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The Benefits of Automated Selective Plating

Nov. 27, 2024

The Benefits of Automated Selective Plating

 

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A Paper* based on a Presentation given at SUR/FIN (Rosemont, Illinois)

by

Derek Kilgore**

SIFCO Applied Surface Concepts

Independence, Ohio, USA

 

Editor&#;s Note: The following is a paper based on a presentation given at NASF SUR/FIN , in Rosemont, Illinois on June 5, in Session 14, Advancing Technology Applications for Finishing / Engineering Opportunities.  A pdf of this brief can be accessed and printed HERE; the complete Powerpoint presentation is available by clicking HERE.

ABSTRACT

More and more companies are relying on the consistency and traceability that automated processes provide, so why would selective electroplating be any different?  Selective plating is a method of electroplating localized areas without the use of an immersion tank.  Automated selective plating equipment has recently been developed for some very challenging applications.  Fully customized machines can be designed for repair or OEM applications to apply engineered deposits without the need for operator intervention, changing the perceived notion of a once highly manual operation.  This presentation highlights the key benefits of automating the selective plating process including safety, ergonomics, eliminating operator error, process consistency, data capturing and reporting, part traceability, optimized solution management, minimized emissions, and space savings.

Introduction and background

Selective plating was originally developed in in Paris, France by George Icxi.  It evolved from the simple touch-up of tank plated parts.  In , the Steel Improvement and Forge Company (also known as SIFCO Industries) bought a Canadian-based firm and moved all operations to Cleveland, Ohio.  In , SIFCO ASC was acquired by Norman Hay, headquartered in the UK.  NH was originally founded in doing chromium plating and hard anodizing.  Norman Hay was acquired by Quaker Houghton in October .

Selective plating concepts

Selective plating, or more commonly brush plating, is a portable process for plating localized areas on a workpiece without the use of an immersion tank.  There are four key elements to a brush plating set-up, shown in Fig. 1: 

  1. The workpiece, in this case is the inner diameter of a cylinder that is being rotated by a turning head fixture on the right.

  2. The power pack, with current, voltage and amp-hr control, on the left.

  3. The plating tools, the anode here inserted into the hole in the workpiece, and

  4. The preparatory and plating solutions, contained in the tank in the solution flow system, center.

Figure 1 - Typical setup for selective / brush plating.

The anodes can consist of graphite, Dura-A-Form®, platinum, or platinum-clad niobium or titanium.  They are typically made to conform to the substrate to optimize thickness distribution.  The red and black cables connect the power source to the anode and workpiece, and the green and black tubing provide solution circulation between reservoir and workpiece.

The rest of operation decisions are based on if the plating solutions need to be heated, flowed, or dipped, how the workpiece is to be masked to isolate the selected area, and whether any auxiliary equipment is needed to hold or rotate the part and/or or the plating tools. 

Figure 2 - Selective plating operation.

As shown in Fig. 2, an electrolyte containing metal ions is introduced between a positively-charged anode (i.e., the preparatory or plating tool) and a negatively-charged cathode, (i.e., the workpiece).  The anode itself is wrapped with a material that can be made of cotton, PermaWrap®, red or white TuffWrap®, etc.  The wrap serves two main functions: to prevent an anode to cathode short-circuit and to act as the carrier for the solution which helps facilitate the current flow by wetting both electrodes to create the electrochemical cell.  The solution can be introduced to the workpiece by flowing the solution through the anode using an external pump or by dip plating, where the anode is dipped into a beaker sitting near the workpiece.

A typical plating scheme consists of several preparatory steps that prepare the surface for the final metal deposition step.  Each prep step requires a dedicated anode.  The prep steps usually entail electroclean, etch, desmut and activation of the surface of the workpiece.  The part is rinsed in between steps with DI water to avoid cross contamination and assure a clean work surface.  After the workpiece has been properly prepared, a nickel preplate is typically applied and is substrate dependent.

