Electroplating
We often hear words like gold plating and silver plating in our daily life, but what is electroplating? What types and methods are there for electroplating?
The so-called electroplating is a process that uses the principle of electrolysis to plate a thin layer of other types of metals or alloys on certain metal surfaces. It has the functions of preventing metal oxidation (such as rust), improving wear resistance, conductivity, reflectivity, corrosion resistance (copper sulfate, etc.) and enhancing beauty.
Special electroplating
In addition to the common electroplating methods, with the improvement of people’s aesthetics, single-color electroplating can no longer meet the needs of some people. Therefore, many electroplating methods with different performance characteristics have emerged. The following two are more common types of special electroplating.
Antique electroplating, after the electroplated accessories are coated with a black dye and then processed, can create an antique-like flavor. Two-color electroplating refers to a surface treatment technology that contains two color coatings on the same accessories. Since this type of electroplating requires full coverage electroplating twice, the production cost is relatively high.
Electroplating method
Rack plating
Rack plating is the electroplating method chosen by most factories during electroplating. Hang the products that have been pre-treated for electroplating on a suitable hanger, and then put the hanger into the electroplating bath for electroplating process. Rack plating has looser requirements on the number of products, and the deviation caused by the number is also less.
Rack plating has the same principle as barrel plating, but the process level of rack plating is higher, and the surface of the finished product is more flawless. Before electroplating, the hangers must be hung one by one, which consumes more manpower and time costs.
Barrel plating
Barrel plating requires less space than rack plating, and does not require a dedicated person to hang the hangers, so the production cost is lower. The electroplating method of barrel plating is to put the workpieces that have been pre-treated for electroplating into a barrel, and then immerse the barrel in the electroplating bath. The rolling of the barrel allows the workpieces in the barrel to be electroplated, so it is called “barrel plating”. Its advantages are that it can improve production efficiency, reduce costs, and occupy a small area; while the disadvantages are that the plating is not uniform, the plating is not easy to be thick, and bubbles, impurities and scratches are easy to appear on the surface of the plating.
Preparation before electroplating and subsequent treatment
In order to make the electroplating process go more smoothly and produce high-quality electroplated products, preparation before electroplating, as well as inspection and repair after electroplating are very important.
The electroplating method of most factories is hanging plating. When the product is hung on the hanging ring, the factory will assemble and disassemble it by itself, reducing the cost of installing and removing the hanging ring in the electroplating factory.
If the pre-treatment of electroplating is improper, it will often lead to undesirable phenomena such as delamination, peeling, and shedding of the plating. Therefore, before sending it to electroplating, it is necessary to check whether there is residual oil, sand and dust particles on the surface to reduce product loss. After the electroplating is completed, it is also necessary to check whether there are particles and bubbles on the electroplated surface to strictly control the customer’s products.
Post time: Jul-17-2024