ASTM B689-97(2003)

NOTICE: This standard has either been superseded and replaced by a new version or withdrawn.
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Designation: B 689 – 97 (Reapproved 2003)
Standard Specification for
Electroplated Engineering Nickel Coatings
This standard is issued under the fixed designation B 689; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.
1. Scope B 183 Practice for Preparation of Low-Carbon Steel for
Electroplating
1.1 This specification covers the requirements for electro-
B 242 Practice for Preparation of High-Carbon Steel for
plated nickel coatings applied to metal products for engineer-
Electroplating
ing applications, for example, for use as a buildup for misma-
B 252 Guide for Preparation of ZincAlloy Die Castings for
chined or worn parts, for electronic applications, including as
Electroplating and Conversion Coatings
underplates in contacts or interconnections, and in certain
B 253 Guide for Preparation ofAluminumAlloys for Elec-
joining applications.
troplating
1.2 Electroplating of nickel for engineering applications
B 254 Practice for Preparation of and Electroplating on
(Note 1) requires technical considerations significantly differ-
Stainless Steel
ent from decorative applications because the following func-
B 281 Practice for Preparation of Copper and Copper-Base
tional properties are important:
Alloys for Electroplating and Conversion Coatings
1.2.1 Hardness, strength, and ductility,
B 320 Practice for Preparation of Iron Castings for Electro-
1.2.2 Wear resistance,
plating
1.2.3 Load bearing characteristics,
B 322 Practice for Cleaning Metals Prior to Electroplating
1.2.4 Corrosion resistance,
B 343 Practice for Preparation of Nickel for Electroplating
1.2.5 Heat scaling resistance,
with Nickel
1.2.6 Fretting resistance, and
B 374 Terminology Relating to Electroplating
1.2.7 Fatigue resistance.
B 480 GuideforPreparationofMagnesiumandMagnesium
NOTE 1—Functionalelectroplatednickelcoatingsusuallycontainabout
Alloys for Electroplating
99 % nickel, and are most frequently electrodeposited from aWatts nickel
B 487 Test Method for Measurement of Metal and Oxide
bath or a nickel sulfamate bath. Typical mechanical properties of nickel
Coating Thickness by Microscopical Examination of a
electroplated from these baths, and the combined effect of bath operation
Cross Section
and solution composition variables on the mechanical properties of the
electrodeposit are given in Guide B 832. When electroplated nickel is B 499 Test Method for Measurement of Coating Thick-
required to have higher hardnesses, greater wear resistance, certain
nessesbytheMagneticMethod:NonmagneticCoatingson
residual stress values and certain leveling characteristics, sulfur and other
Magnetic Basis Metals
substancesareincorporatedinthenickeldepositthroughtheuseofcertain
B 507 PracticeforDesignofArticlestoBeElectroplatedon
addition agents in the electroplating solution. For the effect of such
Racks
additives, see Section 4 andAnnexA3. Cobalt salts are sometimes added
B 530 Test Method for Measurement of Coating Thick-
to the plating solution to produce harder nickel alloy deposits.
nesses by the Magnetic Method: Electrodeposited Nickel
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the
Coatings on Magnetic and Nonmagnetic Substrates
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
B 558 Practice for Preparation of NickelAlloys for Electro-
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro-
plating
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica-
B 568 Test Method for Measurement of Coating Thickness
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use.
by X-Ray Spectrometry
B 571 Practice for QualitativeAdhesion Testing of Metallic
2. Referenced Documents
Coatings
2.1 ASTM Standards:
B 602 Test Method for Attribute Sampling of Metallic and
Inorganic Coatings
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee B08 on
B 697 Guide for Selection of Sampling Plans for Inspection
Metallic and Inorganic Coatings and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
B08.08.01 on Engineering Coatings.
Current edition approved Feb. 10, 2003. Published May 2003. Originally
approved in 1981. Last previous edition approved in 1997 as B 689 – 97. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 02.05.
Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.
B 689 – 97 (2003)
of Electrodeposited Metallic and Inorganic Coatings 4.1.3 Type 3—Electrodepositednickelcontainingdispersed
B 762 Test Method of Variables Sampling of Metallic and submicron particles, such as silicon carbide, tungsten carbide,
Inorganic Coatings and aluminum oxide that are present to increase hardness and
B 765 Guide for Selection of Porosity Tests for Electrode- wear resistance at temperatures above 325°C (618°F).
posits and Related Metallic Coatings
NOTE 4—Good adhesion of electroplated nickel to stainless steels and
B 809 Test Method for Porosity in Metallic Coatings by
high alloy steels usually requires a preliminary strike of electrodeposited
Humid Sulfur Vapor (“Flowers of Sulfur”)
nickel. The recommended practices for the preparation of and electroplat-
B 832 Guide for Electroforming with Nickel and Copper ing on stainless steels and nickel alloys are given in Practices B 254 and
B 558, respectively.
