When an object needs to be plated, it usually either goes through a powerful chemical bath or it is subjected to high pressure and heat. For some materials that need to be plated, however, these methods are entirely too rough. If they were put through one of these methods, they would be severely damaged, disfigured, or even destroyed. For delicate, complex, or very large items that need to be plated, a technique called rack plating is used. The object is hung on a rack and submerged into the plating solution.
Why Use Rack Plating?
Plating is done for a number of reasons. Sometimes it is used to touch up the appearance of an older part, but more often it is used to prevent rusting and corrosion and make sure that the object lasts for a longer time and is more durable. Some objects require special treatment when they need to be plated. Rack plating, a form of electroplating, is designed for just this purpose. Objects that may need require rack plating include ones that have intricate or complex designs, are very old or made out of delicate materials, or have a very large size.
How Is Rack Plating Done?
When an object needs to be plated by means of rack plating, they are put on a special rack. Because all electroplating must involve electricity of some sort, metal hooks or bands are used to hold the object onto the rack and provide an electric current. Although the object is guaranteed to survive the process of rack plating, it may have some defects when it is done, such as a bare spot where the object was touching the rack and an uneven thickness in the layer of plating. If you would like to make certain that the plating is of a uniform thickness all around, you can have auxiliary anodes or robbers used in the process of rack plating. In spite of the complexity and difficulty the process of rack plating often involves, it has been found to work wonderfully for delicate or intricate parts and the results are well worth the effort.
Do you have an object that needs to be plated, but it is made of a fragile material, has a complex, intricate design, or is very large? Go to our website at www.dekalbmetal.com to find out how to go about having rack plating done.
