Sound technical content, curated with aloha by
Ted Mooney, P.E. RET
Pine Beach, NJ

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Need real Chrome plating of plastic parts

RFQ: Looking for a supplier capable of Chrome Plating and molding a PC/ABS or ABS brite for a license plate eyebrow. Vehicle volume estimated at 240,000 yr. Must be QS or ISO certified. Part size is approximately 22 mm x 270 mm. Targeted cost ~$3.00 each. More details available if interested.

Jeff D. [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
- Boyne City, Michigan
2004

Ed. note: Sorry, this RFQ is old & outdated, so contact info is no longer available. However, if you feel that something technical should be said in reply, please post it; no public commercial suggestions please ( huh? why?)

RFQ: Presently having trim parts and script re-cast in plastic by outfit in Tucson who can only supply Al vapor coating. Notice that GM exterior trim parts of cast plastic have some much more durable finish, probably of electroplated Cu-Ni-Cr or something similar.

Q. Considering your comments on plastic plating, who provides this service once the parts are cast? And, what exactly should I ask for?

Thanks for your help,

James T [last name deleted for privacy by Editor]
Collectable Autos and Resto. - Afton, Minnesota, USA
2004

A. Hi, James.

Yes,for exterior automotive use, you need real chrome plating. Aluminum vacuum metallizing is for interior parts and won't hold up.

"Standards and Guidelines for Electroplated Plastics"
by American Society for Electroplated Plastics
pop_asep1983

on AbeBooks

or eBay or

Amazon

(affil links)

First, the plastic material should be plating grade ABS if possible. ABS is the most plateable of plastics because it's two-component composition allows a deep and secure etching for plenty of mechanical key.

Then you want to specify automotive quality copper-nickel-chrome plating. It's probably not just a matter of specifying it, but insuring that the shop has existing customers for automotive exterior chrome plating because it's very difficult to exactly specify the plating layers you want and the testing you want for quality assurance. It's much easier if the shops says they offer exterior automotive chrome plating on plastic per Chrysler spec xxxx or GM spec yyyy or Honda spec zzzz, etc, and you can ride that spec's coattails. Good luck with it.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
February 2012

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