Preliminary Requirements

Safety Requirements

WARNING

THIS PROCEDURE INCLUDES THE USE OF SODIUM CYANIDE OR POTASSIUM CYANIDE. CYANIDE SALTS AND/OR SOLUTIONS ARE VERY POISONOUS AND WORK VERY QUICKLY. CYANIDE SALTS RELEASE HYDROCYANIC GAS WHEN MIXED WITH ACID. HYDROCYANIC GAS CAN KILL VERY QUICKLY.

WARNING

IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE OPERATOR TO OBTAIN AND OBSERVE THE MANUFACTURER'S MATERIAL SAFETY DATA SHEETS FOR CONSUMABLE MATERIALS. THESE CONTAIN INFORMATION SUCH AS, HAZARDOUS INGREDIENTS, PHYSICAL/CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS, FIRE, EXPLOSION, REACTIVITY, HEALTH HAZARD DATA, PRECAUTIONS FOR SAFE HANDLING, USE AND CONTROL MEASURES AND ALSO TO TAKE LOCAL REGULATIONS IN TO CONSIDERATION.

WARNING

YOU MUST USE THE PROTECTIVE CLOTHING SUPPLIED, WHICH INCLUDES FULL FACE AND EYE PROTECTION, AND RUBBER GLOVES.

WARNING

ALL SOLUTION IN THE EYES MUST BE REMOVED IMMEDIATELY. CLEAN THE EYES WITH WATER, SUFFICIENT TO REMOVE THE CONTAMINATION. EYE-WASH BOTTLES MUST BE PROVIDED AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO THE PLACE OF WORK. GO FOR MEDICAL AID IMMEDIATELY.

WARNING

FINGERNAILS MUST BE KEPT SHORT AND MUST ALWAYS BE FULLY CLEANED BEFORE YOU EAT, DRINK, OR SMOKE.

WARNING

THE INSTRUCTIONS GIVEN BY THE SAFETY OFFICER MUST ALWAYS BE OBEYED.

WARNING

SAFETY NOTICES MUST BE PLACED IN A CONSPICUOUS PLACE.

WARNING

CYANIDE PRECAUTIONS

CYANIDE MUST ALWAYS BE KEPT AT A SAFE LOCATION, WHERE ACCESS IS ONLY AVAILABLE TO APPROVED PERSONS. YOU MUST NOT EAT, DRINK, OR SMOKE AT SUCH LOCATIONS.

CYANIDE SALTS AND SOLUTIONS MUST ALWAYS BE KEPT AWAY FROM ACIDS.

A SUPPLY OF CYANIDE ANTIDOTE MUST ALWAYS BE IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE.

ITEMS THAT ARE USED TO EAT OR DRINK WITH MUST NOT BE KEPT AT LOCATIONS WHERE CYANIDE IS KEPT OR USED.

POISONING WILL OCCUR IF YOU SWALLOW CYANIDE, IF YOU BREATHE HYDROCYANIC GAS, OR IF CYANIDE OR HYDROCYANIC GAS ABSORBS THROUGH YOUR SKIN.

WARNING INDICATIONS OF POISONING ARE; DIZZINESS, NAUSEA, GENERAL WEAKNESS, HEADACHE, PALPITATIONS, FEELING OF SUFFOCATION AND TIGHTNESS IN THE THROAT, AND/OR, PALLOR, DEEP BREATHING, AND UNCONSCIOUSNESS.

WARNING

SODIUM HYDROXIDE PRECAUTIONS

A SUPPLY OF BUFFERED PHOSPHATE SOLUTION MUST ALWAYS BE IMMEDIATELY AVAILABLE TO APPLY TO BURNS.

CAREFULLY ADD TO WATER COMPOUNDS WHICH CONTAIN SOLID SODIUM HYDROXIDE, BECAUSE HEAT IS RELEASED WHEN THE COMPOUND DISSOLVES. MAKE MUCH MOVEMENT OF THE SOLUTION, WITH AIR OR MECHANICAL METHODS, AS YOU ADD THE COMPOUND TO THE SURFACE OF THE SOLUTION. DO NOT ADD LARGE QUANTITIES OF THE COMPOUND TO ONE SMALL AREA OF THE TANK BECAUSE THE SOLUTION WILL BOIL.

