Travel Blog

 

Difference Between Sheet Metal Plating And Sheet Metal Anodizing

By Roy van Rivero


There are two popular processes used in metal finishing and these are the sheet metal plating and sheet metal anodizing. Although these processes might not that so attractive to the general public for them to discuss about, those individuals in the manufacturing industry will find this article beneficial, particularly those who are using metal as their raw material for production (e.g. to computer casing manufacturer).

To be able to understand more about the above-mentioned topic, we are to discuss here the difference between the two processes:

Sheet metal plating -- is used to deposit a metal coating on the surface of a conductive material (metal). This process is meant to increase the corrosion resistance, improve solderability, as well as the wearability of treated material. Aside from that, it is also a way to reduce friction on the surface and to improve its paint adhesion property.

Sheet metal plating (or metal plating, in general) has two major types - (1) electroplating and (2) electroless plating. Using electric current, the former is employed to supply electrons to a metal to form a non-ionic coating on the surface of the substrate; the latter, which is also known as auto-electrolytic plating, facilitates a surface treatment process that does not need electric current. POP or the plating on pop and PCB or the printed circuit board manufacturing companies are the largest users of this process.

Sheet metal anodizing -- an electrolytic passivation process that is utilized to increase the thickness of the natural oxide layer of a substrate. Just like the sheet metal plating, it increases the corrosion resistance, better adhesion for paint, as well as the surface hardness of the treated metal. Aluminum is the most common material that is treated using the anodizing process.

To summarize, I would say that, while the two processes are employed to improve a substrate's resistance corrosion property, wearability, adhesion for paint, as well as sturdiness, the two are pretty different, specifically in the materials used in coating process. Plating utilizes other material (e.g. zinc plating) to coat the substrate; on the other hand, anodizing does not...it simply changes the surface of the material being treated through what is called electrolytic passivation -- that is, without changing the substrate's chemical composition.




About the Author:



Comments :

0 comments to “Difference Between Sheet Metal Plating And Sheet Metal Anodizing”

Post a Comment

Blog Archive