Electroplating equipment maintenance shall follow four principles: daily cleaning, regular inspection, standard operation and preventive maintenance, with focus on plating tanks, power supplies, circulation systems, moving parts and electrical controls.
Daily Maintenance
Thoroughly clean plating tanks, hangers, electrodes and equipment surfaces after work to remove residual plating solutions, especially in acid and alkaline tanks. Check pipelines, pumps and joints for leakage, and clean dross on filter surfaces. Wipe the rectifier housing and keep heat dissipation openings free of dust. Record operating parameters including voltage, current and temperature.
Weekly Maintenance
Clean or replace coarse filter cartridges for plating solutions. Inspect anode baskets and anode bags for damage and sludge buildup. Lubricate moving parts such as guide rails, chains and transmission mechanisms, and tighten electrical terminals. Test alarm systems and safety devices including liquid level and over-temperature protection.
Monthly In-depth Inspection
Calibrate temperature controllers as well as current and voltage indicators. Inspect heating tubes and cooling coils for scaling and corrosion, and remove scale when necessary. Check seals such as O-rings and gaskets for aging and leakage. Test grounding resistance, which shall be no more than 4 ohms. Clean air filter screens of air-cooled rectifiers or heat exchangers of water-cooled systems; the water temperature shall be kept below 45℃.
Quarterly & Annual Overhaul
Fully clean the tanks and inspect tank linings for corrosion and perforation. Replace aged cables, contactors and relays. Verify the output waveform and protection functions of rectifiers. Dismantle, inspect and regrease bearings of cranes and swing mechanisms. For long-term shutdown, drain all tank solutions, dry the equipment, apply anti-rust oil, cut off power and lock the equipment.
Do not scrape the inner wall of plating tanks with hard tools. Never perform maintenance with power on. Prevent plating solution from drying on hangers and conductive copper busbars. Do not wipe the inner cavity of rectifiers with wet cloth. Cover the equipment with dust-proof covers during shutdown and keep the workshop well-ventilated and dry.
Carry out maintenance in accordance with the manufacturer’s manual based on equipment types, and establish electronic or paper maintenance records. Stop operation immediately for troubleshooting once abnormalities occur; do not run the equipment forcibly.
