シルベック List of Products and Services

Q: What is the storage method for galvanized products? A: Not just for galvanized items, it is recommended to store plated products in a sealed container that can block outside air, avoiding high temperatures, high humidity, and direct sunlight.

Q: Is trivalent chromium plating different from trivalent chromate? A: Yes, they are different. The coating of chromium plating is metallic, while the chromate coating is a chemical conversion coating. Trivalent chromium plating is typically applied over nickel plating, and the base material can be any metal that can be plated. However, trivalent chromate is generally applied after zinc plating, but we can also directly apply trivalent chromate to aluminum.

Q: What are the suitable applications for zinc plating? A: The main application of zinc plating is rust prevention (anti-corrosion) for steel parts, but we can also perform zinc plating on zinc alloy die castings and aluminum alloy die castings (with trivalent chromate and black chromate options available). Please feel free to consult us.

Q: What is the difference between electroplating and hot-dip galvanizing? A: Electroplated zinc is a type of plating that uses electrical action to deposit metal dissolved in the plating solution onto the product. Hot-dip galvanizing involves immersing the product in molten zinc to adhere the metal to it. Since it is easier to achieve a thicker coating with hot-dip galvanizing, it is often applied to steel structures for corrosion protection against salt damage.

Q: Is it possible to plate stainless steel (SUS)? A: Yes, it is possible. A nickel strike plating (a thin film with high adhesion) can be applied to stainless steel (SUS), allowing for various plating options on top of it. Our company can accommodate both jig and barrel plating methods. Our plating and chemical treatment surface processes comply with the RoHS directive.

Q: Is it true that the dimensional accuracy has an error of about 5 to 10%? 【Electroless Nickel Plating】 A: In electroless nickel plating, it is possible to manage the plating thickness within ±5 to 10% for simple-shaped workpieces. Therefore, if the target plating thickness is 5 μm, it can be managed within 4.50 to 5.50 μm.

Q: Is it possible to have nickel plating with solder wetting properties equivalent to tin plating in non-flux soldering? A: Yes, it is possible with our company. We have a unique technology that allows us to achieve solder wetting properties equivalent to tin plating with nickel plating. We call this product "Solderable Nickel Plating." It is a technology with many years of successful applications. We can provide samples for solder wetting property evaluation. Please consider evaluating it.

Q: Is it possible to use copper plating for carburizing prevention? A: If you apply copper plating with a minimum thickness of about 13μm and a maximum of about 30μm, it will prevent carburizing. Generally, a specification of around 25μm is common.

Q: Can you issue environmental-related certificates such as RoHS, REACH, and non-use certificates? A: The environmental-related inquiries and certificate requests we respond to from customers are as follows. Please feel free to contact us. - SDS - chemSHERPA CI - chemSHERPA AI - Precision analysis data for plating coatings (mercury, lead, cadmium, hexavalent chromium concentration analysis data via ICP, etc.) - Compliance certificates for RoHS Directive and REACH Regulation - Usage declaration or non-use certificate issued by the chemical manufacturers for agents used in plating, chemical treatment, and anodizing - Conflict minerals investigation for gold, tantalum, tungsten, and tin - Usage declaration or non-use certificate for the list of chemical substances specified by the customer

Q: What is the maximum effective dimension for processing electroless nickel plating? A: Our company can accommodate sizes up to 200×300×300mm. Additionally, through our partner manufacturers, we can handle lengths up to 4 meters (subject to limitations based on the type of plating).

Q: Is it possible to increase the hardness of electroless nickel plating? A: Yes, it is possible. We perform heat treatment (by the supplier) after our electroless nickel plating to achieve the specified hardness (within the lower and upper limits). The Vickers hardness of our electroless nickel is approximately 550 Hv, and there are products that have been treated to over 900 Hv after heat treatment. While heat treatment may cause discoloration of the electroless nickel plating, it does not affect its functional properties such as hardness. If discoloration is absolutely unacceptable, vacuum heat treatment can prevent discoloration; however, we sincerely apologize that we are unable to accommodate this at our company.

