THE 10 STEP GUIDE TO CHROME PLATING ON PLASTIC AND FIBREGLASS.
- Every plastic or fibreglass car part that is sent in for chrome-plating is evaluated to determine exactly what process will be used. This is decided predominantly by the type of material the quality and condition of the surface.
- The parts are stripped using a caustic or solvent mix to remove any paint or other unwanted debris from the surface.
- After stripping, the components are checked for damage and repaired where necessary. This includes filling gaps or reconstructing missing parts- This is a huge job for some items.
- Any areas which do not require chrome-plating are then carefully masked off with a tape.
- Electrodes are placed to ensure an even coating across the electroplating surface. Placement is critical to protect against build-ups in some areas and an uneven finish overall
- The parts are now coated with three layers of primer to ensure adhesion of the conductive paint to applied later. (Both the primer and the conductive paint are formulated in-house)
- After the primer is allowed to dry overnight, three coats of conductive paints are then applied and given 24 hours to dry completely.
- The components are then placed into a copper plating tank for eight to nine hours where it is gently agitated to obtain an even coating of copper that’s 50-250 microns thick, depending upon material and application.
- The next step is to place it in the nickel tank for approximately one hour to achieve a coating of nickel 20-30 microns thick.
- The thinnest layer is actually the chrome itself, which is added as the last step in the process.
NOTE :
The finished items look every bit as good as it would have when first produced, and is a huge improvement on the pitted and faded parts which were sent in originally.
Practically anything can be electroplated.
IF YOU CAN IMAGINE IT, WE CAN CHROME IT.