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Electrolytic or Electroless Nickel Plating: When Should You Choose One Over the Other?

Electrolytic or Electroless Nickel Plating: When Should You Choose One Over the Other?

At Reid Metal Finishing, we offer a wide range of different metal finishing options, including both electrolytic and electroless nickel plating services. Today, we’re going to take a deeper dive into the nuances between these two types of nickel plating, and when to choose one or the other. 

Electrolytic vs. Electroless: Different Processes of Nickel Deposition

Electrolytic and electroless processes both involve depositing a layer of nickel onto the base metal, but using slightly different methods, which is what causes the two types of nickel plating to have different properties. 

Electrolytic Nickel Plating involves dipping the metal part to be plated in a chemical bath of positively-charged nickel ions, and running a current through the bath that causes the ions to deposit on the surface. This process results in a very thin, protective nickel layer on the surface of the part, increasing its conductivity and overall durability.

Electroless Nickel Plating also requires a chemical bath, but instead utilizes just a simple chemical chain reaction with phosphorus and other elements to deposit the nickel ions onto the metal part. This reaction occurs without the need for electrical current, and occurs all over the surface of the part, no matter how complex its surface geometry may be. 

When to Choose Electrolytic Nickel Plating

Electrolytic nickel plating results in surface finish with higher purity, as it can be performed with a pure Nickel ion bath, improving overall uniformity, lubricity, appearance, and hardness. Though its corrosion resistance isn’t as high as electroless nickel plating, this finishing operation still imparts good overall resistance and durability. It also results in higher conductivity, making it an excellent choice for parts that require electric or thermal conductivity, heat resistance, coating adhesion, and more, such as:

  • Interior and exterior trims, bumpers, or otherwise decorative components
  • Electronics and electrical components that require excellent conductivity and corrosion resistance
  • Fittings, tools, and hardware that need general corrosion protection

When to Choose Electroless Nickel Plating

Though a little more expensive and less pure in terms of the resulting surface coat, electroless nickel plating creates a far more uniform deposit in terms of thickness all over the part. Its corrosion resistance is also far superior thanks to the addition of phosphorus in the chemical reaction, making it an excellent choice for applications where durability, reliability, and ductility are crucial, such as Aerospace, Industrial Equipment, and functional Automotive components. Unlike its counterpart, electroless nickel plating isn’t limited to conductive materials either–this metal finish can be applied to virtually any metallic substrate with very few limits on how thick the coating can be or how complex the geometry of the part. 

Typical applications for electroless nickel plating include:

  • Functional components that need to withstand high-stress, high-pressure, and corrosive environments
  • Safety or Mission critical systems where the uniformity and precision of the coating are necessary for reliable function
  • Automotive systems such as braking, fuel, transmission, and similar functional systems that are often exposed to wear and tear, weather conditions, and corrosive chemicals

Reid Metal Finishing: Your Partner for Electroless and Electrolytic Nickel Plating

Reid Metal Finishing offers a wide range of metal finishing services, including nickel plating, from right here in the U.S. If you’re looking for a partner in plating, anodizing, and other common metal finishes, consider working with us–contact us today to get started!

How the Different Aluminum Alloys Affect Chemical Conversion Coatings

How the Different Aluminum Alloys Affect Chemical Conversion Coatings

Aluminum alloys are widely used throughout manufacturing mainly due to their excellent strength-to-weight ratio and the easy machinability of these metals. Naturally, aluminum reacts with oxygen in the atmosphere to form a thin, protective layer of aluminum oxide, but for harsh environments, especially those found in military and aerospace applications, this natural layer isn’t enough. This is where surface treatments and metal finishes like chem film or chemical conversion coatings come into play–they offer a way to enhance the surface of aluminum, making it far more usable and long-lasting in those harsher environments.

In a previous article, we explored the mechanism behind Chem Film, a chromate chemical conversion coating. Aluminum benefits greatly from this finish–but what some may not realize is that the different aluminum alloys can affect how well the surface treatment performs. Today, we’re taking a deeper dive into the nuances of applying chem film to the common aluminum alloys.

