One of the major decisions that plating shops have to deal with is “what kind of plating tank should I get for my plating line?” Of course, we wish the answer was as simple as the question, but the truth of the matter is it depends on a lot of different things. What are you plating? Plating chromic acid is a completely different process than zinc or cadmium plating. How much are you plating? 300 gallons or 3000 gallons? What method are you using to plate? There are so many questions to ask and factors to consider, we thought it would be nice to see it in the form of a pros/cons table:

As you will see in the diagram above there are many different things to consider when choosing a plating tank. Polypropylene tanks are great for smaller bath sizes and they are well-suited for the harsh conditions provided by plating shops. Polypropylene tanks are also very durable and they are great for use with acids and alkalies, which is why you can sometimes avoid buying a liner for your tank (unless you’re plating chromic acid, which you’ll definitely still need a liner for!) Polypropylene tanks are also much more flammable than steel tanks, which can be an issue if you are using electrical heaters to heat up your bath. While steel can hold up to well over +2000°F, polypropylene melts at around 320°F. Another factor is their size limit - because of polypropylene’s lower tensile strength and modulus, you will likely need supports to prevent bulging and breaks at the seams; but steel tanks have a lot more natural support because of their higher tensile strength. However, steel tanks are vulnerable to other conditions that the polypropylene tanks will almost never encounter: they can rust and they are susceptible to pinholes, which can be very dangerous if not immediately fixed.

At the end of the day, you’re really going to have to take the time and think about what solution works best for your business needs. That’s why you should ask the experts here at Plating International. With over 40+ of working experience, we can help you well above-and-beyond all your plating needs. Contact us today for a quote on plating tanks!

Good things come in small packages; that’s why our FlexKraft rectifiers give you the most bang-for-buck. FlexKraft is the best choice if you want to lower your costs without sacrificing efficiency. The compact units are serviced from the front, which saves a lot of time and keeps any potential down-time to a minimum. They can be place side- by-side or stacked making them optimal for spacing. Above all, they are easy to install and maintain.

Each rectifier has up to ten modules and two or more stacks can be connected to allow higher currents (24 kA) and voltages (120 V DC). Thanks to the modular design you only pay for the power you need. Should you need more power later on - simply add more modules.

Other great benefits of the FlexKraft design:

• Tough, robust, and reliable - very durable for use in harsh conditions of plating shops

• Protected from short circuits and excessive temperatures

• Very Low-Ripple

• Efficiency above 90%

• At any given load, power factor is +93%

• Designed for 24 hour operation at maximum load (40 degrees)

• Available in single or dual output; plating power up to 24,000 Amps

• Can run on reduced power if a fault occurs in a module

• Independent settings for currents and voltage

Check out our Products Page to read more information on Plating International’s rectifiers or any one of the great products we offer. Contact us today for a quote!

ONE PLATE : Single Component Electroless Nickel from Plating International, Inc. This patented process is the only Single Component on the market today; allowing you to use the same product for both make up and maintenance. Traditional EN was developed using (3) components ( A, B, &, C) and make up between 21-22 % by volume; ONE PLATE was developed with just (1) single component that makes up at 15 % by volume. Our products are ELV/Rohs complaint and available in Low, Mid, and High Phosphorous.

Visit our EN page here or check out the specs for low, mid, and high phos solutions.

Contact us today for a quote!