Whether you want to use silver plating for industrial or non-industrial applications, you must have enough information about the parameters that affect the process and quality of the silver coating.

If you are a company providing silver plating services or silver plating supplies, it is always beneficial to update your knowledge about the new technologies of silver plating, silver replating and silver plating restoration. If you want to upgrade your silver-plating shop, seek advice from experts in the plating industry.

For training yourself and/or your employees about silver plating equipment and relevant technology, you can:

1. Read basic information about the silver plating process and relevant terminology
2. Join associations of metal plating companies
3. Read magazines and journals that provide updates in the plating industry

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

Find online resources for education and training on the silver plating process

You can learn the basics by browsing different resources, such as websites of silver plating companies. Some reputable data publishing websites also provide the basics of electroplating processes, including silver plating processes.

I recommend: finishing.com provides information about the basics of the silver plating process and usage of a silver plating solution. Caswell, a reputable supplier of silver plating solutions, provides technical information about silver plating, such as details of the process and the PH requirement of the silver plating solution. In addition, Electrochemical Products Inc., a leading provider of silver plating supplies, offers information advancements in the silver plating industry, such as the new cyanide-free electrolytic silver plating process.

Interact with the experts in the field of silver plating services

Experts in the silver plating processes can help you set up or refurbish your silver plating equipment. If you wish to establish yourself as a silver plating or silver replating service provider, seek an expert's advice on different issues such as the design and setup of a plant, compliances and government permissions and operational details of a silver plating plant. Some websites also provide a platform for discussion and exchange of ideas between professionals working in the finishing industry.

I recommend: You can join the discussions of different communities at Finishing Talk, an online forum for metal finishers. Metal Finishing provides an ‘ask the experts’ feature in addition to webinars, podcasts and periodicals. In addition, you can discuss your queries with the experts at NMFRC (National Metal Finishing Resource Center), an internet based comprehensive metal finishing resource.

Join associations of silver plating and other metal finishing companies

Associations of electroplating and coating companies provide a platform for communication and interaction amongst service providers and customers involved with different types of plating technologies.

I recommend: You can join the National Association for Surface Finishing, an association of individuals and companies involved in the surface finishing industry. The Electrocoat Association is a non-profit trade association that brings together end-users and suppliers involved in the electro coating industry. In addition, you can join the The Institute of Metal Finishing, an international organization that offers a platform for metal finishing professionals and various courses in multiple sciences such as electrochemistry and surface coating.

Silver plating is necessary when silver pieces become worn or cracked and you need to restore them to their original luster and shine. Whether you run an antiquing business or use silver services as decoration set pieces in your restaurant or hotel, you can find a silver replating service online to meet your plating needs. Send your silver to a professional to have it restored, or find products for sale that will let you accomplish the replating yourself.

Silver plated objects have high electrical conductivity. Electroplating services can provide a silver finish for any small electricial parts your business produces. Find a wide variety of services online, including:

1. Restore your metal objects to their original splendor with a silver plating repair service.
2. Buy products that allow your business to accomplish its very own silver plating solution.
3. Find electrolytic silver plating services to finish products for technical applications.
   

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

Find a silver plating shop to restore larger silver objects

If your silver ware is corroded or dented, search for a professional silversmith that can restore your silver pieces to their original condition.

I recommend: Trio Silversmiths provides silver plating restoration for worn or damaged antiques. See their website for examples of their restoration services and to request a quote on silver restoration. International Silver Plating is an established silver plating repair service located in Chicago. They provide a wide array of metal restoration processes at museum-quality levels.

Do it yourself with the aid of silver plating products

If your business deals with a large number of metal objects that routinely need to be replated, look for silver plating products so you can get the job done yourself. Larger or more intricate silver objects will probably still need to be sent to a service for repair, but doing the replating yourself is generally the cheaper option.

I recommend: Caswell sells silver replating kits in a number of sizes, as well as plating kits for other types of metal. Their products are ideal for finishing larger silver pieces, and can be ordered directly from their website. Cool-Amp Conducto-Lube Company sells a powder and a grease that are both effective for replating electronic and technical products with a layer of silver.

Locate a silver plating service specializing in technical applications

In addition to antiques and valuables, silver plating is also essential in electronic and telecommunications industries, as silver has highly effective conductive properties. Find a silver plating service specializing in technical applications to serve your business needs.

I recommend: ProPlate is an electroplating company that offers silver plating for a number of engineering purposes. Visit their website for details on services and to request a quote. Orbel provides precision silver electroplating services for a number of industries including automotive, electrical, medical, appliance, and defense.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  If you're looking to do silver plating yourself, know the difference between silver plating kits. You may be able to simply apply an additional layer of silver to the object in question, but the most effective form of refinishing is electroplating, whcih will require additional silver plating tools.

Though initially used as a way to reduce the cost of items that were historically pure silver, such as jewelry or flatware, silver plating has come into its own as an end in itself rather than as just a less expensive version of a silver product. Beyond offering a durable silver finish to items like flatware, silver plating is used with great success in industrial applications, such as electronics, because of silver's conductive properties.
Silver plating pricing and costs are highly variable because so many different items can be silver plated, and the process and thickness of the plating dictates the final costs. With some research, though, you can get a good idea of what your silver plating jobs will cost:
1. Look up the price of silver to understand how much the metal itself will cost.
2. Contact industrial silver plating providers for a quote on their services.
3. Get quotes for silver plating restoration if you are reselling, using or displaying antiques in your business.
4. Discover the prices for silver plating supplies if you want to do it yourself.

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

Start with the pricing of silver to determine your silver plating pricing and costs

When you have something silver plated, you need to consider both the cost of the labor and the cost of the material. Silver is a precious metal with a fluctuating price, which means that as market prices for silver rise and fall, so will the cost of silver plating-especially if it is a large job.

I recommend: Precision Plating posts current silver prices on its home page and also offers a searchable archive of silver pricing. To determine the overall pricing of your silver plating job, you’ll need to contact the company to receive a free quote. Finishing.com presents an equation that illustrates how the market price of silver is factored into a silver plating price.

Get quotes for industrial silver plating

If you need to have industrial silver plating completed, seek out a specialist in that sector.  Industrial silver plating pricing is based on a number of factors, including the number and weight of the items to be silver plated, the thickness and quality of silver you require, the plating method to be used, and any specific requests you have for your items.

I recommend: Complete a Request for Quote at Nu-Metal Finishing to provide all the factors that the company needs to give you with an accurate quote for silver plating services. At Sharretts Plating, fill out a brief form for a free quote.

Understand costs for silver plating repair and silver plating restoration

If you resell high-end antiques or musical instruments, or if you own a restaurant that utilizes vintage silver, you need to examine silver plating repair and restoration services to ensure that your silver is in top shape. Silver plating repair and restoration pricing varies widely, depending upon the number of pieces you need plated and the extent of the damage to each piece. A silver replating service or a repair service will only provide a quote once they have a full description of the items you need plated.

I recommend: Friedman Silversmiths, specialists in silver plating restoration, suggest that you submit a photo to help them provide the most accurate quote. Zapffe Silversmiths encourage you to submit a full description of the item, as well as its height and width, so they can provide you with a quote for silver plating restoration.

Purchase silver plating supplies to do your own silver plating

If you need silver plating on a small scale, and you have the cababilities to do it yourself, you can purchase silver plating supplies at affordable prices from silver plating suppliers.

I recommend: At Caswell, you can buy a 1.5-gallon full silver plating kit for around $800, while a 4.5-gallon kit costs about $1800. Shor International offers eco-friendly, cyanide-free silver plating solution at around $50 per quart and $150 per gallon.