A Brief Overview of Chem Film

Chem film or chromate conversion–both are names for the same process of chemical conversion coating aluminum, forming a protective layer on the surface of aluminum parts to enhance corrosion resistance and adhesion for later coatings. Though there are different types of chem film, this article focuses solely on the more popular Type II TCP (trivalent chromium process) chemical conversion coating. Aluminum parts are cleaned and alkalized or etched, and then the applicator applies the chem film treatment to create that protective layer.

Different Alloys, Different Properties

Aluminum can be alloyed with a variety of different metals, though the more common series are the magnesium (5xxx), magnesium and silicon (6xxx), zinc (7xxx), and nearly pure aluminum (1xxx). Copper is another popular element (2xxx), though not quite as popular compared to newer alloys. And just like each alloying element has different properties, they impart different characteristics onto the resulting aluminum alloy–and affect metal finishing treatments as well. 

The more pure the aluminum alloy, no matter what the alloying elements are, the better its resulting corrosion resistance will be after chem film is applied. A recent study also found that certain elements can have positive or negative effects on the corrosion resistance of Type II chem film. Alloys with higher copper content tended to decrease the effectiveness of the chem film treatment, while magnesium and zinc exhibited even better corrosion resistance. 

The type of alloy being treated also affects the resulting appearance. Color and color uniformity tend to vary between different alloys, especially in less pure aluminum alloys, where the higher content of alloying elements can cause inconsistencies in the final appearance. This is important to keep in mind, especially in cases where chem film is being used as a primer for colored coatings to be added later. 

About Reid Metal Finishing

Reid Metal Finishing is an expert in a wide variety of metal finishing services, including chromate chemical conversion coating, aluminum anodizing, plating, and more. If you’re interested in our services, please contact us today to request a quote and get started.

Introduction to Chemical Conversion Coatings

Introduction to Chemical Conversion Coatings

Conversion coatings, or chemical conversion coatings, is a common type of metal finishing operation, and a very broad term as well that many common surface finishing techniques fall under. This article aims to offer a comprehensive overview of all that chemical conversion entails, as well as the common types of conversion coatings and their typical uses. 

Chemical Conversion: Improving on a Natural Process

Conversion coatings take advantage of a metal surface’s natural tendency to oxidize. They essentially turn the surface of a metal component itself into the protective barrier rather than adding an additional coating layer like other surface finishes. Chemical conversion in particular involves submerging parts in a chemical bath consisting of oxides, phosphates, or chromates. These baths remove a very small amount of the surface metal and replace it with a more homogenous and resilient layer that protects the metal underneath from corrosion. 

Typically, conversion coatings are applied through either submersion or spraying, depending on the type of coating and the preference of the applicator. 

The Common Types of Conversion Coatings

Anodization

Anodization, most commonly applied to aluminum, is actually a type of conversion coating often applied to improve the aesthetic appearance and corrosion resistance of aluminum components. There are three different types with differing thicknesses and strengths, as well as applications to which they are best suited. 

Chromate Conversion or Chem Film

Chem film, also known as chromate conversion, is a type of chemical conversion coating popular in military and aerospace standard aluminum parts. This treatment involves passivating aluminum in order to prepare the surface for further painting or coating, and to protect the parts from conductivity loss, corrosion, and wear. Chem film conversions can also be applied to other metals as well, though aluminum is most common. 

Phosphate Conversion Coating

Phosphate conversion is typically applied to steel parts, creating a thin layer of iron, zinc or manganese phosphate that improves the parts’ lubrication and corrosion resistance. Like other types of chemical conversion, it’s also used to improve the adherence of later coatings. Phosphate conversions are common in firearms and similar military equipment. 

High Quality Chemical Conversion Coatings from Reid Metal Finishing

Reid Metal Finishing (RMF) is an expert in metal surface treatments, including a variety of conversion coatings such as all types of anodization and chem film (chromate conversion). If you’re in need of chemical conversion coatings for aluminum and other alloys, consider contacting us today!