Selective plating versus standard tank plating

Selective plating offers a number of advantages that regular tank immersion plating cannot offer.  The process is portable.  Deposition rates are considerably higher, owing to higher metal concentrations in solution.  The high solution velocity involved offers ready replenishment of metal ions at the surface.  The inherent brushing action disturbs the hydrodynamic boundary layer at the surface resulting in faster solution movement.  As a result, hydrogen gas bubbles are removed by the brushing action and high solution velocity.

Beyond the deposition process itself, the need for part masking is reduced.  The process is ideal for large parts not suited for tank immersion baths.  Finally, the nature of the operation reduces the solution volumes needed for plating.

Manual selective plating

As with tank plating, selective plating does involve numerous manual tasks, including, among others:

  • Parts handling

  • Post-plating visual inspection

  • Modifying rectifier settings (current and voltage)

  • Changing and positioning anodes

  • Opening and closing valves

  • Rinsing parts

  • Moving and disposing of chemical trays

  • Monitoring and documenting rectifier settings (current, voltage and electric charge passed (A-hr))

  • Adjusting charge passed, based on solution life

  • Maintaining solution chemistry      

  • Detecting equipment issues

Variations can occur during the plating process, from part to part as well as from operator to operator.  The process must also be documented for quality assurance, and there is little time to properly monitor and record the actual versus the targeted process settings.  In sum, many of the tasks are subject to repetitive routine for the operator and considerable variability in the result.

Automated selective plating

Many of the repetitive tasks and variability can be alleviated by automation.  In any manufacturing process, automation can be used to:

  • Increase labor productivity (greater output per hour of labor input)

  • Reduce labor cost

  • Mitigate labor shortage due to unavailability of specialized training

  • Reduce or eliminate routine manual tasks

  • Improve worker safety

  • Improve product quality

  • Reduce manufacturing lead time

  • Accomplish processes that cannot be done manually

Selective plating offers several possibilities in  which automation can result in significant productivity gains and cost reduction, in line with the above list.

Rectifier software control

As noted earlier, manual rectifier control is subject to operator variability.  Software is available to regulate the current and voltage applied, as well as record the data for each individual part run.  Here, automation frees the operator from adjusting rectifier, and the results are repeatable and reproducible.  With the operating current, voltage and charge applied consistently, the deposit properties can be optimized.  Increased throughput and fewer errors are realized.  As shown in Fig. 3, data logging captures the actual amperage, voltage and time for the entire process cycle, from surface preparation through final plate.  Overall, improved quality control and assurance are obtained.

Figure 3 - Typical programmed rectifier data report.

Mechanized solutions

Programmable software need not be just limited to rectifier control.  It can also be used to assist the operator with many of the manual tasks associated with the selective plating processes.  The software can be used to change and move anodes, open and close valves, rinse parts and move and dump chemical trays.  What follows are three examples of applications where automated selective plating operations have been successfully applied.

Application 1: Oil well blow out preventer (BOP)

This application involved corrosion protection for an oil well blowout preventer (Fig. 4).  The objective was to prevent corrosion damage inside critical seal pockets.  These parts required repair / refurbishment in order to utilize them again in the field.  The desired turnaround time was four to six parts every four to six weeks.  The substrate material was F22 carbon steel.  The electroplated layer specified was 0.030-0.060 in. of nickel.  The plating process cycle was (1) electroclean, (2) etch, (3) desmut, (4) sulfate nickel preplate (strike) and (5) sulfamate nickel plate.

Figure 4 - Oil well blowout preventer part.

Figure 5 shows the pilot scale manual plating apparatus used in the proof-of-concept phase of this study.  The off-center pockets required anode rotation by means of an ID plater.  Figure 5(a) shows the rotating anode device, with several anode configurations displayed beside it to accommodate the various recess diameters.  Figure 5(b) shows the complete installation with the rotation axis positioned vertically.

