Plating is not a new process, but the methods of plating and the ability to plate to very specific tolerances are now possible through advanced equipment and precision system controls.
All plating, including zinc plating, is designed to create a protective layer over a base metal to prevent corrosion. Without the challenge of corrosion, or with a significant decrease in the rate of corrosion, metal parts and components have a much longer life cycle and are also less prone to failure, a critical consideration in the automotive, aerospace, processing and manufacturing, electronics and military and defense industries.
The Benefits and Advantages
Iron and steel are most often the base metals when zinc plating is selected as the ideal plating process. This process can be controlled as to the thickness of the deposit of the plating. By selecting zinc, which is naturally resistant to corrosion, even a thin deposit provides significant corrosion protection even in the most challenging environmental conditions.
While zinc plating only became commercially popular in the 1980s to replace the use of highly toxic cadmium, it is now universally accepted as the most effective and environmentally friendly option. The plating process itself requires precision control of the process used. This can include rack plating for large parts or barrel plating for smaller parts.
Everything from the plating solution electrolyte formulation through to the correct time, temperature, electrical current, and the complete cleaning of the surface of the parts prior to the plating has to accurate to allow the zinc to adhere.
The final look of the zinc plating will depend on the concentration of zinc in the solution and in the deposit. The heavier the deposit and the concentration of zinc the duller and more textured the surface. The lower the zinc concentration, the brighter the final appearance will be, but additives can increase the brightness of the final parts.
