• Different material

Metal plating of the material is metal,  such as iron, zinc alloy, copper alloy, while the ABS  plating’s material is plastic. As the material is not the same, the early treatment process is completely different, but the latter is basically the same on electroplating. These are the basically different between them.

  • Different Cost

About cost different, depends on what material of the plating layer, also the thickness request and test request. Actually many factor can influence the price, for example, if plating chrome layer on a very small piece will be cheaper. But plating same on the metal piece is expensive.

And the thickness is directly affecting the cost. So both of them need analysis the actual situation. there is no comparison between the letter.

But if the same coating layer, plastic plating more expensive, because the plastic plating process is much more than metal process. And it is not easy to plating, difficulty is relatively large, the cost is high.

surface-treatment

  • Different Process

Plastic plating process noramlly: Degreasing —- Hydrophilic —- Coarsing —- Neutralization —- Preimpregnation —- Activation —- Peptization —- Chemical nickel —- Pyrophosphate copper —- Acid copper —- Nickel plating —- Chrome plating

Metal plating process: Rinsing —- Copper plating —- Semi-bright nickel plating —- Bright nickel plating —- Drying

  • Different characteristic

Plastic plating is characterized by itself is not conductive, need to conduct conductive treatment, that is activation and chemical plating, so that the surface firmly attached to a layer of metal film. And then after-process and metal plating is same.

  • Different Design

Metal plating products due to the hardware itself can be energized, only need to consider the product itself, but plastic electroplating products not only to consider the structure of the product itself, also need to consider the product layout, nozzle design. Plastic plating if there is no suitable electroplating nozzle, will result in electroplating deformation and can’t do the plating process.