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Gold Plating bath parameters

August 25, 2011

Hello.
I'm Joy de Luna, a Plating Engr. of a company that manufacturing Flexible Boards and PCBs. We have a Nickel Gold plating line that's running smoothly for almost a year now. I would just like to ask the following regarding Gold plating bath:
1. What is the standard or accurate voltage connection between the cathode and the gold plating bath? What will happen to the gold plating bath if the voltage connection is higher than the spec?
2. What should be the distance between the cathode and the anode?
3. What is the effect of cathode efficiency during gold plating?
4. Is it possible to plate the gold metal in the anode screen? If yes, why?

Thank you in advance for the immediate response.

Joy De Luna
employee - Philippines

When plating in our gold bath we use around 8 to 10 amps/sq. ft. we also use platinum coated titanium anodes. if your voltage is higher than you normally run then you are creating resistance somewhere in your connections. if you are plating gold onto your anodes than it would seem to me that you have a short or a direct connection between your anode and cathode there should not be any gold plating out onto your anode. Try cleaning all of the areas that your rectifier makes contact with from the rectifier to the tank. make sure that the cathode is not making contact with the anode inside of the tank. gold is very efficient so the voltage to achieve the desired amperage is usually minimal.

Joe Rhoades
- Bradford Pennsylvania
August 29, 2011