What Is Hard Anodize and When Should You Use It?

What Is Hard Anodize and When Should You Use It?

Hardcoat or hard anodize is a type of metal surface treatment used primarily on aluminum components, and is one of the three main types of aluminum anodizing, as well as one of the services that Reid Metal Finishing offers. While it still follows the same basic premise of anodizing by transforming the natural aluminum oxide layer on a part’s surface into a protective coating, hard anodize treatments have some differences from other types of anodization. 

Hard Anodize Treatments for Aluminum: Type III of Three

Hardcoat anodizing is the third of the three major types of aluminum anodizing techniques. Of the three, hard anodize results in the hardest and most wear resistant surface coating. The oxide layer is formed under much more precise conditions in order to get a denser layer, typically for applications where the parts will experience constant metal-on-metal wear or regular abrasion. 

Unlike the other two types of anodizing however, hardcoat anodize coatings are difficult to dye. Because the layer is thicker and denser, the coating tends to take on a darker gray appearance that is hard to color. Our customers typically leave the natural surface color as is or request a black coloring for improved uniformity, which while not as versatile, still offers a pleasing aesthetic appearance. 

How it Works

Like other types of anodizing, hardcoat anodizing uses the natural formation of aluminum oxide that occurs on the surface and essentially toughens it up, improving the natural corrosion and wear resistance of the layer. 

  1. First, the aluminum parts are thoroughly cleaned and deoxidized, and any necessary sections are masked. 
  2. Next, the parts are submerged into a chemical bath, usually containing sulfuric acid. A measured and constant voltage is applied to the bath in order to kickstart a controlled oxidation reaction for a specified time (depending on the desired thickness and properties of the coating). 
  3. Once the specified time has elapsed, the parts are removed and dried and prepared for any post processing. 

The Benefits and Common Applications of Hardcoat Anodizing

Though the resulting layer of Type III Anodization is thicker than other anodizing types, hardcoat anodizing offers the strongest resistance to abrasion, wear, and corrosion. It’s easy to sterilize, making it excellent for healthcare related and food processing applications. Its high hardness makes it suitable for a number of functional and structural components, where metal-on-metal wear is common. 

About Reid Metal Finishing

Reid Metal Finishing (RMF) is a premiere supplier of metal finishing services such as hardcoat anodize treatments and much more. Head over to our website to view all of our services and request a quote.

Anodization vs Other Finishes: Is Anodization Right for You?

Anodization vs Other Finishes: Is Anodization Right for You?

Anodization is a common surface treatment meant to increase a metal’s corrosion and wear resistance, as well as prepare the surface for paint, primer, or other coatings. The process involves taking advantage of the natural oxide layer that develops on a metal surface and thickening it into a proper barrier that won’t easily react to its environment. 

Anodizing is more cost effective than other types of metal surface finishes, but tends to be more costly upfront than simpler finishes like painting or powder coating, falling into a middle ground between the two. So when should you turn to anodization to protect your metal components?

Aluminum Anodization: A Common Treatment for Aluminum

Anodization is most often used to treat aluminum alloys, insulating them against corrosion and improving the surface’s adhesion to dyes and paints. While anodizing can be used on other metals, like titanium, magnesium, and more rarely, stainless steel or zinc, Aluminum is the easiest and most cost efficient metal to anodize, because it already naturally forms an oxide layer on its surface. If you’re looking to treat and protect aluminum components, then anodization is an excellent choice, offering long-term protection. For other metals, however, other surface treatments would serve better, depending on the application. 

Maintaining Vibrant Colors

Another characteristic of anodization is its ability to accept dyes, regardless of the metal being anodized, though it works especially well with aluminum. Anodization, combined with dyeing, results in vibrant metallic colors that generally resist fading, although UV resistance varies depending on the dye. If you’re looking for a finished and aesthetic product without the need for further processing or painting, anodization is an excellent choice.

