0................................................................ Types of Electroplating Process

Types of Electroplating Process

Depending on the size and geometry of the parts to be plated, there are different plating processes, such as mass plating, rack plating, continuous plating, and in-line plating.

Mass Plating

Mass plating is used for small parts to be plated in large quantities, such as nuts and bolts, but it is not used for delicate parts. The most widely used mass plating system is called barrel plating, where the parts are loaded into a plating barrel. Other mass plating containers include plating bells and vibratory units

Rack Plating

Some parts cannot be mass plated because of their size, shape, or special features. Rack plating means parts are mounted on a rack for the appropriate pretreatment plating and posttreatments. Racks are fixtures suitable for immersion in the plating solution. Rack plating is sometimes called batch plating. Rack Plating More expensive than mass plating, but effective for either large or delicate parts. Often has parts submerged in solutions with "racks".

Continuous Plating

Continuous plating means parts to be plated move continuously passing either one row or between two rows of anodes. Continuous plating is usually used for parts of simple and uniform geometry, such as metal strip, wire, and tube

In-Line Plating

In-line plating is used to integrate the plating and finishing processes into a main production line. The benefit of in-line plating includes exclusion of pretreatment steps and a significant reduction in material, chemical and energy consumption, and waste discharge.