Mechanical Plating Coating
Mechanical plating is a form of ‘cold welding’ in which a coating is applied to a component using mechanical energy at room temperature.
A key feature of this process is that it causes no lasting hydrogen embrittlement.
The process is typically used for small metal parts, such as screws, nuts, bolts and springs. It provides enhanced corrosion resistance, improved wear resistance, and creates an aesthetically pleasing appearance.
Advantages of Mechanical Plating
- It causes no residual hydrogen embrittlement.
- It reduces uniform coating-galling on threaded components.
- Porous substrates can be coated satisfactorily.
- It is ideal for sintered components, which normally require surface preparation to stop ingress of aqueous solutions into pores.
- It offers a cost-effective replacement for galvanising.
- The process relies on mechanical energy, rather than electricity or high temperatures, so has a low environmental impact.
Mixed metal coatings can be specified for mechanical plating. These can offer specific advantages such as ductility or high corrosion resistance, especially under particular environments or when in contact with other metals. These include zinc, tin, Almac® and Inverplex®.
Mixed Metal Coatings
Almac®
Almac® coatings are combinations of aluminium and zinc. These offer substantially increased corrosion resistance, compared with zinc alone. They are more ductile than zinc and are particularly advantageous when used in contact with aluminium.
Inverplex®
Inverplex® is a mixed coating of zinc and tin. It offers better conductivity and corrosion resistance than zinc alone. It may be supplied passivated and is used for earthing screws.
Mechanical Barrel Plating
WEP offers mechanical barrel-plated treatment systems, together with a variety of additional top coats and torque modifying solutions.
Mechanical barrel plating is a metal finishing process that deposits a coating (usually zinc, tin,) onto small metal parts by tumbling them in a rotating barrel with plating media, powders, and chemical solutions, without using electricity.
Small parts are placed in a barrel with metal powder (e.g., zinc), glass beads (media), and chemical promoters.
As the barrel rotates, friction and impact embed metal particles onto the part surfaces. The result: A thin, uniform metallic coating forms through cold welding from mechanical energy.
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