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Plating Specialists
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Special Projects
If a component needs electroless nickel plating, then NiTEC can do it. No project is too large or too small. The experience of the staff means that any potential problems can usually be addressed, whether it relates to size, masking or jigging. Here are some examples of the type of work undertaken, the problems encountered and how they were addressed:
Large Manifold
The component, manufactured for Joy Mining, was approximately 1.5m square, by 1m deep. It appeared to be a solid block of steel, with two small holes in opposing corners on one face. The block however contained an intricate series of pipework, which would be used to carry water as a coolant. This pipework required plating to ensure corrosion prevention. To plate the component, flexible pipes were connected to the holes in the block and the electroless nickel plating solution was pumped from a holding tank through the block and back to the holding tank, on a continuous basis. As electroless nickel has to be at 90°C to operate, the block was immersed in a tank of cleaning solution, maintained at 70-80°C to prevent heat loss and flash rusting of the exterior of the block. The plating solution was analysed and maintained with additions made to the holding tank.Vortoil Pipe
Although electroless nickel plating is known for the uniformity of the deposit, over very large items there can be slight thickness variations due to localised changes in temperature, activity, etc. The Vortoil Pipe is used on oilrigs, for the separation of crude oil from seawater. Understandably, the environment is very harsh and so a high degree of corrosion prevention is required, making electroless nickel a good choice. However, the nature of the operation means that the tolerances of the pipe must be less than 3 microns over the length. The pipe, approximately 4m in length, needed to be electroless nickel plated internally and externally, including all the attached pipes, holes and fins. The deposit thickness required was 100 microns and the tolerance was < 3 microns variation in any area. While the size and material posed no problems generally, conforming to the tight distribution tolerances over that length, needed to be addressed. A jig was manufactured with a motor, which was attached to either end of the pipe. The pipe was then electroless nickel plated horizontally, while turning very slowly, like being on a spit.Vacuum Chamber
Rutherford Laboratories had manufactured a large vacuum chamber, which would have lasers travelling down the centre. Iron from the chamber walls would affect the tests and the lasers would burn through paint, so the chamber needed to be plated with a thin layer of electroless nickel plating. The chamber came in many large sections, most of which had tanks manufactured to fit each part, some of which weighed in excess of 20 tonnes. The main body of the chamber weighed 150 tonnes and was built like a small room, containing many windows, portals and doors. Blanking plates were manufactured for each of these. The chamber was sheeted over and manually shot blasted internally. The chamber was going to be used as the plating tank and was to be filled with electroless nickel plating solution. The portals and windows however, contained recesses which were identified as gas traps. To overcome this and to ensure complete coverage of the electroless nickel plating, all of the blanking plates were fitted with small air pipes. These fed up the outside of the chamber and back into the top, removing gas and solution and ensuring complete coverage.The Spaceman
Not everything electroless nickel plated has a practical or engineering application, but when approached by artist and sculptor David Mach, NiTEC did not shy away from the challenge. Wire coat hangers had been bent, twisted and welded together to form the Spaceman, one of a number of sculptures done in this way. The hangers were already zinc coated, but as the welding had removed some of the coating, the corrosion protection afforded was negligible. Electroless nickel plating was chosen as it would access all the tiny areas formed by the sculpture. The size, surface area and fragility of the component also needed to be addressed. The statue came in three parts, with an internal support structure. As NiTEC handle very large engineering components, an oversize tank was used to plate the article, thus giving sufficient solution capacity to address the surface area. The internal supports were used for jigging purposes, which meant that the fragile exterior of the structure did not have to be handled. Finally, after electroless nickel plating, a thin lacquer was applied and baked on in the furnace, to maintain the appearance of the electroless nickel coating while the statue was on show.To request a quote or if you just need advice call 0845 224 3571 or email web@nitec-enp.co.uk
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