At Great Lakes Metal Finishing, we know that many companies struggle to produce a deep consistent black finish without brown coloration, or an iridescent appearance to the coating. With over 40 years of experience, we’ve developed a process that allows for deep consistent finishes every time. The consistency of our coatings not only contribute to the aesthetics of the finished product, but also to the long term durability and corrosion resistance of the product.
Why choose Great Lakes Metal Finishing for your plating needs
- More consistent black zinc finishes for a higher degree of corrosion protection
- Deeper black finishes, and more visually appealing plating, for parts that will be visible
We operate in a 40,000 square foot facility in Erie, PA, where we continue to provide the highest level quality of metal coating, customer service, and environmental compliance.
Great Lakes Metal Finishing prides itself on strict quality control, responsive customer service, and stringent environmental compliance. We can ship most orders within 48 hours, and we can also expedite your order so that it’s shipped within 24 hours.
Great Lakes Metal Finishing is a leader in zinc and zinc nickel electroplating industry, and has been recognized by industry publications for our plating capabilities and our license for high salt spray Trivalent Chromates and JS Sealers. This technology has been greenlighted for use by GM, Ford, Chrysler, Audi, Delphi, and others.
Choose Great Lake Metal Finishing for all your plating needs
The Trivalent Passivate and Hexavalent Chromate Coatings Involved
Trivalent passivate and hexavalent chromate are the two main conversion coatings used in the black zinc plating process. Both coatings occur in aqueous solutions and are applied in the same manner.
Hexavalent black zinc platings have a lustrous, non-iridescent black appearance. Hexavalent platings have a corrosion protection minimum of 96hrs till white, and a self-healing durable resistance for any scratches it may encounter. A trivalent zinc coating has a shiny dark black appearance with a corrosion protection minimum of 120hrs till white. Trivalent plating is remarkably durable and provides abrasion resistance. The plating industry is seeing a transition from hexavalent to trivalent coatings to meet RoHS regulations.
Great Lakes Metal Finishing offers both trivalent black zinc plating and hexavalent black chromate as two of our many options for zinc plating. We offer these electroplating options in both rack plating and barrel plating processes. Our hexavalent black, however, is available only in the barrel plating process. With GLMF’s automated zinc electroplating lines and on-site lab, customers receive dependable results from the first part processed, to the last piece of the line.
The Black Zinc Plating Process
Zinc plating involves an electrolytic application of zinc to metal by immersing clean steel parts into a zinc plating bath and applying electric current to it. Black zinc coating acts as a barrier to protect the steel from many damages such as corrosion, and improves the appearance.
Great Lakes Metal Finishing’s process applies a thin layer of zinc ranging from .0001” and .001”, to the bare steel surface. GLMF performs on-site daily testing of our cleaners, acids, plating tanks, passivates, and chromates to ensure that they are all in compliance with ideal operating parameters. After the zinc plating is created, a trivalent black passivate coating is applied to the surface to increase longevity.
Industries That Use The Black Zinc Plating Process
The black zinc plating process is applied where OEMs want an excellent product to protect against the corrosion of steel. Industries that typically deal with products that have black zinc platings include:
- Automotive
- Electronic
- Heavy Truck
While there are many applications for black zinc plating GLMF extensively works with the automotive industry. Corrosion resistance is perhaps the greatest benefit derived from zinc plating because it enables consumers to keep their vehicles on the road longer and reduces corrosion-related repair costs.
Zinc plating products in the automotive and heavy truck industry include
- Fluid transfer tubes, which can be deformed into their required shape
- Fasteners, particularly in areas susceptible to high corrosion like under the hood, in chassis joints, and in the vehicle’s brakes
- Connecting rods
- Nuts, bolts, and brackets
GLMF also works extensively with the electronics industry, which uses the black zinc plating process for applications including
- Connectors
- Boxes
- Housings
Great Lakes Metal Finishing uses our highly refined black zinc plating process to contribute to industries like the automotive industry, heavy truck, and the general transportation industry. Our black zinc plating is also used in the electronics and industrial hardware industries. Choosing GLMF for black zinc plating will give you a deeper black zinc finish, a higher degree of corrosion protection, and a visually appealing plating that is more consistent than other plating companies can provide.
We look forward to working with you on your next plating project.