1、 Surface polishing of hardware components

Polishing is widely used in daily necessities, especially on products that are prone to pilling and burrs. Not only can it maintain the appearance of the product, but it can also provide users with a better user experience. Polishing is divided into mechanical polishing, chemical polishing, and electrolytic polishing.

(a) Mechanical polishing is a polishing method that obtains a smooth surface by cutting and plastic deformation of the material surface to remove the raised parts after polishing. Advantages: The surface roughness can reach Ra0.008 μ m, which is the highest among various polishing methods. This method is commonly used for optical lens molds.

(b) Chemical polishing is a method of eliminating abrasion marks, etching and leveling by selectively dissolving uneven areas on the surface of the sample with chemical reagents. Advantages: The equipment is simple and can handle parts with complex shapes.

(c) Electrolytic polishing is a process in which the workpiece being polished serves as the anode and an insoluble metal serves as the cathode. Both poles are immersed in an electrolytic cell and undergo selective anodic dissolution through a direct current ionization reaction, resulting in the removal of fine burrs and an increase in brightness on the surface of the workpiece. Advantages: No metamorphic layer will be generated, no additional stress; Wide processing range; High production efficiency. Mainly used for metal products and parts with low surface roughness, such as decorations, springs, etc.

2、 Surface painting of hardware components

Spray painting is widely used in hardware components to prevent rusting. Special spray painting can also produce other effects, making the performance of products more outstanding, such as daily necessities, electrical enclosures, handicrafts, etc. However, it is not allowed to spray paint too thick or too thin on the surface of hardware components. The paint thickness on the surface of hardware components can be detected and controlled by a paint film thickness gauge.

3、 Surface electroplating of hardware components

Electroplating is a common processing technique that improves the rust resistance of products. The thickness measurement of electroplated coatings is one of the physical performance tests of coatings and an important indicator for measuring the quality of coatings, as it greatly affects the service life of products. The film thickness gauge is a professional equipment that can be used to detect the thickness of electroplated layers, paint films, anti-corrosion coatings, PCB dry films, and various coatings. Common electroplating processes include screws, stamped parts, battery cells, car parts, small accessories, etc. The editor has compiled several electroplating process flows for different hardware components:

(a) Aluminum and aluminum alloy electroplating process flow: wax removal → oil removal → weak corrosion → scale removal → zinc deposition → zinc removal → nickel plating → other electroplating.

(b) The process flow of chrome plating on iron parts: wax removal → hot dip degreasing → cathode → anode → electrolytic degreasing → weak acid etching → nickel plating or other processes.

(c) ABS/PC plastic electroplating process: degreasing → hydrophilic → pre roughening → roughening → neutralization → surface finishing → activation → debonding → chemical nickel deposition → coking copper plating → acid copper plating → semi bright nickel plating → high sulfur nickel plating → bright nickel plating → sealing → chrome plating