"Current Density"

Electrical current is measured in Amperes or Amps. Current density, sometimes abbreviated 'CD', means the current divided by the surface area it is acting on.

If we apply 80 Amps of plating current, and the surface area of the component we are plating is 2 square foot, for example, we are applying 40 Amps/square foot -- often abbreviated 'ASF'.

Two reasons that current density is important are:

1. Plating thickness is directly proportional to plating time x current density, as explained by Faraday's Law.

2. If the current density is too high, the plating will "burn" ⇦ huh? .