 

Versatile Thickness or High Precision

One of the biggest advantages that anodization has is its thickness. Because the treatment involves changing the metal surface itself, the resulting layer is extremely thin and will have little to no effect on geometrical tolerances. This makes it popular for components that require durability and precision, such as certain automobile parts, aerospace systems, and electronics. Though anodization does not necessarily strengthen the part overall, it does protect the underlying metal from corrosive and abrasive environments. If precision is a necessity, anodizing your components will help to maintain that precision without sacrificing durability or surface protection against the elements. 

Interested in anodization? Consider working with Reid Metal Finishing

Reid Metal Finishing (RMF) is a premiere metal finishing company offering a variety of surface treatments for some of the most demanding industries. We offer everything from anodization to plating and more, all right here in the U.S. Get in touch with us to learn more about what we can offer.

Ensuring the Safety of our Team and the Environment with RoHS Compliance at Reid Metal Finishing

Ensuring the Safety of our Team and the Environment with RoHS Compliance at Reid Metal Finishing

Reid Metal Finishing (RMF) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of quality and safety for our clients, our team, and the environment. As a metal finishing company that regularly works with potentially hazardous materials, we’ve taken several measures to maintain that safety, such as maintaining RoHS compliance.

What is RoHS?

RoHS stands for the ‘Restriction of Hazardous Substances’, and dictates a directive in the EU regulating the use of certain hazardous materials specifically found in electronics. The goal of these regulations is to improve the safety of users as well as improve the environmental impact of suppliers and manufacturers around the world. The directive focuses on 10 particular substances known for posing a risk to the health and safety of the environment and the people who come into contact with them. Lead and mercury are the two that often come to mind when people think of RoHS, but the list also includes materials used in metal finishing operations, like cadmium and hexavalent chromium.

RoHS Compliance in Metal Finishing

Metal finishing techniques tend to involve the use of some potentially dangerous chemicals, some of which are heavily restricted under the RoHS. Reid Metal Finishing maintains compliance with the RoHS standards as often as we can, limiting our use of cadmium and chromium in our treatments unless the particular application fulfills the exceptions that the RoHS lays out, and avoiding other hazardous materials listed in the directive. We also offer a wide range of metal finishing services, many of which are known alternatives to hexavalent chromium and cadmium plating. Our team is cross-trained to safely perform several different plating and anodizing methods, and we stay up-to-date on any new handling techniques for the chemicals used in metal finishing.

Interested in working with Reid Metal Finishing?

RMF has decades of experience when it comes to metal finishing, and we offer a wide range of high-performance surface treatments to fulfill many different applications. If you’re looking for a supplier of metal finishing services, consider working with us and give us a call!

What Is Metal Finishing and Why It Matters

What Is Metal Finishing and Why It Matters

Metal finishing is what we do here at RMF, and has been our specialty for years. But what exactly does metal finishing encompass–and why is it so important? That’s what we’re going to explore today.

What is Metal Finishing?

Metal Finishing refers to any process that cleans, coats, polishes, or otherwise improves the surface of a metallic part or component. That means it can be anything from a simple cleaning or polishing to a more complex electrochemical bath, or even just painting or powder coating a metal. At RMF, we provide the more complicated types of metal finishing services–things like anodizing, plating, conversion coating, and passivation, but metal finishing encompasses a very wide range of processes–and a wide range of benefits too.

Why is Metal Finishing Important?

All types of metal have their strengths and weaknesses, and the goal of metal finishing is to improve those strengths while minimizing or even eliminating the weaknesses. Simple cleaning removes contaminants and improves the appearance of the surface and its adherence to further coats like paints and primers. More complex treatments like plating and anodizing increase the durability and resistance of the parts to things like corrosion, chemical contamination, abrasion, wear and tear, and other types of damage.

At RMF we perform metal finishing services for a variety of reasons–preparing a surface for the adherence of another coating, improving the durability and corrosion resistance of the surface, increasing or decreasing conductivity, or simply just cleaning, polishing, and improving the appearance of the part.

The Common Types of Metal Finishing Treatments

RMF offers a variety of different surface treatments to finish our clients’ metal components, like anodizing, electroplating, and chemical conversion coatings. Like any type of metal finishing process, these treatments come in various types and have different applications and benefits, but all are especially common types of metal finishing.

