Mechanical Zinc Systems
Mechanical zinc plating and galvanizing systems offer the perfect solution when the potential for hydrogen embrittlement exists.
- Steel of any hardness can be processed quickly and effectively, offering the same high protection as conventional electroplated zinc deposits.
- Specified and used by all leading automotive manufacturing companies for over 2 decades.
Mechanical plating and galvanizing was developed as an alternative to conventional hot-dip galvanizing. Mechanical plating overcomes the issues of non-uniform coatings on threaded fasteners causing poor thread fit and high reject rates.
In the mechanical process, raw steel parts received by the plater are usually covered with various soils and scale which must be removed.
Parts are degreased and de-scaled using cleaners and inhibited acids. Clean parts ensure proper adhesion of the mechanical coatings.
Once cleaned, parts, glass impact media, water, and proprietary surface conditioners are placed into the coating barrel.
The primary component of the plating process is a multi-sided rubber lined barrel. As the barrel rotates, it creates a tremendous amount of mechanical energy which is transmitted to the parts through a slurry of glass media and chemicals.
While the barrel is rotating, a proprietary chemical is added to produce a "flash" coating which is essential for proper adhesion of subsequent coatings.
We offer a variety of proprietary promoter chemicals which control the: Plating rate, Brightness, and Efficiency.
The promoter and zinc powder are added to the rotating barrel once the "flash" deposit has developed. The semi-bright metallic coatings produced are uniform and offer excellent corrosion resistance.
After plating, parts and media are dumped into a surge hopper and separated either magnetically or through vibrating screens. A variety of metallic coatings and post-treatments are available to meet most end-user requirements.
