Overview
Gold, being a precious metal meaning it will not oxidize in air, allows for its electrical conductivity to stay uniform over long periods of time. Benefits of gold plating include corrosion resistances, good solderability, and when alloyed with cobalt, good wear resistance.
In regards to application use, components that require gold plating are those used in electrical switch contacts, connector pins and barrels, and other applications used in intermittent electrical contact. Gold plating has widespread use for medical and dental applications as exemplified in the production of certain mechanical systems used in microsurgical procedures. Gold’s anti-corrosive and heat-shielding properties are ideally suited for the aerospace industry in the manufacturing of rocket engines.
Key Performance Properties of Gold Plating:
Specifications:
| Gold Electroplating Capabilities | ||
| Electroplating Material | Gold | |
| Copper Alloy (Non Ferrous) Substrates | Beryllium Copper (BeCu) | Copper |
| Tellurium Copper (TeCu) | Brass | |
| Leaded Brass | ||
| Nickel Alloy (Ferrous) Substrates | Carbon Steel | Nickel |
| Leaded Steel | Spring Steel | |
| Stainless Steel | Molybdenum | |
| Kovar | Elkonite | |
| Invar | Alloy 42 | |
| Specifications | MIG-G-45204 | MIL-DTL-45204 |
| ASTM B4688 | AMS 2422 | |
| AMS 2425 | ||
| Electroplating Characteristics | Greaty Electrical Signal Transmission Properties | Excellent Oxidation Resistance |
| Mating Durability (Wear Resistance) | Effective Shild Protector Against Intense Heat | |
| Enhanced Aesthetic Appeal | ||
| Process | Electroplating | Deburring |
| Electroless | Vibratory Finishing | |
| Cleaning | Tumbling | |
| Application | Rack | Vibratory |
| Barrel | Selective | |
| Automation Capabilities | PLC Controlled Process | |
| Pre-Plate Operations | Etching | Masking |
| Bright dip | Tumbling | |
| Post Plate | As Specified | |
| Electroplating Thickness | 5 to 500 µin | |
| Part Width | Up to 12 in | |
| Inspection | Microscope (Visual up to 500x) | |
| Testing Ability | X-Ray Fluorescence | Steam Age/ Salt Spray |
| (Thickness / Composition) | Ammonium Sulfide | |
| Cross Section | Copper Sulfate | |
| Hardness | Potassium Hydroxide | |
| Solderability | Eddy Current | |
| Bake | AA (Atomic Absorption | |
| Adhesion | Spectroscopy) | |
| Purity | ||
| Product Volume | 1 to 1,000,000 pieces | Prototype to Large Volume Production |
| Typical Lead Times Available | 3 to 5 days | |
| KANBAN / Inventory Management System | ||
| Quality | Statistical Process Control | Control Plans |
| Traceability | Process Validation Protocol | |
| Web Based Tracking | Equipment Validation Protocol | |
| PPAP | Lean Six Sigma | |
| PFMEA | ISO9001:2008 Certified | |
| Documentation | Certificate of Conformance | |
| Packing List | ||
| Additional Information | ||
| Industry Focus | Medical | Military |
| Automotive | RF Microwave | |
| Fastener | Battery/ Hardware | |
| Intended Applications | Safety Critical Parts | |
| High Reliability Parts | ||
| Certifications | ISO 9001:2008 | |
| Industry Standards | ASTM | RoHS |
| Mil-Spec | EEIC | |
| File Formats | ||
| TIFF | ||
| RTF | ||