Electroless Plating surface finish
Electroless Plating applied by YiguProto

Surface finish

Electroless Plating for CNC & Molded Parts

Electroless plating deposits nickel without electricity. It gives a perfectly even, hard, corrosion-resistant coat.

  • Uniform thickness on any shape, including holes.
  • Hard, low-friction, rust-proof surface.

What it is

What Is Electroless Plating?

Electroless plating (usually electroless nickel) uses a chemical bath to deposit a nickel-phosphorus alloy. No electric current is used. The coating grows evenly everywhere, even inside bores and on threads. It is hard, corrosion-resistant, and has low friction.

Phosphorus content controls corrosion and hardness. High-phosphorus gives the best corrosion resistance.

How it works

How Electroless Plating Works

Clean & activate

We remove oil, scale, and oxide from the surface.

Catalyze

A catalyst seeds the surface for autocatalytic plating.

Immersion bath

The part sits in the nickel bath and metal builds evenly.

Rinse & measure

We rinse and check thickness and appearance.

Heat treat (optional)

A bake can raise hardness further.

Thickness is set by time in the bath, so complex parts come out uniform.

Why choose it

Benefits of Electroless Plating

Even everywhere

Same thickness on flats, holes, and edges.

Corrosion resistance

Excellent, especially high-phosphorus nickel.

Hard & wear proof

Resists abrasion and scoring.

Low friction

Smooth, non-stick working surface.

Solderable / bondable

Good base for further finishing.

Typical specs

Typical Electroless Plating Specifications

SpecificationTypical range / valueNotes
DepositNickel-phosphorus (Ni-P)
Phosphorus2–12 % by content
Thickness5 – 50 µm controllable
HardnessUp to ~1000 HV (after heat treat)
Base materialsSteel, aluminium, copper, brass

Best applications

When to Use Electroless Plating

Valve & pump parts

Bores and seats need even coating.

Electronics

EMI shields and contacts.

Molds & fixtures

Wear and release surfaces.

Oil & gas parts

Corrosion in harsh fluids.

Materials

Compatible Materials for Electroless Plating

We apply Electroless Plating to the materials below. Not sure if your material qualifies? Our engineers will confirm it for free.

SteelAluminiumCopperBrassStainless steel

Our solution

Our Electroless Plating Solution

We plate electroless nickel with controlled phosphorus and thickness. We help you choose low, mid, or high phosphorus for your environment.

  • Uniform coating on internal and hidden surfaces.
  • High-phosphorus option for best corrosion resistance.
  • Post-bake to harden the deposit.
  • Machining and plating under one roof.
We measure deposit thickness and adhesion on every batch for full traceability.

Design tips

Design & DFM Tips for Electroless Plating

Pick for complexity

Best when the shape is irregular or has holes.

Mask contact areas

Mark surfaces that must stay bare.

Heat treat for hardness

A post-bake raises Ni-P hardness.

FAQ

Electroless Plating — Frequently Asked Questions

Send your drawings or 3D files. Most quotes come back within a few hours on business days, never more than 24 hours.
Yes. All customer files and ideas are treated as confidential. We sign NDAs when needed.
Yes. Our engineers review your design and suggest changes that cut cost, improve quality, or speed up delivery.
For Electroless Plating, we support one-off prototypes and full production runs. There is no strict MOQ.
We can make samples for your approval. Cost depends on the process, and it is credited back on a production order.
A nickel-phosphorus coating deposited by chemical reaction, not electricity.
Very even, including inside holes and on threads.
High phosphorus for corrosion; low/mid for hardness and wear.
Yes, after proper zincate activation.

Need Electroless Plating on your parts?

Send your files and get a finish recommendation + factory-direct quote.

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