INTA Technologies Corporation 2281 Calle de Luna, Santa Clara, CA 95054 || Tel: 408-748-9955 || Fax: 408-727-3027

 

Hard Gold Plating

 

 

Table of Contents

 

Does INTA plate hard gold?

Yes.

 

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Is hard gold a common plating service for INTA?

Yes, very common.

 

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What is the difference between hard gold and soft gold?

Both hard and soft gold are very pure but soft gold is more pure. Soft gold is popular in the semiconductor industry and is ideal for parts set for wire bonding. Soft gold produces a matte appearance compared to hard gold. Hard gold contains some nickel and cobalt and is not ideal for wire bonding. Hard gold is suitable for applications calling for mechanical wear and/or shiny appearances.

 

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Which is better hard gold and soft gold?

One is not better than the other, each has their unique properties and uses. If one needs a shiny appearance, hard gold would be preferred. If one needs a very high purity gold deposit, soft gold is preferred. Hard gold is better for applications calling for mechanical wear such as sliding contacts.

 

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Is hard gold cheaper than soft gold?

Both hard and soft gold are 99%+ pure gold so the price is the same in almost every case.

 

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What is the lead time for hard gold plating projects?

Five (5) business days is the standard hard gold plating lead time. Larger projects may take more time. Sometimes tooling is needed, such as racks or hard masks. If tooling is required, the lead time may be longer than five business days. The lead time can be found on your quote. Contact INTA Technologies to request a quotation contact@intatech.com

 

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What is the largest item INTA can plate with hard gold?

12-18” max length. 10” max diameter. All dimensions approximate. Large items can be quite costly to plate due to material costs (gold is very expensive).

 

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Are there any materials INTA will not plate?

Yes, lead, cadmium, Cr-6 and several other materials are not plated on by INTA. INTA is RoHS compliant.

 

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Is INTA willing to sign an NDA?

Yes, in most cases.

 

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What thickness of hard gold should I specify on the drawing?

The answer is project specific. Thicknesses range from 3u” to .015”. Contact bkneedler@intatech.com or 408-748-9955 x113 (B.Kneedler, Estimator) for assistance.

 

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Can INTA plate hard gold on titanium?

Yes.

 

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Can INTA plate on molybdenum?

Yes.

 

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What about CuW?

INTA Technologies plates copper tungsten. INTA Machining also manufactures CuW components. Most customers prefer soft gold on copper tungsten but INTA can deposit hard gold on CuW if your application requires such a finish.

 

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Does INTA Technologies plate hard gold on plastic?

Yes, but some types of plastic are excluded. ABS, PEEK, PET, PVC and many other resins and plastics accommodate hard gold plating very well. Think of the cost savings when substituting a solid gold or solid metal piece with a gold plated plastic component!

 

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What is the smallest machined part INTA can plate?

In general, .040” x .040” x .020” or 1mm x 1 mm x .5 mm

 

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How hard is the gold?

130-200 Knoop hardness.

 

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How pure is hard gold?

24 Karat, 99.0 % pure

 

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How does hard gold plating compare to rhodium plating?

Rhodium is a harder, more durable coating. Rhodium is able to withstand very high temperatures. Hard gold coatings are generally less expensive than rhodium or platinum coatings. Hard gold and soft gold cost about the same.

 

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How does hard gold compare to electroless nickel phos plating or chrome plating?

Hard gold is very robust but eless nickel phos and chrome plating are more common. All three coatings offer a very hard, durable coating. Gold is much more expensive than nickel or chrome. A hard gold coating would typically be used on electrical contacts and small items whereas chrome and nickel phos plating can be used on large industrial equipment and aircraft.

 

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What about cobalt plating and cobalt alloys?

INTA does not commonly offer cobalt or cobalt alloy plating. Please contact Dr. Francis Honey (fhoney@intatech.com) for further details.

 

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What makes the gold hard?

Small amounts of nickel, cobalt and other contributing factors.

 

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Why hard gold?

Hard gold coatings have many important uses. Anti-corrosion, anti-galling, durability, appearance, etc. There are many reasons to use hard gold finishes. Contact INTA Technologies to discuss your project sales@intatech.com

 

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Last revised: 25 JUN 2008