In part one of this blog series, we gave an overview of plating to accomplish a specific function, such as solderability, corrosion resistance, enhanced thermal or electrical conductivity, or appearance. Here we’ll dive a little deeper and examine two of the most common methods, and an alternative to plating that’s worth considering too.
Electric vehicles (EV) are on the move. According to McKinsey, “OEMs plan to launch around 400 new BEVs by 2025, with a strong focus on medium-sized and large vehicles.” And numbers from Statista project that EV sales will grow from about 26 percent of all vehicle sales in 2030 to over 80 percent by 2050.
Progressive stamped parts sometimes require a top layer of material over the base metal to accomplish a specific function, such as solderability, corrosion resistance, enhanced thermal or electrical conductivity, or appearance. Electroplating is a common way to apply material and is often efficient and cost-effective. In this blog, we’ll look at how electroplating works, and in part two, we’ll focus more on two of the most common methods, plus an alternative to plating that’s worth considering too.
These days when it seems everything has gone digital, it’s easy to forget about all the mechanical components that are critical to electronics and batteries, especially in cars and trucks. Industry leaders, governments, and citizens all want to reduce carbon emissions and rely less on fossil fuels. At the same time, semi-autonomous and “smart” vehicles are gaining popularity for safety reasons, driver convenience, and e-mobility.
As with any commodity, metal prices are influenced by a number of factors: mining and production costs, supply chain factors, tariffs, and more. Here’s a quick look at what drives prices of the metals that go into stampings.