Regarding Corrosion resistance test

V

vivkrish

Hello All,


We are purchasing some of the plated components from our suppliers. Most of the products are Zinc plated with minimum of 5 Micron thickness.

As per our standard, for 5 micron thickness the product should withstand minimum of 168 hrs in salt spray test.

We are consuming Min 1500 EA per day. As per our customer requirements We/Our supplier need to maintain D+1 stock only.

I cannot qualify the product because, the product will be assembled in end product before test completion.

Is there any alternative method for corrosion test with short period (2~3 Hrs), to confirm the product quality? currently we are using salt bath.

If anything available kindly suggest me...

Thanks,
Vivkrish.
 

JeantheBigone

Quite Involved in Discussions
Does it have to be a corrosion test, or is it sufficient to confirm plating thickness? Measuring plating thickness can be done rapidly, once the system is calibrated. What is your substrate? Is it steel?
 

ScottK

Not out of the crisis
Leader
Super Moderator
A friend who did many years in plating says that the salt spray was not used for acceptance testing for a validated process.

They did coating thickness for acceptance.

Salt spray was done periodically for confirming the process is still in control.
 
V

vivkrish

Does it have to be a corrosion test, or is it sufficient to confirm plating thickness? Measuring plating thickness can be done rapidly, once the system is calibrated. What is your substrate? Is it steel?
Hello,

Obviously the substrate is Steel only. We cannot measure the plating thickness for small components (Cannot touch the Probe in product's even surface). Some of the products are small components only they introduces the rust problem. So only we are doing salt spray test.

Can you pls help me to overcome this issue.

Thanks,
Vivkrish.
 

JeantheBigone

Quite Involved in Discussions
Hi vivkrish

In my world, nothing is obvious :), which is why I asked about the substrate.

Is there a reason why you cannot use x-ray fluorescence to measure plating thickness? Do you not have a line of sight to the surfaces that need to be measured?
 
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V

vivkrish

Hi vivkrish

In my world, nothing is obvious :), which is why I asked about the substrate.

Is there a reason why you cannot use x-ray fluorescence to measure plating thickness? Do you not have a line of sight to the surfaces that need to be measured?
Hi JeantheBigone,

Good Idea, Can we measure the plating thickness by X-Ray Fluorescence spectroscopy?

I have used this method for Composition analysis.
 
P

p1stonbroke

You should be able to purchase an Elcometer to do this testing. it's literally a 5 second test.
In terms of controlling that testing....
1) The Elcometer(s) should be calibrated as per the Manufacturers guidelines
2) you need to do a first and last test, plus reasonable periods in between for each batch
3) You should retain samples, and record your testing (who did it, when, which bath, process line etc).
4) A sample from the batch should still be tested as per the salt spray, with the understanding that you may need to recall a batch if your sample were to fail (with product already released).
5) which means you will need some form of traceability from manufacturing batch to deliveries......
 
V

vivkrish

You should be able to purchase an Elcometer to do this testing. it's literally a 5 second test.
In terms of controlling that testing....
1) The Elcometer(s) should be calibrated as per the Manufacturers guidelines
2) you need to do a first and last test, plus reasonable periods in between for each batch
3) You should retain samples, and record your testing (who did it, when, which bath, process line etc).
4) A sample from the batch should still be tested as per the salt spray, with the understanding that you may need to recall a batch if your sample were to fail (with product already released).
5) which means you will need some form of traceability from manufacturing batch to deliveries......
Hello p1stonbroke,

Already we have the thin film coating thickness gauge. We can't able to check such small parts like fasteners (Don't have flat surface). Such case how can we confirm the plating?

Thanks,
Vivkrish.
 
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