#electropolishing

In a nutshell, electroplating is a process of plating/coating a piece of metal with another metal by the process of electro-deposition. It is similar to adding a new skin to metal to make it attractive and durable.

What is the process of electroplating?

As the name suggest, electroplating is a process of deposition or plating. In the process, the metal which has to be electroplated is dipped in a tank full of electrolyte solution. In this tank the metal act as cathode and another anode is already there in the tank. Later, Direct current Is passed through the tank and this results in the formation of ions that sticks to the surface of the metal. This results in the electro-plating of the metal.

Material suitable for electroplating?

·        Nickel

·        Black nickel/chromium

·        Chromium

·        Palladium or Palladium Nickel Alloy

·        Gold

·        Silver

·        Copper

·        Tin

·        Platinum

·        Ruthenium

·        Cadmium

·        Brass

·        Zinc

 Uses of electroplating?

Plating ads properties to the metal.

The core metal which is electroplated may not have the properties as the metal that is coated on it, has. This makes it super use full for the industries. In the telecom sector, the copper conductors are coated with silver as silver has best conductivity to the electric current. This helps the businesses in cost cutting as they do not have to use the whole silver wire, but just coating of it.

Protective barrier.

Electroplating a metal is like giving a new skin to the metal. we can coat a reactive metal with less reactive metal and this will help the metal to survive longer. A reactive metal reacts with the atmosphere and corrodes very soon but by coating it with the less reactive breaks the contact of the atmospheric condition and the core metal.

 Thickness.

There are many ways of cover the metal body like paint, anodizing, etc. if you need a thick layer of covering to your metal, electroplating is the way. Electroplating gives a thick layer of protection to the metal than any other process.

Finishing

Electroplating is largely used to enhance the appearance of the metal. often the jewellery which is made of a cheaper material is plated with gold or silver to make it look attractive and beautiful. Similarly, the old metal components are electro-plated with which c gives it completely a fresh look.

Insulation.

Electroplating is also used as for insulating a material. Coating isolates the parts from electrical currents passing through. It prevents static build up and materials from clinging, most especially to the substrate. That’s why coating is used in copy rollers, print industry equipment, and beverage filling probes.

If you are looking for electro-plating services in India, you can reach out to Indaco coats. It provides the best solution in aluminium and

titanium anodizing

So here we will be looking at three main aspects that is,

Why we electroplate?

What is the process?

What are the required conditions for electroplating?

 Why we electroplate?

There are several reasons for electroplating, it can be aesthetics or protection or both.

The metal can be made aesthetics by making it shiner or giving attractive colour to the metal by coating. For example, jewellery is often plated with gold or silver to look attractive.

Electroplating can also be used for protection as it may help prevent corrosion, rusting or just general wear and tear. Car rims are electroplated for both shininess and protection.

Chromium which is commonly known as chrome, nickel, tin and zinc and cadmium are often used to play copper, iron and steel objects. Tin cans are actually made of steel but have thin tin coatings, the astronaut who made the first American spacewalk in 1965, was wearing a gold plated visor to protect his eyes from solar radiation.

 How does electroplating work?

In these process of electroplating an electric current is passed from a solution that conducts electricity. An electrolyte to create these current two electrodes are dipped into the electrolyte solution and connect to the power and battery supply

When the current is turned on the electrodes gain a charge, the positively charged electrode is called anode and negatively charged electrode is called cathode. The electrode and electrolytes are chosen carefully based upon, what metal you are plating with. If you want to copper plate another metal, you use copper based electrolyte solution and have a copper anode. The copper for plating comes from the electrolyte solution, which in turn has its stops replenished by the copper anode

For example:

We want to copper plate some brass

·         So we have

·         A copper anode

·         A brass cathode

·         Copper based solution for the electrolyte (copper sulphate solution)

Copper sulphate solution contains copper sulphate ions and sulphate colourless ions. The copper ions are positively charged and so attracted to negatively charged brass cathode

The copper ions are deposited onto the brass, producing thin copper plate. The positively charged copper ions gains electrons, which is known as reduction. The sulphate ions are negatively charged and so get attracted to the positively charged copper anode, the current supplied to the anode causes the copper atom to oxidize which is lose electrons and then dissolve into the electrolyte solution.