(a)

(b)

Figure 5 - Manual selective plating pilot apparatus: (L) rotating anode assembly; (R) complete pilot scale setup (vertical orientation).

Some problems were noted.  Plating with the rotating axis positioned horizontally required flipping the part 180° to prevent uneven thickness distribution.  Plating vertically prevented flipping parts by flooding the pocket.  It was difficult to align the rotating anode assembly with the bore using the mechanical setup shown in the photo.  Any misalignment created rapid wear of the anode wrap material.  Further, increased labor was involved with additional setup and masking time.

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Given these observations, a semi-automated machine was built to increase throughput and reduce the changeover time (Fig. 6).  Automated PLC controlled servos and digital position readouts were provided for precision anode alignment.  Part locating tooling, masking fixtures and rectifier software control were included.  Automated valves were installed to eliminate this manual task.  The operator would still prepare the plating area with hand tools, and carbon filter ventilation was provided.

Figure 6 - Semi-automated machine for Ni plating of oil blowout preventer: (L) general view; (R) installation in operation.

Significant benefits accrued from the semi-automated machine.  Increased throughput was realized by plating two areas at the same time.  Productivity improvement was gained by decreasing setup and masking time, with reduced labor.  Process control and consistency was enhanced with anode alignment repeatability, and optimized deposit properties were obtained with standardized plating recipes.  Data logging recorded the  actual amperage, voltage and ampere-hours for every part. 

Table 1 shows the total productivity improvement obtained with this application.  While the manual ID plater improved the bore processing time, the vertical orientation provided a marginal improvement.  Significant improvement was achieved with the semi-automated installation, reducing human errors and reducing the lead time from 25 days to 8 days to finish one part.

Table 1 - Installation 1: Total productivity improvement

Application 2: Pre-braze nickel layer on an engine vane

The application here was to deposit a pre-braze 0.-0.-inch thick layer of nickel on Rene 80, a nickel-based alloy used in jet turbine blades.  The objective was to prevent corrosion damage inside critical seal pockets.  The existing process was labor intensive to the point where there were ergonomic concerns.  The part geometry was difficult to mask, and part handling required that the parts be brought to the anodes, rather than the reverse.  The larger production volume involved required a dedicated person for the operation.

Here, a robotic plating system (Fig. 7) was developed which featured a programmable logic control (PLC) rectifier with human machine interface (HMI) recipe control.  Robotic part handling was employed to bring parts to anodes.  The system also contained an automated DI water rinse and air blow off, a part load conveyor and an unload table.

Figure 7 - Robotic selective plating system: (L) overall layout; (R) robotic handling arm and ancillary equipment.

The benefits of automating this application included ergonomic risk reduction, labor savings, optimization and standardization of cycle times, process control and consistency, process capability improvement from 1.50 to 4.15 Sigma, reduced human errors and chemical exposure reduction.

Application 3: Pre-braze nickel layer on turbine engine components

The application here, also related to turbine engines, was to apply a pre-braze 0.-0.-inch thick layer of nickel on Inconel, an austenitic nickel-chromium-based superalloy.  The objective was to replace aging tank plating equipment with automated selective plating equipment.  The logistics of this process were complex, involving 10 to 30-inch diameter workpieces.  Part masking, involving wax dipping and cutting, was time consuming.  A large manufacturing space requirement of ft2 was typical for such an installation (Fig. 8).  In addition, operator chemical exposure, environmental requirements and the use of an air scrubber had to be dealt with.

Figure 8 - Portion of a tank line for nickel plating Inconel turbine engine components.

A fully automated robotic selective plating system was developed for this application.  It included:

  • Quick change masking tooling

  • Anode tool changers

  • Solution level and flow control/monitoring

  • RFID tag monitoring

  • Barcode driven recipe selection

  • Programmable logic controlled (PLC) rectifier

  • Data collection/reporting

  • Provision for operators fill solution tanks on a weekly basis

  • Rinse water collection tanks

  • Carbon filter fume extraction with airflow switch

Figure 9 - Details of quick-change tooling mechanism.

