The authoritative public forum
  for Metal Finishing since 1989
-----

Solderable coating on Al3003

I am working with Aluminum 3003 sheets and desire a solderable surface(my solders are Sn/37Pb and Sn3Ag0.5Cu). Are there any coatings/platings that are available? Can any of these coatings be selectively applied(in the form of patterns, etc)? Thanks for your help

Prawin Paulraj
Graduate Student - Hillsboro, OR, USA
2005

---

Although it requires appropriate pretreatment, yes, aluminum can be plated with any plateable metal. The simplest process is probably clean, etch, desmut, zincate, low phosphorous electroless nickel plate.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2005

---

Considering the budget of most gradute students, check with three of the larger brush plating vendors. Tell them exactly what you want, in more detail thanyou gave here, and ask them if they have any people in your area that to contract brush plating.
short of that, find a local plater that works on aluminum with electroless nickel.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
2005