B 849 Specification for Pre-Treatments of Iron or Steel for
Reducing Risk of Hydrogen Embrittlement
4.2 Thickness Classification—The electroplated nickel
B 850 Guide for Post-Coating Treatments Steel for the
thickness, in view of the wide variety for industrial uses, shall
Reducing Risk of Hydrogen Embrittlement
be specified according to the following classes (Note 5):
B 851 SpecificationforAutomatedControlledShotPeening
Class Minimum Nickel Thickness, µm
of Metallic Articles Prior to Nickel, Autocatalytic Nickel,
25 25
or Chromium Plating, or as Final Finish
3 50 50
D 1193 Specification for Reagent Water
100 100
D 3951 Practice for Commercial Packaging
200 200
X thickness as specified
F 519 Test Method for Mechanical Hydrogen Embrittle-
ment Evaluation of Plating Processes and Service Environ-
NOTE 5—There is no technical limit to the nickel thickness that can be
ments
electroplated.There are practical limits to nickel thickness and uniformity
ofthicknessdistributioncausedbythesizeandgeometricconfigurationof
2.2 Military Standards:
the parts. (See 3.1.)
MIL-R-81841 Rotary Flap Peening of Metal Parts
MIL-S-13165 Shot Peening of Metal Parts
5. Ordering Information
MIL-W-81840 Rotary Flap Peening Wheels
5.1 The buyer shall supply the following information to the
3. Terminology
seller in either the purchase order or engineering drawings,
marked samples, or other governing documents.
3.1 Definitions:
5.1.1 Title, ASTM designation number, and year of the
3.1.1 significant surfaces—those surfaces normally visible
standard.
(directlyorbyreflection)thatareessentialtotheappearanceor
5.1.2 Classificationtypeandthicknessclassificationofelec-
serviceabilityofthearticlewhenassembledinnormalposition;
troplated nickel to be applied (see 4.1 and 4.2).
or that can be the source of corrosion products that deface
5.1.3 Significant surfaces (see 3.1).
visible surfaces on the assembled article. When necessary, the
5.1.4 Sampling plan (see Section 8).
significant surfaces shall be indicated on the drawing for the
5.1.5 Number of test specimens for destructive testing (see
article, or by the provision of suitably marked samples.
7.1).Identifythesubstratematerialbyalloyidentification,such
NOTE 2—Thethicknessoftheelectrodepositinholes,corners,recesses,
as by ASTM, AISI, or SAE numbers, or by equivalent
and other areas where thickness cannot be controlled under normal
composition information.
electroplating conditions shall be specified by the buyer (see Note 5).
5.1.6 The thickness, adhesion, porosity, and hydrogen em-
NOTE 3—When a deposit of controlled thickness is required in holes,
corners, recesses, and similar areas, special racking, auxiliary anodes or brittlement tests required. See 6.3-6.7.
shielding will be necessary.
5.1.7 The required grinding or polishing operations of the
basis metal as are necessary to yield deposit with the desired
3.2 Terminology B 374 contains most of the terms used in
properties.
this specification.
5.1.8 Where required, the basis metal finish shall be speci-
4. Classification
fied in terms of centerline average (CLA), or arithmetical
average (AA).
4.1 Electroplated nickel shall be provided in any one of the
5.1.9 Appearance: whether superficial staining from final
following three types (Note 4):
rinsing or discoloration after baking is acceptable.
4.1.1 Type 1—Nickel electroplated from solutions not con-
5.1.10 Where required, post-treatment grinding or machin-
taining hardeners, brighteners, or stress control additives.
ingshallbespecifiedforpartswhicharetobeelectroplatedand
4.1.2 Type 2—Nickelelectrodepositsusedatmoderatetem-
subsequently ground or machined to size.
peratures and containing sulfur or other codeposited elements
5.1.11 Where required dimensional tolerances allowed for
or compounds thaT are present to increase the hardness, to
the specified electroplated nickel thickness or class shall be
refine the grain structure, or to control the internal stress of the
specified.
electrodeposited nickel.
5.1.12 Whererequired,microhardnessrangesshallbespeci-
fied for the nickel deposit.
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 11.01.
