# Plating Part Surface Area Estimator (Plate with Holes and Bosses)

> Source: https://netray.co/tools/plating-part-surface-area-estimator-calculator
> Publisher: Netray (netray.co), AI and integration engineering for ERP and manufacturing systems.
> Section: Free Tools

## Short answer

Estimate plated surface area for a prismatic part with through holes and bosses, then convert to dm2, ft2 and load amps for the whole lot.

## Category

engineering-plm

## Industry

Metal Finishing

## Audience

- Estimator
- Process engineer
- Plating shop planner

## Tool

**Kind:** calculator

**Inputs:**

#### Plate length

**Key:** len

**Type:** number

**Default:** 4

**Min:** 0.01

**Step:** 0.05

**Unit:** in

#### Plate width

**Key:** wid

**Type:** number

**Default:** 2

**Min:** 0.01

**Step:** 0.05

**Unit:** in

#### Plate thickness

**Key:** thk

**Type:** number

**Default:** 0.25

**Min:** 0.005

**Step:** 0.005

**Unit:** in

#### Number of through holes

**Key:** holes

**Type:** number

**Default:** 6

**Min:** 0

**Step:** 1

**Unit:** holes

**Help:** Round holes drilled through the full thickness.

#### Through-hole diameter

**Key:** hdia

**Type:** number

**Default:** 0.25

**Min:** 0.01

**Step:** 0.005

**Unit:** in

#### Number of round bosses

**Key:** bosses

**Type:** number

**Default:** 2

**Min:** 0

**Step:** 1

**Unit:** bosses

**Help:** Cylinders standing on the plate face.

#### Boss diameter

**Key:** bdia

**Type:** number

**Default:** 0.5

**Min:** 0.01

**Step:** 0.01

**Unit:** in

#### Boss height

**Key:** bh

**Type:** number

**Default:** 0.5

**Min:** 0

**Step:** 0.01

**Unit:** in

#### Surface roughness / thread factor

**Key:** rough

**Type:** number

**Default:** 1.1

**Min:** 1

**Max:** 2

**Step:** 0.05

**Help:** 1.0 for smooth ground surfaces, 1.1 to 1.3 for machined or cast surfaces, higher for threads or textured finishes.

#### Parts in lot

**Key:** qty

**Type:** number

**Default:** 500

**Min:** 1

**Step:** 1

**Unit:** parts

#### Current density

**Key:** cd

**Type:** number

**Default:** 2

**Min:** 0.1

**Step:** 0.1

**Unit:** A/dm2

**Outputs:**

#### Plate envelope area

**Key:** plate

**Expr:** 2 * (len * wid + len * thk + wid * thk)

**Format:** decimal

**Description:** All six faces of the rectangular block, in square inches.

#### Net change from through holes

**Key:** hole_net

**Expr:** holes * (pi * hdia * thk - pi * hdia * hdia / 2)

**Format:** decimal

**Description:** Each hole adds a bore wall and removes two circular faces.

#### Added area from bosses

**Key:** boss_add

**Expr:** bosses * pi * bdia * bh

**Format:** decimal

**Description:** Side wall only; the top face replaces the covered base.

#### Estimated area per part (in2)

**Key:** area_in2

**Expr:** (plate + hole_net + boss_add) * rough

**Format:** decimal

#### Area per part (ft2)

**Key:** area_ft2

**Expr:** area_in2 / 144

**Format:** decimal

#### Area per part (dm2)

**Key:** area_dm2

**Expr:** area_in2 * 0.064516

**Format:** decimal

**Primary:** true

#### Lot area (ft2)

**Key:** lot_ft2

**Expr:** area_ft2 * qty

**Format:** number

#### Lot current at set density

**Key:** lot_amps

**Expr:** area_dm2 * qty * cd

**Format:** number

**Primary:** true

**Description:** Total amperes if the entire lot is in the tank at once.

**Chart:**

#### Area per part (dm2) vs number of through holes

**Type:** line

**X:** holes

**From:** 0

**To:** 40

**Steps:** 20

**Series:**

- area_dm2

**Disclaimer:** This is a geometric estimate for a block with round features. For complex shapes use the CAD surface-area property from the solid model and apply a roughness factor. Blind holes, slots, threads and masked areas are not modeled.

## Content

**Intro:** Plating cost, rectifier current and time all start with surface area, and most estimators still guess it. This tool computes the area of a plate with through holes and round bosses, applies a roughness factor, and converts to dm2, ft2 and lot amperage.

**Sections:**

#### How to use it

**Body:** Enter the block dimensions, the number and diameter of through holes, and any round bosses. Add a roughness factor, usually 1.1 for machined surfaces. Enter lot quantity and your planned current density to see the amperes needed if the whole lot is plated at once. For plating-time estimates, take the per-part area into the Faraday plating calculator. For quotes, copy area per part into the quote worksheet.

**Bullets:**

- Convert to square decimeters for plating amps
- Use CAD mass properties when the solid model exists
- Subtract masked areas before estimating current
- Remember that racks and wire also draw current

#### The geometry used

**Body:** The envelope of a rectangular block is 2 x (L x W + L x T + W x T). Each through hole removes two circles of area pi x d squared over 4 each and adds a cylinder wall of pi x d x T, so the net change per hole is pi x d x T minus pi x d squared over 2. A boss adds only its side wall, pi x D x H, because its top face replaces the base footprint it covers. The sum is multiplied by the roughness factor.

#### Reading the output

**Body:** Notice that holes add area when the plate is thick relative to the hole diameter and subtract area when it is thin, which the chart shows. Area per part in dm2 times current density in A/dm2 gives amps per part. A 500-piece lot with 0.5 dm2 each at 2 A/dm2 needs 500 amps if plated together. Compare that to your rectifier rating and tank size before deciding how to split lots.

#### Common mistakes

**Body:** The commonest error is using only the visible face area, which understates anodizing and plating current by 40 percent or more on thick parts. Others include ignoring internal bores that a thief or auxiliary anode must reach, using square inches where square decimeters are needed, and failing to treat threaded surfaces. Always check a sample with a thickness gauge after the first run and adjust the factor.

**Cta:** We can help connect part dimensions and drawing data in your ERP to quoting and routing tools, so area, time and cost estimates are generated from the item master without retyping.

**Faq:**

#### How do I convert square inches to square decimeters?

**Answer:** Multiply square inches by 0.064516. One square decimeter is 15.5 square inches, and one square foot is 9.29 square decimeters. Plating current density is usually stated per dm2 or per ft2 (ASF).

#### Should I include the rack in surface area?

**Answer:** Include the rack contact and any unmasked wire in current calculations if they will be exposed to the bath, but not in per-part thickness or cost. Stripped or coated racks draw less current.

#### What roughness factor should I use?

**Answer:** Use 1.0 for ground or polished parts, about 1.1 to 1.2 for typical machined surfaces, and 1.3 or more for castings, knurls or fine threads. Measure a sample part against its CAD area to calibrate.

#### Does it handle blind holes or slots?

**Answer:** Not directly. For blind holes add the bore wall plus bottom as a boss-like feature manually, or take area from the CAD model. The estimator covers plates with round through holes and standing bosses.

## Search terms

plating surface area calculator, surface area of part for plating, how to calculate plating area, anodize surface area calculator, plating square feet per part, plated area dm2 calculator, plating amperage per part

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