IPOS®: unique rectifier technology for total control in reverse pulse

With a proven track record in leading-edge power supplies, American Plating Power (APP) is now developing a reputation for exciting innovations for the general Metal Finishing industry. Its latest is IPOS® (Intelligent Pulse Optimization System) - marking a major advance in rectifier technology, IPOS® helps deliver significantly improved results in electroforming by providing an exceptional degree of pulse control. This total pulse control is a unique feature of APP's high power, high current power supply solutions, designed to bring the benefits of reverse pulse plating to industrial applications.

At the heart of IPOS® is a closed loop control system that continuously monitors and adjusts the waveform. With conventional rectifier technologies, the characteristics of the pulse fired through the plating bath vary according to bath impedance, which in turn depends on the load. Ideally, for a truly controllable process, the signal would remain stable regardless of load - which IPOS® achieves through a unique hardware solution, based on multiple power switches in the rectifier's low voltage output section.

Controllability and efficiency

Multiple switches are at the heart of IPOS® leading-edge rectifier technology, and form the central element of its microprocessor-controlled closed loop control system. To optimize and control signal quality from these multiple outputs, APP applies pulse width modulation (PWM) techniques to deliver sharp, well-defined pulses that maximize the benefits of reverse pulse plating.

As well as delivering a controllable signal independent of bath impedance, IPOS® offers other valuable features for higher quality results and more efficient processes. In particular, it eliminates overshoot and undershoot, and can absorb energy while switching from forward to reverse, due to APP's unique rectifier design. With no dead time (switching at 50 microseconds / 1000 amps), IPOS® enables significant efficiency gains of up to 15 - 20%.

Quality and cost-savings

As reverse pulse plating moves out of the laboratory and into the industrial arena, APP's revolutionary rectifier technology is an important step forward. Research has shown that rectifier performance is critical for achieving optimal results from reverse pulse plating. By developing IPOS®, APP aims to ensure manufacturers can benefit from the full technical and commercial potential of this exciting technology. And the benefits are many: improved throwing power, more efficient deposition, greater control over morphology and grain size, enhanced ductility / hardness and bath recoverability. It all adds up to a higher quality end product, faster throughput and cost savings - an attractive combination for producers operating in today's highly competitive markets.