ELECTROPLATING
Gold plating, nickel plating, nickel-free, brass plating, silver plating, tin plating…
Electroplating is the electrochemical process that deposits various metals, including noble metals, onto an infinite variety of suitably prepared substrates.
The electroplating industry can treat an infinite variety of products and materials, imparting to the surface — through extremely thin electrodeposited layers — the specific properties of the deposited metal.
Electroplating processes are divided into:
- ELECTROPLATING > the set of techniques for coating metal surfaces with other, generally more valuable metals or alloys.
- ELECTROFORMING > techniques for coating non-metallic surfaces with metals.
Electroplating treatment can be:
- FUNCTIONAL → when the main purpose of electrodeposition is to protect against corrosion and oxidation materials that would otherwise deteriorate quickly on contact with air and moisture, such as iron or copper.
- DECORATIVE → when it gives the object surface aesthetic properties that make it an artistic, design element. In addition, the decorative finish also protects the material against ageing.
The discovery of the technique is attributed to Luigi Galvani from whom it takes its name around 1791. Later, in the early 1800s, following the discovery of the voltaic (electrochemical) cell, the first electrodeposition experiments with copper, gold and silver were carried out by Luigi Brugnatelli.
As electroplating production techniques have developed, so too have all the processes for abating and purifying production waste, creating a sector increasingly aligned with eco-sustainable development. The quality and stability of our electroplating treatments on substrates such as zamak, iron, brass and steel are backed by many years of experience in the sector — the best possible calling card for any company.
GESM’s electroplating production is distributed across three modern, fully automatic barrel-plating lines equipped with a variety of control technologies, from electromechanical to laser, one of which features a dual-cartridge system.
High productivity and reduced labour allow a considerable reduction in costs compared with rack finishing, an undeniable advantage for customers. All this without compromising on quality: even on particularly glossy finishes and large parts, the result achieved can come very close to static (rack) electroplating.
Another of GESM’s strengths lies in the continuous evolution of its finishes, geared to serving the high-end segment and always eco-sustainable.
This evolution is the fruit of close collaboration with the customer or their design offices to study and develop ever-new colours and new visual and tactile appeal. We are also able to reproduce any type of coating and colour starting from a metal or non-metal sample provided by the customer.
FINISHES
Gold plating
Gold (Au) is a soft, ductile and malleable yellow metal, a symbol of wealth and prestige. Highly resistant to corrosion and oxidation, it is often used for both decorative and protective coatings. Gold is generally electrodeposited in potassium gold cyanide baths — KAu(CN)₂, with a gold content of 68% — which allow 24k layers to be deposited.
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Nickel plating
Electrolytic nickel plating is used in numerous applications, both for aesthetic purposes and against corrosion. The parts to be treated are connected to the negative pole and the nickel to the positive pole. The baths are generally composed of nickel sulphate, nickel chloride and boric acid, and can be bright or matt. The addition of brighteners and surfactants makes it possible to obtain bright surfaces without further polishing, reducing processing time and cost.
Characteristics:
- High hardness and resistance
- Stability
- Easily managed and monitored baths
- Ability to deposit high thicknesses
- High throwing power
- Low internal stress
- Deposits that are easily brightened, thanks to the addition of brightening agents
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Nickel-free
Nickel-free finishes offer coatings of high technical and aesthetic quality, ensuring uniform, stable deposits that are easily brightened.
Their high versatility and compliance with the most modern regulatory requirements make them the ideal solution for applications requiring safety, reliability and high performance, particularly for products intended for skin contact.
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Brass plating
Brass plating is achieved through bright brass deposits, using a cyanide-based electrolyte with a copper-to-zinc ratio of about 70:30.
Characteristics:
- Brass-yellow deposit, stable over time
- Good throwing power
- Ductile deposits
- Low internal stress
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Silver plating
Silver is a soft, white noble metal and the best conductor of heat and electricity of all metals, superior even to copper. Electrolytic silver plating is an electroplating process that covers objects with a layer of silver, for both decorative and technical purposes, in a bright or matt version. The process takes place in baths of silver cyanide and sodium or potassium cyanide, using pure silver anodes. The addition of additives makes it possible to obtain very bright surfaces without further polishing.
Characteristics:
- Colour: milky white
- Purity: 99.99%
- Hardness: 110 HV
- Specific gravity: 10.5 g/cm³
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Tin plating
Electrolytic tin plating is an electroplating treatment that deposits a layer of tin on the surface of a metal to improve its corrosion resistance, solderability and electrical conductivity. Thanks to its versatility, it is widely used in the electrical, electronics and industrial-component sectors.
Characteristics:
- High corrosion resistance
- Excellent solderability
- Good electrical conductivity
- Uniform, well-adhering deposits
- Bright or matt finishes
- Suitable for technical and functional applications
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Copper plating
Copper electroplating is an electrolytic process in which the object to be coated acts as the cathode and the copper as the anode. It is used above all as an intermediate layer for other electroplated finishes such as nickel, gold or chrome plating. There are two types:
1) Alkaline copper plating: uses cyanide-based solutions and has high covering power, and can be applied directly to a variety of metals.
Characteristics:
- High throwing power
- Easily managed and monitored baths
- Ability to copper-plate ferrous and non-ferrous metals directly
- High deposited copper thickness
- Semi-bright deposit
2) Acid copper plating: based on copper sulphate and sulphuric acid, it requires a preliminary alkaline copper layer to avoid adhesion and corrosion defects.
Characteristics:
- Very bright deposits thanks to the addition of additives
- Ductile copper deposits with low internal stress
- A much more stable solution than alkaline ones
- High levelling power
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Gun metal
Gun Metal finishes give surfaces a distinctive dark anthracite-grey tone that is elegant and contemporary. Beyond their aesthetic appeal, they ensure deposit uniformity and good wear resistance, making them particularly popular in the fashion, accessory and design sectors.
The electroplating process produces uniform finishes available in various degrees of gloss, from satin to bright.
Characteristics:
- Dark anthracite-grey colour
- Uniform, homogeneous finishes
- Good resistance to wear and oxidation
- Available in bright or satin versions
- Ideal for fashion accessories, leather goods and industrial design
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