Comprehensive Reel-to-Reel Plating Capabilities
AEP provides overall and selective reel-to-reel plating services for various materials supplied on reels. Common reeled material comes in the form of flat stock, blanked parts, and stamped contacts. Our capabilities include overall plating, controlled depth plating, selective stripe plating, and selective masking Plating. All these options minimize precious metal usage while maintaining superior quality.
What Is Reel-to-Reel Plating?
Reel-to-Reel plating is an electroplating method that applies thin layers of metal onto stamped, blanked or flat stock materials. Typically, reels are loaded onto a payout station so the product can pass down the line in a linear fashion.
As the product passes through the line, it enters cleaning tanks, acid activators, underplate and top plate bath and are then taken back up onto another reel. Selective reel-to-reel plating uses only the precise amount of metal needed to be applied in specific areas.
Learn more about selective reel-to-reel plating.
Our Reel to Reel Plating Services
With the help of our Fabrication Division of American Electro Products, we are able to maintain and upgrade our reel-to-reel plating lines, as well as build the necessary tooling in house to plate your parts.
We perform the following Reel-to-Reel Plating Methods:
- Controlled Depth Plating
- Overall Plating
- Stripe Plating
- Masking Plating
See our Plating Capabilities Matrix for more information.
Types of Reel-to-Reel Plating
This process can be performed using several specialized methods, each tailored to specific part geometries and coverage requirements. There are four common approaches.
Reel-to-Reel Controlled Depth Plating
- Plating can be deposited overall or selectively
- Applicable to both stamped parts and flat stock material
- Controlled Depth Selective plating is limited to the edge of the part on one or both sides of the material
Reel-to-Reel Stripe Plating
- Plating is deposited selectively on exposed areas
- Works on stamped parts or flat stock material
- Can be applied to any area of the part, on one or both sides
- Capable of multiple stripes and in multiple widths
Reel-to-Reel Tape Masking Plating
- The protected area is masked with tape so that the plating is applied continuously to non-taped areas
- Used on flat stock material
- Can be masked on one or both sides
- Can be combined with other technologies (i.e. stripe or controlled depth)
Advantages of Selective Reel-to-Reel Plating
Compared to continuous electroplating methods, reel-to-reel plating:
- Is ideal for plating connectors used in data, telecommunications, automotive, medical, aerospace and related fields.
- Applies a specific amount of metal, reducing overall plating costs.
- Improves conductivity, durability and longevity by producing more accurate and consistent parts.
- Minimizes any plating bath contamination with cleaning tanks placed throughout the line.
- Precisely deposits metal in the critical zone providing excellent protection against corrosion.
Learn more about all types of electroplating techniques to determine the best one for your job.