Is Zinc Nickel Plating Right For Your Project?

Manufacturers use zinc-nickel plating to finish a wide range of components and products. You might now be sure if zinc-nickel finishing is the right solution for your work. Here are a few problems that are ideal for this process.

Corrosion

One of the biggest arguments for using a zinc-nickel finish is to prevent corrosion. If you are going to use a product in a setting where rust or discoloration are major issues, zinc-nickel finishing may be a great solution.

Notably, it's a sacrificial layer. In other words, this finish is there to take the hit. It isn't 100% corrosion-resistant, but the out layer will corrode before the substrate does. With regular monitoring, you should be able to send parts back to a zinc-nickel plating services provider once they show signs of corrosion. They can then strip the parts and apply a new layer.

Ductility

Not all finishes are ideal for applications involving odd shapes, nooks, and crannies. If you have a component that is far from uniform in shape, there's a good chance that coating it in zick-nickel will do the job because the material is ductile. That means it can be reshaped with ease and without losing strength. Consequently, a zinc-nickel plating services company can apply it to a metal substrate of almost any shape without expecting weakness.

Thermal Stress

Some components have to hold up against heat and friction. Once more, the zinc-nickel coating can serve as a sacrificial layer. It won't last forever, but you should be able to spot when a component needs a fresh finish before it causes trouble. In the meantime, it will absorb a lot of the beating that the substrate metal would otherwise suffer.

Electrical Conductivity

Zinc-nickel is an extremely conductive material. Never consider it for an application where it will come into contact with electricity unless you want a good flow. Otherwise, you'll have to find a high-quality insulator to prevent the transmission of electricity across the material.

Eco-Friendly

The most common competing application is cadmium plating. Unfortunately, that process generally is much less environmentally friendly than working with zinc-nickel plating.

Different Metals

Some metals don't play nicely with each other. If you have to use them, one way to allow them to the interface is to use zinc-nickel finishing as a buffer. You will have to strictly monitor wear and tear, though, to prevent the metals from coming into contact.

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