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===7.1.1.3 Electroplating of Semi-finished Materials===
The process for overall electroplating of strips, profiles, and wires is mostly
performed on continuously operating reel-to-reel equipment. The processing
steps for the individual operations such as pre-cleaning, electroplating, rinsing
are following the same principles as those employed in parts electroplating.
The overall coating is usually applied for silver plating and tin coating of strips
and wires. Compared to hard gold or palladium these deposits are rather
ductile, ensuring that during following stamping and forming operations no
cracks are generated in the electroplated layers.
===7.1.1.4 Selective Electroplating===
Since precious metals are rather expensive it is necessary to perform the
electroplating most economically and coat only those areas that need the layers
for functional purposes. This leads from overall plating to selective
electroplating of strip material in continuous reel-to-reel processes. Depending
on the final parts design and the end application the processes can be applied
to solid strip material as well as pre-stamped and formed continuous strips or
utilizing wire-formed or machined pins which have been arranged as bandoliers
attached to conductive metal strips.
The core part of selective precious metal electroplating is the actual
electroplating cell. In it the anode is arranged closely to the cathodic polarized
material strip. Cathode screens or masks may be applied between the two to
focus the electrical field onto closely defined spots on the cathode strip.