WARNING

ACID PRECAUTIONS

BE VERY CAREFUL TO KEEP THE SOLUTION AWAY FROM YOUR EYES AND BARE SKIN. WEAR PROTECTIVE CLOTHING (THIS INCLUDES EYE PROTECTION AND RUBBER GLOVES) WHEN YOU PREPARE AND USE THE NITRIC ACID SOLUTION. EXAMINE RUBBER GLOVES REGULARLY FOR PIN HOLES AND REPLACE IF NECESSARY. IF CONTAMINATION OF THE EYES OR SKIN OCCURS, FLUSH YOUR SKIN WITH A LARGE QUANTITY OF CLEAN FLOWING WATER. GET MEDICAL AID IMMEDIATELY.

FOR ALL BURNS, HOWEVER SLIGHT, GO IMMEDIATELY TO THE NEAREST MEDICAL PERSONNEL OR FIRST AID POST FOR FIRST AID.

TELL THE MEDICAL PERSONNEL WHICH SOLUTION CAUSED THE BURN, PARTICULARLY IF HYDROFLUORIC ACID IS A PART OF THE MAKE-UP.

BE SURE HYDROFLUORIC ACID BURN JELLY IS AVAILABLE AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO THE WORK AREA.

Procedure

1. SUBTASK 70-33-92-330-001 Remove Faulty Nickel Deposits from Aluminum

   1. Remove oil, grease, or carbon deposits, if necessary, with CoMat 01-277 KEROSINE, or aqueous clean by the SPM TASK 70-11-03-300-503.

      NOTE

      Thick nickel deposits can be reduced in thickness to a dimension a small amount greater than the pre-plate dimension by machining before final chemical removal of the residue.

   2. Chemically remove the faulty nickel plate.

      1. Degrease the components by the SPM TASK 70-11-03-300-503 (aqueous cleaning) if necessary.

      2. Mask the part as necessary with CoMat 02-017 WAX or CoMat 02-038 MASKING WAX COMPOUND (HIGH TEMPERATURE).

      3. Remove the nickel electroplate with nitric acid Solution Code 28, made up to the SPM TASK 70-33-27-330-501, SUBTASK 70-33-27-180-004.

      4. Examine the part to make sure all the plating was removed. Do the chemical removal step again, as necessary.

      5. Wash the parts fully in clean cold water.

      6. Remove the masks.

      7. Put the parts fully in clean hot water at 185 deg F (85 deg C) minimum.

      8. Remove the remaining water with a blast of clean dry air.

   3. Do a non-destructive inspection of the part by the method specified in the Engine Manual.

2. SUBTASK 70-33-92-180-001 Prepare the Parts

   1. Degrease the components by the SPM TASK 70-11-03-300-503 (aqueous cleaning) if necessary.

   2. Make sure the parts are fully dry and free from all remaining cleaning solution.

   3. Dry abrasive blast the area to be plated with CoMat 05-003 ABRASIVE MEDIUM ALUMINUM OXIDE, 120/220 GRADE (refer to the SPM TASK 70-12-02-120-501). Do not use a higher pressure than necessary, or stay in one place for longer than necessary.

   4. Rub the surface to be plated with CoMat 02-008 PUMICE POWDER on a clean, soft, grease-free wet cloth.

   5. Wash the parts in clean cold water to remove all remaining material.

   6. Mask the part with wax.

      NOTE

      Do not let the CoMat 01-085 ETHYLENE GLYCOL (ETHANEDIOL) or CoMat 07-014 STOPPING-OFF LACQUER touch other surfaces of the part because this will stop adhesion of the wax to the surface.

      1. Apply CoMat 01-085 ETHYLENE GLYCOL (ETHANEDIOL), or CoMat 07-014 STOPPING-OFF LACQUER, to the surfaces that must not be coated with wax to prevent adhesion of the wax mask.

      2. Put the parts into a bath of CoMat 02-017 WAX at the temperature specified by the manufacturer (typically 194 deg F (90 deg C) approx.). Let the parts increase in temperature to that of the bath and then remove the parts. This will produce a thin initial layer with good adhesion.

      3. Do the wax dip two more times to produce a wax coating approximately 0.0625 inch (1.57 mm) thick.

   7. While the wax is still warm, cut carefully around the edges and peel off the excess wax to expose the surface to be plated. The edges of the wax must stay adherent to prevent spread of the plating solution onto surfaces not to be plated.

   8. Remove the CoMat 01-085 ETHYLENE GLYCOL (ETHANEDIOL), or CoMat 07-014 STOPPING-OFF LACQUER with CoMat 01-277 KEROSINE. Rub the surface to be plated with CoMat 02-008 PUMICE POWDER on a soft cloth made wet with water to remove surface residue.

   9. Wash the part fully in cold flowing water.

3. SUBTASK 70-33-92-330-002 Nickel Plate the Aluminum

   1. Put the parts to be plated onto a suitable plating fixture, or wire the parts for suspension in the cleaning and plating tanks with CoMat 02-153 ALUMINIUM WIRE, or CoMat 02-154 ALUMINIUM WIRE, or of suitable diameter applicable to the plating current.

