Why are certain alloys a bad choice for coating high-tech components?
This is one of the questions that Sebastian Lange, Manager of Electroplating & Anodising at Hittech Prontor Gmbh, received after his talk at the Manufacturing Technology Conference in Veldhoven (NL) last week. Sebastian would like to take some time to address this question in this post.
Sebastian: “My presentation about high-end anodisation as an integral part of coated parts production and assemblies was well attended. During the Q&A afterwards, I noticed that there might be a lack of knowledge regarding the choice of materials in the design stage of high-tech parts. There are several sensible reasons for engineers to select certain alloys for these kinds of parts when focusing on the machining aspect of production, such as copper or lead. “
However, these alloy components are unsuitable for surface treatments such as anodisation. Nickel plating appears easier due to the principle of “just” adding nickel to the part. However, some alloy components complicate the coating process, including copper, manganese, or zinc, which affect the coating’s adhesion properties. While it’s not impossible, it does make the process more complex and costly, often resulting in poorer outcomes.
What is your tip for engineers in the high-end industry, such as semicon?
Sebastian: “Exchange knowledge with the production experts beforehand if you design high-tech parts needing a special surface treatment with high standards. Besides the fact that sharing knowledge makes everyone a winner, it will make the process much more efficient.”
In the photo, a high-tech part after anodising has many anodising-free holes and tolerances of +/—5µm. This result was only possible because the coater was involved during the design process.
The Manufacturing Technology Conference was organised by Mikrocentrum on April 17 in Veldhoven (NL).
