Frequently Asked Questions

Question: The hardness of a chromium layer is much greater than nickel. Why not coat our workpiece (steel) directly with chrome?

Answer: An electroplated nickel coating has several functions. Nickel serves as a barrier against many corrosive reagents whereas a chromium layer has cracks so that reagents can react with the base material. In addition, nickel is a well bonding basis for chrome.  The rough surface of the workpiece will be enhanced by a chromium deposition whereas an electroplated nickel coating will leave a smoother finish.  (see figure below).
 
Q.: We are working with boiling and high concentrated caustic soda. Does electroplating with nickel offer sufficient protection for our steel containers?

A.: Yes, our expertise and experience in the field of electroplating offer excellent protection for your containers. Nickel coatings applied by ELEKTROFORM provide a superior bond strength and show no pores.


Q.: We want to get a replica of a laser shaped surface. The surface has a very fine structure. We need optical accuracy.

A.: Electroforming with nickel is a high precision process to create an exact copy of a surface. Taking economical aspects into considerations, there is no other replication method in the world that offers the same level of accuracy (up to some nanometers).


Q.: Can you coat every base material with nickel? The sliding surface of our mandrel was nitrided. Now the surface is worn.

A.: Providing us with the type of material and the method of pretreatment allows the engineers at ELEKTROFORM to evaluate the appropriate method of repair.  The nitrided region would then be removed by a process which involves rotating the mandrel. ELEKTROFORM will then electroplate this region with High-Grade nickel.  This process allows ELEKTROFORM to provide a valuable service for its customers in savings costs for new equipment or machines.