Process for electrochemically applying a surface coating
AssigneeHeidelberger Druckmaschinen AG
InventorKarl Müll
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A structured surface coating is electrochemically deposited on an (electrically conductive) surface of a component. The component to be coated forms the cathode in a galvanic bath. The process current is raised in discrete steps in a nucleation phase during which island formations are deposited on the surface, with brief pauses between each increase of between 0.1 and 30 sec. The process current is then maintained at a constant level, during which the islands grow. The process sequence may be repeated several times.
Claims18
An improved process for electrochemically depositing a surface coating, wherein a component is subjected to a galvanic bath and the surface coating is deposited on the component with an outer surface topography, by forming a plurality of island formations of deposition material on a surface of the component by providing an electrical waveform as a source of electrical energy, and causing a growth of the deposition material on the plurality of island formations for forming the outer surface topography with a follow-up waveform as the source of electrical energy during a growth working period, the improvement which comprises:
- increasing a strength of a current density of the electrical waveform during the step of forming the plurality of island formations in a plurality of steps with a waiting period between respective step increases of the plurality of steps of 0.1 to 30 seconds, the current density of the electrical waveform being changed in an amount from 1 to 6 mA/cm2 per step.
A process for electrochemically depositing a surface coating on a machine component, which comprises:
- connecting a machine component in a direct current loop and defining an electric current;
- immersing the component in a galvanic bath;
- forming islands of deposition material on a surface of the machine component with a waveform of the electric current;
- subsequently causing a growth of the deposition material on the islands with another waveform of the electric current;
- during the step of forming the islands of deposition material, increasing a current density of the electric current from 1 to 6 mA/cm2 in each of a plurality of steps, and pausing for 0.1 to 30 seconds between the steps.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.