Electroplating or plating is the application of another material, frequently metal, but it may be plastic, onto another metal to finish it. During the process, the plating metal imbues the base, basis or substrate with many of its sought after qualities. This is why it is common practice to plate or surface finish most fabricated or manufactured products. While many finishing processes turn to brass, tin and nickel, there are a few instances where gold plating is desired to give the base metal that necessary chemical, physical and aesthetic appearance to do the job requested of the component.
Why Gold Plating?
There are many reasons why gold plating is employed as part of the finishing process for some manufactured or fabricated items. Electroplating is employed to convey the characteristics of the plating metal to the basis metal. Overall, plating is employed to increase such characteristics as sturdiness. It is also intended to
* Prevent corrosion
* Improve or imbue hardness
* Provide an attractive finish
Gold plating accomplishes this and more. It also increases the durability of an object. It also:
* Is non-reactive with other metals
* Provides effective electrical conductivity that is uniform over time
* Offers solid solderability after lengthy periods of storage
* Resists tarnishing from certain chemicals
* Resists high-temperature oxidation
* Great wear resistance when alloyed with such metals as cobalt
Moreover, by plating a base metal using gold, you can increase the price of the object, particularly jewelry, but the process of manufacturing will be less than that or making such objects out of pure, solid gold. These qualities make it perfect for several industrial and cosmetic uses.
Uses for Gold Plating
Its physical, chemical and aesthetic properties or qualities make gold plating perfect for use in some manufacturing and fabricated products. As a result, gold plating is used in the production of:
* Jewelry
* Electrical and electronic parts including barrels, connector pins, semi-conductor components and switch contacts
* Nuclear Engineering
* Household goods
* Medical – lasers
Gold Plating and Special Purpose Solutions
There are several solutions that have been used during the electroplating process. Several types have been developed for gold plating for specific applications. These include the following:
* Bright Gold
* Acid Gold
* Gold Alloys
* Neutral golds
* Thick deposits
The solutions required are specific to their application. They also require careful attention as to the thickness applied. This is particularly crucial when it comes to electronic communications and control equipment.
Gold Plating
Gold electroplating is a practice employed as part of finishing certain components. It is used to finish off various electronic, communications and medical devices or parts. The plating process imbues the base metal with some of the best characteristics of gold. This makes gold plating a more expensive choice for some manufacturers but a least expensive and wise one for jewelers.
It takes a special skill to produce high-quality Gold Plating. At PEP General Metal Finishing, we have been successfully producing high-level plating in precious and non-precious metals since 1972 that meet and even exceed the precise ASTM or military (MIL-STD) standards. Our company demands and delivers only the best in service and products. To learn more about us, our high-quality products and reliability test, visit us online at website.
