Quality Control
Plating quality is decided long before the part reaches the plating tank. The two things that matter most are pretreatment and current distribution, and they are also the two things a buyer cannot inspect after the fact. Here is how we control them.
| Control point | What we do |
|---|---|
| Pretreatment | Degreasing, pickling, and activation. Residual oil or oxide in a weld joint or a recess is the usual root cause of peeling and bare spots. |
| Racking & current distribution | Racking is designed per part family. On wire mesh, edges burn and centers go bare if the racking and current density are not matched to the geometry. |
| Coating thickness | Measured on request by X-ray or cross-section. Specify your range in the drawing and we will hold to it. |
| Corrosion resistance | Verified by neutral salt spray (NSS) testing. Our parts meet a 72-hour standard, and longer durations can be discussed. |
| Food contact | Existing reports apply only within their stated product and process scope. Project-specific testing and reports can be arranged for other products. |
What to Put in Your Specification
The clearer your spec, the fewer surprises on both sides. We recommend you state: the base material and its condition; the finish (for example, nickel undercoat plus decorative chrome); the coating thickness range and the measurement method; the salt spray duration and the acceptance criteria; and the appearance standard, including whether a mirror finish is required. Anything you leave unspecified becomes a negotiation later, and that is bad for both of us.
Complete reports within their applicable product and process scope can be provided during qualification, subject to customer confidentiality and document-release requirements.
Food-Contact Report Applicability
Food-contact test results are not automatically transferable between different products or coating processes. Report applicability depends on the base material, complete coating stack, pretreatment, production process, intended food and contact conditions, and target-market requirements.
Food-Contact Testing & Reports
| Item | How it is handled |
|---|---|
| Existing reports | Applicable only to the tested products, materials, coating systems and conditions stated in each report |
| Other products | Project-specific third-party testing and reports can be arranged according to customer requirements |
| Review basis | Substrate, complete coating stack, production process, intended food and contact conditions, and target market |
| Documents | Complete applicable reports can be provided during qualification, subject to confidentiality and document-release requirements |
Environmental & Hazardous Substance
| Standard | Scope |
|---|---|
| RoHS | EU restriction of hazardous substances |
| REACH Annex XVII | Restricted substances list compliance |
| REACH SVHC | Substances of very high concern screening |
RoHS, REACH and other environmental requirements are confirmed project by project against the actual materials, coating process, customer specification and applicable report scope.