Over time, essential metal parts will inevitably be broken down by the force of repeated use. Whether it’s a basic screw or a more complex component in a machine, wear can lead to significant problems. The metal finishing professionals at Porter-Guertin Co. in Cincinnati, OH, understand how important wear resistance is and want to explain the advantages of electroless nickel plating. With a variety of coating types and numerous applications for the process, it provides everything you need to keep your parts protected.

How Electroless Nickel Plating Offers Wear Resistance

Nickel has long been used in metal work because of its hardness and resistance to wear. Electroless nickel plating imparts these properties by applying a chemically engineered coating on top of an existing metal part. Despite its name, it doesn’t require electricity. Rather, metal coating professionals create a reaction between nickel and phosphorus that can then be applied to a surface. These two chemicals are used because nickel has a high register of hardness on the Rockwell scale and phosphorus is both corrosion-resistant and offers a high lubricity.

Varieties of Electroless Nickel Plating

There are three types of this plating: low-phosphorus, medium-phosphorus, and high-phosphorus, with each increasing in quality, hardness, and corrosion resistance. High-phosphorus electroless nickel plating is an industry standard and can be found in many applications from mining to drilling. This makes electroless nickel plating an invaluable resource, especially when applied to metal pieces that endure a lot of friction over time in environments where they’re exposed to the elements and hard surfaces.

If you’re interested in exploring electroless nickel plating and other metal finishing options, turn to the professionals at Porter-Guertin Co. They offer a number of industrial metal finishing services and are committed to ensuring you get lasting results and durability from your products. They’ll work closely with you to find what kind is best for your needs and can apply finishes to a wide variety of products. Call (513) 241-7663 today and visit their website and Facebook page to learn more about their services.