Anodizing

Aluminum anodizing involves converting the surface of an aluminum part into a thin, durable layer of aluminum oxide that resists corrosion and impact damage without compromising the metal underneath. Chromic, sulfuric, and hardcoat anodizing are the different types of anodization that we offer at RMF.

Plating

Electroplating refers to any process where a metal surface is subjected to an electrochemical treatment in order to add a very thin layer of another metal alloy for better protection against the elements. Zinc-Nickel plating for instance adds a layer of mixed zinc and nickel to the surface in order to improve corrosion resistance and add an excellent aesthetic appearance.

Plating doesn’t have to be electrochemical though–electroless nickel plating offers the same process of immersing a part into a chemical bath and achieving similar results without the need for an electric current. Passivation, a similar process to plating it treats stainless steel components as a way to remove contaminants and improve the steel’s already excellent corrosion resistance.

Chemical Conversion Coatings

Chemical conversions are a more unique type of metal finishing treatment, where the surface of a metal part itself becomes the protective layer–rather than adding more material to it, as in other types of treatments. At RMF, we offer fluoride phosphate conversion coatings, a type of surface treatment developed for titanium alloys that offers improved durability while preserving the electrical conductivity of the parts.

About Reid Metal Finishing (RMF)

RMF is a metal finishing company with a long history in the industry going all the way back to the 70s, focused on providing our customers with high quality and high performing metal surface treatments. Over the years, we’ve worked in just about every industry from medical to military, and we continue to operate on the same values that founded our company–integrity, safety, and quality. If you’re looking for a supplier of metal finishing services, head over to our website to learn more about what we have to offer.

Bead Blasting for Preparation: Cleaning Surfaces with Precision

Bead Blasting for Preparation: Cleaning Surfaces with Precision

One of the more unique things that we do here at Reid Metal Finishing (RMF) is surface cleaning and preparation through bead blasting. Bead blasting is a pretreatment cleaning process commonly used to clean a variety of metal components, without the need for harsh or hazardous chemicals or particularly specialized equipment.

Bead Blasting: How it Works and When It’s Used

Bead blasting involves propelling tiny beads made of either glass, or aluminum oxide towards the target surface. When the beads impact, they cause a small deformation on the surface, forcibly smoothing it out and removing any contaminants and corrosion. By changing the blast media, we can also achieve particular types of finishes as well, such as a uniform ‘rough’ surface or a more satin appearance. Though we use it only on metal surfaces, bead blasting can also be used on materials like fiberglass.

At RMF, we use bead blasting as a safe and fast method of surface cleaning, typically as an initial treatment before other finishing methods, as it frees the surface from contamination before the actual coating process. This works both to smooth out the surface and improve the adhesion of the future coatings and treatments further down the line.

Preparing Surfaces for Metal Finishing with Bead Blasting

One of the major benefits that bead blasting offers is its efficiency. Bead blasting can clean off metal surfaces far more quickly and with much more safety–plus the beads are often reusable, which improves environmental impact as well by reducing waste.

Another benefit of bead blasting is precision. Sand blasting is a similar process, but one that’s harsher on the surface, better suited to removing large amounts of material from a surface. Bead blasting on the other hand leaves a comparably smoother, more precise surface–making it excellent for machinery that needs to maintain its dimensional tolerances.

About Reid Metal Finishing

Reid Metal Finishing (RMF) is a premiere metal finishing company with several decades of experience in the industry. If you’re interested in working with us, head over to our website to request a quote!

NADCAP Approved Plating at Reid Metal Finishing: Maintaining Rigorous Industry Standards

NADCAP Approved Plating at Reid Metal Finishing: Maintaining Rigorous Industry Standards

Reid Metal Finishing (RMF) has long been dedicated to upholding especially stringent and rigorous quality management standards and industry certifications related to metal finishing. One of the major certifications that our company maintains is the various parts of NADCAP accreditation, and we are proud to provide accredited NADCAP plating services to clients in Aerospace and Defense

What is NADCAP–and what all does this program cover?

