Electroplating Solution Concentration Detection Based on Interference Principle and Balanced Detector

Abstract In this research work a noble approach towards measurement of solution concentration in electroplating process has been exercised by inducting laser interferometer and balanced detector. The research design of this study has been fragmented into three parts. In the first part, an experimental set up constituting of DFB laser, Michelson interferometer, reflector, balanced detector, oscilloscope and high performance industrial control computer was established for detection of electroplating solution concentration. In the second part, by taking the quantitative observations of solution concentration, light intensity, refractive index and voltage, a mathematical model was established. The model parameters were identified and verified by the common liquids. In the third part of the study, experiments were carried out on single solution and mixed solution during nickel plating of punched steel strip. The experiment revealed that the concentration detection of single solution, the error found was within 1.32%. In the concentration detection of mixed electroplating solution, the error was within 2.03%. The error is less than the detection error of chemical titration method (3%), which meets the requirements of the enterprise. It is indicated that the proposed method can detect the refractive index and liquid concentration quickly and accurately, which lays the foundation for the optimization control of the solution concentration in the process of nickel plating in punched steel strip.