The plastic plating process is useful for various equipment and machinery. You can use the plastic plating to give decorative finishes to furniture, fixtures, car accessories, watches and frames. Plastic plating is also useful to give resistant shield from corrosion or heat. In addition, vacuum plastic plating or electroplating on plastic provides EMI/RFI shielding to the electronic components.

Plastic plating process is extensively useful to the manufacturers of furniture and fixtures, bathroom fixtures, car accessories, medical equipment and electronic components.

Some important parameters you must consider while evaluating your plastic plating requirements are:

1. The application for which you want to use plastic plating
2. The type of coating you want to apply
3. Surface finish requirement
4. Power consumption of the plastic plating system

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find a plating service provider for electroplating on plastic

For long lasting plating applications, go for electroplating on plastic material.

I recommend: General Super Plating is a reputable plating service provider to various industries such as automotive, medical, electronics and aerospace. Tanury Industries is another coating and plating service supplier that offers electroplating services with various metallic finishes.

Find a plating service provider that offers vacuum plastic plating

For requirements of highly reflective finish, use vacuum plating process. In addition, vacuum plating is also useful to provide EMI/RFI shielding or heat shielding.

I recommend: Mueller offers vacuum metal plating on plastic for EMI/RFI shielding and other custom plastic plating applications in various industries such as electronics, medical, defense, aerospace and automotive. W & M Manufacturing is another custom plastic products supplier offering vacuum metalizing services. AMA Manufacturing, a custom plastic molding and surface finish service supplier, can provide you gold, silver or chrome metalized finish on a variety of molded plastic parts.

Find plastic plating service providers that use other plating techniques

You can evaluate plastic plating services provided by reputable plating service providers for applications that do not require vacuum plating or electroplating.

I recommend: Quaker City Plating is a high-end decorative plating service provider with the ability to plate on most metals and plastic substrates. A-Brite Plating, a reputable provider of plated plastics, offers corrosion resistance and wear resistance plating that can withstand extreme operating temperature and humidity.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Clean the component surface properly before placing it in plastic plating equipment, as an irregular surface might result into inappropriate plastic plating.
• •  Consult a plastic plating expert to design the plastic plating process for your components.
• •  To improve the aesthetic look and durability of plastic, chrome plating is good alternative.