The simplest definition of metal plating is putting a thin layer of metal on top of another metal. Metal plating is not simply a process for your jewelry, although it is frequently used to make cheap metals look better. Plating has many applications, and it has become a scientifically advanced practice that is almost an art.
Reasons for Plating
Metal plating offers many benefits.
- Lowers resistance and friction
- Improves the holding power of paint
- Changes conductivity
- Protects against radiation
These are some of the most common reasons metal plating is used in many industries, but there are also others that are relevant for specialized purposes.
Types of Metal Plating
As technology has advanced, scientific plating methods have developed to meet specific needs. One such technique is laser black Brooklyn NY. This advanced process uses multiple layers to create a unique metallic oxide that gives off a matte black finish. There are many other types of plating procedures, some of which you may be familiar.
- Electroplating—Perhaps the best known of the plating techniques, electroplating uses an electric current to deposit a thin layer of one metal on top of another metal.
- Carburizing—This plating method uses heat to create an extremely hard surface on a variety of metals.
- Immersion plating—This technique is a chemical process whereby ions are transferred between metals.
- Electroless plating—This method is also known as autocatalytic plating because it uses no external source of power such as electroplating does.
There are other advanced techniques used to create specific effects and ultra-hard surfaces for aerospace needs, optics, window tinting, food packages, and parts for vehicles and medical equipment.
Pass the Plate
Metal plating is an advanced practice that has led to developments in many other industries ranging from communications to space travel. Plating practices play a role in your daily life each time you turn on a computer or wireless device, and they help your vehicle run smoothly. While it may be nice for your jewelry to look good, metal plating does so much more for you and all of society.