1020. Chrome plating on plastics

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Letter 1020

Chrome plating on plastics

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I'm working at a chrome plating shop located in Montevideo Uruguay (South America).

Now I'm thinking to do an other things, like chrome plating on plastics.

The question is: Would you tell me methods to chrome plating on plastics?

Please explain the non electrolytic steps, or tell me where can I find an explanation of them, (the problem we have here is that not all the books you recommend can be found here).

Your help will be very appreciated.

Regards.

Tommy K [name deleted for privacy]
- Montevideo, Uruguay

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Dear Tommy,

Generally, plating on plastics (ABS) consists of the following steps :

Standards and Guidelines for Electroplated Plastics, ASEP

Electroless Plating - Fundamentals & Applications, Mallory & Hajdu

Conventional technology

Cleaning (optional)
Water rinse
Chromosulfuric etch
Drag out rinse
Water rinse
Hexavalent chrome reduction
Water rinse
HCl predip
Pd/Sn activation
Water rinse
Acceleration
Water rinse
Electroless Nickel
Water rinse
Cu or Ni strike
Water rinse
Acid Cu plating

New technology

Cleaning (optional)
Water rinse
Chromosulfuric etch
Drag out rinse
Water rinse
Hexavalent chrome reduction
Water rinse
HCl predip
Pd/Sn activation
Water rinse
Sn/Cu exchange
Water rinse
( Skip )
( Skip )
( Skip )
( Skip )
Acid Cu plating

Further electrolytic plating depending on requirements

Mentioned above new technology is just released 2 years ago with saving a lot of money in get rid of the most troublesome EN step and in most cases, it reduces rejects down to less than 1%.

There are a lot of suppler houses can offer you the whole conventional process but new technology belongs to Atotech.

Best Regards

Ricks Lam

Do you know where I can find out what companies are using this technology? I have a current supplier who is giving me 35% rejected product. I'm desperate! Can you help? I'm currently producing an ABS product which is being chrome and brass plated through the vacuum plating process. Is there another relatively inexpensive process I should be looking to use? How can I find other companies employing these processes? Thanks!

Susan Speed

Hi, Susan. Electroplating on plastic is very different from vacuum plating, and significantly more expensive. Electroplating is for difficult applications such as exterior automotive bright work like grills and tail light bezels. Vacuum plating is for interior use, preferably non-contact, and involves a very thin layer of vacuum deposited aluminum followed by an organic topcoat.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
finishing.com
Brick, NJ

I'm a chemical Engineer in a company.My company is interested in plating of ABS plastics.We want to plate plastic pencil piece with using electroless Nickel and paladium baths.Could we take information necessary steps and chemicals (But pencil piece have a metallic tip is it possible to save the metallic part from Abs plating bath especially in etching and conditioning bath?)

If you send me information I will be very pleased .

With my best regards.

YeœI'm Yazarel
gift products - Ankara,Turkey

Hi, I have a question. I collect and restore old automotive toys. I would like to know if you can put me in touch with some one who sells new or preferably used equipment for chrome plating plastic with vacuum metalizing. Thank you, Glenn

Glenn Reis
- Pittsburgh, PA

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Ed. note: Our Equipment directory lists some manufacturers of new equipment. and our Classifieds pages offer used equipment, Glenn. A vacuum metallizer tends not to be in a hobbyist's price range though, Glenn.

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What's the difference in the finished product, between Electroless plating of plastic, and vacuum plating? How does vacuum plating of plastic work? I'm currently contemplating replating many plastic pieces from my vintage car, but I'm afraid of the plating wearing off again. Is Electroless plating thicker or tougher than vacuum plating?

Thanks,

Neil Brommell
- Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

April 13, 2008

Hi, Neil. Vacuum plating is a very thin deposit of aluminum covered with an organic topcoat to keep it from rubbing off. It is for light duty, interior, preferably non-contact applications. Electroplated plastic is for difficult applications like automobile grills.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
finishing.com
Brick, NJ

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