Metal Plating
Precious Metals
Precious metals like Gold, Palladium, and Rhodium are commonly plated using metal balls or nuggets in uncoated titanium anode baskets. Alternatively, insoluble anodes can be used, with the metal supplied in dissolved form. This method is typical in the jewellery industry, where platinised or MMO-coated titanium anodes are used. Anodeum offers both types, allowing customers to choose based on their preference.
Trivalent chromium
Trivalent chromium is used for decorative chrome plating on everyday items like lighting fixtures, furniture, car parts, faucets, and pens, as well as industrial items such as fasteners and tools. However, the trivalent electrolyte can oxidize at the anode into toxic hexavalent chromium. Anodeum’s Iridium-Tantalum MMO coating minimizes this risk and can be tailored to any shape or design for optimal plating results.
Hexavalent chromium
Hard chrome plating, used for wear-resistant parts like hydraulic cylinders, involves hexavalent chromic acid. Anodeum supplies platinised titanium anodes for this process, custom-made in various shapes and sizes based on customer drawings to ensure optimal plating performance.
Other Metals
Zinc, Copper, Nickel, and Zinc-Nickel are widely used for plating in applications like automotive parts, electronics, welding wire, machinery, and decorative finishes. Anodeum provides customized anodes for these metals, using Iridium-Tantalum MMO coatings optimized to reduce chemical consumption and resist aggressive electrolytes, such as high-chloride Zinc-Nickel baths. Anodes are available in various shapes and sizes, tailored to customer specifications for optimal results.
Printed Circuit Boards
Printed circuit board (PCB) production involves multiple metal plating steps—such as copper, tin, gold, silver, and nickel plating—as well as deflashing. These high-speed, technologically advanced processes use costly equipment and chemicals. Anodeum supplies Iridium-Tantalum MMO-coated anodes tailored for reel-to-reel systems, helping reduce consumption of expensive additives. Anodeum welcomes collaboration with plating machine builders and chemical suppliers to optimize performance and cost efficiency.
Metal Plating
Metal plating is a method of applying a thin metal layer onto a substrate, typically to alter surface properties, often using precious or base metals. Anodeum produces custom anodes for each application based on customer specifications and drawings.
Metal plating is a surface treatment process where a thin layer of metal is deposited onto a substrate to enhance its properties, such as corrosion resistance, conductivity, wear resistance, or aesthetic appeal. It is widely used across various industries, including automotive (for parts and corrosion protection), electronics (for circuit boards and connectors), aerospace (for precision components), packaging (for food-safe coatings), jewellery (for decorative finishes), and manufacturing (for tools and machine parts). Different metals like zinc, copper, nickel, tin, chromium, gold, and silver are used depending on the desired outcome and application.
