• Metal Finishing
• Zinc Plating
• Nickel Chrome Plating
• Electroless Nickel Plating
• E-Coating
• Powder Coating
• Wheel Blasting
• Transportation Services
• Barrel vs Rack Plating
• Glossary

Nickel Chrome Plating in St. Louis

Unlike many nickel/chrome lines, Microfinish uses a high production conveyer system that can produce over 120,000 parts in a single shift. The machine process is designed to provide consistent thickness and quality on each and every part.

Our nickel/chrome line which uses a bright nickel strike, meets the requirements of most automotive specifications for interior nickel/chrome requirements, including the ability to bake for hydrogen embrittlement relief. With nearly seven decades of experience from our St. Louis metal finishing management team, Microfinish has the expertise, experience and equipment to give you the highest quality on your high volume nickel chrome plating production project.

Plating With Nickel
Nickel plating offers a wide variety of both practical advantages as well as aesthetic beauty. With its proper application, nickel plating can extend the life of parts as it offers resistance to corrosion in addition to high wear resistance.

The actual plating process involves several steps which determine the appearance (luster) as well as the resistance to wear and rust. The first step is the most critical to the success of the plating process and involves the cleaning/removal of dirt as well as any contaminants that can prohibit the chemical bonding of the plating process. After the initial cleaning process, the acid pickle releases any carbon or oxidation that might be on the surface, which is then removed in the electro cleaning process. Products that have been finished with nickel plating can be seen in every aspect of life. While many might think of nickel/chrome it as simply an automotive finish, it is widely used in a variety of other applications such as appliances and even recreational vehicles.

Plating With Chrome
Chrome (chromium) plating refers to the process of adding a thin layer of chrome to a part which can be plastic or metal. Similar to the nickel plating process, chroming involves the cleaning and pretreatment of the part before immersion into a warming plating container (for a length of time that is determined by the required thickness). When it comes to corrosion resistance and appearance, St Louis chrome plating offers may of the same advantages as nickel plating but is generally considered to be less effective when it comes to delaying the effects of corrosion on parts.  Chrome plating services depend on specialized knowledge and by itself, traditional chrome plating has some downsides that are discussed further on in the conclusion that covers nickel chrome plating.

Hexavalent chromium uses chromic anhydride (better known as chromium trioxide) to provide a very hard surface however trivalent chrome plating (which uses chromium sulfate or chloride) can give the same thickness and hardness as hexavalent chrome plating but with reduced toxicity and less waste.

Nickel Plating Versus Chrome Plating
Get the Best of Both Worlds with Nickel Chrome Plating
By themselves, both chrome and nickel offer a number of advantages and disadvantages. We are sometimes asked why we don’t offer just chrome plating services as some chrome shops in St. Louis do. General nickel plating, while resistant to corrosion and aesthetically pleasing, is subject to tarnish and is generally not as hard as chrome. While much harder, chrome is not as resistant to corrosion but offers very attractive appearance. To help take advantage of both processes, instead of just chrome plating in Missouri, Microfinish offers St. Louis nickel chrome plating which provides an initial nickel-plated finish over ferrous, brass cover, which is then overlaid with chrome seal for extra tarnish/corrosion resistance.  The end result is a high quality nickel chrome plating finish that takes the strengths of each individual processes and combines them to offer the best of both, completed right in our St Louis chrome plating facility so when you’re ready for a chrome on nickel quote, give our nickel chrome plating specialists a call!