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Best Plating for Fasteners

Dear Sir,

I am a Mechanical Engineer and I design mechanical seal accessories that are used in refineries. We are using Nickel plating for the fasteners (astmb633.htmla193.html" --> Grade B7 for Bolts and ASTM A194 Grade 2H for nuts) of flanges, etc. But, we are facing problems with Nickel Plating that it peels off. Do you suggest any other method of plating ?

Thanks in advance for your help.

With best regards,

Prasad

Prasad Punwatkar
Designer - Pune, Maharashtra, India
September 25, 2009

I would try another plater. Nickel should not Peel off. Pliers or pipe wrench can cause chipping, but not peeling. The parts are probably not properly cleaned, possibly improperly activated or a combination of both.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
September 25, 2009

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February 10, 2010

How distinctly Nickel plating is superior to Zinc or Tin plating ?

With best Regards,

Prasad Punwatkar
- Pune, Maharashtra, India

Hi, Prasad. It is not superior, it's just different. It's more reflective, so most people would consider it more attractive. It's probably better for electrical conductivity, since the tarnish would be thinner. What is your application?

Tying this in to James Watts' response, a poor plating of metal x is not superior to anything; a good plating of metal x is probably superior to a poor plating of metal y or z :-)

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
February , 2010