- Polishing (preparation for plating)
- Soak Cleaning (can use alkaline cleaner)
- Surface activating
- Copper plate
- Nickel plating
- Chrome plating
The result of chrome plating is depend on the base plate condition before electroplating process applied. Poor adhesion of chrome plating can be happened because of the bath solution concentration or because poor base plate plating. Preparation of base plate is needed in order can best chrome plating. Bath concentration of the chrome plating bath should be checked before the plating is running, this is part of quality control of laboratory person job. Poor adhesion result of chrome deposit will immediately separating from the substrate after the object take out from the chromium bath. This can occur from peeling or blistering of chrome layer.
Bad Chrome Plating Deposit Causes
To test the quality result of chrome deposit usually by immerse on boiling water, until the object temperature up to reach boiling water temperature. Poor adhesion will likely show up as blister in chrome deposit surface. Other method to test the deposit quality is by grinding the deposit with 45 degrees angle and and examining the edges under microscope for to see if any flaking. Poor adhesion can also occur if the electric current flow is too high. Some deposit fail can cause of some of the following problems:
- Improper cleaning, some grease can withstand the molecule adhesion on the plate. For perfect cleaning can use organic and inorganic cleaner.
- Bad plate surface activation, see on the electrocleaning (cathodic cleaning) and chemical cleaning for pretreatment object preparation.
- Not perfect rinsing, make some dirt still stick to the object
- There is oil or organic material on the bath function
- Bad electric conductance on the process can because of any intermittent electric connection
- Anode already rubbed and dissolved on the bath solution
- Too little concentration of electroplating additive
- Bath temperature not in optimum condition check for this in baht temperature control
- Temperature, bath concentration of chrome plating operating condition should be controlled properly
- Postplating treatment after chromium plating can also make bad result of chrome plated.
