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Standards for salt spray testing

 

Dear sir/madam:

We are a company doing electroplating on ABS plastic with the process of copper, nickel and chrome plating. I would like to know about the standards for certain laboratory testings which are:

1.normal salt spray test.
2.copper accelerated salt spray test(cass)
3.acetic accelerated salt spray test(ass)

Please tell me about the standards which are; temp.; salt sol conc. and ph. Also tell me how much a slight difference in these standards, can affect the results. Please write to me soon.

Thanx and regards

Sandeep Jain
plastics - New Delhi, India

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The answers to all of your questions should be found in ASTM B117 and ASTM B368. ASTM B117 is the specification for salt spray. ASTM B368 is the specification for the CASS test. CASS testing uses both copper and acetic acid ⇦this on eBay or Amazon [affil links] , and I do not think there is a standard test that uses only copper or only acetic acid . CASS testing is appropriate for specific finishes only. We use CASS to test our nickel-chrome platings. Salt spray is the most universally accepted corrosion test method, and is the "default" test.

Tim Neveau
Rochester Hills, Michigan

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You may also want to refer to ASTM ASTM G85, which includes an acetic acid salt spray. ISO 9227 includes procedures for salt spray, cass and acetic acid .

Cynthia L. Meade
- Sylvania, Ohio, USA