B&E Electroform Company Inc. is Now Offering Electroless Nickel Plating Process
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ELECTRO LESS NICKEL utilizes precise masking techniques, allowing specific dimensions to be corrected according to customer specifications
Electroless Nickel plating is the deposition of a nickel alloy and phosphorus on a substrate without the use of an electrical current. Commercial use was established in the 1950's, and since then Electroless Nickel has grown rapidly, at competitive cost, for many industrial purposes.
Electroless Nickel is an engineering coating normally used for its excellent corrosion and wear resistance. As a barrier coating Electroless Nickel protects the metal substrate by sealing it off from its environment. In many environments Electroless Nickel is superior to pure nickel or chrome alloys due, in part, to a glassy
film which passivates all surfaces exposed to the plating bath. Recent advances in plating processes, and bath formulations have encouraged engineers to shift emphasis from other coatings or surface treatments to Electroless Nickel.
Uniformity and precise control of deposition are two advantages of Electroless Nickel as compared to electrolytically applied coatings. Electroless Nickel makes it possible to maintain deposit thickness variatins to within 50 to 100 micro-inches on complex parts.
B&E Electroform Company has been very successful utilizing Electroless Nickel for selective heavy build-ups. Dimensional changes on complicated contours have provided a useful niche for a uniform deposit that requires on further machining. Recesses, threads, and edges are all evenly coated where masking is not applied. This deposit formulated with phosphorous and containing .05% impurities provides a uniform, hard crystal structure free of pores and micro-cracks. Heat treatment can substantially improve hardness upwards to 65 Rockwell C. Optimum hardness is achieved at 650° to 750° F. The ability to adjust hardness for certain applications has proven an advantage of Electroless Nickel. In addition, a hard chrome overlay on Electroless Nickel allows engineers to take advantage of the individual performance features of
each deposit.
B&E also deposits an Electroless Nickel-Teflon® coating. Nickel Teflon is a uniform composite coating containing high phosphorus EN with 10% to 20% Teflon particles. Nickel Teflon incorporates excellent anti-stick properties in plastic molds, as well as providing a low co-efficient of friction on sliding wear applications, Nickel Teflon also provides a coating that is highly resistant to corrosion in both alkaline and acid environments.
B&E Electroform Company offers a variety of electro-deposited and electroless nickels as well as other engineering metals tailored to the needs of molders, and fabricators of high precision tooling.
