Improve the purity of the electroplating solution to solve the impurity problem for a well-known automotive component manufacturer

The challenges faced by the customer:

• During the electroplating production process, this customer has been constantly troubled by tiny solid impurity particles appearing in the nickel plating solution. These impurities originate from:
  • Residual activated carbon powder: After the initial carbon treatment for purification, fine carbon powder was not completely filtered out.
  • Equipment wear particles: Metal particles generated from the minor wear of pumps and pipelines.
  • Insoluble by-products: By-product substances generated during electroplating processes.

These tiny particles will adhere to the surface of the plated part, resulting in:

• The coating shows spots and burrs, which seriously affect the appearance and quality of the product.
• The coating is uneven, resulting in substandard corrosion resistance in certain areas.
• The yield rate remains high, with an average of 5% of the products requiring rework or being scrapped, resulting in significant waste of materials and labor hours.
• Frequent replacement of filter elements leads to a low efficiency of the original filtration system and high maintenance costs.

The customer urgently needs an efficient, stable and easy-to-maintain filtration solution that can achieve an absolute filtration accuracy of 1 micron and handle large volumes of circulating plating solutions.

Our solution:

After on-site investigation and technical communication, we recommended and provided a customized SS304 multi-bag filter for them. The specific configuration is as follows:

• Model: TMF-500-4S (with a diameter of 500mm and 4 bags)
• Filtering accuracy: 1 micron polypropylene (PP) filter bag (selected for optimized compatibility with electroplating solutions)
• Filter basket: Heavy-duty SS304 filter basket (1.5mm wall thickness), ensuring long-term structural stability and no deformation in corrosive environments.
• Sealing: Fluorine rubber sealing ring, perfectly resistant to the chemical corrosion of nickel plating solution and operating temperature of 60℃, ensuring no leakage.
• Design: Side inlet, bottom outlet, 2.5-inch ANSI flange, facilitating integration into existing circulation pipelines.
• Core advantage: Large dust capacity design. Each unit can accommodate 4 #2 filter bags, providing a large filtration area and extending the effective working time.

Implementation and Results:

Within the maintenance window period set by the customer for equipment shutdown, we quickly completed the installation and commissioning of the equipment. This system was integrated into their electroplating solution circulation filtration process and operates 24/7 without interruption.

Outcome data (after 3 months of implementation):

Product quality has significantly improved:

The problems of blemishes and burrs on the surface of the plated parts have been basically eliminated. The one-time qualification rate of the products has increased from 95% to over 99.8%.

Operating costs have been significantly reduced:

The filter bag replacement cycle has been extended from the original system’s every 3 days to every 2 weeks. As a result, the consumption of filter materials and the cost of manual maintenance have been reduced by 80%.

The rework and scrap rates of the products are nearly zero, and the direct cost savings it achieves each year exceed 500,000 yuan.

Reliability and Security:

The equipment operates stably. The designed pressure of 1.0 MPa provides sufficient safety margin for it to operate at a working pressure of 0.5 MPa. Customers can rest assured.

The quick-opening cover design makes it very convenient to replace the filter bag, reducing the maintenance downtime by 70%.

Customer feedback:

“Your company’s multi-bag filter has completely resolved the quality issues that have plagued us for many years. Its outstanding filtration accuracy and extremely long service life exceed our expectations. What’s more, as a strong factory, you understand our complex working conditions and have provided a fully customized solution that perfectly meets our needs as well as timely technical support. This is not just a piece of equipment, but a reliable investment.”