Electroplating Course
This electroplating course gives you a complete, practical command of metal finishing — from electrochemistry fundamentals and bath chemistry to equipment setup, quality testing, and environmental compliance. Whether you work in a plating shop or manage one, you will gain the technical depth to produce consistent, specification-grade deposits across copper, nickel, chrome, zinc, and precious metals.
What you will learn:
You will start with the electrochemistry and electrical parameters that govern every plating process, then move into substrate preparation, equipment configuration, and core plating operations for copper, nickel, chrome, zinc, gold, and silver. The course covers quality control methods including thickness measurement, adhesion testing, and salt spray evaluation, so you can verify your work against real industry specifications. You will also learn waste treatment, hazardous chemical handling, and permit compliance to keep your operation legal and safe. Advanced topics include pulse plating, automation, plating on plastics, and process cost analysis.
How you study in practice Electroplating Course
How you practise Electroplating Course
For companies looking to train their teams
With Dedika for businesses, the course includes exercises and examples tailored to your company and its specific needs.
Course content
8 Chapters • 38 LessonsDuration between 4 and 360 hours (you decide)
Chapter 1HideHide detailsSee detailsFoundations of Electroplating Science
Foundations of Electroplating Science
Lesson 1 • Electrical Parameters and Their Effects
Explains current density, voltage, and waveform effects on deposit quality. Directly supports equipment setup decisions covered in later sections.
Lesson 2 • Metals Used in Electroplating
Examines common plating metals—copper, nickel, chrome, zinc, gold—and their properties. Connects metal selection to end-use performance requirements.
Lesson 3 • Plating Bath Chemistry
Introduces electrolyte composition, pH, and additive roles in a plating bath. Provides the chemical framework needed to troubleshoot bath performance.
Lesson 4 • Electrochemistry Fundamentals
Covers oxidation-reduction reactions, ion migration, and electrode behaviour. Establishes the chemical basis for all plating processes discussed throughout the course.
Chapter 2HideHide detailsSee detailsSubstrate Preparation and Surface Cleaning
Substrate Preparation and Surface Cleaning
Lesson 1 • Chemical Cleaning Processes
Details solvent degreasing, alkaline cleaning, and acid pickling sequences. Each step targets specific contaminant types to prepare a chemically active surface.
Lesson 2 • Activation and Strike Plating
Teaches acid activation and thin strike layers that promote adhesion on difficult substrates. Bridges surface preparation to the first plating deposit.
Lesson 3 • Mechanical Preparation Methods
Covers grinding, polishing, blasting, and tumbling to remove scale and shape surfaces. Mechanical prep directly affects final deposit smoothness and uniformity.
Lesson 4 • Rinsing and Drag-Out Control
Explains multi-stage rinsing, drag-out volume, and cross-contamination prevention. Proper rinsing protects bath chemistry and reduces waste treatment costs.
Lesson 5 • Importance of Surface Cleanliness
Explains how oils, oxides, and scale prevent adhesion and cause defects. Sets the quality standard that all subsequent preparation steps must achieve.
Chapter 3HideHide detailsSee detailsElectroplating Equipment and Line Setup
Electroplating Equipment and Line Setup
Lesson 1 • Racking and Barrel Equipment
Compares rack plating and barrel plating configurations for different part geometries. Equipment choice affects current distribution, throughput, and deposit uniformity.
Lesson 2 • Rectifiers and Power Supply Systems
Covers rectifier types, output characteristics, and connection to plating tanks. Correct power supply selection determines deposit quality and energy efficiency.
Lesson 3 • Anode Systems and Anode Bags
Explains soluble vs. insoluble anodes, anode geometry, and bag filtration. Proper anode management maintains metal ion balance and reduces particulate defects.
Lesson 4 • Agitation and Filtration Systems
Covers air agitation, cathode rod movement, and continuous filtration to maintain bath uniformity. Agitation and filtration directly affect deposit smoothness and consistency.
Lesson 5 • Tank Design and Materials
Examines tank construction materials, liners, and sizing for different bath chemistries. Tank integrity prevents chemical leaks and maintains bath temperature stability.
Chapter 4HideHide detailsSee detailsCore Plating Processes: Copper and Nickel
Core Plating Processes: Copper and Nickel
Lesson 1 • Acid Copper Sulfate Plating
Covers bath composition, operating conditions, and brightener systems for acid copper. Acid copper is the primary leveling and filling deposit in multilayer plating.
Lesson 2 • Alkaline Copper Plating
Explains cyanide and non-cyanide alkaline copper baths used for striking on zinc and steel. Alkaline copper provides adhesion where acid baths would attack the substrate.
Lesson 3 • Multilayer Nickel Systems
Explains duplex and triplex nickel systems that enhance corrosion protection. Multilayer nickel is the industry standard for automotive and appliance decorative finishes.
Lesson 4 • Watts Nickel Bath Operation
Details the Watts nickel formulation, operating ranges, and stress control additives. Watts nickel is the standard functional and decorative nickel deposit worldwide.
