Electrolytic or Electroless?
We are plating a part that is approximately ¼ inch × 1 inch. The required deposit is approximately 0.0003 inches thick. Should we consider electroless or electrolytic nickel?
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Q. We are plating a part that is approximately ¼ inch × 1 inch. The required deposit is approximately 0.0003 inches thick. Should we consider electroless or electrolytic nickel? P.J.
A. The part you describe is ideal for barrel nickel electroplating. You use the word approximately in describing the thickness of the plate. Reading between the lines (and I know that one should not assume anything), I gather that the deposit does not have to be perfectly distributed over the surface of the part. If for some reason you need extremely tight tolerances, you might consider electroless nickel.
Keep in mind that electroless nickel is always a more expensive coating then electrolytic nickel, and that the physical properties of electrolytic and electroless nickel are not the same.
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