Carbide Plating Source 1

[Maui]

We are resistance welding cylindrical carbide tips onto an alloy steel backing material during the manufacture of one of our products. The carbide tips are plated with a 3 to 10 micron thick layer of nickel in order to aid in the welding process. When the plating is properly applied, the welding process works well, and the product performance is very consistent. Our problem is that the quality of the plating that our supplier gives us is inconsistent - sometimes it literally just peels off, or it has surface imperfections that prevent good physical contact with the backing steel. We would like to find a reliable plating source that can provide us with a more consistent product. Is there a domestic plating source in the USA that the members of this forum could recommend that has the capability to apply a 3 to 10 micron layer of nickel to a cylindrical shaped carbide tip approximately 1/8" in length, and do it consistently? Any suggestions would be appreciated. We are looking for the best in the field, and pricing is not a major issue provided that the consistency of the plating can be clearly demonstrated.

Maui

 

[Goahead]

You are probably talking of brazing.

On nickel plating you could probably contact the important metal finishing trade associations:

http://www.aesf.org

http://www.namf.org

http://www.mfsa.org

http://www.nmfrc.org/

Regards,

http://www.welding-advisers.com/

 

[tripleZ]

0.0001"-0.0004" per side? They're not ISO certified, but I used to have stuff electroless nickel plated at Latronics Corp. in Latrobe, PA. Adherence was a problem for some of my steel parts, so we ended up making some heat treatment adjustments in addition to having them follow a bake cycle for their plating. They're not ISO 9000, but they'll work with you on your process. As to best in the field, I really can't qualify that. I only know that they performed consistently on my products.

 

[kenvlach]

Cobalt or nickel can be plated, either electrolytically or electrolessly, onto carbide (usually refers to a cermet such as WC in a cobalt matrix) to aid in the welding.

I suggest you contact Tom Waltz of

http://www.carbideprocessors.com/index.htm

His US Patent #6,322,871 gives some info on proper pretreatment of the carbide prior to plating.

http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-...50&s1=6322871.PN.&OS=PN/6322871&RS=PN/6322871

 

[tomwalz]

Thank you kenvlach.

I would be happy to help.

Tom Walz

Thomas J. Walz
Carbide Processors, Inc.

http://www.carbideprocessors.com

 

[Maui]

Thanks for your help everyone.

Maui