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Plating peels off from ABS

January 1, 2011

Dear Sir

We are doing plating on ABS part having thickness 13 micron Cu-Ni-Cr
but our product fails in cross hatch tape test, plating peels off from the base surface.
Can you tell me the reason behind this ? and what is the solution?

Parvez Ahmad
employee - Noida/UP, India

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Since you have provided zero information about your process, it is like a computer---GIGO---garbage in, garbage out.
Is it a "plateable" grade of ABS? If it is, then the most likely problem is in the activation of the ABS.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
First of two simultaneous responses -- January 3, 2011

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Hi,

first you should check the parameters of injection. %80 the problem comes from moulding.

second for me..check the parameters of etching...H2SO4, chromic acid, cr+3, iron..

third for me, the thickness of copper is also important. for me min 25 micron

best regards

Arda Basaran
Plating on Plastic - Turkey
Second of two simultaneous responses -- January 4, 2011

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February 2, 2011

Dear Friend,

Reasons for this problems are,
1. Check the base material quality i.e. grade of plastic material.
2. Check your chromic acid etching bath trivalent chrome %, and other parameters.
3. check activation or electroless baths properties.
4. Before Copper plating check the % of acid dip.
All above is ok then your problems solved in your cross hatch test. First you check your base product is clearly ABS or PP because both material time is different in chrome acid etching bath.

Sanjay Bawale
- Aurangabad, Maharastra, India

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February 9, 2011

Assuming that the moulding is OK, the next thing to check is the chromate etching.

ABS has a glaze. If the etcher functions OK, after the etcher rinses, the glaze is gone.

Sara Michaeli
Tel-Aviv-Yafo, Israel