The system allows for quick change tooling for fast changeovers and precision locating.  As shown in Fig. 9, air pressure causes the cylinders to unlock and receive and locate their mating retention knobs.  Removing air pressure from the cylinder allows the internal piston cam to mechanically position five hardened steel balls around the knob, locking it into place until air pressure is again applied to release it. The precision surfaces of the cylinder locks and mating knobs offer a repeatability of .&#;, with thousands of pounds of fail-safe mechanical holding strength.  Accordingly, there is no need to center the part in a traditional lathe chuck, eliminating the need for operators to manually center parts into traditional lathe chucks.

Figure 10 - Details of master anode tool changer.

A master anode tool changer is fitted with plumbing to handle all plating chemicals, DI water, compressed air, electrical connectors and an RFID tag reader.  The robot picks and places each tool in plating process in sequence.  Poka-yoke (mistake-proofing) plumbing and RFID tags prevent using wrong tool or chemical.  A collision sensor was provided to prevent crashing tooling.

Solution handling constantly monitored critical operating parameters.  The pump flow is PLC-controlled, and clamp-on flowmeters are installed for data feedback.  Sensors monitor the solution tank level and temperature, and the specified nickel plating is regulated through ampere-hour tracking.  Automated valving is used to divert recirculated chemicals and rinse waters to their proper locations.  Rinse water collection tanks store prep waste and nickel waste before being pumped to larger totes.  Separating these waste streams means that the nickel wastewater can later be recycled and reclaimed.

Summary

Overall, automating selective plating operations can offer:

  • Optimization and standardization of cycle times

  • Increased throughput and productivity

  • Process control and consistency

  • Reduced human errors

  • Reduced labor

  • Ergonomic risk reduction

  • Chemical exposure reduction

  • Data logging and reporting

  • Reduced manufacturing space

  • Possible elimination of air scrubbers

As seen here, selective plating is not just a manual process.  There are many different reasons to automate a selective plating process.  However, it is important to understand your application and what goals you have in automating your process.

About the author

Derek Kilgore is a Mechanical Design and Project Engineer at SIFCO ASC.

*Compiled by Dr. James H. Lindsay, Technical Editor - NASF

** Corresponding author:

Mr. Derek Kilgore

Mechanical Design and Project Engineer

SIFCO ASC

E. Schaaf Road

Independence, OH

:     216-750-

:      

 

 

What Are the Benefits of Automated Plating?

Automation is an increasingly popular option for high-volume tasks requiring precise results. It minimizes the variability associated with manual tasks. Here are some of the specific benefits of pursuing automated plating.

 

1. Improved Speed

Automated systems are often chosen for better plating productivity. They allow people to maintain high work output despite having small teams. Reaching higher speeds is especially advantageous when the material requiring plating is on a large item.

 

Wind turbine blades are a good example. Plating makes them more corrosion-resistant and protects against pitting caused by exposure to the elements. Silver is a common material used when coating the blades.

 

However, getting the job done becomes trickier as rotor blades get progressively longer. That&#;s why a Dutch tech company tested using an autonomous mobile robot for the task. The goal was to have it coat a 100-meter blade in only 90 minutes.

 

The robot moves to a predetermined position before applying the coating. It then progresses to the next programmed spot to repeat the process until the blade is fully covered.

 

People responsible for engineering this application believe the robot&#;s uses could go beyond automated plating and integrate into numerous turbine blade manufacturing duties. For example, it could inspect the blade&#;s laminate or help with surface cleaning.

 

2. Enhanced Quality Control

Company leaders increasingly feel pressure for their organizations to stay competitive in an ever-challenging marketplace. There&#;s no guaranteed path to making that happen, but automation often plays a significant role. That was the conclusion made by the leaders of a Michigan company specializing in electroless nickel plating for customers in the automotive, oil and gas industries.

