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NICKEL ELECTROPLATING

Nickel electroplating is a technique of electroplating a thin layer of nickel onto a metal object. The nickel layer can be decorative, provide corrosion resistance, wear resistance, or used to build-up worn or undersized parts for salvage purposes

Nickel electroplating is a process of depositing nickel on a metal part. Parts to be plated must be clean and free of dirt, corrosion, and defects before plating can begin. To clean and protect the part during the plating process a combination of heat treating, cleaning, masking, pickling, and etching may be used. Once the piece has been prepared it is immersed into an electrolyte solution and is used as the cathode. The nickel anode is dissolved into the electrolyte in form of nickel ions. The ions travel through the solution and deposit on the cathode.

CHROME PLATING

Chrome plating, often referred to simply as chrome, is a technique of electroplating a thin layer of chromium onto a metal object. The chromed layer can be decorative, provide corrosion resistance, ease cleaning procedures, or increase surface hardness

COPPER PLATING

Copper plating is the process in which a layer of copper is deposited on the item to be plated by using an electric current.
With a higher current, hydrogen bubbles will form on the item to be plated, leaving surface imperfections. Often various other chemicals are added to improve plating uniformity and brightness. Without some form of additive, it is almost impossible to obtain a smooth plated surface. These additives can be anything from dish soap to proprietary compounds.

GOLD PLATING

Gold plating is a method of depositing a thin layer of gold onto the surface of another metal, most often copper or silver by chemical or electrochemical plating. This article covers plating methods used in the modern electronics industry; for more traditional methods, often used for much larger objects,

BRASS PLATING

Brass plating is used primarily as a decorative finish, but there are some engineering uses. An engineering example would be the wire in steel belted tires where the steel is brass plated to promote adhesion to the rubber. Brass plating is also used as an anti-galling coating and also on bearing surfaces.

Bright decorative brass finishes are produced by first plating with bright nickel for brightness and then followed with a brass flash plate for 35 to 90 seconds. Such finishes are used in wire goods, decorative lamps, furniture hardware and builder’s hardware. Heavy brass deposits (0.0003 to 0.0006 inches) are used for finishes which will be buffed, burnished, antiqued and /or oxidized. Some of the brass plate will be removed with antiquing and oxidizing processes and therefore the minimum thickness for such processes is 0.0003.

Heavy brass deposits will not plate as bright as brass plated over bright nickel. To obtain bright finishes with heavy brass deposits, they must be buffed or burnished. There are addition agents which will refine the grain of the brass so that the amount of burnishing or buffing is greatly reduced.