NICKEL

Nickel is a versatile finish that provides a strong, durable and malleable coating, with excellent corrosion resistance.

Asheville Metal Finishing offers nickel plating on stainless steel which requires a strike process for adhesion and a final chromium finish to provide even more corrosion resistance, an anti-tarnish property to the nickel deposit, and the bluish color identified with chromium plating.

Nickel Chome Plating, Asheville Metal Finishing, Asheville, NC
Nickel Plating, Asheville Metal Finishing, Asheville, NC

In addition to creating an aesthetically-pleasing product, nickel is also sought after for its corrosion-resistant properties.  It also improves solderability and lubricity.  For many applications, it is an excellent replacement for chrome.  Nickel provides a great combination of corrosion and wear resistance.  It can provide excellent adhesion properties for subsequent coating layers, which is why it is often used as an “undercoat” for other coatings, such as chromium.  It is widely used commercially because of its beneficial properties and versatility as a coating material.  The properties and appearance can be customized to specific needs.

Electroplated nickel is most used to enhance the utility, value, and appeal of manufactured products, to improve the physical properties such as resistance to wear, heat or corrosion.  Its coating also has a dual purpose of providing a bright, attractive finish, as well as transmitting improved corrosion resistance and other functional properties.  Nickel-chromium plating has been increasingly used for plastic and aluminum components.

In the automotive industry it is particularly important, as nickel plating on plastics and aluminum provides excellent benefits of aesthetics and durability.  When it comes to selecting the appropriate coatings for providing the highest possible protection against corrosion and wear and tear, the automotive industry is unquestionably high demanding.

With technology advancing and our increasing dependence on electronic devices, reliability is essential, and setbacks and failures could have dramatic consequences.  Nickel plating is commonly used on electronic components, such as connectors, contacts, microprocessors, and integrated circuits, where it helps ensure dependability.  As requirements for components are demanding, nickel plating plays an important role in the electronics industry, providing corrosion resistance, offers high solderability, and creates a protective barrier layer.

Nickel is essential for mobile phones in numerous ways, being vital to the core of the electronic functioning of the device.  It has a role in the functioning of the battery, the electronic chips attached to the circuit board, as well as being the essential ingredient in creating conductivity and ensuring there is a constant electrical flow in the phone.  In addition, by reducing the cost of components, it is helping to make mobile phones more accessible to more people, while smaller parts allow for lighter and sleeker phones.

Most of our laptop computers and cellphone devices are powered by a rechargeable lithium ion battery.  Using a combination of nickel and resin in the form of a small sheet, nickel is a critical component of the circuit breaker safety mechanism used in these batteries. When assembled into a battery pack, this circuit breaker maintains safe levels of voltage and current during charging and discharging.

Asheville Metal Finishing can help you with your plating needs.  Contact us today!