Residual stress

In electroplating, residual stress plays a key role in the production of coated surfaces. Residual stress, also referred to as stress stress or residual stress, occurs during the electroplating process in which metal layers are deposited on workpieces. This stress is the result of internal forces caused by the coating process.

During electroplating, metal ions are deposited from an electrolyte solution onto the workpiece to be coated. However, the newly formed metal layer cannot always fuse smoothly with the base material. This leads to stresses in the coating as it tries to adapt to the geometry of the base material.

Residual stress can have various effects, both positive and negative. On the positive side, it can increase the hardness and strength of the coating. On the other hand, excessive residual stress can lead to cracking or delamination of the coating, especially when the workpiece is cooled down again after coating.

Controlling and adjusting the residual stress is therefore crucial to ensure high-quality coatings. The choice of process parameters, such as current density and composition of the electrolyte solution, can influence the residual stress. Modern electroplating processes take these aspects into account in order to achieve optimum results in terms of adhesion, hardness and crack resistance of the coating.