Nickel is one of the most versatile metals used for plating purposes, offering solderability, conductivity, increased wear resistance, and corrosion resistance in a multitude of applications. There are two types of nickel plating – electrolytic and electroless nickel.
Electroplating is the process of passing an electric current through a solution called an electrolyte. A cathode and an anode are placed in an electrolyte solution and charged by an electrical current, and electrons are transferred from the anode (a sacrificial anode designed to be used up) and deposited on the cathode (the metal receiving electroplating).
The primary electroplating methods are rack plating, barrel plating, and vibratory plating. Each method has specific applications based on the size, shape, and geometry of the parts. The plating method depends entirely on the size and shape of parts being processed.
