Anodizing and plating system and method

Abstract

An anodizing or plating system is provided that has a bath with an electrolytic solution into which a production part is at least partially disposed. For the anodizing process, an anodizing monitoring device is present and has a control panel at least partially disposed within the electrolytic solution. A power source for forming an electrical circuit between the power source, the bath, the production part, and the anodizing monitoring device is present. The production part and the anodizing monitoring device are arranged in parallel relationship to one another in the electrical circuit.

1 . An anodizing system, comprising:
 a bath that has a tank and an electrolytic solution;   a production part at least partially disposed within the electrolytic solution;   an anodizing monitoring device having a control panel, wherein the control panel is at least partially disposed within the electrolytic solution; and   a power source for imparting electrical energy to form an electrical circuit that includes the electrolytic solution, the production part, and the anodizing monitoring device in order to anodize the production part.   
     
     
         2 . The anodizing system as set forth in  claim 1 , where the production part and the anodizing monitoring device are arranged in parallel relationship to one another in the electrical circuit. 
     
     
         3 . The anodizing system as set forth in  claim 2 , wherein the anodizing monitoring device has an amp meter for use in measuring the amount of amperage in the anodizing monitoring device when the power source causes the electrical circuit to be formed. 
     
     
         4 . The anodizing system as set forth in  claim 3 , wherein the control panel has an area of one square foot that is anodized along with the production part during anodizing of the production part, wherein the amp meter measures the amount of current through the anodizing monitoring device such that the output of the amp meter in amps is also the amount of current density in amps per square foot, wherein the current and current density through the control panel are the same as the current and current density through the production part, and wherein the amp meter is monitored such that constant current is applied during anodizing of the production part without the need to calculate the surface area of the production part. 
     
     
         5 . The anodizing system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the control panel is made of a material that has a similar anodizing response as that of the production part. 
     
     
         6 . The anodizing system as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein the control panel is made of the same material as the production part. 
     
     
         7 . The anodizing system as set forth in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 an anode bar that is part of the electrical circuit and that is in electrical communication with a stem of the anodizing monitoring device, wherein at least a portion of the stem of the anodizing monitoring device is coated with polyvinyl chloride plastisol; and   a rack that has a stem that is part of the electrical circuit, wherein the production part is carried by the rack, and wherein the stem of the rack is in electrical communication with the anode bar.   
     
     
         8 . The anodizing system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein a cathode that serves as a negative electrode of the electrical circuit is part of the electrical circuit and is attached to an inner surface of the tank of the bath and is at least partially submerged in the electrolytic solution. 
     
     
         9 . The anodizing system as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the anodizing monitoring device has a stem, and further comprising a spacer that is positioned between the stem and the control panel such that the control panel is spaced from the stem and does not contact the stem. 
     
     
         10 . The anodizing system as set forth in  claim 9 , further comprising a rack that forms part of the electrical circuit and that carries the production part, wherein the spacer, the production part, and the control panel are made of the same material, and wherein the spacer is selected based upon the type of rack that is present. 
     
     
         11 . The anodizing system as set forth in  claim 9 , wherein the spacer defines a central aperture therethrough that receives a bolt used for effecting attachment of the control panel and spacer to the stem, wherein the spacer has a first O-ring that engages a first end portion of the spacer, and wherein the spacer has a second O-ring that engages a second end portion of the spacer, and wherein a middle portion of the spacer has an axial length that is equal to the distance the control panel is spaced from the stem. 
     
     
         12 . An anodizing system, comprising:
 a bath that has a tank and an electrolytic solution;   a production part disposed within the electrolytic solution;   an anodizing monitoring device having a control panel, wherein the control panel is disposed within the electrolytic solution and is made of a material that has a similar anodizing response as that of the production part, wherein the anodizing monitoring device has an amp meter and a stem, wherein the amp meter is capable of measuring the amount of current through the anodizing monitoring device, wherein a portion of the stem is located outside of the electrolytic solution;   a rack that is at least partially located within the electrolytic solution, wherein the rack has a stem that is at least partially located outside of the electrolytic solution, wherein the rack carries the production part;   an anode bar in electrical communication with the rack and the anodizing monitoring device; and   a power source for imparting electrical energy to form an electrical circuit that includes the anode bar, the electrolytic solution, the production part, the rack and the anodizing monitoring device, wherein constant current is applied by the power source in order to anodize the production part, wherein the production part and the anodizing monitoring device are arranged in parallel relationship to one another in the electrical circuit.   
     
