Industries we plate for
Most of our work is for manufacturers of electrical, electronic and connector components. Each section lists the parts we typically see and the finishes used on them.
Electrical & switchgear
Busbars and contacts carry high currents through bolted and sliding joints, so the finish has to keep contact resistance low for the life of the equipment. Silver is the usual choice on copper busbars and switchgear contacts. Tin is a lower-cost option on busbars and terminals.
- Typical parts
- Busbars, contacts, terminals and breaker parts
- Part
- Busbar
RF, microwave & telecom
At radio and microwave frequencies the current flows at the surface, so the plating decides much of a part's performance. Silver goes on conductors, cavities and filter parts, gold on contacts, and tri-metal on connector bodies where a non-magnetic finish keeps passive intermodulation low. Aluminium housings and lids are often plated with electroless nickel first.
- Typical parts
- Connector bodies and pins, housings, filter parts
- Finishes used
- GoldSilverTri-metalElectroless nickel
- Part
- RF filter housing
- Finish
- Silver
Railways & connectors
Rail connectors face vibration, moisture and long service lives. Contacts are usually gold over a nickel barrier for stable, low contact resistance, with silver on higher-current contacts and nickel on connector shells and hardware.
- Typical parts
- Circular connectors, pins and sockets
- Part
- Connector pins and contacts
- Finish
- Gold and silver
Automotive & EV
Vehicle terminals and connectors need corrosion protection and solderability at low cost, which is where tin is used most. EV busbars and high-current contacts are often silver plated to keep joint resistance and heating low.
- Typical parts
- Terminals, contacts, busbars and electronic parts
- Part
- EV charger contact and sockets
Industrial engineering
Machined and fabricated parts need protection from wear and corrosion without losing their tolerances. Electroless nickel coats bores and complex shapes evenly, nickel adds corrosion and wear resistance, and stainless steel parts are passivated after machining.
- Typical parts
- Machined and fabricated parts that need wear or corrosion protection
- Finishes used
- Electroless nickelNickelStainless steel passivation
- Part
- Machined block
- Finish
- Electroless nickel
Email your drawing for a quote
Attach the drawing and include as much of this list as you can. The more you send, the fewer questions we need to ask before quoting.
- Drawing: PDF, DWG, DXF or STEP
- Base material and grade
- Finish, and thickness in µm
- Quantity per lot and yearly volume
- Areas to mask, if any
- Standard or customer specification