Nickel Finishing

Nickel Finishing known as nickel plating may refer to nickel electroplating and electroless nickel plating. Nickel electroplating is a process of electroplating a thin layer of nickel onto a metal surface. Electroless nickel plating is an auto-catalytic process which uses the presence of a reducing agent such as hydrated sodium hypophosphite which reacts with the metal ions to deposit the metal. Unlike electroplating electroless nickel plating it is not necessary to pass an electrical current through the solution to form a deposit. Electroless nickel plating has several advantages over electroplating because it is free from flux density and does not have any power supply issues. It allows an even deposit regardless of the shape and geometry of the workpiece. In the process of electroplating however, electrical currents are passed though a solution of electrolyte. The Part to be plated is cleaned using special processes and then immersed into the solution to become the cathode. The nickel anode is dissolved into the solution in the form of nickel ions. The ions then travel through the electrolyte and deposit onto the cathode which is the part to be plated.