Zinc electroplating is one of the most cost effective metal finishings for corrosion resistance. This process is a form is electrochemical galvanisation for iron or steel. The zinc coating lays a thin film of zinc over the surface of the base metal to provide sacrificial protection to the underlying substrate. The term sacrificial refers to the way the zinc plating corrodes in preference to the substrate. A layer of zinc plating provides the added benefit that any steel parts become exposed through abrasion will not easily rust. Zinc is specifically used due to its innate ability to fight corrosion. It’s also an abundant metal, more readily available than gold or palladium, making it a more cost-effective option. Zinc can also be alloyed with other metals for improved performance: we offer zinc-nickel plating for higher corrosion resistance and temperature stability.
Bright silver zinc gives reasonable protection at fairly low thickness, which is ideal for small components. However, most zinc coating finishes are normally enhanced by a post-plating conversion coating. This is more commonly known as a passivate, and applies a thin coating onto the surface of the zinc. The passivation also determines the final colour of the coating.
Traditionally, passivate coatings contain hexavalent chrome. However, due to the End of Life of Vehicles (ELV) Directives and Legislation such as Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH), Anochrome Group has now replaced all passivates with hexavalent chromium-free coatings. Generally these fall into two categories of trivalent passivate – lightweight or heavyweight. This is dependent on the finish performance or specification required.
Extra zinc plating can be added to further improve various performance, such as salt spray resistance. We can also work to modify the lubricity of the component or fastener by the addition of top coat torque modifiers. These are available in a range of values to suit the majority of automotive specifications.
Anochrome offers an extensive range of passivates, tops coats and torque modifiers. All of these have different levels of corrosion resistance as well as other factors. This includes the following: Lanthane Passivate, Finigard 105, Magni B18, JS500, ELV1500 LT, ELV3000, ELV 5105, ELV Blue, Deltacol GZ, TnT 08, TnT 11, TnT, 12, TnT 15, Gleitmo, A3 Wax.
BARREL
The barrel process involves placing the items for zinc coating in a perforated barrel-shaped cage made from nonconductive material. The barrel is then submerged into a series of plating tanks containing the appropriate chemical solutions, while a slow tumbling action is used to begin the zinc plating action. This is a very cost effective method but is more suited to small parts like screws, fasteners, nuts and bolts rather than large or complex parts. This is also great for protecting parts widely used in the automotive industry, such as brake pipes, calipers and steering components.
RACK
The rack plating process involves locating the items for zinc coating on an electrically conductive jig / rack. The rack is then submerged into a series of plating bath tank containing the appropriate chemical solutions, to begin the plating process. This is a more costly option than barrel platings but may be more suitable for a zinc finish on large or complex parts.
If you'd like to enquire about any of our services or if you just have a question, please let us know
Please select any image below.
© 2025 Anochrome Group Privacy Policy Web Design by Bluelight