Plating Line Process Card and Traveler Template
A plating job passes through ten or more steps, and every one of them is a place for a missed operation or a missing record. This process card puts the part, specification, steps, inspection results and sign-offs on one traveler, ready to print or export.
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Plating Line Process Card and Traveler Template
Plating Process Card
Acme Metal Finishing Inc. Traveler: WO-48213 Date: 2026-10-20 Customer: Midwest Fluid Power PO: PO-77192 Part: FIT-2210 Rev C Quantity: 1,200 pcs Base material: 1018 steel, cold drawn
Finish Requirements
Specification: ASTM B633 Type II, SC 1, Fe/Zn 8 clear Thickness: 8 um minimum on significant surfaces Plating method: Barrel Hydrogen embrittlement relief bake: Not required
Special instructions: Mask threads on small end. Do not rack on cosmetic faces. Salt spray test one lot sample per customer plan.
Process Steps
| Step | Operation | Tank / equipment | Time / settings | Operator | Date and time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Receiving inspection and mask | Bench | |||
| 2 | Alkaline soak clean | ||||
| 3 | Rinse | ||||
| 4 | Acid pickle or activation | ||||
| 5 | Rinse | ||||
| 6 | Electroclean or anodic clean (if specified) | ||||
| 7 | Plate: record amps, time, load | Amps: ____ Time: ____ | |||
| 8 | Rinse | ||||
| 9 | Post-treatment (chromate, passivate, seal) | ||||
| 10 | Dry | ||||
| 11 | Embrittlement relief bake (if required) | Oven | Temp: ____ Hours: ____ |
Inspection Record
| Check | Requirement | Method | Result | Pass / Fail |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thickness | 8 um minimum on significant surfaces | XRF or coulometric | ||
| Appearance | Per specification | Visual | ||
| Adhesion | No peeling or blistering | Bend or bake test per spec | ||
| Corrosion resistance | Per specification | Neutral salt spray, if required | ||
| Quantity count | 1,200 pcs | Count |
Sign-off
This is a general-purpose traveler layout, not a replacement for the customer's controlled process specification or your approved procedures. Bake temperatures, times and timing requirements for hydrogen embrittlement relief depend on the specification and base material hardness, so enter the controlled values for your job. Retain completed cards as quality records.
Traveler automation review
Interested in generating travelers and inspection records from your ERP routings? We can walk through the approach.
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How to use the process card
Fill the header fields with the work order, customer, part number and revision, quantity, base material, finish specification and thickness. Choose the plating method and whether an embrittlement relief bake is required. Enter any special instructions such as masking or racking restrictions. Export to PDF or Word and print it so operators can initial each step and enter amps, times and bake settings as the lot moves through the line.
- Include part revision to avoid plating against an old drawing
- Write the exact specification and type or class
- Record amps, time and load for each plating cycle
- Hold the card with the lot until final inspection
What the steps cover
A typical sequence is mask, soak clean, rinse, acid activation, rinse, electroclean, plate, rinse, post-treatment, dry and bake. Poor adhesion usually traces to cleaning and activation, while blisters or hydrogen problems trace to the process before plating and the bake after. High-strength steel parts, commonly above about 1,000 MPa or 31 HRC, are usually baked soon after plating to relieve hydrogen, with temperatures and times set by the controlled specification.
Inspection and records
The inspection table covers thickness, appearance, adhesion, corrosion resistance and count. Thickness is typically verified by XRF or coulometric methods, and corrosion by neutral salt spray where the customer requires it. Customers and auditors expect to see the actual results and who recorded them. For special-process customers, keep records tied to the lot, bath analysis log and equipment calibration status.
Common mistakes
Frequent problems are plating to the wrong revision, skipping the bake window because the oven was busy, and not recording amps and time so thickness cannot be reconstructed later. Another is leaving the specification field vague, such as writing zinc plate without the type, class and post-treatment. Build the card from the purchase order and drawing, not from memory.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a plating process card?
It is a traveler that accompanies a lot through the plating line. It lists the part, specification, process steps, parameters, inspection results and sign-offs so there is a record of how each lot was processed.
When is a hydrogen embrittlement bake required?
Typically for high-strength steel parts that are electroplated, with the requirement defined by the drawing or specification, which sets the temperature, time and timing after plating. The template lets you flag that requirement and record actual bake data.
What records should be kept with a plating lot?
Work order, specification, process parameters, bath analysis references, bake records, inspection results, and operator and inspector sign-offs. Retention periods come from customer contracts and quality system requirements.
Can I edit the process steps?
Yes. Export to Word and edit the steps table to match your line sequence, or use the Excel export. The default steps are a common sequence for acid or alkaline zinc and nickel work.
If your plating work orders originate in an ERP, we can help generate these travelers automatically from routing and drawing data, with human review before release.
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