In-service failure of equipment and components cannot be tolerated, and intervals between required maintenance should, ideally, be extended as far as possible. Depending on the environment in which components will operate, a particular type and thickness of electroplated metal deposit can be applied to protect against corrosion from chemicals, vibration and wear, moisture ingress, and temperature extremes.
When a component reaches the final surface treatment stage, significant time and money will already have been invested in processing it, which can be important depending on the application involved. Meanwhile, components being repaired or refurbished may have significant life left in them and it is vital that their full value be extracted. Ensuring optimum performance in plating, especially the repair and refurbishment of components, can be a significant challenge for manufacturers and one that they may feel is best left to an external specialist handling the work on a sub-contract basis.