer on top. I want to know the thickness of nickel as well as zinc nickel layer along with %. But as zinc nickel bath contains nickel so on final layer nickel from electroless nickel as well as from zinc nickel mix and reading will be wrong.
Pl. guide us on above matter.
Kamlesh Bhatt
plating Manager – Pune, Maharastra, India
June 1, 2010
A. Depth Profiling using Glow Discharge Spectroscopy is the perfect technique for what you are looking at. LECO company sells these instruments but they are pricey.
Terry Tomt
– Auburn, Washington
June 4, 2010