5 Ways to Achieve Plating Perfection

We talk a lot about our unending pursuit of plating perfection, and we certainly will go to any length to give our customers the best zinc plating quality possible. However, here are five things you can do to optimize plating quality:

1. Don’t scrimp on packaging. Be sure to utilize packaging that will prevent damage to the finish of your plated parts. This could be as simple at cardboard layers or packaging paper. Otherwise, the aesthetics and corrosion prevention provided by the zinc finish can be negatively impacted during the transportation process.
2. Provideperfect purchase orders. It’s essential that your purchase orders clearly communicate the type of finish (zinc thickness and passivate color)you want for your parts. If your plater doesn’t know exactly what you want, there’s a significant risk you’ll be disappointed with the results.
3. Remember that consistent “quality in” means consistent “quality out.” The higher the quality of your parts’ manufacturing materials and processes, the higher the quality of your parts’ plating. This includes maintaining the quality of the material used in manufacturing and the condition of the substrate, and cleaning the parts of burnt oil, slag, flux, etc. Any shipment of parts whose quality level differs meaningfully from the quality level of the parts that were used to determine the ideal “recipe” in the plater’s work order system runs a risk of plating quality problems.
4. Keep ’em comin’! A consistent flow of the same parts will enable your plating company to properly staff their personnel and maintain a rhythm to stay “in shape.”  This could allow your plater to maintain labor levels and result in a faster lead time.
5. Minimizeminimum lots. Better yet, avoid them. If you aren’t able to give your plater enough parts to fill one rack or one barrel, the “recipe” in the plater’s work order system will need to be adjusted in order to provide similar quality results when compared to a full rack or barrel. This can cause a delay at best and inconsistent quality at worst.

If you can follow these five suggestions, you’ll greatly increase your odds of achieving the plating perfection your parts deserve.