Electroplating apparatus having a non-dissolvable anode

An apparatus for electroplating a rotogravure cylinder out of a plating solution, wherein the cylinder is connectable to a current source, the apparatus comprising:

• a plating tank adapted to rotatably maintain the cylinder and to contain the plating solution so that the cylinder is at least partially disposed into the plating solution;
• a mounting structure mountable within the plating tank partially on each side of and generally below the cylinder;
• a non-dissolvable conductor connectable to the current source and at least partially disposed within the plating solution;
• and
• an ultrasonic system to introduce wave energy into the plating solution including at least one transducer element mountable within the plating tank and a power generator adapted to provide electrical energy to the at least one transducer element.

An apparatus for electroplating a rotogravure cylinder out of a plating solution, the apparatus comprising:

• a plating tank adapted to rotatably maintain the cylinder and to contain the plating solution so that the cylinder is at least partially disposed into the plating solution;
• an anode system including at least one non-dissolvable conductor partially disposed within the plating solution, the non-dissolvable conductor including a conductive core material and a surface material substantially resilient to the plating solution;
• a current source electrically connected to the non-dissolvable conductor and to the cylinder;
• an ultrasonic system to introduce wave energy into the plating solution including at least one transducer element mountable within the plating tank to the mounting structure and a power generator adapted to provide electrical energy to the at least one transducer element.