Professional Zinc Alloy Surface Finishing Solutions
Alkaline Copper
Alkaline Copper
Base coating with good coverage, improving adhesion between substrate and subsequent coatings.
1. Process Flow Chart
2. Process Video
3. Process Details
1. Barrel plating drum into alkaline copper tank
Then confirm the barrel plating drum is clean and the workpieces are evenly distributed, and gently put the drum into the tank to ensure it is completely immersed in the solution.
2. Electrified deposition of alkaline copper base layer
Connect the power supply correctly, set the appropriate current density and deposition time, then start electrified deposition while keeping the barrel rotating at a uniform speed to form a uniform and well-adhered alkaline copper base layer.
3. Recovery Water Washing → Pure Water Washing Transition
Hoist the barrel out to let the residual plating solution drip back for recovery, rinse it with recovery water first, then quickly transfer it to pure water for thorough rinsing to avoid residual solution affecting subsequent processes.
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Workshop Planning Data
Alkaline Copper — Data Zinc Alloy Finishing Managers Need
The automatic barrel plating line plates zinc alloy small parts with copper, nickel, tin and color finishes in batches of 50,000+ pieces, delivering uniform thickness and color at the lowest cost per piece.
650 m²Workshop Area
22 peopleTeam Size
260 kWInstalled Power
1.2-2.5M pcs/dayDaily Output (10 h)
Quality Inspection & Control
| Check item | Method | Acceptance standard |
|---|---|---|
| Coating thickness | X-ray fluorescence / coulometric | Per spec: Cu 3-8 μm, Ni 3-10 μm, Sn 3-6 μm |
| Adhesion | Bend / peel / thermal shock | No flaking at 150 °C × 30 min |
| Color match | Colorimeter ΔE / master | ΔE ≤ 1.5 vs approved master |
| Salt spray | NSS chamber | 12-72 h per finish spec |
| Pitting / roughness | 10× inspection | No pitting, nodules or burnt deposits |
| Thickness uniformity | 5 positions / batch | CV ≤ 10% across barrel load |
Workshop Layout & Floor Area
| Zone | Area |
|---|---|
| Automatic barrel line (12-16 tanks) | 260 m² |
| Chemical storage / dosing | 60 m² |
| Rectifier room | 40 m² |
| QA lab + X-ray | 50 m² |
| Dryer / centrifuge / sorting | 80 m² |
| Rinse & waste treatment | 110 m² |
| Utility & lockers | 50 m² |
| Total workshop | 650 m² |
Manpower & Shift Plan
| Role | Headcount |
|---|---|
| Line operators | 10 |
| Chemical technicians | 3 |
| QC inspectors (incl. X-ray) | 3 |
| Wastewater operator | 1 |
| Supervisor | 1 |
| Maintenance / electrician | 2 |
| Logistics & sorting | 2 |
| Total (2 shifts × 10 h) | 22 |
Power & Utility Demand
| Equipment | Demand |
|---|---|
| Rectifiers 12 V × 500-2000 A (4 sets) | 80 kW |
| Tank heating + cooling | 55 kW |
| Barrel drive motors (12-16) | 24 kW |
| Pumps / filters / dosing | 30 kW |
| Exhaust + scrubber | 22 kW |
| Dryer + centrifuge | 20 kW |
| Wastewater treatment | 18 kW |
| Lighting & auxiliary | 11 kW |
| Installed total | 260 kW |
| Typical running load | ≈ 205 kW |
Production Flow Chart
PretreatmentPolish, degrease, activate
Alkaline CopperStrike layer for adhesion
Acid Copper / Nickel / TinBuild thickness + brightness
Color FinishGold, gun, black, antique etc.
Rinse ChainRecovery → counter-flow → DI
Dry & SortCentrifuge, inspect, pack
Daily Capacity — 10-Hour Operating Day
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Batch cycle | 25-45 min |
| Load per barrel | 40-80 kg |
| Parts per batch | 50,000-100,000 |
| Batches per 10 h day | 14-20 |
| Daily output | 1,200,000-2,500,000 pcs |
| Monthly output (26 days) | 31-65 million pcs |
Output Value Estimate
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Plating fee per piece | USD 0.005-0.015 |
| Daily output value (10 h) | USD 7,000-18,000 |
| Monthly output value | USD 180,000-470,000 |
| Annual output value | USD 2,160,000-5,600,000 |
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