   2. Make sure the electrical contacts are correctly placed.

   3. Aqueous degrease the parts and fixture by the SPM TASK 70-11-03-300-503.

   4. 

      WARNING

      DO NOT LET THE ACID MIXTURE TOUCH YOUR SKIN OR EYES. WEAR PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT.

      Etch the parts in a solution of nitric acid-hydrofluoric acid. Put the parts fully in the solution kept at 59 to 77 deg F (15 to 25 deg C) for approximately two minutes. Refer to the SPM TASK 70-33-08-100-501, SUBTASK 70-33-08-100-003 for the make up of the nitric acid-hydrofluoric acid mixture.

   5. Flush the components in cold water to remove all remaining acid.

   6. 

      CAUTION

      DO NOT LET PARTS STAY IN THE ZINCATE SOLUTION LONGER THAN NECESSARY BECAUSE DAMAGE TO THE SURFACE OF THE PARTS CAN OCCUR.

      Put the parts fully in the zincate solution for the time specified by the manufacturer. For guidance, this is typically between for one to two minutes at 59 to 77 deg F (15 to 25 deg C). Refer to the SPM TASK 70-33-08-100-501, SUBTASK 70-33-08-100-004 for the make-up of the zincate solution.

   7. Flush the components in cold water to remove all remaining solution.

   8. Put the parts fully in the nitric acid to remove smut for between one and two minutes at 59 to 77 deg F (15 to 25 deg C). Refer to the SPM TASK 70-33-08-100-501, SUBTASK 70-33-08-100-005 for the make-up of the nitric acid solution.

   9. Flush the components in cold water to remove remaining nitric acid.

   10. 

       CAUTION

       DO NOT LET PARTS STAY THE ZINCATE SOLUTION LONGER THAN NECESSARY BECAUSE DAMAGE TO THE SURFACE OF THE PARTS CAN OCCUR.

       Put the parts fully in the zincate solution again to apply the second zincate coating. Refer to manufacturer's instructions for the immersion time, which typically is 30 to 60 seconds at ambient temperature.

       NOTE

       For aluminum castings, if necessary, do the nitric acid etch, cold water flush and immersion in the zincate solution again. Then flush fully with water.

   11. Flush the parts in cold water to remove remaining zincate.

   12. Deposit a base (strike) layer of one of these methods:

       1. Copper Electroplate.

       2. 

          WARNING

          THIS STEP USES A CYANIDE SOLUTION.

          Put the parts fully into the copper electroplating solution made up to the SPM TASK 70-33-92-100-501, SUBTASK 70-33-92-180-003.

       3. Keep the parts in the solution for 5 minutes at a current density of 2 amps/sq dm (20 amps/sq ft) or a voltage of 0.5 to 1.5 volts.

       4. Electroless Nickel.

          Use this step if the it is not permitted to use the Copper cyanide solution.

          1. Put the parts fully into the electroless nickel solution made up to the SPM TASK 70-33-08-100-501.

          2. Keep the parts in the solution for 10 minutes.

   13. Flush the parts fully in cold flowing water to remove all remaining unwanted material.

   14. With the current switched on, put the parts fully into one of the nickel electroplating solutions made up to the instructions in the SPM TASK 70-33-92-100-501. Keep the parts in the solution for the time necessary to get the specified plating thickness. For recommended plating parameters, refer to the solution manufacturer.

   15. Remove the parts from the plating solution and flush fully in clean cold water.

   16. Remove the stop-off as follows:

       1. To remove CoMat 02-017 WAX stop-off, put the parts fully in clean boiling water.

       2. To remove CoMat 07-014 STOPPING-OFF LACQUER, wash the parts fully with CoMat 01-076 METHYL ETHYL KETONE.

   17. Dry the parts with a blast of clean, dry air.

   18. If necessary, apply a corrosion preventive. Refer to the SPM TASK 70-38-05-380-501, SUBTASK 70-38-05-380-001.

4. SUBTASK 70-33-92-220-001 Examine the Parts

   1. If necessary, remove corrosion preventive with CoMat 01-277 KEROSINE.

   2. Do a visual inspection of the parts to make sure that the nickel plate is smooth, adherent, and free from burns and blisters.

   3. Make sure the specified thickness of deposit is sufficient.

   4. Apply a corrosion preventive to the parts. Refer to the SPM TASK 70-38-05-380-501, SUBTASK 70-38-05-380-001.