So the copper ions move from the anode to cathode in the solution and the electrons move from the anode to the cathode by the long wire. The copper anode wire gradually dissolves to replenish the copper ions in the electrolyte solution, so the solutions stays in the same concentration

If another matter was used at the anode then the copper sulphate solution, would gate pale or less concentrated

Few things which are needed to be considered?

the speed of the electroplating process depends on the speed of the electric current

one way to increase the current is by increasing the concentration of ions in the solution

It is also important to choose you metal carefully in electroplating, not all metal alloy with each other. For instance: steel has to be copper before plating it with silver because steel does not directly alloy with silver

There are also environment concerns associated with some metals, chrome plating for examples created waste that is harmful for humans and animals, waste products must be treated accordingly to make sure that they are safe which can be very expensive

Finally, and most importantly, for current to flow, the ions need to be able to move so the compound must be in molten state or dissolved in a solution

What is Metal Finishing?

Metal finishing is a scientific process that is used to cleanse and delight the external part or surface of a metal. The process involves multiple phases where the experts work by applying a slim opposite layer to its external surface. There are many types of metal finishing procedures that the companies use for a plethora of purposes.

In this guide, we will present an overview of the different types of metal finishing procedures. Being a user, you must know about the different utilities of the top finishing methods. Let’s find out some concrete ideas about the process of Metal Finishing. In the opinion of the experts at Electromax Inc. the major information about the process may include the following:

What Metal Finishing does to the Metal?

·         Enhanced bond or grip

·         Greater solderability

·         Resistance to corrosion,

·         Resistance to chemicals and extreme temperatures

·         Rigidity

·         Sturdiness

·         Better exterior look

·         Electrical conductivity

·         Removing of surface flaws and burrs

·         Control of exterior resistance

The Prominent Types of Metal Finishing are as follows:

·         Brushed Metal

·         Metal Vibratory Finishing

·         Buff Polishing

·         Powder Coating

·         Metal Plating

·         Hot Blackening

·         Sand Blasting

·         Metal Grinding

What is Passivation?

Passivation is a non-electrical process that is nowhere similar to electroplating. Passivation of stainless steel is a special process that improves the natural integrity of the metal by freeing the iron from the surface chemically. It releases the iron from the surface of the Stainless steel and other metals to improve the non-corrosive properties of the metal. It naturally betters the characteristics of the metals.

Scientifically, the process of passivation removes the exogenous iron compounds from the surface of the metal. It does it by means of chemical dissolution that automatically removes the contamination level of the metal and makes it free from the harmful chemicals that are present in the metal.  

Passivation Overview:

Passivation is a scientific process that we use to obtain stainless steel in the purest form. It releases contaminants chemically from the surface of the stainless steel. The experts at Electromax find it critical when preparing assemblies that need passivated. The use of various passivation solutions may not only result in distinctions in the form or look, but it may appear in some parts being destroyed.

Benefits of Passivation:

When stainless steel and its parts are produced industrially, they can contain free iron and other iron compounds present in the surface of the material. This compounded material brings the properties of corrosion over time. It harmful for the longevity of the metal as it reduces the lifespan of the metal as a whole. Passivation is mandatory to get rid of the left-over pollutants and get the metal and its parts to their original specifications.

Although passivation betters the corrosion resistance of stainless steel, it is often capable of eliminating impurities like cracks, heat tint, burrs, and oxide level. If impurities like these keep on affecting the performance of the stainless steel and its parts, it may look for a more aggressive finishing process, like electropolishing.

You may be a businessman or a common consumer; you must have a good knowledge about various things that you use in your everyday life. Metals, for examples, are very common in our everyday life and we use a variety of metals that serve different purposes. Metal, as you know, are of different types with different chemical and physical properties. No two metals can have completely same characteristics.

Iron and steel are two important metals that are manufactured in the big industrial plants. Still, the final products are loaded with a great deal of impurities that need to be cleaned and washed to make them useful. The process that the industries use to clean the metals is termed as Metal Finishing. It is an extensive process that takes time and resources to get complete. As per the opinion of the expert technicians in Electromax Inc, the process of Metal Finishing holds a key position in the industry. They believe that the process brings some potential benefits for the metals as well as their user.

Following are some of the advantages of Metal Finishing:

1.   A successful and complete procedure of metal finishing can make the metal free from corrosions.

2.   The metal become from corrosion and develops resistance to corrosion as well.

3.   The finished metal gets better electrical conductivity.

4.   It becomes resistant against metallic wear and tear which is a serious matter.

5.   The experts at http://www.electromax-inc.com/ believe that the meta become resistant against torque forces. It is indeed a great advantage for the precision metals.

6.   The metal also gets a stronger resistance against chemicals and other tarnishing forces.

7.   It gets a hardness that is natural and log lasting.

8.   As a result of metal finishing, the said metal gets a higher reflecting index which is a quality feature of a quality metal.

9.   After Metal finishing the metal gets a shiny look which is a sign of a good-quality metal.

10.The metals get an additional feature as it gets the ability of bonding with rubber.