Understanding the Basics and Importance of Plating & Metal Finishing

Different types of metals are used to manufacture various industrial and commercial products. The metals undergo plating and finishing processes to ensure that they will be durable, and aesthetically appealing to the customer. In this post, we shall provide an overview of metal finishing and its processes.

Plating & Metal Finishing Systems

Understanding Metal Finishing
The term finishing is used for any activity that is performed to alter the surface of any metal. It is primarily used to achieve or enhance specific features, such as:

  • Hardness
  • Solderability
  • Torque tolerance
  • Tarnish resistance
  • Electrical resistance
  • Chemical resistance

A Look at Metal Finishing Processes
As mentioned earlier, there are a variety of methods that can be used to perform metal finishing. A few important processes include:

  • Brazing
  • Welding
  • Soldering
  • Galvanizing
  • Heat treating
  • Metal plating
  • Metal coating
  • Metal anodizing

Finishes that are applied to metals include paint, coatings, lacquer, and surface treatments. Surface treatments include chemical and metallic coatings, case hardening, as well as chemical and electrochemical conversions. Metal is also cleaned using acids, while markings or symbols are etched using base solvents.

Why is Metal Finishing Important?
Here are some of the general benefits that metal products can gain by undergoing metal finishing:

  • They are extremely resistant to wear, tear, and corrosion.
  • Finishing can be used to form or shape components according to the needs of the client or application.
  • It can help improve the electrical properties of a metal product.
  • Finishing enhances a metal’s ability to bond with adhesives, coatings, or rubber.
  • Metal finishing enhances the look, feel, and presentation of metal products.

These various reasons make metal finishing a critical yet extremely beneficial area of work in metal product manufacturing. Contact an industrial equipment manufacturer to find the right type of plating and finishing system for your factory.