Material

What is surface treatment?

Surface treatment is an additional process applied to the surface of a material for the purpose of adding functions such as rust and wear resistance or improving the decorative properties to enhance its appearance.

Painting, such as that applied to the body of an automobile, printing of the manufacturer's name and other information on the surface of home appliances, and "plating" applied under the paint on guardrails, are typical examples of surface treatment.

Heat treatment, such as quenching, applied to metal parts such as gears and blades, is also classified as surface treatment.

Surface treatments can be broadly classified into removal processes, such as scraping or melting the surface, and additive processes, such as painting, which add something else to the surface.

Methods of surface treatment

Category

Process

Explanation

PVD

physical vapor deposition

PVD (physical vapor deposition) coating, also known as thin-film coating, is a process in which a solid material is vaporized in a vacuum and deposited onto the surface of a part. These coatings are not simply metal layers though. Instead, compound materials are deposited atom by atom, forming a thin, bonded, metal or metal-ceramic surface layer that greatly improves the appearance, durability, and/or function of a part or product. Here at VaporTech, your physical vapor deposition coating is developed by our scientists for your exacting needs and can be easily customized to change the color, durability, or other characteristics of the coating.

Polishing

Mechanical polishing

Polishing the surface to make it smooth.
While polishing is generally associated with rubbing with a grinding stone or brush, chemical or electropolishing slightly dissolves the surface to make it smooth.
Electropolishing uses electrolysis to dissolve the surface of the part in a solution.

Chemical polishing

Electropolishing

Painting

Spray painting

This is the process of adding paint to a surface.
This is done to improve corrosion resistance and decorative properties.
Electrostatic coating is a type of coating in which the paint is charged and adheres efficiently with the force of static electricity.
Powder coating is also a type of electrostatic coating.
Electrodeposition coating is a method of depositing paint on the surface of a part by electrolysis of a solution of special paint and is used for the base of automobile bodies.

Electrostatic coating (Electrostatic painting)

Electrodeposition coating

Plating

Electroplating (electrolytic plating)

Plating is the process of covering the surface of a component with a thin film of another metal.
Electroplating is a method of depositing a coating on the surface of a part by electrolyzing a solution.
This is mainly done on metals such as iron to provide corrosion resistance and decorative properties.
In some cases, plating is applied to the surface of plastics for decorative purposes, but the number of such applications has been decreasing in recent years due to improvements in coating technology.

Chemical plating

Hot dip coating

Charcoal burning

Nitriding treatment

Advantages of Electrolytic Plating

The advantages of electrolytic plating are as follows

Low cost

Produces a glossy finish

Creates corrosion resistance

Plating speed is fast

Plating on a wide variety of metals and alloys

Low thermal impact on the metal to be plated

The Role of Power Supplies in Surface Treatment

Today, surface treatment technologies are used in a variety of industries. Electrolytic plating, in particular, will continue to expand its applications and will require high-quality, economical technology.

Electrolytic plating uses electrolysis, which requires a power source that can deliver Direct Current (DC) power supply. If the voltage is unstable, the deposition of the plating will also be unstable, so voltage stability is required to improve the quality of the product.

In addition, the amount of plating deposited is proportional to the accumulated current, so it is important to be able to flow more current efficiently.

Furthermore, since chemicals are used for plating, the environment is prone to rust and corrosion due to corrosive gases and high humidity. Therefore, not only does the power supply enclosure need to be environmentally resistant, but it is also necessary to install the power supply in a different location from the room where the plating will take place.

In order to solve these problems, it is essential to install power supply equipment suitable for electrolytic plating. At Matsusada Precision, we sell the best power supply for electroplating.