Hastings Metal Finishers are a specialist electroplating company located in the UK. Established in 1983 with the aim of providing an electroplating service of the highest quality to the engineering industry, the Company is run by Managing Director Paul Hastings, a Graduate Chemist who has over 25 years of surface engineering experience.
Our current client base numbers over 200 Companies including leading organisations in the areas of precision and general engineering, metal fabrication, and electrical and electronic engineering.
Their aim is to provide our customers with the following range of electroplating services and related surface treatments:
• Solvent Degreasing
• Acid Pickling
• Electroless Nickel Plating
• Silver Plating
• Nickel Plating
• Gold Plating
• Tin Plating
• Copper Plating
• Vibratory Polishing
• Zinc Plating
• Bright Acid Dipping
• Clear, Yellow and Black Chromate Passivating
The Electroplating Process
Electroplating is a process that uses electric current to reduce dissolved metal cations so that they form a coherent metal coating on an electrode. The term is also used for electrical oxidation of anions onto a solid substrate, as in the formation silver chloride on silver wire to make silver/silver-chloride electrodes. It is primarily used to change the surface properties of an object (e.g. abrasion and wear resistance, corrosion protection, lubricity, aesthetic qualities, etc.), but may also be used to build up thickness on undersized parts or to form objects by electroforming.
Electroplating changes the chemical, physical, and mechanical properties of the workpiece. An example of a chemical change is when nickel plating improves corrosion resistance. An example of a physical change is a change in the outward appearance. An example of a mechanical change is a change in tensile strength or surface hardness which is a required attribute in tooling industry.
Electroplating of acid gold on underlying copper/nickel-plated circuits reduces contact resistance as well as surface hardness. Copper plated areas of mild steel act as a mask if case hardening of such areas are not desired.Tin-plated steel is chromium plated to prevent dulling of the surface due to oxidation of tin.
All finishes are available in rack and barrel processing. Treatment facilities are available for processing ferrous components including stainless steel, copper and its alloys and aluminium alloys and they operate an in-house laboratory for physical and chemical testing. Hastings Metal Finishers are also happy to advise existing and potential customers on any surface finishing issues.
Contact Hastings Electroplating Services
For further information please call 0191 4839213 or visit the Hastings Metal Finishers & Electroplating Services website.
