Why Is Electroplating Finishing Vital Today?

Industrial & Manufacturing Blog

Electroplating finishing is a procedure used by experts to apply a metal coating to various surfaces. The entire process relies on electrical current and requires it to form a protective layer or finish over a substrate connected to a negatively-charged electrode through electrodeposition. Electroplating has many applications in daily life. Manufacturers use it on machinery parts, kitchenware, jewelry, coins, mobile phones, and automotive components, to mention a few. It's an essential process in diverse industries because technicians use it to:

1. Improve products' physical appearance

Some products require a maximum aesthetic appeal to sell well. Take jewelry as an example. Most pieces of jewelry should be elegant and attractive because they're supposed to represent beauty, prestige, or wealth. Jewelers understand that and try to make their products as appealing as possible. One of the techniques they use to reach that end involves electroplating. For instance, some companies hire service providers who electrolytically deposit a thin gold layer over all jewelry pieces' base metal. Numerous qualities of the plating, including the hardness, thickness, tint, and adhesion, determine the overall luster and durability of electroplated products, such as jewelry.

2. Create a protective barrier

Some metals corrode gradually. These include gold, silver, iron, and iron-containing alloys. Manufacturers and fabricators working with these vulnerable materials know that and use electroplating to counter the corrosion. This solution is very effective because it creates a durable metal finishing, which becomes a protective barrier. Typically, the coating acts as a sacrificial layer. For example, most steel products have an outermost zinc plating. Since zinc is a reactive metal, it corrodes over time and, in the process, slows down or prevents rust from reaching the underlying steel material.

3. Reduce friction

Electroplating applies a final layer, i.e., a finish coat that reduces friction significantly. That is vital because friction inflicts excess heat and wear on electrical connectors and other essential components. You can also use solutions like nickel plating to coat devices and enable them to slide easily on different surfaces. So, if your operations demand material-handling equipment like rollers, you can use electroplating metal finishing to reduce friction and enhance their performance and life span.

4. Increase surface thickness

Most experts use electroplating to deter the outcomes of insufficient coating thickness, including issues like voids, pinpoint rusting, and brittleness. They also use it to stave off problems like roughness, cracking, and flaking, which arise from excessive coating thickness. This process is a favorite because it has withstood the tests of time and proved to be ideal in applications that demand maximum thickness. And, unlike many other metal finishing alternatives, electroplating metal finishes give experts more control over coating thickness. As a result, they use it to produce coatings with desired or specified thicknesses accurately.

Share

27 April 2022

Planning a Construction Project Without all the Stress

Planning a large construction project can be stressful as the project leader. As a consultant for large construction companies, I see project planners buckle under pressure all the time – usually because the right support systems and resources are not put into place. It takes more than a good plan to pull together an effective and stress-free construction project. Finding the right service providers, laborers, and plan developers is just as important. This blog was designed to provide those in the construction world with tips and tricks for getting a job done in a straight forward and profitable manner. From project supply ideas to support service options, hopefully you can find some answers to your pressing questions here.