Optimization and improvement of plastic decoration using chrome. The term direct plating or direct metallization in the technology of plating on plastics means the process of electroplating of the plastic material without going through the electroless cuni step. Chrome plating less commonly chromium plating, often referred to simply as chrome, is a technique of electroplating a thin layer of chromium onto a metal object. This is a 3step process involving applying a base coat of paint, then metallizing with aluminum. Nonchrome plating on plastic download pdf info publication number us20050199587a1.
Many of the best metal finishing books are out of print and hard to find. Plug n plate is perfect for gold plating car emblems. Sep 15, 2015 our full automatic abs chrome plating line for production of all abs plastic part chrome plating, such as refrigerator door handle, chest freezer door handle, home appliance plastic parts. Common items with decorative chrome include appliances, jewelry, plastic knobs, hardware, hand tools, and automotive trim. Iec 17025, rohs plastic chrome plating, taf certified lab and special chrome plating equipment, providing electroplating solutions that would. By simply stroking the part with swift brush strokes, the circuit is closed and the plating metal bearing solution goes to work, depositing its beautiful layer onto the object. Chromiumfree etching and palladiumfree plating of plastics. With allover plating considered the most costeffective plating form for plastic the whole surface gets a metal deposit with a thickness of 40 to 2,000 microinches. Chrome is slang for chromium, one of the 92 naturally occurring chemical elements. We can achieve this by using our surface activation technology or with traditional plating methods. It was the talk of the announcers prior to the game. Operating out of the bright range is the most common cause of poor chrome appearance. A design must accommodate moulding, plating and part performance. Non chrome plating on plastic download pdf info publication number us20050199587a1.
The degree of adhesion of plate to plastic depends on a number of factors. The process hard chrome plating is an electrolytic method of depositing chrome for engineering applications, from a chromic acid solution. Hard chrome plating is commonly applied to various types of steel and is almost always thicker than decorative chrome plating. Electroless plating on abs plastic can be allover plating or selective plating depending on final product requirements. Nickel and chromium metals are the most commonly applied, normally called chrome plating or plastic chrome plating. Some are expensive but poorly described by the book sellers. Oct 28, 2019 pchrome is a spray on chrome for plastic that provides the same terrific look and strength of traditional chrome plating. Hard chrome is used as a wear resistant coating not only on steel but also on a wide variety of other metals. It can be applied in your garage or in your shop, and it has the same highgleam polish and feel that people expect from chrome. Decorative bright chrome plating plastic process includes following steps.
This has the advantage of reduced number of steps in the overall process. This means that we do not use an electric current to apply the plating. Hard chrome plating of a hydraulic piston, dimensions o 400 x 4,800 mm our expertise in the field of hard chrome plating enables us to recommend a suitable layer composition for each application. Thickness of hard chrome plating ranges from 2 to 250m. The chromed layer can be decorative, provide corrosion resistance, ease cleaning procedures, or increase surface hardness. Sharkroad exhaust pipes 2 laf chrome drag pipe with flange kits for harley sportster softail dyna touring 19842017, triple layer durable chrome plating. The thinner deposits being used to substantially increase the. The term decorative plating is used to describe practices, processes and outcomes for a broad range of applications, but the term decorative often masks the critical nature of the outcome required. Apply initial electroless nickel plating layer, 2040 microinches 0. Chrome plating is used to provide a very high degree of hardness on the surface of a metal to enhance wear resistance, reduce friction, provide antigalling properties, and, in some cases, improve corrosion resistance. Decorative plating processes often impart the technical and functional success of the products they are used on.
Pdf abs is an engineering plastic that has butadiene part uniformly distributed over the acrylonitrilestyrene matrix. Highly versatile, it can be used for a part of any size, and it bonds well to almost anything. This process offers several functional as well as decorative benefits to the finished product. If your nameplate or badge design calls for chrome plating on plastic, few companies can match the quality of our processes. Chromium is the hardest of the most commonly deposited metals. Nov 03, 2017 skip plate on a chrome plated plastic component. Electroless plating on plastic can further be broken down into two different categories. Industrial hard chrome plating chem processing, inc.
Plating on plastics refers to electroplating the plastic surface with metals such as nickel, chrome, electroless nickel, copper, cobalt phosphorous, gold, silver and others. The metal plating industry historically has used, and continues to use, pfas in some metal plating applications, most notably in hard and decorative chromium plating, chromic acid anodizing, and chromium etch for plating on plastic processes. Applying this coating makes the part conducive, which. Plating on abs plastics electroplating on plastics. Do you need help with defect troubleshooting when plating on plastic. It was noted that facilities plating on plastic also used wetting agents in their chrome etch tanks for process control i. Chrome plating less commonly chromium plating, often referred to simply as chrome, is a technique of electroplating a thin layer of chromium onto a metal or plastic object. Pdf plating on acrylonitrilebutadienestyrene abs plastic. The conductive surface is required for electroplating plastic.
