Key principles.
Custom colors
Wet paint or powder coat over plastic. Adhesion primer per plastic.
Chrome decorative
Plastics plated for metallic appearance. ABS standard for plating.
Aluminum coating
Thin aluminum coating. Cosmetic mirror finish. Cheaper than plating.
Conductive
Conductive paint or plating for EMI shielding.
Scratch resistance
Hard UV-cured coatings. Scratch-resistant clear coats.
Healthcare
Silver-ion or specific anti-microbial coatings for medical.
FAQ
Plating: metallic appearance, durable, premium cost. Painting: any color, less durable than plating.
Material-specific. PP/PE difficult — flame treat or plasma activation. PC/ABS easy.
Plating > paint > vacuum metallizing for mechanical durability. Choose per application wear.
Vacuum metallize cheap mirror look. Plating premium chrome look. Painting custom colors.
Painting 3-5 days post-molding. Plating 5-7 days. Custom Pantone 1-2 weeks color development.
Painting $0.50-3/part. Vacuum metallize $1-5/part. Plating $3-15/part. Per surface area.
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