Patent ID: 7563352

Claim:
A method of electrolytically processing surface areas of work pieces, said work pieces each having an electrolytically active surface area, in a conveyorized system in which the respective work pieces are conducted through the system in one direction of transport in which the respective work pieces are electrolytically processed by means of electric currents originating from each of a plurality of counter electrodes, which are each supplied with an individual current source, the counter electrodes being located one behind the other in the direction of transport as the work pieces are conducted past the counter electrodes, wherein a respective individual electric current originating from each of the said respective counter electrodes is set independently from the respective individual electric currents of all other counter electrodes to an individual electric current value for providing a respective desired current density at the surface of one or more respective work pieces which overlaps with said respective counter electrode, wherein said respective individual electric currents originating from each of the said respective counter electrodes are individually adjusted for each respective counter electrode separately proportionally to the overlapping area between the said respective work piece and the respective counter electrode and proportionally to an electrolytically active surface portion of said overlapping area and proportionally to the desired electric current density at said electrolytically active surface area portion, wherein adjacent counter electrodes are isolated from one another in order to prevent a current flowing between the said adjacent counter electrodes, and wherein the work pieces are conducted past the counter electrodes at a distance of 50 mm maximum.