Mechanical zinc plating is an essential process for making metals more resistant, especially to corrosion. It differs from electrolytic zinc plating in the process used: in electrolytic plating, parts are immersed in a zinc-based electrolytic solution at low temperatures; in mechanical zinc plating, the process runs at higher temperatures and zinc powder is rubbed onto the metal inside a rotating drum that tumbles the parts.
Which is better, mechanical zinc plating or electrolytic plating? It depends on the end result and how the part will be used, but as a rule mechanical zinc plating has the edge, for several reasons.
- Mechanical zinc plating is cheaper – Working on large quantities, mechanical zinc plating can be done quickly and at very low cost.
- Mechanical zinc plating is more resistant – Compared with electrolytic plating, mechanically applied zinc proves much more resistant in the long term, which is why it is often preferred.
And that’s not all: because it works at high temperatures, mechanical zinc plating applies the zinc powder in a much more resistant, durable way. Zinc plating makes the surface of materials more resistant. It is a very important process (for both mechanical and electrolytic plating), because it makes metals sturdier and able to resist corrosion.