Q: I was told that nickel plating is necessary as a base layer when requesting copper plating on aluminum die casting. Is it not possible to directly copper plate aluminum die casting? A: It is possible. Our company can directly copper plate as well as directly nickel plate aluminum alloys. However, pretreatment (zincate treatment) may be required. We look forward to your requests for sample creation and technical consultations.

Q: Please tell me the minimum thickness, maximum thickness, and recommended thickness for solderable nickel plating (electrolytic nickel plating for soldering). A: To achieve solder wetting properties equivalent to tin plating, a minimum of 3μm and a recommended thickness of 5μm is required. However, even if the thickness exceeds 5μm, the solder wetting properties remain "unchanged," so for barrel-plated solderable nickel, we specify a thickness of 3 to 6μm as per the drawings.

Q: How does the conductivity of silver plating compare to pure silver? A: Since the silver plating is made of almost pure silver, the conductivity of both silver plating and pure silver is nearly the same.

Q: Is it possible to perform bending processes such as sheet metal work and pressing after anodizing the plate? A: It is not possible. Aluminum is a soft metal that is easy to bend, but anodizing hardens the surface, causing the bent areas to crack. If cracking is acceptable, it may be possible.

Q: Is it possible to have a matte anodized appearance? A: Yes, it is possible. Our company has a chemical matte process as a pre-treatment, so we can provide matte anodizing by passing through this process before anodizing. *Various matte treatments can be accommodated by our partner companies.

Q: Is it possible to silver plate an 8m busbar? A: It is possible depending on the conditions. Our proposal for silver plating on an 8m busbar for a large plant was adopted by our customer. However, due to it being a super-large project and a bidding competition worldwide, unfortunately, the customer did not proceed with the order, so the plating using our proposed method was not realized. If there are any projects, please let us make a proposal.

Q: Is it possible to apply chrome plating while retaining the feel of velour (satin) nickel? [Chrome Plating] A: It is possible to chrome plate while preserving the matte finish of the underlying velour (satin) nickel plating. The color tone will be the bluish hue characteristic of chrome plating or the color tone of trivalent chrome plating, which will differ from the color tone of nickel plating.

Q: What is Kanizen plating? Is it Kanizen electroplating? What does it refer to? [Electroless nickel plating] A: It refers to electroless nickel plating. Kanigen is an abbreviation for C(K)atalytic (catalytic) Nickel (nickel) Generation (generation), and it is also the name of the Japanese company Kanigen, which was the first in Japan to establish electroless nickel plating. Therefore, Kanigen is recognized as a term that refers to electroless nickel plating in general. Silvec's electroless nickel plating is not from Kanigen, so if the customer does not specify Kanigen's solution, there are no quality issues, and we can fully accommodate their needs.

Available Investigation Certificates The following are the environmental-related inquiries and certificate requests that we respond to from our customers: - SDS - chemSHERPA CI - chemSHERPA AI - Precision analysis data of plating film (mercury, lead, cadmium, hexavalent chromium concentration analysis data via ICP, etc.) - Compliance certificates for RoHS Directive and REACH regulations - Usage declaration or non-use certificate issued by the manufacturer of chemicals used in plating, chemical treatment, and anodizing - Investigation of conflict minerals such as gold, tantalum, tungsten, and tin - Usage declaration or non-use certificate for the list of chemical substances specified by the customer

Q: Is it true that nickel plating on a tin-plated substrate is effective in preventing metal diffusion into electronic components such as contacts and connectors? A: Yes, it is effective. For example, by inserting a nickel plating between copper plating and tin plating, the nickel plating layer can act as a barrier to prevent copper diffusion into the tin plating layer.

