Electroplating Thickness Time

Turn plating bath settings into finished thickness in seconds. Combine current density, dwell time, and optional efficiency and material properties to calculate micrometers deposited and the equivalent mils for inspection specs.

Applied current density in amperes per square foot.
Total dwell time in the bath.
Optional. Defaults to 95%. Accounts for side reactions that reduce deposition rate.
Optional. Defaults to 31.8 (copper). Use atomic weight divided by valence for the metal you plate.
Optional. Defaults to 8.96 g/cm³ for copper. Adjust for nickel, gold, etc.

Engineering estimate only—validate with cross-section measurements or coulometric testing before signing off production lots.

Examples

  • 20 ASF, 30 minutes, 95% efficiency, copper defaults ⇒ Plated thickness: 13.52 µm (0.5324 mil) at 95.00% efficiency.
  • 15 ASF, 18 minutes, 85% efficiency, nickel (29.5 g/equiv, 8.9 g/cm³) ⇒ Plated thickness: 7.89 µm (0.3107 mil) at 85.00% efficiency.

FAQ

How do I account for ramp-up or ramp-down periods?

Estimate the effective dwell time by subtracting immersion and withdrawal ramps, or run the calculator twice—once for full-current dwell and once for the lower-current ramp—and add the results.

Can I include agitation or temperature effects?

Those factors change efficiency. Adjust the efficiency percentage input based on lab measurements to see how process tweaks impact thickness.

Does the calculator support pulse plating?

Yes. Replace the current density with the average amperage over the duty cycle and use an efficiency that reflects your pulse waveform.

What if I'm plating alloy layers?

Use the equivalent weight and density of the target alloy composition, or run separate calculations for each component and weight by composition if the deposit is layered.

Additional Information

  • Result unit: micrometers of plated metal, plus conversion to mils for PCB and aerospace specs.
  • Current density is converted from amperes per square foot to amperes per square centimetre before applying Faraday's law.
  • Equivalent weight equals atomic weight divided by valence; adjust when switching metals or alloys.

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