ENEPIG Plating
About (ENEPIG) Plating
Electroless Nickel Electroless Palladium Immersion Gold (ENEPIG) Plating Services
Titan Plating provides advanced ENEPIG plating services, a multi-layer coating solution that combines electroless nickel, electroless palladium, and immersion gold to deliver superior corrosion resistance, solderability, and reliability. Developed as an enhancement over ENIG plating, ENEPIG introduces a palladium layer to prevent issues like black pad syndrome, making it ideal for high-reliability applications such as printed circuit boards (PCBs). Our expertise ensures precise, customised finishes that meet demanding performance requirements across various industries.
ENEPIG Plating Capabilities
Our ENEPIG plating services are designed for versatility, accommodating a range of substrates and production scales:
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Layer Composition: Nickel layer (3-6 µm), palladium layer (0.05-0.15 µm), gold layer (0.03-0.1 µm), optimised for specific applications.
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Rack Plating: Suited for intricate or delicate parts with strict tolerances, ensuring uniform deposition through controlled immersion.
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Barrel Plating: Efficient for high-volume, small components, providing consistent coatings via rotation in the plating bath.
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Vibratory Plating: Ideal for fragile items, using gentle vibration to achieve even coverage without mechanical stress.
These methods support substrates like copper, aluminium, and alloys, delivering reliable, high-quality finishes for prototypes and large-scale production.
Benefits of ENEPIG Plating
ENEPIG plating offers distinct advantages, particularly over ENIG, making it a preferred choice for advanced manufacturing:
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Prevents Black Pad Syndrome: The palladium layer acts as a barrier, eliminating corrosion between nickel and gold that causes solder joint failures.
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Enhanced Solderability: Provides reliable joints for lead-free soldering, with gold ensuring oxidation-free surfaces and palladium adding hardness.
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Improved Wire Bonding: Supports aluminium and gold wire bonding, with palladium facilitating strong, stable connections.
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Corrosion and Oxidation Resistance: Multi-layer structure protects against environmental degradation, extending component lifespan.
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Cost Efficiency: Thinner gold layers reduce material costs while maintaining performance, offering economic benefits.
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Versatility for Rework: Unlike ENIG, ENEPIG supports multiple soldering cycles without degradation, ideal for rework applications.
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Lead-Free Compliance: Meets environmental standards, providing a safe, sustainable alternative.
These benefits ensure ENEPIG delivers superior reliability, making it suitable for high-stakes applications where failure is not an option.
The ENEPIG Plating Process
ENEPIG plating involves a series of chemical reactions to build a multi-layer coating:
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Surface Preparation: Substrates are cleaned and activated to promote adhesion, removing contaminants and ensuring a reactive surface.
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Electroless Nickel Deposition: A nickel-phosphorus layer (3-6 µm) is applied via autocatalytic reaction, providing a corrosion-resistant base.
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Electroless Palladium Deposition: A thin palladium layer (0.05-0.15 µm) is deposited, enhancing hardness and preventing inter-layer corrosion.
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Immersion Gold Deposition: The final gold layer (0.03-0.1 µm) is applied through a displacement reaction, protecting the palladium and nickel from oxidation.
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Post-Treatment: Rinsing and drying finalise the process, with inspections to verify thickness and uniformity.
This electroless approach ensures even coating on complex surfaces, without the need for electrical current, resulting in precise, defect-free finishes.
Applications of ENEPIG Plating
ENEPIG plating is widely used for its reliability in protecting and enhancing PCBs across multiple sectors:
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Medical Devices: Coats components in infusion pumps, pacemakers, imaging systems, and monitors, ensuring sanitation and corrosion resistance.
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Consumer Electronics: Enhances PCBs in smartphones, tablets, computers, and appliances, supporting miniaturisation and reliable performance.
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Aerospace: Protects power supplies, monitoring equipment, and communication devices in aircraft and satellites, withstanding harsh conditions.
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Automotive: Coats PCBs in GPS systems, sound systems, sensors, and fuel regulators, providing durability and solderability.
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Security: Ensures functionality in cameras, electronic locks, and smoke detectors, where reliability is critical.
Considerations for ENEPIG Plating
While ENEPIG offers significant advantages, key factors include:
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Layer Thickness Control: Precise management prevents over-deposition, which could lead to brittleness or reduced performance.
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Substrate Compatibility: Effective on copper and alloys, but requires proper activation for optimal adhesion.
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Cost vs. ENIG: Higher upfront costs due to palladium, but long-term savings from improved reliability and reduced rework.
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Environmental Compliance: Lead-free and eco-friendly, aligning with global standards for sustainable manufacturing.
Titan Plating’s ENEPIG Expertise
Titan Plating delivers comprehensive ENEPIG plating services, leveraging electroless nickel, palladium, and immersion gold processes to meet high-reliability demands. Our facilities ensures precision across rack, barrel, and vibratory methods, producing uniform, defect-free coatings for PCBs and components. We specialise in applications for medical, consumer electronics, aerospace, automotive, and security sectors, offering tailored solutions that optimise solderability, corrosion resistance, and cost efficiency. Our consultative approach helps select the ideal layer compositions, supporting projects from prototyping to high-volume production with consistent, superior results.
Get in touch with Titan Plating
Whether you need expert advice or a custom quote, our team is here to help. Reach out today to discuss your project.
Marlborough House, The Courtyard,
Hartley Wintney, Hook RG27 8NY