Perancangan Prototype Alat Elektroplating Berbasis Arduino Uno dan Validasi Kinerja Melalui Karakterisasi Pelapisan PLA

Abstract

Electroplating is a metal coating process used to improve the surface properties of materials, including corrosion resistance, hardness, wear resistance, and surface appearance, through the deposition of metal ions using direct current. The quality of the coating is strongly influenced by the stability of electrical parameters and the uniform distribution of metal ions during deposition. This study aimed to design and develop an Arduino Uno-based electroplating prototype capable of monitoring electrical parameters while improving coating uniformity through a specimen rotation mechanism. The prototype integrates an Arduino Uno, an XL4015 constant voltage/constant current (CV/CC) module, an LM2596 DC-DC converter, a voltage sensor, a digital volt-amp meter, and an MG996R servo motor. Prototype performance was validated through zinc electroplating on Polylactic Acid (PLA) specimens, followed by Charpy impact testing according to ASTM D256. The results showed that the prototype operated reliably and maintained stable electroplating conditions throughout the process. Visual observations confirmed that a uniform zinc coating was successfully deposited without significant coating defects. Impact testing revealed that the average absorbed impact energy increased from 0.1738 J to 0.1942 J, while the impact strength increased from 54.30 J/mm² to 60.70 J/mm², representing an improvement of approximately 11.8%. Therefore, the developed prototype effectively enhanced coating quality and improved the impact resistance of PLA specimens.