Electro-Spec Inc. is more than capable of handling all of your precious metal plating and passivation needs for the medical industry including medical devices, instrumentation, and electrical connectors. With state-of-the art equipment, processes and technology, Electro-Spec will provide quality which is unparalleled by any other plating facility. We have the ability to meet the most stringent specifications in the medical industry, with indefinite traceability for all processes that we do. The most common metals utilized to plate medical components are gold and silver; these are metals which Electro-Spec has the capabilities of using. In addition, Electro-Spec provides passivation services which have been proven to allow medical instrumentation to have a more sterile surface.
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The Medical, Automotive, Aerospace, Military and RF/Microwave Industries, regardless of their unique functions, often demand exceptional conductivity. Electro-Spec intends to meet the demands which sophisticated electrical components require.
Electroplating is a process whereby one metal is plated onto another via an electrodeposition method. Customers seek out electroplating for their parts for many reasons such as aesthetics, corrosion protection, increased hardness, wear resistance, increased conductivity, and decreased friction. It allows manufacturers to use base metals that are less expensive and apply a high quality coating to them to achieve the certain desired properties on the finished part.
Electro-Spec has been providing award winning electroplating and electroless plating services to customers for over five decades. This includes applications for lifesaving and safety critical components. Plating is available in precious and semi-precious materials including gold, silver, nickel, copper, Tri-M3TM (Tri-Alloy), electroless and electrolytic nickel. This short article discusses these plating options, as well as their benefits and examples of industries that they are often found of use within.
Products Finishing magazine names Electro-Spec to the ‘Top Shops” list
CINCINNATI, Ohio – Electro-Spec, Inc. has been named one of the best finishing shops in the U.S., according to an industry benchmarking survey conducted by Products Finishing magazine, a trade publication which has covered the industry since 1938.
Accounting for Plating Thickness in Assembly Design
The main consideration when plating threaded components would be to ensure that the plated threads properly fit into their mated counterparts. As shown in Figure 1-1, the dimensions to consider here would be the diameter and pitch of the threads. This translates into the tolerance of the plated coating being accounted for within the assembly because the plated coating will slightly change the geometry of the threaded component. The thickness of the plating should be accounted for when the part is designed. The most ideal location to account for the plated coating would be within the specifications of the mating part, including diameter and pitch. Of course, certain calculations are required to determine the slight change in the diameter or some other dimension of the mated part which will not impact the overall strength of the assembly. But, this is a calculation that should be performed before arbitrarily designating a plating thickness.
Passivation is a standard, but critical, process in the manufacturing of many stainless steel parts. When referring to passivation, much emphasis is placed on the process and the characteristics it imparts.
Plating protects metal surfaces, increasing their hardness, tensile strength and applies an aesthetic quality. When seeking appropriate plating for a specific project, you’ll find that there are a number of nickel plating types and options to consider.
So how does one determine exactly which plating is best for your particular situation? The first item to consider is the application.
Generally speaking, if a conductive surface doesn’t require a high corrosion or wear resistance but needs a bright sheen or low-stress layer, then electrolytic plating will be the most efficient process.
Silver plating started as a common way to provide cheaper versions of household items, which were originally made of silver.
At its beginning in the 18th century, this included cutlery, platters, plates and candlesticks among other items. In the 19th century, electroplating arose as a rapid method of finishing mass-produced items. Although the 20th and 21st centuries have seen declines in the use of silver for household wares, this reduction was followed by a rise in the use of silver plating for the electronics industry.
Products intended for more demanding applications can often miss their mark. Even if the design meets the proper dimensional or material requirements, there is no guarantee that the part or component will perform optimally.
