There are three main reasons why electroplated deposits are applied to components. Anyone being reason enough to stipulate the process.

1 To increase resistance to rust and corrosion.

2 To increase resistance to wear and tear.

3 To make the component look good and therefore increase sale appeal.

More often than not the benefits of all three are achieved.

The Surface Engineering association reports that corrosion costs Great Britain financial losses in excess of £17 billion a year.
The application of a very thin deposit of a valuable metal over ferrous materials can help dramatically increase the life of components.

Chromium plated taps are a good example of how finishing can not only improve the appearance of an article but also its properties. If a brass tap were not coated it would soon lose its attractive appearance as the surface oxidised. It would not be long before the tap would wear and start scratching due to use, no other surface treatment can offer such cost effective properties to protect from these characteristics than nickel chromium.

With the wide range of decorative finishes available it is easy to create a value added product. There is still no substitute for Quality electroplated finishes when it comes to achieving an upmarket finish on components.

Manufacture for Electroplating

If designing a product that requires plating, consideration given to the following aspects will ensure problems that could arise in process are eliminated.

Wherever possible, put a radius or fillet where two pieces of metal meet or 'butt' up to each other as demonstrated bellow. This is to ensure metal distributes as evenly as possible over the surface and eliminate 'low current density skipping'.

Gentle bends are much easier to obtain full metal coverage on than right angled components

Mig welding or brazing creates a much cleaner joint which covers more readily than arc welding.

If using tubular components, allow for thorough irrigation of any tubes that hve one or both ends blocked. Any tube which is not open ended must have drainage holes as close to the ends as possible.
3mm for tubes up to 13mm in diameter
6mm for tubes up to 25mm in diameter
8mm for tubes up to 35mm in diameter
as large as practicable for greater diameters

For assemblies requiring a very high standard of decorative plating it is advisable to 'pre-polish' components before assembly and then to final polish jig and handling marks out of the component prior to plating. Alternatively a full polishing process can be carried out on fabricated components where pre-polishing is impractical.

To electroplate, an electrical current needs to be applied to the work piece. This is usually achieved by means of a conductive jig or by suspending the article with conductive wire. This means it is necessary to allow for a suitable jigging/wiring point in manufacture. It should be, wherever practical, in an inconspicuous area on the component as a slight nickel halo may emanate from the jigging contact.

For advice on any queries you may have regarding your electroplating requirements please call our technical advice line on 0121 356 9431