13. Complete Nickel Plating Troubleshooting Tables

Adhesion, burning, and pitting

Problem Likely causes Checks Corrective direction —————– —————– —————– ——————————– Peeling/flaking Oil, oxide, Water-break test; Rework preparation; validate passive review prep; activation/strike sequence substrate, poor inspect interface activation, delay
after activation

Blistering Entrapped Inspect substrate Improve cleaning and substrate contamination, and cleaning preparation poor cleaning,
porous base metal

Burning at edges Excess current Calculate Reduce local current; improve density, close area/current; geometry/agitation; restore anodes, weak inspect spacing; specified conditions agitation, bath verify
outside range temperature/pH

Pitting Gas bubbles, oil, Observe surface Improve particles, during plating; agitation/cleaning/filtration; wetting problem, filter; inspect use only approved additive insufficient cleanliness correction agitation

Bare spots Soil, gas pocket, Water-break; Re-clean/re-rack/reorient shielding, no orientation;
electrical path contact check
————————————————————————————–

Roughness, haze, dullness

Problem Likely causes Checks Corrective direction —————– ——————— —————— ——————- Rough/nodular Suspended solids, Filter inspection; Filter, clean, anode debris, dirty anode bags; bath remove particle tank/rack sample source

Hazy/cloudy Operating condition pH/temp/current; Restore operating deposit drift, contamination, Hull cell; window; test before additive imbalance, contamination additions poor preparation history

Dull deposit Low current density, Current Correct operating poor temperature calculation; temp; condition; follow control, additive Hull cell; supplier additive condition, poor substrate finish analysis polishing

Dark deposit Excess/insufficient Compare Correct current local current, high/low-current distribution; contamination, poor areas; inspect investigate contact contacts contamination

Streaking Flow pattern, Orientation; Change preparation marks, agitation; flow/orientation; contamination, uneven pre-finish improve current prep/control ——————————————————————————

Uneven thickness

Symptom Likely cause Action ———————– ———————– ———————– Thick edges/thin center Current crowding Increase distance, shield edges, adjust anodes

One side thicker Anode closer on that Equalize geometry side

Recesses thin Low local current/poor Improve anode solution exchange placement/agitation; consider auxiliary methods

One part on rack weak Contact Clean contact; resistance/shielding reposition

Top/bottom difference Flow, gas retention, Change geometry orientation/agitation ———————————————————————–

Bath symptoms

Observation Investigate first ———————————– ———————————– Sudden defect after new addition Addition identity, dose record, mixing, contamination

Defect only on one rack Rack/contact/geometry

Defect on every load Bath condition, prep line, rectifier, contamination

Defect only at high-current areas Current density, agitation, temperature, anode spacing

Defect only in recesses Throwing power, contact, local agitation, geometry

Defect after long idle period Bath mixing, temperature stabilization, anodes, contamination/settling ———————————————————————–