Lesson 5 • Sulfamate Nickel Plating
Covers low-stress sulfamate nickel baths used for engineering and electroforming applications. Sulfamate nickel produces thick, low-stress deposits unsuitable for decorative use.
Chapter 5HideHide detailsSee detailsDecorative and Functional Chrome Plating
Decorative and Functional Chrome Plating
Lesson 1 • Hexavalent Chrome Bath Chemistry
Covers chromic acid, sulfate catalyst, and operating parameters for traditional hex chrome. Hex chrome delivers high hardness and brightness but requires strict hazard controls.
Lesson 2 • Chrome Plating Safety and Ventilation
Addresses mist suppression, exhaust ventilation, and personal protective equipment for chrome operations. Regulatory exposure limits for hexavalent chrome are among the strictest in industry.
Lesson 3 • Trivalent Chrome Plating
Explains trivalent chrome bath chemistry, advantages, and limitations versus hex chrome. Trivalent chrome is the preferred low-hazard alternative for decorative applications.
Lesson 4 • Hard Chrome for Engineering Applications
Details thick hard chrome deposits for wear, corrosion, and dimensional restoration. Hard chrome is applied to hydraulic rods, moulds, and industrial tooling.
Chapter 6HideHide detailsSee detailsZinc, Precious Metal, and Specialty Plating
Zinc, Precious Metal, and Specialty Plating
Lesson 1 • Tin and Tin-Alloy Plating
Covers acid and alkaline tin baths and tin-lead or tin-silver alloy deposits for electronics. Tin plating provides solderability and food-contact safety on packaging.
Lesson 2 • Specialty Alloy and Composite Deposits
Introduces nickel-cobalt, zinc-iron, and particle composite plating for advanced performance. Alloy and composite deposits extend plating into aerospace, defence, and tooling markets.
Lesson 3 • Gold and Silver Plating
Explains gold and silver bath chemistries, purity control, and thickness targets for electronics and jewellery. Precious metal recovery is essential to process economics.
Lesson 4 • Electroless Nickel Plating
Explains autocatalytic nickel-phosphorus deposition without external current. Electroless nickel provides uniform coverage on complex geometries and non-conductive substrates.
Lesson 5 • Zinc Plating and Passivation
Covers alkaline and acid zinc baths, deposit properties, and chromate or trivalent passivation. Zinc plating is the dominant corrosion protection method for steel fasteners and stampings.
Chapter 7HideHide detailsSee detailsQuality Control and Deposit Testing
Quality Control and Deposit Testing
Lesson 1 • Corrosion and Salt Spray Testing
Details neutral salt spray, CASS, and cyclic corrosion test protocols and result interpretation. Corrosion test results validate coating system performance for customer approval.
Lesson 2 • Defect Identification and Root Cause
Systematically identifies pitting, burning, blistering, roughness, and skip plating defects. Root cause analysis links each defect to a specific process variable for correction.
Lesson 3 • Thickness Measurement Techniques
Covers XRF, magnetic, eddy-current, and cross-section methods for measuring deposit thickness. Thickness is the primary quality parameter in most plating specifications.
Lesson 4 • Bath Analysis and Chemical Control
Covers titration, Hull cell, and instrumental analysis to maintain bath chemistry within specification. Regular bath analysis prevents defects and reduces chemical waste.
Lesson 5 • Adhesion and Mechanical Testing
Explains bend, tape, thermal shock, and scratch tests for deposit adhesion. Adhesion failures in service are traced back to preparation or bath chemistry deficiencies.
Chapter 8HideHide detailsSee detailsWaste Treatment, Safety, and Regulatory Compliance
Waste Treatment, Safety, and Regulatory Compliance
Lesson 1 • Environmental Permits and Reporting
Explains discharge permits, air emission controls, and required environmental reporting obligations. Permit compliance protects the facility from enforcement actions and operational shutdowns.
Lesson 2 • Sludge and Solid Waste Management
Explains filter press operation, sludge characterisation, and disposal or recycling options. Sludge from plating operations is typically classified as hazardous waste requiring proper handling.
Lesson 3 • Hazardous Chemical Identification
Identifies the hazardous chemicals in a plating shop and their associated health and environmental risks. Accurate hazard identification is the foundation of all safety and compliance programmes.
Lesson 4 • Wastewater Treatment Systems
Covers cyanide destruction, chrome reduction, pH adjustment, and heavy metal precipitation. Treated effluent must meet discharge limits before release to sewer or waterway.
Lesson 5 • Worker Safety Programmes
Establishes personal protective equipment, emergency response, and chemical hygiene plans. A documented safety programme reduces incidents and demonstrates regulatory compliance.
Your valid completion certificate
This course is for you:
Plating shop operators: ready to move beyond trial-and-error troubleshooting.
Manufacturing engineers: responsible for specifying or auditing metal finishing suppliers.
Jewellery makers: wanting to bring professional-grade electroplating in-house.
EHS coordinators: overseeing chemical safety in a metal finishing facility.
Career changers: entering the surface finishing industry from unrelated technical backgrounds.
Small shop owners: needing to train staff and standardise their plating processes.
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