Sheet Metal Plating Versus Sheet Metal Anodizing: Comparison
There are two popular methods involved in metal finishing - defined as the deposition of a metallic coating on a metallic or non-metallic substrate or the application of an organic coating to a metallic or non-metallic substrate to enhance both the performance and appearance - namely, the sheet metal plating and sheet metal anodizing. For the general public, discussing these topics might not be that important but, to a person who is doing a metal-related business or working in a manufacturing company that uses metal as a main material in the production, this is imperative.
To be able to understand more about the above-mentioned topic, we are to discuss here the difference between the two processes:
Sheet metal plating -- is used to deposit a metal coating on the surface of a conductive material (metal). This process is meant to increase the corrosion resistance, improve solderability, as well as the wearability of treated material. Aside from that, it is also a way to reduce friction on the surface and to improve its paint adhesion property.
Sheet metal plating (or metal plating, in general) has two major types - (1) electroplating and (2) electroless plating. Using electric current, the former is employed to supply electrons to a metal to form a non-ionic coating on the surface of the substrate; the latter, which is also known as auto-electrolytic plating, facilitates a surface treatment process that does not need electric current. POP or the plating on pop and PCB or the printed circuit board manufacturing companies are the largest users of this process.
Sheet metal anodizing-- also called an electrolytic passivation, this process is utilized to increase the thickness of the natural oxide layer of a substrate (which is usually Aluminum substrate). Like the metal plating, this process also helps to improve the corrosion resistance of the treated material, offers better adhesion property, as well as sturdiness.
To sum it up, while both processes aimed at increasing the corrosion resistance, improve wearability and adhesion property, as well as the sturdiness of a metal sheet, the two differ significantly not just in the process but the materials used to cover the substrate - plating uses other material (e.g. zinc plating)to treat sheet metal while anodizing simply changes (covers) the surface of material through electrolytic passivation without changing the composition of the substrate being treated.
To be able to understand more about the above-mentioned topic, we are to discuss here the difference between the two processes:
Sheet metal plating -- is used to deposit a metal coating on the surface of a conductive material (metal). This process is meant to increase the corrosion resistance, improve solderability, as well as the wearability of treated material. Aside from that, it is also a way to reduce friction on the surface and to improve its paint adhesion property.
Sheet metal plating (or metal plating, in general) has two major types - (1) electroplating and (2) electroless plating. Using electric current, the former is employed to supply electrons to a metal to form a non-ionic coating on the surface of the substrate; the latter, which is also known as auto-electrolytic plating, facilitates a surface treatment process that does not need electric current. POP or the plating on pop and PCB or the printed circuit board manufacturing companies are the largest users of this process.
Sheet metal anodizing-- also called an electrolytic passivation, this process is utilized to increase the thickness of the natural oxide layer of a substrate (which is usually Aluminum substrate). Like the metal plating, this process also helps to improve the corrosion resistance of the treated material, offers better adhesion property, as well as sturdiness.
To sum it up, while both processes aimed at increasing the corrosion resistance, improve wearability and adhesion property, as well as the sturdiness of a metal sheet, the two differ significantly not just in the process but the materials used to cover the substrate - plating uses other material (e.g. zinc plating)to treat sheet metal while anodizing simply changes (covers) the surface of material through electrolytic passivation without changing the composition of the substrate being treated.
About the Author:
Roy Van Rivero writes a wide variety of topics on the Internet -- from health to legal; from construction to industry processes. To learn more about sheet metal plating and sheet metal anodizing, visit GMP Plating, Inc. -- a metal plating company based in San Jose, CA.
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