NADCAP stands for the National Aerospace and Defense Contractors Accreditation Program, and it was created to improve and manage conformity and auditing for defense contractors in Aerospace, Defense, and related industries. The goal was to improve quality control for suppliers in these industries, standardize quality assurance, and overall enhance the safety and performance of any products or services offered by defense contractors and suppliers. For RMF, our NADCAP plating certification covers our metal finishing and non-destructive testing capabilities. 

NADCAP Plating Accreditation for Chemical Processing and NDT at RMF

As part of our adherence to industry standards for metal finishing, RMF is NADCAP certified for chemical processing and non-destructive testing. And the scope of this certification is much more detailed and extensive than you might initially realize. 

NADCAP audits individual processes–such as different types of non-destructive testing, or plating operations, as well as individual touchpoints, especially at smaller or more specialized companies. The audit covers each process from start to finish–and not only ensures that the company is maintaining rigorous quality control measures, but also reveals ways that they can improve their efficiency and safety. That eventually turns into benefits for our customers as well–we can offer improved lead times, better quality, and lower costs with each improvement. 

At the end of the day, a NADCAP certification of compliance offers our customers a look into how dedicated we are to provide them with the absolute best. They know that they can trust us to adhere to the industry’s best practices and maintain excellent quality every step of the way with NADCAP plating and finishing services.  

Looking for a supplier of NADCAP plating and metal finishing services?

Reid Metal Finishing has always been a customer and quality-focused company, and our proven compliance with NADCAP is a part of that dedication. If you’d like to work with us, don’t hesitate to contact a member of our team today! We’d be happy to learn more about your next project.

Balancing Industry Compliance and Environmental Stewardship in Metal Plating Services in California

Balancing Industry Compliance and Environmental Stewardship in Metal Plating Services in California

Reid Metal Finishing has always been located in Santa Ana, CA, right in the heart of Southern California. And since we’ve been here since the late 1970s, when our company started, we’ve seen and experienced the extremely strict regulations that metal finishers face in this state. After all, California is famous for its extremely strict regulations on various industries for personal safety and environmental stewardship, and the metal finishing industry in California is no exception.

The Health and Environmental Risks of Some Metal Finishing Services

As we take a look at the challenge of balancing industry compliance–which includes maintaining high performance and quality standards for these coatings as well as the safe handling of the materials involved–with our state’s requirements for environmental stewardship, it’s important to remember that many of these industry regulations are in place for environment protection. At Reid Metal Finishing, we care for the safety of both our team and our clients, which is why we are so committed to complying with both industry and state regulations. 

Many metal finishing services, like anodizing and plating, do deal with potentially harmful chemicals, which is why it’s so important to partner with a company who has processes in place to maintain safety when handling these chemicals. The use of chromic acid especially has been dramatically reduced–after all, it’s a known carcinogen and a highly toxic material, and naturally requires extremely specialized handling. And many of the other materials used in these treatments can also pose a risk if not used and disposed of properly. 

Committed to Excellent Service and Safety at Reid Metal Finishing

As a metal finishing company born and grown in California, Reid Metal Finishing has always committed itself to maintaining a strict adherence to the even stricter standards that the state of California has put on many businesses in order to protect the health and safety of the people living here as well as for environmental stewardship at large. Plus, we also meet a variety of industry regulations as well on top of that–standards such as NADCAP and AS9100 certifications and compliance. 

At Reid, we are very familiar not only with the standards for metal plating and other surface treatments for demanding industries like Aerospace and Medical equipment, but also the standards for safety both for the environment and our people. We’ve long been providing quality metal plating services in California’s highly regulated environment, and have a long history of ensuring both compliance with the various industries we serve and promoting sustainability and environmental stewardship across our facility and our community.

Looking for metal plating near the Southern California area?

If you’re interested in learning more about Reid Metal Finishing or any of our commitments to environmental stewardship, head over to our website where you can contact us with any questions.

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