An electroplating system includes an enclosure with an interior, an anode lead extending through the enclosure and into the interior, and a porous body. The porous body is supported within the interior of the enclosure for coupling an electroplating solution within the interior with a workpiece. A conduit extends through the enclosure and into the interior of the enclosure to provide a flow of nitrogen enriched air to the interior of enclosure for drying and removing oxygen from the electroplating solution.

The present invention relates to a plating apparatus and a plating method for partially forming a plating film on an object to be plated. The plating apparatus includes: a rotary electrode configured to be rotatable; a plating solution holding unit arranged to the rotary electrode and configured to hold a plating solution; and a power supply unit configured to apply a voltage between the portion to be plated and the rotary electrode.

In a film forming method, in a state where a metal solution is sealed in a first accommodation chamber of a housing with a solid electrolyte membrane and a fluid is sealed in a second accommodation chamber of a placing table with a thin film, a substrate is placed on the placing table and the placing table and the housing are moved relative to each other to cause the substrate to be interposed between the solid electrolyte membrane and the thin film, the solid electrolyte membrane and the thin film are pressed against the substrate interposed therebetween to cause the solid electrolyte membrane and the thin film to conform to a surface and a rear surface of the substrate, thereby forming a metal film.

In a film forming method, in a state where a metal solution is sealed in a first accommodation chamber of a housing with a solid electrolyte membrane and a fluid is sealed in a second accommodation chamber of a placing table with a thin film, a substrate is placed on the placing table and the placing table and the housing are moved relative to each other to cause the substrate to be interposed between the solid electrolyte membrane and the thin film, the solid electrolyte membrane and the thin film are pressed against the substrate interposed therebetween to cause the solid electrolyte membrane and the thin film to conform to a surface and a rear surface of the substrate, thereby forming a metal film.

A method and system for manufacturing an optical article is provided. The method may comprise providing at least one ophthalmic lens substrate having a surface; applying at least one conductive coating on at least a portion the ophthalmic lens substrate; and electroplating the ophthalmic lens substrate to form a plating layer that is in a contacting relationship with the conductive coating of the optical article. Other layers may also be applied.

A method and system for manufacturing an optical article is provided. The method may comprise providing at least one ophthalmic lens substrate having a surface; applying at least one conductive coating on at least a portion the ophthalmic lens substrate; and electroplating the ophthalmic lens substrate to form a plating layer that is in a contacting relationship with the conductive coating of the optical article. Other layers may also be applied.

A film forming device for forming a metal film at a high current efficiency and a method for forming the metal film using the film forming device are provided. The film forming device to form the metal film includes an anode, a cathode, a porous membrane disposed between the anode and the cathode to be capable of contacting the cathode, a solution container defining a solution containing space between the anode and the porous membrane, and a power supply applying a voltage between the anode and the cathode. The porous membrane is composed of a polyolefin chain without an ion-exchange functional group.

A method for producing round stock (10) which is provided with at least one inscription and/or marking (16), at least the surface (12) of the round stock (10) consisting of a metallic material, in particular of chromium or steel, for example of hardened steel, chromium-plated steel or stainless steel. In order to improve this method such that disadvantages and shortcomings are avoided, the method includes the following steps: placing on the surface (12) at least one cover (20) which is adapted to the shape of the surface (12) and in particular has the inscription and/or marking (16), such that the region to be provided with the inscription and/or marking (16) is not covered by the cover (20),exposing the round stock (10) to a first electrolyte (30) together with the cover (20), material being removed from the surface (12) by said electrolyte in the region to be provided with the inscription and/or the marking (16) while producing depressions (14), andexposing the round stock (10) together with the cover (20) and the depressions (14) not covered by the cover (20) to a second electrolyte (32) by which the depressions (14) are filled to produce the inscription and/or marking (16) which differs from the surface (12) optically, in particular with respect to color. The present invention also relates to round stock (10) which is manufactured from a metallic material, with the round stock being provided with a correspondingly produced inscription and/or marking (16).

A method for producing round stock (10) which is provided with at least one inscription and/or marking (16), at least the surface (12) of the round stock (10) consisting of a metallic material, in particular of chromium or steel, for example of hardened steel, chromium-plated steel or stainless steel. In order to improve this method such that disadvantages and shortcomings are avoided, the method includes the following steps: placing on the surface (12) at least one cover (20) which is adapted to the shape of the surface (12) and in particular has the inscription and/or marking (16), such that the region to be provided with the inscription and/or marking (16) is not covered by the cover (20),exposing the round stock (10) to a first electrolyte (30) together with the cover (20), material being removed from the surface (12) by said electrolyte in the region to be provided with the inscription and/or the marking (16) while producing depressions (14), andexposing the round stock (10) together with the cover (20) and the depressions (14) not covered by the cover (20) to a second electrolyte (32) by which the depressions (14) are filled to produce the inscription and/or marking (16) which differs from the surface (12) optically, in particular with respect to color. The present invention also relates to round stock (10) which is manufactured from a metallic material, with the round stock being provided with a correspondingly produced inscription and/or marking (16).

A threaded connection for pipes includes a pin, a box, a shoulder part plating layer, and a non-shoulder part plating layer. The shoulder part plating layer has an outermost layer formed of a high friction coefficient plating layer, and is arranged on a pin side shoulder part and/or a box side shoulder part. The non-shoulder part plating layer has an outermost layer formed of a low friction coefficient plating layer having a coefficient of friction lower than a coefficient of friction of the high friction coefficient plating layer, and the non-shoulder part plating layer is arranged on at least one of a pin side thread part, a pin side metal seal part, a box side thread part, and a box side metal seal part.