Tag Archives: tarnish free metal

First Class Copper Plating

For over two years, an old office in Derby had been left empty and lifeless but is now the centre of the hustle and bustle.  This is due to the fact that it is now home to Derby University’s Law and Criminology Department.  It is a building which cannot be missed as it is such a distinctive, beautiful and abnormal colour.  It is a six storey, 32,000 square foot expanse with an exterior of copper plating.  Originally, it was built as office in order to create around 700 jobs, as a £20 million project, but this architectural beauty, now named, One Friar Gate Square, failed to attract the businesses it was intended for.  The intended space had to be changed so that the layout was amenable and usable for the university staff and students, so it now has a number of specialist rooms relating to Law and Criminology, including an open plan specialist law library, lecture theatres and two fully compliant Court rooms Magistrates and Family Court – and all of this is inside a shell of copper plating!

A Little More About Copper Plating

Copper plating is both functional and aesthetically pleasing.  Copper plating is very bright and eye catching.  It has excellent levelling properties, naturally kills bacteria and is often used for decorative purposes, such as the Derby University building.  Copper plating has a smart, polished copper-pink finish and can be lacquered to prevent tarnish from occurring.

us and You

If you or your business are interested in copper plating, or any other plating methods, such as electroless nickel plating or diffused nickel plating or heat treatment, then why not contact us?  We are Derbyshire based, leading specialists in the plating industry who can offer you a wide range of well-developed, tried and tested techniques which are very high-spec and are also cost effective.  We have experience of working for the aerospace, medical, army and automotive industries, to name but a few and offer our services to the UK, Germany, France, Brazil and Holland.  Call us today on our phone number 

 

 

Decorative Aluminium Bathroom Sink Nickel Plated for Protection

Most people think of the plating activities we carry out at us as being purely for engineering applications, but as you may have seen from our last few blog posts, we do plate a lot of items for sculptors and artists too. We occasionally receive enquiries to plate more unusual domestic pieces, such as balustrades, staircases, furniture, and this metal basin.

Aluminium basin nickel plated for corrosion protection

The sink itself was originally cast out of aluminium and featured a large round inset for the basin itself. The bottom of the sink was a rugged texture that looked a lot like the texture of the surface of a jagged rock. As you can see from the picture, it’s a really impressive piece, and will undoubtedly look fantastic in the bathroom of its new home!

Protection for Prolonged Exposure to Water

Due to the amount of running water and handling that the sink would receive when it was used, the aluminium it was cast from was not really appropriate for a sink. Aluminium is very prone to corrosion and can tarnish and discolour easily. Although it doesn’t rust, the surface of the aluminium could become encrusted with calcium and hard water stains, which would leave it looking dull and possibly even stained.

We plated the aluminium sink with an electroless nickel coating to ensure that the surface of the basin remained bright and shiny, and to ensure that the prolonged exposure to water wouldn’t cause any staining or discolouration of the basin. Electroless nickel plating also ensures that the metal coating it deposits grows at a uniform speed all over the part and covers any crevices and rugged areas evenly and thoroughly.

Total Uniform Coverage with Electroless Nickel Plating

The uniform coverage of an electroless nickel coating doesn’t just benefit decorative items such as this sink, it’s also perfect for ensuring uniform coverage for engineering components too. Electroless nickel deposits do not build up on the edges or ends of components, and leave a uniform deposit both inside and out. This means that components can be plated to tight tolerances, meaning that there is no need to machine the part afterwards. This accurate coverage saves both time and money. It’s also a great alternative to stainless steel, too.

If you would like to find out more about the benefits of using electroless nickel plating for corrosion protection and the uniform, even coverage of parts, call the us team , email  or get in touch via our contact page.