Zinc Electroplating
Zinc electroplating is a popular and cost-effective metal finishing process, widely used across general industry and particularly in the automotive sector. It provides corrosion resistance and extends component life through sacrificial protection.
How it Works
A thin film of zinc is electrochemically deposited onto the surface of the base metal, typically steel or iron. Also known as electro-galvanising, this process protects the substrate by corroding in preference to the steel, while improving resistance to wear and environmental exposure.
Plating Methods
Anochrome offers both barrel and rack plating to suit the size and complexity of components.
Barrel Plating
Ideal for small parts such as screws, fasteners, nuts, bolts, brake pipes, calipers and steering components. Items are placed in a perforated non-conductive barrel and tumbled through a series of plating tanks.
This method is highly cost-effective, ensures uniform coverage and can include additional top coats or torque modifiers to enhance performance.
Rack Plating
Rack plating is suited for larger or more complex components. Parts are mounted on electrically conductive jigs or racks and submerged in plating solutions.
Although more labour-intensive, this method offers precise control over the plating process. Anochrome is a leading job rack plating specialist in the UK, delivering high-quality, consistent results for demanding industrial applications.
Zinc Protection Benefits
Zinc electroplating offers innate anti-corrosion properties, naturally protecting steel and iron components.
It is cost-effective and readily available compared with other anti-corrosion metals.
Zinc can be combined with other metals, such as nickel, for enhanced corrosion resistance and thermal stability.
It gives sacrificial protection in that zinc corrodes in preference to the substrate, protecting steel even if exposed through abrasion.
Additional zinc plating can improve salt spray resistance, while torque modifiers enhance component lubricity for automotive applications.
Passivates and Coatings
Zinc coatings are further enhanced with post-plating conversion coatings, known as passivates, which provide additional corrosion resistance and determine the final colour of the finish.
Anochrome has replaced all hexavalent chromium passivates with chromium-free, trivalent coatings, ensuring compliance with the End of Life Vehicles (ELV) Directive and legislation such as REACH.
Available passivates and coatings include:
Lanthane Passivate
Finigard 105
Magni B18
JS500
ELV1500 LT, ELV3000, ELV5105, ELV Blue
Deltacol GZ
TnT 08, TnT 11, TnT 12, TnT 15
Gleitmo
A3 Wax
These are offered in lightweight or heavyweight categories depending on finish performance and specification requirements.
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