The selective plating process is suitable for low volume as well as high volume applications and includes. Our concern for the rest of this paper, however, will be with hard chrome plating. The neutralizer or chrome reducer is a ready source of. Typically, we will first coat the part with a layer of copper of nickel through a process called electroless plating. Design for plating the success of a metal plated abspc part starts with design. Plastics plating rutland plastics uk plastic injection. Plastic components can be chrome plated from various chemical tanks of acid, copper, nickel, and chrome. Selectively electroless plated plastic is applied onto specified surfaces of a plastic part, most often an enclosure or housing but can be applied to a wide range of part designs and materials. Cheap toys and even some low quality interior automotive parts like interior plastic emblems are vacuum metallized.
Every shiny finish isnt chrome plating, and the finishes that arent chrome plating may not be suitable for automotive applications. Decorative chromium plating typically ranges from 0. Easytoplate contours will invariably provide a more uniform distribution of the electrodeposited metal. Metallic plated and coated plastic products are used primarily for decora. Cyh is a plastic chrome plating service provider based taiwan since 1969.
Over 44 years auto parts plastic chrome plating manufacturing. Troubleshooting 92 troubleshooting 93 temperature settings. Our depth of experience with abs and pcabs allow us to plate for oem and tier 1 automotive suppliers and also the medical and aerospace industries. Our full automatic abs chrome plating line for production of all abs plastic part chrome plating, such as refrigerator door handle, chest freezer door handle, home appliance plastic parts. Standard specification for decorative electroplated coatings. The positively charged metallic ions are attracted to the negatively charged part and then revert. Chrome plating of automobile grills and plastic parts. Electroplating involves applying a metal coating, chromium, or silver coating on a metal part to. Rather, when you hear that something is chrome, what is really meant is that there is a thin layer of chrome, a plating of chrome, on the object the bulk. Electroplating supplies including shiny, satin, nickel to trivalent chromium plastic chrome plating with large plating tanks. The basic problem in attempting to electroplate onto plastics substrates is, of course, that they are electrically nonconductive and cannot be immersed in a plating solution and coated in the way that metal objects can.
Jan 26, 2017 if you watched the 2012 rose bowl game you probably noticed the oregon ducks helmet. The catch is that true chrome plating is electro plating, which requires that the part to be plated conduct. Simply strip the chrome off with chrome stripper, then apply the gold. With the former, the metal is deposited over the entire surface of the plastic substrate at a thickness ranging from 40 microinches 1 m to 2,000 microinches or 0. Electroless plating a thin deposit of nickel or copper is deposited on the plastic part. Plating of plastics can be done with gold, silver, aluminum. Troubleshooting plating on plastics don baudrand, cef and ned mandich phd, cef abstract the brief historical development and basic chemical steps for metallizing of conductors in general and plating on abs plastics in particular are offered. To be safe, it is best to operate in the center of the bright range, which is shown by the optimal plating line. The second way to make plastic look like chrome is, in fact, to chrome plate it. Chrome plating plastic, rohs compliant trivalent chemistry. Electroplated processes perfected over decades of engineering.
Since the 1950s, specific pfas surfactants have been. Microchrome plating doublechrome plating threelayerchrome plating inside chrome plating. Electroplating a negative charge is applied to the part which is then dipped into a positively charged solution of the metal it is to be plated with. While there are many factors that can cause and contribute to functional and cosmetic imperfections on plated plastic components, defects caused during the plating process can be the most difficult to identify root causes, and the most difficult to rectify. Douglas has perfected the electroplating process by producing millions of parts for cars, trucks, boats and electronic products over decades of engineering. May 31, 2001 electroplating of plastics the problem.
Hard chrome plating is an electroplating process in which chromium is deposited from a chromic acid solution. The most important of which are the particular abs resin the conditions under which the plastic was moulded and the conditioning treatment special grade of abs specifically formulated for plating generally plate with greater adhesion than non plating grades. Hard chromium differs from decorative chromium not only because of. Chrome is a metal, but it is not useful as a solid, pure substance. Design, converting and handling techniques for electro. Chrome plating is an electrolytic process that can be applied to regular steel, stainless steel, aluminum, and other materials.
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