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Method to add brightener dropwise

Hello all.

I want to know that is there any technique or method to add brightener dropwise during plating. We normally pour a mixture M and R of about 60--70 ml. after every lot of 1 hour plating process.I want that instead pouring all the mixture at a time , it should be poured dropwise so that all 60--70 ml should be finished in one hour by drop drop. So the M and R could be efectively used.Also I want that method or technique can be preapred at in-house.

Thanks.

Sean Aarchr
plating engineer - India
February 27, 2008

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Many rectifier manufacturers offer what they call "brightener feeders", Sean. This is a small metering pump connected to an ampere=hour totalizer so that the brighteners are fed in proportion to the amount of work plated. Good luck.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
February 28, 2008

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First of two simultaneous responses --

Ted's suggestion is the optimum way to go. If this is a bit expensive, you can go to a tall skinny jug with a needle valve and tubing to the tank. You calibrate it with a small graduated cylinder every morning and you can read how much you have dispensed at any time of the day and modify. I used big jugs for EN (big adds) and it worked fine.

A needle valve is optimum. A "roto-burette" is fragile but fantastic in its control.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
February 29, 2008

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Second of two simultaneous responses --

Ted is right about the best method. However, many people only have the pump not the electronics so they dilute the brighteners and set the feed rate for the feed rate per minute desired. Frequently the power for this pump is wired to the rectifier on switch. While this does not give you amp hour brightener control, if your number of plating hours and amps per day are steady enough it works quite well. My personal preference is to set the pump for 80% of what is the estimated requirement and make up any shortfall daily. The reason for the dilute is that the brighteners should not impinge on the work in their concentrated form. Also, being diluted they disperse in the solution better (I suggest this even when using an amp hour feeder)

Gene Packman
process supplier - Great Neck, New York
March 2, 2008

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March 5, 2008

Thanks to you all especially Mr. James Watts.

I like your idea . Well sir I request you that is it possible for you to give me the process in detail. Something I am cleared about but something has gone beyond .

Regards.

Sean Aarchr
- India