ELECTROLESS NICKEL BATH LIFE EXTENSION

Revision Date: 4/03
Process Code: Navy/Marines: IND-004-02; Air Force: MT05; Army: ELE, MTF
Usage List: Navy: High; Marines: High; Army: Medium; Air Force: High 
Alternative For: Hazardous waste generation and the associated disposal costs
Compliance Impact: Not applicable
Applicable EPCRA Targeted Constituents and CAS Numbers: Nickel (CAS: 7440-02-0); Cadmium (CAS 7440-43-9)

Overview: Utilizing Electroless Nickel (EN) bath life extension technology to augment current EN operations can increase the life of a plating bath at a typical naval facility up to ten-fold, reduce the volume of hazardous waste generated by up to 90 percent, and reduce the associated disposal costs. The EN bath life extension technology accomplishes this by performing two functions: 1) it removes the chemical by-products formed during the plating process, and 2) maintains the overall chemical balance of the EN plating bath (nickel concentration, pH, phosphite) through the addition of bath chemicals (reducing agents, complexing agents, hypophosphite, and bath stabilizers). EN plating consists of a chemical process in which a reaction occurs to reduce nickel ions to metal which deposit onto the part. Current practice is to changeout the plating bath solution as it becomes contaminated with by-products of the chemical reactions that interfere with the plating process and dispose of it as hazardous waste.

Typical EN wastestreams include: orthophosphite, sulfate, nickel metal, and sodium ions.

 
Compliance Benefit:

The EN bath life extension system can significantly extend the useful life of the bath solutions and thereby reduce the volume of hazardous waste generated. The reduction of hazardous waste helps facilities meet the requirements of waste reduction under RCRA, 40 CFR 262, Appendix, and may also help facilities reduce their generator status and lessen the amount of regulations (i.e., recordkeeping, reporting, inspections, transportation, accumulation time, emergency prevention and preparedness, emergency response) they are required to comply with under RCRA, 40 CFR 262. In addition, because the useful life of the bath solutions are extended (i.e., less chemicals are required at a facility) there is less chance that the facility would exceed reporting thresholds for hazardous substances/chemicals under SARA Title III (40 CFR 300, 355, 370, and 372; and EO 12856).

The compliance benefits listed here are only meant to be used as general guidelines and are not meant to be strictly interpreted. Actual compliance benefits will vary depending on the factors involved, e.g., the amount of workload involved.

 

Materials Compatibility:

N/A

 

Safety and Health:

Nickel compounds can be irritating to the skin. Proper personal protective equipment should be used.

Consult your local Industrial Health specialist, your local health and safety personnel, and the appropriate MSDS prior to implementing any of this technology.

 
Benefits:
  • Reduces the volume of hazardous waste generated by up to 90% and reduces the associated disposal costs. 
  • EN bath life can be increased up to ten-fold. 
  • EN bath will require minimal chemical additions (compared with six to twelve annual bath change-outs required for other processes). 
  • Improves production quality due to stability of plating bath parameters and quick removal of bath impurities that can cause poor plating quality. 
  • Reduces the need to rework due to poor plating quality.

 

Disadvantages:
  • Moderately high capital costs. 
  • Increased risk of exposure to workers during the handling and addition of plating bath chemicals.

 

Economic Analysis: Variables affecting capital cost, operation & maintenance costs, and the hazardous waste disposal costs with regard to the addition of an EN bath life extension system include:
  • Capacity and size of the plating bath. 
  • Quantity of work to be processed. 
  • Ability to stabilize bath characteristics and remove impurities. 

The cost elements for installing an Electroless Nickel with bath life extension technology at a site is provided below:

Assumptions:

  • Estimated equipment cost: $35,000 
  • Volume of EN plating bath solution, 500 gal. 
  • ENFINITY EN bath life extension technology will be implemented (Implementation requires the use of the vendor’s EN system in conjunction with the bath life extension technology). 
  • Cost of EN chemical bath make-up is $1950/500 gal. 
  • Cost of hazardous waste disposal is $2000/500 gal. 
  • Number of EN chemical bath change-outs required using the current technology = 10. 
  • Number of EN chemical bath change-outs required using the bath life extension technology = 2. 
  • Chemical replenishing costs based on plating thickness per square footage of work processed. The ENFINITY vendor (Stapleton Company) estimates a process cost of $1.97 per mil × ft2 (1 mil = 0.001 inches). 
  • No additional labor costs, savings associated with fewer bath change-outs will be offset by need to add chemicals, clean and recondition EN plating tank.

Annual Operating Cost Comparison for Electroless Nickel Plating Systems using Bath Life Extension Technology vs the Current Technology

 

EN Plating System using Bath Life Extension Technology

EN Plating System using Current Technology

Operational Costs:    
EN Chemical Bath Change Out Costs: $3900 $19,500
Hazardous Waste Disposal Costs: $4000 $20,000
Total Operational Costs: $7900 $39,500
Total Recovered Income: $0 $0
Net Annual Cost/Benefit: -$7900 -$39,500

Economic Analysis Summary

  • Annual Savings for EN Plating Systems with Bath Life Extension Technology: $31,600
  • Capital Cost for Systems with Bath Life Extension Technology: $35,000
  • Payback Period for Investment in Equipment/Process: 1.1 years 

Click here to View an Active Spreadsheet for this Economic Analysis and Enter Your Own Values. To return from the Active Spreadsheet, click the Back arrow in the Tool Bar.

 

NSN/MSDS:
Product NSN Unit Size Cost MSDS*
Electroless Ni Plating Solution 6850-01-315-1659 5 gal Can $159.09 Click me
Electroless Ni Plating Test Kit 4940-01-051-3833 N/A $N/A N/A

*There are multiple MSDSs for most NSNs. The MSDS (if shown above) is only meant to serve as an example. To return from the MSDS, click the Back arrow on the Tool Bar.

 

Approving Authority:

Appropriate authority for making process changes should always be sought and obtained prior to procuring or implementing any of the technologies identified herein.
Points of Contact:For more information

Vendors: This is not meant to be a complete list, as there may be other suppliers of this type of equipment.

Shipley Company, L.L.C.
272 Buffalo Ave.
Freeport, NY 11520
Phone: (516) 868-8800 

 
Sources: None listed.