In order processing, especially when there are hundreds of thousands of parts in the order, rack plating is a very effective option. It is not appropriate for all parts and there are other options to consider, including barrel plating, which can also be used to plate large volumes of smaller parts in a short period of time.
For those new to the idea, rack plating is exactly what it sounds like it would be. Individual parts are put on a variety of different kinds of racks and then the racks and the parts are moved through the plating process.
The Racks
There are two different types of racks or jigs used in rack plating. One is an insulated rack, which is basically a plastisol or PVC type of material over metal. This covers the metal of the rack and prevents it from being a component in the plating process. When the rack is insulted it is not part of the process, eliminating waste and any possible interference with the current which may impact even distribution of the zinc or zinc nickel plate.
The Benefits
When parts are processed through the zinc or zinc nickel rack plating method they are carefully spaced on a specific rack or jig to avoid contact with each other. This process is considered ideal for parts where the appearance of the plating is important and must be uniform and bright.
With rack plating uniform distribution can be easily achieved but the process itself has to be carefully monitored and controlled. With top plating companies using the latest in technology the older issues with rack plating, including irregular distribution of the plating material, has been virtually eliminated through careful process control.
Unlike barrel plating, where parts are tumbling and rolling around together during the process, rack plating eliminates this contact. For detailed parts or parts with threads this is a very important consideration for top part quality throughout the process.
There is a slight additional labor cost involved in rack plating. The individual parts must be manually placed on the rack before plating. They also have to be removed after the plating has been completed, which adds slightly to the time with high volume orders.
A company with experience in rack plating can be instrumental in providing information and mitigating any possible issues in processing the order. With this support and strict quality control this plating method is a good match for many types of parts and equipment.
