Corrosion protection. Electrical conductivity. Cosmetic finishes.

Corrosion protection outdoors: zinc (with chromate topcoat for extended life) or electroless nickel. Wear resistance: hard chrome (highest hardness). Electrical conductivity: silver for RF, gold for corrosion-prone contacts, tin for solderability. Decorative: bright chrome or nickel. We recommend plating based on application during DFM review — specify the service requirements and we match chemistry.

Plating: thin (5–25 µm) layer, chemically bonded to substrate, preserves part geometry, adds specific functional properties (hardness, conductivity, corrosion resistance). Powder coating: thicker (50–120 µm), applied polymer coating, adds color and thicker corrosion protection but alters dimensions more. For functional surface properties, plating. For cosmetic appearance with corrosion protection, powder coating. For maximum corrosion protection, sometimes both: zinc plate then powder coat.

Important for fit tolerances. Typical plating thickness 5–25 µm (0.005–0.025 mm) adds to all surfaces. For precision fit applications (bearings, press fits, threads), specify plating thickness in drawing and design to machined dimensions minus expected plating. Example: Ø10 H7 hole that will be plated 12 µm needs machining to Ø10.012 before plating. Standard practice for plated assemblies.

Yes, with caveats. Plating thickness affects thread fit — too much plating causes threads to bind. For critical threads: either mask threads during plating (preserving unplated diameter), or machine oversize to compensate for plating thickness. For fasteners where thread fit matters less (grade 5 bolts, general industrial), threads can be plated without masking.

We provide RoHS-compliant plating for European and consumer market applications. Standard: trivalent chrome (RoHS-compliant) instead of hexavalent chrome (RoHS-restricted). Lead-free solder for tin plating. Compliant gold plating chemistry. Check specific requirements — some industrial applications still permit traditional chemistry, but most new designs require RoHS compliance. Specify on RFQ.

Plating typically adds 3–7 business days to overall manufacturing lead time. Rack plating of larger parts: 3–5 days. Barrel plating of small parts at volume: 5–7 days. Specialty platings (gold, silver, hard chrome): 5–10 days. Documentation packages with plating records, thickness verification available for aerospace and medical applications at additional time.