5.1.13 The buyer of the parts to be electroplated shall
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 15.09.
provide the electroplater with the following information as
Annual Book of ASTM Standards, Vol 15.03.
required:
AvailablefromStandardizationDocumentsOrderDesk,Bldg.4SectionD,700
Robbins Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19111-5094, Attn: NPODS. 5.1.13.1 Ultimate tensile strength of the parts.
B 689 – 97 (2003)
metal finisher can often remove defects through special treatments, such
5.1.13.2 Rockwell C hardness of the parts.
as grinding, polishing, abrasive blasting, chemical treatments, and elec-
5.1.13.3 Heat treatment for stress relief, whether it has been
tropolishing. However, these are not normal in the treatment steps
performed or is required (see 6.2).
preceding the application of the finish. When they are desired they must
5.1.13.4 Heat treatment for hydrogen embrittlement relief
be stated in the purchase order (see 5.1.7).
(see 6.3 and Test Method F 519).
6.2 Pretreatment of Iron and Steel for Reducing the Risk of
5.1.13.5 Tensile loads required for the embrittlement relief
Hydrogen Embrittlement—Parts for critical applications that
test, if applicable.
are made of steels with ultimate tensile strengths of 1000 MPa,
5.1.13.6 Procedures and requirements for peening to induce
hardness of 31 HRC or greater, that have been machined,
residual compressive stress in specified surfaces (see Note 6
ground, cold formed, or cold straightened subsequent to heat
and 6.4).
treatment, shall require stress relief heat treatment when
NOTE 6—Electroplating on hardened (high alloy and high carbon)
specified by the purchaser, the tensile strength to be supplied
steels can reduce the fatigue strength of the metal parts. This must be
by the purchaser. Specification B 849 may be consulted for a
considered if the parts will be subjected to repeated applications of
list of pretreatments that are used widely.
complex load patterns in service. Shot peening of significant surfaces
before electroplating can reduce the loss of fatigue strength. Rotary flap 6.3 Post-Coating Treatments of Iron and Steel for Reducing
peening, a manual method, can also be used in the repair of components
the Risk of Hydrogen Embrittlement—Parts for critical appli-
in the field where conventional shot peening equipment is not available. If
cationsthataremadeofsteelswithultimatetensilestrengthsof
rotaryflappeeningisused,extremecareshouldbetakentoensurethatthe
1000 MPa, hardness of 31 HRC or greater, as well as surface
entire surface to be treated has been peened.Also, reduction in the fatigue
hardened parts, shall require post coating hydrogen embrittle-
life of nickel-electroplated steels can be reduced by considering the
ment relief baking when specified by the purchaser, the tensile
relations among the variables that influence fatigue life of nickel-
strength to be supplied by the purchaser. Specification B 850
electroplated, hardened steels.
may be consulted for a list of post treatments that are used
5.1.13.7 What, if any, mechanical treatment was applied by
widely.
the manufacturer to the significant surface; that is, particulate
6.4 Peening of Metal Parts—If peening is required before
blasting, grinding, polishing, or peening.
electroplating to induce residual compressive stress to increase
5.1.14 The manufacturer of the parts to be electroplated
fatigue strength and resistance to stress corrosion cracking of
shallprovidetheelectroplatingfacilitywithtestspecimens(see
the metal parts, refer to Specification B 851 and to MIL-S-
Section 7) to be electroplated for conformance tests as re-
13165, MIL-R-81841, and MIL-W-81840.
questedforpreparation,control,inspection,andlotacceptance.
6.5 Thickness—The thickness of the coating everywhere on
the significant surface shall conform to the requirements of the
6. Coating Requirements
specified class as defined in 3.2 (see Note 8 and 7.2).
6.1 Appearance:
6.1.1 The coating on the significant surfaces of the product NOTE 8—The coating thickness requirements of this specification are
minimum requirements; that is, the coating thickness is required to equal
shall be smooth and free of visual defects such as blisters, pits,
or exceed the specified thickness everywhere on any significant surface
roughness, cracks, flaking, burned deposits, and uncoated
(see4.1).Variationinthecoatingthicknessfrompointtopointonacoated
areas. Visual defects are defined as those visible, unmagnified,
article is an inherent characteristic of the electroplating process. There-
to the unaided eye, 20/20 vision, or vision corrected to 20/20.
fore, the coating thickness will have to exceed the specified value at some
The boundaries of electroplating that cover only a portion of
points on the significant surfaces to ensure that the thickness equals or
the surface shall, after finishing as indicated in the drawing, be exceeds the minimum specified value at all points. Hence, in most cases,
the average coating thickness on an article will be greater than the
free of beads, nodules, jagge
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