 

The company has seven operating baths, and decision-makers at the facility decided to automate all of them. That was due in part to labor expenses and operator differences associated with titration testing. Representatives at the organization recognized an opportunity to increase production quantities, improve chemical usage and benefit from other perks.

 

Better quality control was also a primary benefit expected from this plan. Automating plating systems remove virtually all the variability present in tasks done by hand. They also allow people to supervise the processes and pinpoint the precise causes of production issues earlier and address them promptly. In this case, the organization selected a system that sent alerts to people&#;s smartphones if abnormalities were detected.

 

The automated equipment chosen by the company was three-and-a-half times better at maintaining a bath&#;s nickel concentration than manual processes, data showed. Also, it didn&#;t take long to see positive results.

 

Company leaders initially planned to compare the automated controller&#;s results with the manual methods for a month. However, the automation showed superior outcomes after only a week.

 

3. Reduced Costs

Companies specializing in plating use various processes to achieve uniformity that can cut costs while ramping up production when needed. It&#;s also necessary to apply plating in ways that fit customers&#; precise needs.

 

For example, gold plating is commonly added to electronics components to protect them from heat. That&#;s because gold&#;s melting point is 1,943 F, which provides good protection from heat. Applying a thicker plating layer is a practical way to increase heat resistance within the electronics concerned.

 

Since people can set up tools to apply precisely the amount of plating needed, it cuts the costs associated with mistakes. Similarly, bringing robots into a plating process is an effective way to reduce waste. Minimizing resource usage is a proven way to support a company&#;s bottom line by curbing unnecessary spending. 

 

Toyota uses a dip-free plating machine that allows precise limiting of the application area. The waste solution associated with this method is reportedly about one-30th of the previous one.

 

4. Minimized Environmental Impact

Some companies also use automation to source materials used for plating. Apple&#;s iPhone 13 was the first of the brand&#;s products to use certified 100% recycled gold on the main logic board and the front and rear camera wires.

 

The company has a disassembly robot called Daisy that helps recyclers get to the reusable materials inside old electronics. It currently operates one such machine in the Netherlands and another in the United States.

 

A source at Apple said, &#;Just 1 metric ton of iPhone main logic boards, flexes and camera modules disassembled by Daisy contains the same amount of gold and copper as an estimated 150 metric tons of mined earth. These materials make it back to the general market so that we and others can use recycled materials for the next generation of products."

 

This method of applying automation to source plating materials is not yet common. However, as people become increasingly concerned about protecting the environment for this and future generations, other companies will likely follow Apple&#;s lead.

 

5. Elevated Operator Safety and Comfort

Automating some or all parts of the plating process can reduce or minimize potential operator illness or discomfort. For example, electroplating can emit dangerous chemicals, while metal plating produces dust that&#;s harmful if inhaled. The side effects can range from short-term issues like eye and throat irritation to long-term illnesses, including cancer. The health risks vary depending on how much of a chemical or harmful particle is absorbed into the body.

 

Automated plating could keep people safer by letting them stay further away from electroplating operations while supervising and intervening when needed. Using automation instead of having operators manually pour substances into tanks removes the threat of an accident caused by a person spilling the product onto themselves or a co-worker.

 

Automated plating systems also relieve people from spending too much time in positions that eventually strain the body. Even if a process still requires some manual steps, machines could offer a more ergonomic option for workers.

 

Automation can also reduce the overall number of people required to do a task without causing fatigue in the workforce. For example, one manufacturer needed more than a dozen workers overseeing four to five machines before investing in automation. Now, one or two people do the same job.

 

Plating Automation Brings Impressive Payoffs

These examples show it makes good business sense to bring automation into a plating operation. However, that approach is not the best one in every case. Getting optimal results requires careful consideration of project specifications, client needs and other relevant factors. A clear understanding of requirements from the outset prevents challenges later.

 

For more Automatic Plating Line(ar,ru,pt)information, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.

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