What are the main differences between vacuum plating and water plating for plastic products?
What are the main differences between vacuum plating and water plating for plastic products?
1.Processing technology is different:
-Water electroplating, is related to water and aqueous solution, the principle of electrochemical reaction, is a chemical process. Pollution is high due to heavy use of water/aqueous solution.
-Vacuum plating, in fact, cannot be called electroplating; it is usually a physical change, or chemical change, but not an electrochemical process. There is many categories of vacuum electroplating and electric field transfer technology is widely used
2.Application scenarios are different:
- Water plating is generally suitable for ABS material, ABS+PC material products. The main process is to electroplate the product in the chemical electroplating solution for electroplating. According to the different needs of customers, can be plated into different colors, with high light silver, sub-silver, gray silver, gun color, gold, black chrome, half-light chrome, and color single; Vacuum plating can solve the problem of seven colors.
- Vacuum plating is more expensive than water plating because of its complex process, high environment and equipment requirements. Because the electrical conductivity of the electroplated product is significantly enhanced, there are two methods for some parts that need insulation:
- Method one, in need of insulation parts coated with insulating oil, the part will not be electroplated to the electroplating, so as to achieve the insulation effect. Of course, the parts coated with insulating oil will become black; it is not suitable for the appearance of the surface.
- Method two, or have those relevant areas covered with special adhesive paper paste to achieve the effect of insulation.
Without UV coating, its adhesion is very poor, cannot pass the adhesion test, and water plating is obviously better than vacuum plating. Therefore, in order to ensure the adhesion of vacuum electroplating, it is necessary to carry out special spraying treatment, of course, the cost is higher.
3.Processing environment requirements are different:
- Water plating because of the simple process, from equipment to environment requirements are not harsh vacuum ion plating, so it is widely used. Water plating has a weakness, only ABS and ABS+PC plating (the plating effect of this material is not very ideal).The temperature resistance of ABS material is only 80℃, which makes its application scope limited. The vacuum electroplating can reach about 200℃, which can be used in high temperature parts electroplating treatment. Like air nozzle, air nozzle ring using PC material, these parts are required to withstand high temperature of 130℃.In addition, the general requirements of high temperature resistant parts, do vacuum plating should be sprayed with a layer of UV oil at the end, so that the surface of the product is shiny, high temperature resistance, and ensure adhesion.
- Water plating general coating material using "hexavalent chromium", which is a non-environmental protection material. For "hexavalent chromium" there are the following requirements: EU: 76/769/EEC: prohibited use; 94/62 / EC: < 100 PPM. RoHS: <1000ppm such strict requirements, some domestic manufacturers have begun to try to use "trivalent chromium" to replace "hexavalent chromium"; The coating materials used in vacuum electroplating are extensive and easy to meet the environmental requirements.
