Our Products

• Electroplating
• Friction Control
• Wear Resistance
• Uniform Thickness
• Corrosion Resistance
  • Hard Chrome Electroplating Corrosion Properties
  • Electroless Nickel Corrosion Properties
  • Sul-Croloy
  • Sulfamate Nickel
  • Kanigen
  • Nye-Kote
  • Electralloy
  • Electroplated Zinc
  • HVOF
  • Nye-Croloy
• Easy Solderability
• Abrasion Resistance
• Hard Coatings
• Passivation
• Repair and Manufacture
• Other Services
• Industries Served

Zinc Electroplating

What is electroplated zinc and what can it do for you?

Zinc electroplating is a relatively soft, ductile, corrosive-resistant and inexpensive protective finish for iron and steel parts. Zinc is a sacrificial coating, which will corrode before the base metal, thereby protecting the base metal from atmospheric threats. Zinc is commonly used on fasteners, nuts, bolts, screws, stampings, wire goods, castings, and sheet metal parts. Post-plate chromates or sealers are typically applied to protect the zinc plated surface.

What are the primary goals?

The primary goals of zinc electroplating surfaces are to protect the substrate from corrosion and to achieve a desired appearance. Protection is typically measured in salt spray performance, such as specified in ASTM B117. Desirable visual appearances are achieved by using clear, yellow, black, or olive drab chromates.

Electro-Coatings Zinc Electroplating Processes

Electro-Coatings of Iowa uses a high-efficiency alkaline zinc electroplating process. This bath plates at rates comparable with acid zinc at lower current densities, yet still provides a distribution of 1.5 to 2:1. This process runs most efficiently at lower amps per square foot. This means we can load our racks and barrels by up to 100% more parts and maintain thickness at the same amperage and time. This considerably increases our production rates! Because this bath runs so efficiently, hydrogen embrittlement is much less than what is seen from traditional alkaline plating baths. Most of the current goes to depositing zinc rather than generating hydrogen and oxygen gas. We are well equipped with a small batch oven and a large walk-in oven for hydrogen embrittlement relief.

Staying ahead of the curve

We are beginning with both clear and yellow capabilities, but will consider adding others, such as black or olive drab, if customer demand merits. Our chromates are fully RoHS compliant, free of hex chrome and provide salt spray performance of 144 hours in our clear-blue-bright and 120 in yellow. The manufacturing world is changing and moving away from hex chromates. We want to be ahead of the curve and a market leader.

Both our barrel and rack lines are operating now and we welcome new customers.

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