Get in touch at sales@silchrome.co.uk or visit us in Leeds

0113 263 7808

Metal Finishing Services

What is Copper Plating?

Copper Plating produces a very smooth, even and ductile coating for components and is quite often used as an undercoat for other processes, for example Chrome Plating. Copper has fantastic electrical conductivity and as it is one of the few coloured metals, can be used for decorative applications when a lacquer is applied. Download our guide HERE.

What is the Process?

Copper Plating is an electro-plating technique in which parts are placed into a vat containing an electrolytic solution and a current is run into the bath promoting the build-up of the Copper onto the components. In order to obtain the best possible results, parts will first be subject to a number of pre-treatments depending on their material which are all carried out in house.

With Copper Plating, we can use different compositions to suit your specifications. We offer Cyanide, Pyrophosphate and Acid Copper Plating.

What are the Advantages?

Copper as a material is in steady supply and is relatively cheap to source when compared with other metals.

Copper is most often used as an undercoat as it is a relatively soft and malleable material that provides a high level of ductility. Copper Plating generally ‘throws well’ meaning it has strong adhesion to the base metal, even under conditions where the metal bends. This uniform coating is free from any defects that may have existed in the initial substrate and so will reduce corrosion at the base layer.

Copper also offers a high level of electrical conductivity which is exceeded only by Silver making it popular with the Electronics and Radio Wave industries and will also act as an aid to soldering,

Although Copper is not often used as a final process within engineering, it is becoming a more desirable finish for designers in Furniture. One issue with Copper is that it is prone to rust, to prevent this Silchrome ensure all of our Copper Plating for decorative applications has a lacquer applied.

Specifications Offered:

MIL-C-14550, ASTM B734, AMS 2418,

What We Offer

Silchrome Plating offer a manual rack line which can handle low volumes of components up to 1.8 meters in length and around 700mm deep.

For higher volumes we also have a Cyanide Copper Barrel Line which can process larger batches of small parts.

All of our processes are carried in house at our production facility in Leeds and Silchrome Plating are IS0 9001 AND ISO 14001 approved. You can find out more about our plating process HERE.

copper acid,pyrophosphate, cyanide platingcopper electro-plating yorkshireCopper plating microwave and electronics

  • The official logo for the Surface Engineering Association.
  • The official logos for the ISOQAR and UKAS industry regulatory bodies.
  • The official logo for the Institute of Materials Finishing.
  • The official logos for the ISOQAR and UKAS industry regulatory bodies.