Plating on plastics
Modern designs and high performance
Quick facts
- Comprehensive product range for plating on plastics
- Processes for conventional and direct plating on plastics such as ABS, ABS/PC, PA, PP and exotic plastics as well as additive manufactured (3D printing) plastics like PA, epoxides, acrylates and other exotic plastics
- Outstanding selective plating properties and efficiency
- Auxiliary equipment to reduce environmental impact and production costs
Applications
- Automotive exterior and interior parts (e.g. trim, handles, emblems), shower heads, fashion and cosmetics
- Applications within automotive, sanitary, plumbing, furniture, consumer electronics, consumer goods, cosmetics and fashion industries
Plastic pretreatment chemicals
Plating on plastics
Features and benefits
- Comprehensive solutions for plating on plastics
- Adhemax® for conventional plating ABS, PP and ABS/PC blends with outstanding selective plating properties
- Reduced number of process and rinsing steps for direct plating ABS and ABS/PC blends with NeoLink® E
- Adhemax® PA for plating on polyamide (PA)
- Covertron®: Cr-free pretreatment process family for ABS, ABS/PC, PP and exotic plastics
- Processes for additive manufactured (3D printing) plastics like PA, epoxides, acrylates and other exotic plastics
Featured products
Auxiliary systems
More efficiency in a sustainable way
Highlighting our commitment to sustainability, we offer auxiliary equipment in addition to exceptional plating processes. Designed to reduce chemical consumption and extend bath lives, MKS’ Atotech auxiliary systems for decorative electroplating share the same major benefits: cost-efficient production, environmentally friendly production and consistent plating quality.
Our equipment ranges from ion exchange systems for nickel or trivalent chrome plating electrolytes to regeneration systems for nickel electrolytes.
Covertron®
Cr-free plastics pretreatment processes
In April 2013, chromium trioxide was added to REACH’s Substances of Very High Concern (SVHC) list. After the so-called sunset date, September 21, 2017, the use of chromium trioxide requires authorization.
In response to REACH and because of our commitment to eliminating hazardous chemicals from our product range, we offer Cr-free processes, which meet the current technical requirements of the industry.
Additive manufacturing
MKS’ Atotech solution to digital manufacturing
Additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing has been gaining more interest within the last few years. This method of rapid manufacturing allows for designs of high complexity, designs which are not fabricable via conventional technologies.
Due to the high variety of 3D printed polymer types and the different printing technologies, such as photopolymerization, powder bed fusion, and material extrusion, metallization on a production scale of those 3D printed parts offers new challenges to the industry.
We have developed pretreatment processes for plastic metallization that work on a variety of 3D printed materials. Utilizing the freedom of design that additive manufacturing provides, in combination with plating metal finishes for decorative as well as functional applications, generates new opportunities in automotive, consumer goods, and other applications.
