Barrel, Rack and Jigging Explained
.png)
.png)
Silchrome Plating always endeavour to process our customer’s parts in the most cost effective manner that will achieve the desired specification. You may have heard about Barrel, Rack and Jigging when talking with us about finishing your parts, but what does those terms mean?
Barrel Plating
Barrel Plating is typically used to process a high number of smaller sized components. The barrel contains centreboards which conduct the electrical current, and is immersed into an electrolytic plating solution. The barrel slowly rotates, causing the components to tumble or cascade thus providing an even, uniform coating. This is typically used for components such as stampings or fasteners, but may not always be suitable as certain parts such as washers which have a tendency to stick together.
Rack Plating
Rack Plating is typically used on components that are larger in size, complex in nature or are more fragile than say Nuts and Bolts. Components are affixed to metal racks which are then immersed into the plating solution, remaining static in the process. The amount of components we can rack plate at any one time depends on the process that is selected, the size of the parts and their geometry.
Jigging
Jigging is essentially the method in which parts are suspended during the process. This serves a dual process as a jig not only holds the component, but being metallic will also provide electrical contact. If there is not a natural place in which the jig can hold the component, then this may leave a witness mark after the metal finishing process has occurred. For large sized components, for example Gaskets, Silchrome may develop specialist jigs and fixtures in order to obtain the best finishing results.
Silchrome Plating always aim to ensure we can provide the highest quality plating in the most cost effective manner and offer one of the widest arrays of metal finishing processes in the UK. We are fully ISO 9001 and 14001 accredited and carry out all our work from our modern facility in Leeds, West Yorkshire.
