Electroless Plating

Electroless Plating
Done by CHEMICAL REACTION AND WITHOUT

THE USE OF EXTERNAL SOURCE OF ELECTRICITY. The most common application utilizes nickel.

Process
In electroless nickel plating,nickel Chloride is

reduced, using Sodium hypophosphite as the reducing agent, to nickel metal which is then deposited on the work piece. The hardness of nickel plating ranges between 425HV and 575HV,and can be subsequently be heat treated to 1000HV. The coating has excellent wear and corrosion resistance.

Advantages and Disadvantages

Cavities, recesses and inner surfaces of tubes can be

plated sucessfully Electroless plating is more expensive than electroplating. The coating thickness of electroless plating is always uniform.

Electroforming

Electroforming
A variation of electroplating is electroforming, which

is a metal fabrication process Metal is electrodeposited on a mandrel which is then removed thus, the coating itself becomes the product. Both simple and complex shapes can be produced by electroforming, with wall thicknesses as small as 0.025mm. Parts may weigh from a few grams to as much as 270kg. Production rates can be increased through the use of multiple mandrels

Mandrel
Mandrels are made from a variety of

materials:metallic(Zinc or aluminium) or nonmetallic(which can be made electrically conductive with proper coatings)
Mandrels should be able to be physically removed without

damaging the electroformed part.

They may be also be made of low-melting alloys,wax or

plastics, which melt away or dissolved with suitable chemicals.

Applications
The electroforming process is particularly suitable

for low production quantities or intricate parts such as molds, dies,nozzles etc made of nickel,copper,gold and silver.
It is also suitable for aerospace, electronics and

electrooptics applications

Ceramic coatings
Ceramic coatings such as aluminium oxide or

Zirconium oxide are applied at room temperature,using binders to the substrate.

Ceramic coatings act as thermal barriers and have

been applied to hot extrusion dies,turbine blades and diesel engine components to extend the life of these parts.

Ceramic coating for High temperature applications

Certain product characteristics such as wear resistance and

thermal and electrical insulation particularly at high temperatures can be imparted through ceramic coatings rather than imparting these properties to the base metals or materials themselves.
Selecting materials with such bulk properties can be

expensive and may not meet the structural strength requirements in a particular application.

Application
A wear resistance component does not have to be

made completely from a wear resistant material, since the properties of only a thin layer on its surface are relevant to wear.

Property----Wear Resistance
Type of Ceramic: Chromic oxide, Aluminium oxide,

Aluminium Titania
Applications Pumps, turbines shafts seals, compressor rods for

the petroleum industry, plastics extruder barrels, extrusion dies

Property----Thermal Insulation
Type of Ceramic Zirconium oxide Magnesium Zirconate

Application
Fan blades, Compressor blades, Seals for gas

turbines, valves ,Pistons, Combustion heads for automotive engines

Property----Electrical Insulation
Type of Ceramic Magnesium Aluminate Aluminium Oxide

Application
Induction coils, brazing fixtures, general electrical

applications