The main use of selective plating is to focus plating on the functional area, thus bringing down plating costs. The area of a part not to be plated is masked so that it is not plated. Epson is currently providing two types of selective plating: nickel and silver. We also work closely with our customers to provide customized solutions that meet and exceed their expectations.
Selective nickel plating is used for high-pressure turbine support assemblies, which are plated at a minimum thickness of 500µm. Unplated areas are masked with masking tape during the plating process.
Epson has developed a new plating production line concept that reduces the time taken from days to hours, uses a smaller solution tank and delivers better quality.
Non-bath selective plating (NBS) is performed using Epson's self-designed machine, which has a solution agitation system specialized for selective plating. The internal diameter of the part to be plated is used as a bath, while any non-plated areas are covered with a rubber mask. The bath level is automatically controlled and the loading jig and rubber mask are specially designed to cater to different sizes.
NBS is used for selective silver plating. Using this method allows the special anode to control the distribution of the plating thickness, from 1~50 µm. NBS also helps to conserve chemicals and energy, thus making it environmentally friendly.
