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Conductivity and reliability of Electro-Plated Zinc Nickel

Hello,

We previously used a cold roll steel enclosure cover with powder coating finish in our products. There are punch holes without powder coating; finished use is for machanical mounting and grounding shield for EMC. Since the unfinished areas corrode and rust so easy, the metal fab house have suggested using Zn-Ni electro-plated galvanize steel with Chromate treatment. My questions are:

1) How long would Zn-Ni electro-plated galvanize steel prevent from corrode compare to CRS?
2) Does powder coating adhere to Zn-Ni electro-plated galvanize steel OK?
3) Would Zn-Ni electro-plated galvanize steel conduct? What is the conductivity charactreistic? better or worse compared to CRS?

Thanks in advance.

Xuan Truong
Electronics Manufacture - Davis, California, USA
2004

Dear Mr Truong,

There no issues that should prevent you from accepting the recommendations of your metal fab shop.

Zn Ni will last 15 years more than bare metal.

Powder coating will adhere to Zn Ni. It would help to have a light blue chromate over Zi Ni.

Yes Zi Ni will be conductive.

Khozem Vahaanwala
Saify Ind

Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

2004