Plating Gone Bad

You receive your parts back from your plater and they look great. But on closer inspection you notice what appears to be a small bare spot. You rub at the spot and discover that the plating begins to flake. What is the problem? In instances like this, the problem is normally with the preparation process.

There are several problems that can arise during plating that can result in the need to redo the plating, or worse requiring a start over from scratch and the manufacturing of new parts. A plating redo requires additional time and money that no one can afford. One of the best ways to avoid plating problems is to research plating shops to verify that you are working with experts.

Some common plating problems related to electroless nickel plating include:

• Poor adhesion – which is when the plating flakes off the part
• Skip plating - dots or bare spots appear on the surface where the plating did not adhere
• Edge pull back – when the plating begins to pull away from the edges of the part
• Streaking and Staining – results in uneven color or appearance of part

Plating problems can be caused by a variety of issues including inadequate cleaning and preparation of the part before plating, impurities in the bath, improper levels of compounds or temperatures, or a poor strike.

AST has years of experience working with EN plating and utilizes strict quality procedures and standards when preparing products and applying the finish. AST's attention to quality and years of experience ensure that common plating problems don't happen. For additional information and an initial job assessment, contact AST at 303-432-8500 or visit our web site at www.astfinishing.com.