For engineers working with mission-critical parts, boreholes, inner diameters (IDs), and tapped holes are often where performance lives or dies. But when it comes to plating these internal features, even small design decisions can have outsized consequences for quality, cost, and timeline.
When it comes to high-reliability components, plating isn’t just the finishing touch—it’s a critical performance factor. But for parts with complex geometries, achieving consistent, functional, and spec-compliant plating can be far from simple.
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.
Given the importance of the plating process and the value of the material being used, it would be logical to assume that parts would be designed for the most efficient and effective electroplating possible. Unfortunately due to intricate engineering designs and micro miniature components, it is not always feasible to have a “plating friendly” part.
Electroplating, along with other finishing options, take their place at the end of the manufacturing process. It is incumbent on all parties, including the plater to work together in order to provide the best component possible.
Additionally, sometimes a part’s design will necessitate a difficult structure for applying even finishing, whether it’s electroplating or a more traditional finishing method. There are a myriad of reasons why parts are created with geometries that make them difficult to electroplate.