As with any coating process, surface preparation is critical to the successful adhesion of electroless nickel-plating to the base material. In other words, any previous coatings or corrosion must be masked or removed. Several options are available for the removal of these coatings:

Abrasive blasting
ENP has an onsite bead blasting cabinet for smaller parts
as well as a sandblasting room for large pieces.

Passivation
Stainless steel pieces that have been machined or have surface contamination from other sources can be passivated in a nitric acid solution
to prepare them for plating.

Vibratory Finishing
For small parts in large quantities that have light corrosion, vibratory finishing may be the answer. ENP has a 25 cu.ft. capacity vibratory machine.

Masking
To isolate specific areas for plating or to protect a previous coating, vinyl “paint” can be applied to mask these areas. This mask coating can be easily removed after the plating process.

Chemical Stripping

Previously plated components that cannot be abrasively cleaned due to surface finish or dimensional concerns can be chemically stripped. Through the use of alkaline or acidic stripping methods, chrome, zinc, or nickel can be removed to prepare surfaces for application of electroless nickel. Electroless Nickel Plating of La. has both of these methods at their disposal.