Plating is a very important part of your project. The main function of plating is used to inhibit corrosion of the base material. In the world of fasteners carbon steel is the primary material of choice and we all know steel rusts and corrodes. There are different materials and thicknesses used for plating to enhance the corrosion performance, so consideration of the application is key.
Electroplating is one of the most common plating methods for threaded fasteners. This process uses electrical current to transfer zinc metal (or other metal) ions to a substrate (fastener) through an electrolyte bath. Different metals can be used for electroplating. Some of them are chromium, zinc, silver, gold, tin, platinum and others. 90% of all electroplating done in the world is with zinc metal.
The ideal standard to dictate how thick a plating is relative to its corrosion protection is ASTM F1941. This standard is a great road map to what should be specified on a drawing and the expected performance.
There are many things to consider when looking into plating, so if you have any questions, contact Bossard at ProvenProductivity@bossard.com.
What Plating Should You Use? by Bossard
