Scaling Up: How AST’s Tank Sizes Enable Industrial-Scale Production When it comes to production plating, tank capacity is more than a convenience, it’s a competitive advantage. With tanks ranging from 50 to 1,000 gallons, AST can handle large parts, prototype plating, or bulk processing with outstanding efficiency. Magnesium Line Tank Read more
A Coating That Goes Beyond Protection The defense and aerospace industries require components made with high precision to tight tolerances. Every component must perform flawlessly, often under extreme conditions. That’s why electroless nickel plating is frequently the coating of choice for mission-critical parts. Often referred to as an “engineering coating,” Read more
When selecting a metal coating for your application, cost is always an important factor. While it might be tempting to choose the least expensive option, it’s critical to understand the trade-offs in durability, performance, and long-term value. Here, we explore how the cost of different coating types compares, particularly focusing Read more
Precision and Dimensional Control Electroless nickel is often referred to as an engineering coating due to its exceptional precision. It allows for tight control over thickness, making it suitable for high-tolerance applications. Typical coating thicknesses range from 0.001” to 0.002”, with tolerances as close as ±0.0001”. This precision makes electroless Read more
Selecting the Right Metal Plating for Your Application When it comes to metal plating and coatings, selecting the right process depends on several factors, including the base metal, environmental exposure, wear resistance, conductivity, and cost. Whether you need corrosion resistance, increased hardness, or improved conductivity, we offer a range of Read more
Gold Electroplating is a method of depositing a thin layer of gold onto the surface of another metal. Gold plating finds its uses in jewelry, semiconductor industry. It often requires that the substrate be cleaned and etched before it can be electroplated with gold. Gold plating solution is made by Read more
Plating on titanium parts adds value & functionality for many parts, especially aerospace parts and components. Titanium is an extremely hard metal that can be used in a wide variety of applications. It has excellent corrosion resistance, high strength-to-weight ratio, low density, good thermal conductivity, and high electrical conductivity. Titanium Read more
Electroless nickel plating on magnesium is the preferred engineering coating solution for applications requiring high levels of corrosion and wear resistance, deposit uniformity and hardness, solid lubricity, and solderability. Electroless nickel plating is an autocatalytic chemical process used to deposit a uniform layer of nickel-phosphorous alloy onto a part without the necessity Read more
Chromate conversion coatings are the most widely used coating for corrosion protection of Aluminum Coatings and Corrosion Protection Chromate conversion coatings are used to passivate metals using an immersion bath process. The chromate conversion coating is a thin film that is applied by immersing the metal in a solution containing Read more
What is bright tin plating? Bright tin plating is a type of electroplated coating that uses tin as its main component. This kind of coating has become very popular because of its high corrosion resistance and excellent wear resistance. Bright tin plating is widely applied in various industries such as Read more
Gold plating is the process of adding a layer of gold to a metal. This is accomplished both chemically and electrically. By applying a direct electric current to another layer of metal, and applying the gold coating, it creates a chemical bond between the two metals, fusing them together. The Read more
Electroless Nickel Plating – Advanced Surface Technologies Being a leader in Electroless Nickel plating AST has 8 Electroless Nickel process lines that are substrate specific. Our experienced staff can construct custom solutions for your distinct finishing needs. Your Metal Finishing Solution Plating Services Electroless Nickel Plating Electroless Nickel Plating with Read more
Boron Nitride Electroless Nickel (BNEN) plating is one of the most technologically advanced composite plating processes in the industry. Compared to the multitude of choices for metal finishing services available, what are the advantages of Boron Nitride Electroless Nickel Plating? What applications and industries benefit from this new technology? Boron Read more
Several types of electroless plating exist, with electroless nickel plating being the most common by far. Electroless plating is different than electroplating because it is not necessary to pas an electric current through the solution to form a deposit. Electroless nickel plating is a process or technique where a layer Read more
Passivation is a technique used in physical chemistry and engineering in order to protect a material from environmental factors such as air and water, making the material “passive”. A shielding layer of corrosion on is applied on the surface to help create a buffer against corrosion. Passivation is useful in Read more