     
         13 . The anodizing system as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the control panel is made of the same material as the production part. 
     
     
         14 . The anodizing system as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein the stem of the rack has a hook on a terminal end that is hooked onto the anode bar, wherein the anodizing monitoring device has a hook that is in electrical communication with the stem of the anodizing monitoring device and is hooked onto the anode bar, and wherein the control panel has an area of one square foot that is anodized along with the production part during anodizing of the production part, wherein the amp meter measures the amount of current through the anodizing monitoring device such that the output of the amp meter in amps is also the amount of current density in amps per square foot, wherein the current and current density through the control panel are the same as the current and current density through the production part, and wherein the amp meter is monitored such that constant current is applied during anodizing of the production part without the need to calculate the surface area of the production part. 
     
     
         15 . The anodizing system as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein a cathode that serves as a negative electrode of the electrical circuit is part of the electrical circuit and is attached to an inner surface of the tank of the bath and is submerged in the electrolytic solution. 
     
     
         16 . The anodizing system as set forth in  claim 12 , wherein:
 the anodizing monitoring device has a spacer that is positioned between the stem of the anodizing monitoring device and the control panel such that the control panel is spaced from and does not contact the stem of the anodizing monitoring device, wherein the spacer is selected based upon the type of rack that is present and is made of the same material as the control panel; and   wherein the spacer defines a central aperture therethrough that receives a bolt used for effecting attachment of the control panel and spacer to the stem of the anodizing monitoring device, wherein the spacer has a first O-ring that engages a first end portion of the spacer, and wherein the spacer has a second O-ring that engages a second end portion of the spacer, and wherein a middle portion of the spacer has an axial length that is equal to the distance the control panel is spaced from the stem of the anodizing monitoring device.   
     
     
         17 . A plating system, comprising:
 a bath that has a tank and an electrolytic solution;   a production part at least partially disposed within the electrolytic solution;   a plating monitoring device having a control panel, wherein the control panel is at least partially disposed within the electrolytic solution; and   a power source for imparting electrical energy to form an electrical circuit that includes the electrolytic solution, the production part, and the plating monitoring device in order to plate the production part.   
     
     
         18 . The plating system as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein the production part and the plating monitoring device are arranged in parallel relationship to one another in the electrical circuit. 
     
     
         19 . The plating system as set forth in  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a cathode bar that is part of the electrical circuit and that is in electrical communication with a stem of the plating monitoring device, wherein the cathode bar serves as a negative electrode of the electrical circuit;   a rack that has a stem that is part of the electrical circuit, wherein the production part is carried by the rack, and wherein the stem of the rack is in electrical communication with the cathode bar; and   an anode that serves as a positive electrode of the electrical circuit and that is part of the electrical circuit, wherein the anode is attached to an inner surface of the tank of the bath and is at least partially submerged in the electrolytic solution.   
     
     
         20 . The plating system as set forth in  claim 19 , wherein the control panel has an area of one square foot that is plated along with the production part during plating of the production part, wherein the amp meter measures the amount of current through the plating monitoring device such that the output of the amp meter in amps is also the amount of current density in amps per square foot, wherein the current and current density through the control panel are the same as the current and current density through the production part, and wherein the amp meter is monitored such that constant current is applied during plating of the production part without the need to calculate the surface area of the production part;
 wherein the plating monitoring device has a spacer that is positioned between a stem of the plating monitoring device and the control panel such that the control panel is spaced from and does not contact the stem of the plating monitoring device, wherein the spacer is selected based upon the type of rack that is present and is made of the same material as the control panel; and   wherein the spacer defines a central aperture therethrough that receives a bolt used for effecting attachment of the control panel and spacer to the stem of the plating monitoring device, wherein the spacer has a first O-ring that engages a first end portion of the spacer, and wherein the spacer has a second O-ring that engages a second end portion of the spacer, and wherein a middle portion of the spacer has an axial length that is equal to the distance the control panel is spaced from the stem of the plating monitoring device.