Q: I heard that there are three types of gloss: glossy, semi-gloss, and matte. Is it possible to layer these nickel finishes, for example? A: Yes, it is possible to layer them. For instance, by layering a glossy nickel plating over a semi-gloss nickel plating, you can utilize the potential difference to create a plating with good corrosion resistance, known as double nickel plating.

Q: Is it possible to change the glossiness even with nickel plating? A: It is possible to change the glossiness through gloss agent management and plating thickness management. However, it also depends on the glossiness of the base material.

Q: Is there any electroless nickel that does not contain phosphorus? A: In addition to nickel-phosphorus alloys, there are electroless nickel platings such as nickel-boron alloys, nickel-tungsten alloys, and nickel-phosphorus-boron ternary alloys.

Q: Is it true that silver plating is optimal for contact parts that are brazed with brass and silver? A: By silver plating contact parts that are brazed with copper alloy and silver, it is possible to achieve a uniform appearance while maintaining the conductivity and contact resistance of silver, so it can be said that silver plating is optimal.

Q: What are the applications of black nickel plating? A: Black nickel plating is well-suited for optical components that dislike light reflection, particularly for parts used inside housings. It is also applicable to decorative items such as bag fittings when coated with clear paint. While it can be used as a base for painting, if corrosion resistance is required, we recommend "zinc plating + trivalent black chromate treatment."

Q: In the case of cyanide copper plating, does cyanide remain after copper plating? A: Cyanide is not contained in the copper plating film.

Q: Is it possible to directly nickel plate zinc die castings? A: No, it is not possible. Zinc die castings require copper plating as a base layer. Once copper plating is applied, various types of plating can be selected.

Q: Is it true that after electroless nickel, heat treatment can achieve hardness of about 900 Hv with Vickers? A: It is possible. Electroless nickel plating can achieve hardness exceeding 900 HV by heat treating at 400 degrees after plating, which changes the crystal structure.

Q: There are various baths for copper plating; what are the characteristics of each? A: Copper sulfate plating: This plating has high smoothness for decorative purposes, allowing it to mask minor scratches and achieve a mirror finish. It is also used for circuit formation in printed circuit boards. Cyanide copper plating: This plating solution contains highly toxic cyanide, and its use has gradually decreased. However, it is an alkaline plating solution with excellent uniform electrodeposition, strong adhesion to impurities, and is essential for plating on zinc alloys. Pyrophosphate copper plating: This plating solution has become popular as an alternative to cyanide copper plating. It has excellent uniform electrodeposition and is suitable for carburizing prevention and electroforming, but its use has decreased due to the difficulty of wastewater treatment (copper removal).

Q: Is it really possible to achieve high dimensional accuracy with a uniform plating coating...? 【Electroless Ni plating】 A: At Silvec, we can manage the plating thickness of electroless nickel plating for simple-shaped workpieces within ±5-10%. Therefore, if the target plating thickness is 5μm, we can manage it within 4.50-5.50μm.

Q: How thick can silver plating be applied? A: Generally, silver plating can achieve thicknesses of several hundred micrometers, but regardless of silver plating, the risk increases as the plating thickness becomes greater, leading to greater variability in the thickness of the plating film. We can suggest the optimal plating thickness based on your application and purpose, so please feel free to consult with us.

Q: Can silver plating be done in matte, semi-gloss, and glossy finishes? A: Silver plating can be done in matte, semi-gloss, and glossy finishes. However, the hardness of the silver plating film changes depending on the gloss level. It is softer in matte and harder in glossy. (Our measured values: Matte 79.1HV, Glossy 217.0HV)

Electroless nickel-phosphorus plating has superior corrosion resistance and wear resistance compared to electric nickel plating (glossy). This is due to the fact that the coating of electroless nickel plating is an alloy of nickel and phosphorus, and the crystal structure is different.

Q: Is strike copper necessary? A: Strike refers to a plating process using a low metal concentration solution to improve the adhesion between the substrate and the plating film by applying a high current density for a short period of time. Our company determines the necessity of strike copper based on the type, shape, and processing history of the substrate.