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How to do 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 [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Montevideo, Uruguay

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--- Dear Tommy, Generally, plating on ABS plastics ABS consists of the following steps : 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 - Hong Kong

"Standards and Guidelines for Electroplated Plastics" A.S.E.P. Electroless Plating - Fundamentals & Applications, Mallory & Hajdu

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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

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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, New Jersey

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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 palladium 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.

Yim Yazarel
gift products - Ankara,Turkey

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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, Pennsylvania

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Hi, Glenn

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.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E. finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

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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

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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, New Jersey

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April 15, 2009

Can you please send me plastic plating information, their types, parameters in brief -- or suggest any books related to it?
I'm a trainee. It's urgent,for my project.
regards.

anuradha ghode
tech. apprentice - pune, India.

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April 15, 2009

Hi, Anuradha. "Standards and Guidelines for Electroplated Plastic" is out of print and hard to find, but it is just exactly what you are looking for. Search every library! Happy hunting.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E. finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

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January 6, 2010 -- this entry appended to this thread by editor in lieu of spawning a duplicative thread

hey there I'm venero and I've been doing electroplating for 12 yrs, I did bright nickel plating, gold plating,brass plating, zinc plating and recently cyanide copper and acid copper plating

I'd like to know what is the procedure to plate copper (acid copper) on plastic?

venero antonio
plating shop - cape town, south Africa

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January 13, 2010

Hi, I've been reading all this information, and I have a question. At my work I need to estimate a lot of costs and processes for the automotive industry, there is information for almost every process, however, in plastic plating I've been finding little information, and I was wondering if someone can help me to determine how long it takes to chrome a plastic grill.

Thanks in advance

Priscila Sandoval
cost estimator engineer - Queretaro, Queretaro, Mexico

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January 14, 2010

Hi, Priscila. You can take the pretreatment cycles shown by Ricks Lam, above, and finish the cycle by adding nickel plating (at least 2 layers, probably 3 for OEMs), rinsing, chrome plating, and very good final rinsing and then drying.

It's been a while since I've watched this, but it probably takes somewhere around 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 hours from load to unload. This is not labor hours, because the processing is usually done by programmed hoist and the load may consist of a dozen or more grills. The production capacity of such a line varies by the size of the tanks and how many programmed hoists are employed, but 100 grills per hour is probably about medium size.

If you can possibly find a copy of Standards and Guidelines for Electroplated Plastics, I think you'll find it invaluable. Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E. finishing.com Brick, New Jersey

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March 30, 2011

Howdy,

Could you please provide the types of plastics that are practical for chroming? IE..... is zytel 33 (glass reinforced nylon) a good chroming base?

Also, I am designing a new diving regulator housing out of either Zytel 33 or ABS........does this new technology shown above provide a finish that is as durable as chroming over brass?

thanks

Michael

michael l story
wholesale/resale - fort worth, texas usa

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March 31, 2011

Hi, Michael.

Some glass reinforced nylon is plateable, but you need to contact the plastics maker to be sure. Most times if it's plateable they will call it "plating grade" or the resin number will end with "PG".

But ABS is the ideal substrate for plating because it etches so well that it gives a great base for good adhesion. It's hard to say whether it would be as durable as brass, but many if not most of the world's automobiles have plated ABS grills.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E. finishing.com Brick, New Jersey