P.O.Box1890Greeneville,TN37744-1890T: 423.639.8111F:423.639.3125Technical Brief: Plating / Finishing of Solid Zinc StripGeneralPlating/FinishingInformationThetechnology forelectroplating onzincbaseddiecastingsiswelldevelopedandcanbe directlyappliedtoprojectsinvolvingstamped,drawn,orrollformedpartsformedfrom Jardenzincstrip.Asinallsystemsdesignedtoplateoverzincbasedalloyswhetheritbe rack,strip,orbarrel,acoppercyanidestrikeisrequired.Overthiscopperstrikeanyother platingfinishmayeasilybeapplied.Normalcareshouldbetakentoavoidpotentialplatingproblemsinthedesignstageof newprojectswherezincstripistobe considered.Thesedesignperceptsarewelloutlined inChapter11oftheZincInstitutepublication"Finishing&ElectroplatingDieCast& WroughtZinc."Thissectiontitled"DesignforElectroplating"coveredindetailthe specificfeaturesrequiredforqualityanduniformityinanelectroplatedfinish.Owingprimarilytothedemandsoftheautomotiveanddecorativeplumbingindustries, thetechnologyneededtoproduceaqualitycorrosionresistantchromeplatedsurfaceon zincstriphasreachedwhatmanyconsidertobestateoftheartinelectroplatedfinishes. Levelingacidcopperandzinctolerantnickelsystemshavefurtheradvancedbothquality andeconomy.Allofthistechnologyis,however,renderedineffectiveifcareisnot exercisedinthepreplatingsurfacepreparationofpartstobefinished.Thepartsmadefromsolidzincstripalloyscanbecleanedusingmanyofthetraditional cleaningtechniques.Oneguidingprinciplewhichshouldbekeptinmindwhencleaning zincpartsisthatingeneralmilderchemicalconditionsareusedwhencleaningzinc comparedwithsteelorbrassparts.Thisisthecasebecauseofzinc'shigherreactivity whencomparedwithbrass.a.Solvent-EmulsionCleaningZincpartscanbesolventcleanedusingneutraldegreasingsolvents.b.Soak-Spray-Electro CleanersTherearemanyproprietarycleanersavailablefromchemicalsupplierswhichhavebeen foundsatisfactoryforuseascleanersforzincparts.Thesewouldincludesoak,sprayand electrocleanerswhichbydesignaregenerallymildalkalinecleanersandnonaggressive towardzinc.Examplesofproprietarycleanerswhichhavebeenusedforcleaningzinc partsareoutlinedbelow:
P.O.Box1890Greeneville,TN37744-1890T: 423.639.8111F:423.639.3125SuppliersSoak-Spray-CleanersElectro CleanersAcid DipsMacDermidTS40a (Soak)EM1751M-629P1777 (SoakEM340M-165M&TZA111 (SoakElectro CDActi-200NAllied Kelite1 SO Prep 401 SO Prep 551 SO Prep 192UdyliteUDY Prep 180UDY Prep 288UDY Prep 312Normallyaftersoakandelectrocleaningandinpreparationforplating,zincpartsare dippedintoamildacidsolution(0.5-1%sulfuricacid)forabout30seconds.Alternately proprietaryacidsalts(e.g.,sodiumacidsulfate)canbeusedastheaciddip.Again,too aggressiveorstrongaciddipsaretobeavoided.Overtheyearssufficienttechnicaldatahasbeendevelopedonthebuffingandpolishing ofzincbaseddiecastingstogivedesignengineersayardstickformeasuringcostand productionratesforsurfacepreparationofthistypeofcasting.Ingeneral,anyelectroplaterequippedtofinishzincbaseddiecastingswillhaveno problemswithpartsformedfromzincstrip.Thereare,however,afewspecific differences whichtheelectroplater shouldbeawareof.Withouttryingtooverstatewhatshouldbeobvious,careshouldalwaysbetakento minimizesurfaceimperfectionswhicharethedirectresultofpoorhandlingprocedures. Nicks,scratches,etc.,arealwaysmoredifficultandmoreexpensivetoremovethanto preventinthefirstplace.Also,formingdieswhichareworn,nickedorimproperly polishedandtrimdieswhicharenotproperlysharpenedcanimpartsurfacedefectswhich eventhemostelaborate platingsystemwillbeunabletohide.ThehighsurfacequalityofJarden'szincstripeliminatestheneedforanyabrasivetype polishingpriortobuffingoperations.Theonlyexceptiontothismightbethenecessityto removeheavyburrsleftbyanimproperlycontrolledtrimoperation.Ifthefinisherfindsit necessarytoperformthistypeofmaterialremovingoperation,agreased240-300grit aluminumoxideendlessbeltisrecommended,andshouldberunat4000-6000 SF/M. Otherthanburrremoval,thefinishershouldavoidanyabrasive"polishing"operationon