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Best conductive plating for "3rd rail" of sliding door

Hello-

I'm designing a low voltage third rail for a set of custom sliding doors, and would like to integrate it into a custom extrusion that we're using as a roller guide. The original idea was to have the roller guide extrusion be anodized aluminum, but I'm interested in making it something that I can use as a conductor; perhaps electroplated aluminum, copper or bronze. Plain stainless steel is a possibility but it would be inconvenient (can't be extruded, etc) and expensive (there's a lot of machining that needs to be done on the channel).

Can anyone recommend an extrudable material & corrosion resistant finish that will be electrically conductive? Something that's silvery or black is best.

thanks,
Spencer

Spencer Wright
product designer - Calverton, New York, USA
August 19, 2011

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Hi, Spencer.

Electroless nickel is used for the charging circuit contacts on virtually every device in the world, so it would be the first thing I'd look at. Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Need quick confidential answers? $25
Need project assistance? $100/hr.
August 19, 2011

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