When one speaks of black chromium plating, often we imagine it combined with a lacquer and therefore inevitably of random accuracy. And yet when this operation is made properly, it provides important benefits both in terms of protection, hardness and aesthetics. Parts are finished once chromium plated and require no lacquer or any other further processing. Meeting in Corgémont with Christian Jungen, director of Bicrom SA, a company that places high chromium plating at the rank of (…)

A material that can replace gold on electrical contacts has been developed by Swedish company Impact Coatings. Silver MaxPhase™ is a metal alloy that performs like gold in terms of electrical conductivity and resistance to wear and corrosion, but at a fraction of the cost. This offers significant savings and cost control for connectors and other electrical components. Using Silver MaxPhase is also a substantially better environmental choice than gold plating, as no hazardous chemicals are (…)

Umicore Electroplating has created a unique surface finish : Rhoduna® Alloy, the queen of noble surfaces. The colour just as white as that of pure rhodium, the surface more uniform and abrasion-resistant. At the same time, the "White Queen" is about 20 percent cheaper than pure rhodium layers. Rhoduna® Alloy - the first pure white electrolytic rhodium alloy in the world. Rhoduna® Alloy has been specifically developed for jewellery manufacturers. When the precious metal rhodium reached a (…)