Unique to Electromold Australia is our process Nicocover™ . Nicocover™ is an Electroless Nickel Plating (ENP) process and as it's name suggests, requires NO electric current to make it plate. Nicocover™ has a deposit that is one of the most accurate in reproducing surface texture and shape. It is also one of the best corrosion resistant plating processes available today.
On most substrates the deposit is pore free and unlike electrolytic plating, the thickness of electroless deposits are plated evenly over the entire surface even on complex parts. Blind holes, threads, small diameter holes, recesses or internal areas receive the same amount of plating as sharp corners, edges or external surfaces. Therefore, very close tolerances can be maintained and although Nicocover™ deposits can be machined, in 90% of cases machining to size is frequently eliminated.
Some of Nicocover's™ properties include a hardness of between 50 to 70 Rockwell C, excellent lubricity and wear resistance, 100% uniformity, an excellent bond to base materials and a superior corrosion resistance. It may be deposited onto many different materials including, High and Low Carbon Steels, Cast Iron, Aluminium, Copper and Copper Alloys, Brass and Brass Alloys, Nitrided and other hardened Steels, Stainless Steels and many more. Nicocover complies with AMS-2404, MIL-C-26074, AMS-C-26074
Due to its hardness, lubricity, wear resistance, and uniform deposit thickness, Nicocover™ should be considered whenever there is a need for a hard, smooth, corrosion resistant, and uniformly plated coating.
Some of the advantages of Nicocover™ are:
- Superior Corrosion Resistance.
- High hardness. Between 50 to 70 Rockwell C. ( Even on Aluminium )
- Excellent wear resistance, superior to Hard chrome.
- Free from porosity, lamination, cracking and other defects.
- Completely uniform deposit - reproduces the finish of the substrate being plated.
- Hard surfacing of Aluminium parts and other soft materials.
- Can easily be soldered.
- No corner or edge build up.
- Replaces exotic and more expensive materials.
- The deposit is ductile so NO chipping or flaking will occur.
- Self lubricating property, providing excellent release and anti-galling properties.
- Self polishing surface for moulding operations.
- Eliminates post machining and minimises handling.
- Salvages worn or mis-machined parts.
- Improves equipment performance and reliability.
- Reduces investment and operating costs.
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Nicocover™ deposits have greater corrosion and chemical resistant properties than any other surface coating. The low porosity combined with the characteristic uniformity of the deposit and its high inherent corrosion resistance, results in an excellent coating for use in corrosive environments.
Nicocover™ coatings have passed the 180° bend test specified by MIL-C-26074B without any signs of flaking. There will usually be microscopic cracks in the coating parallel to the direction of bending. This cracking is normally not accompanied by flaking and demonstrates that the adhesion and ductility of the coating is greater than most other surface treatments.
Nicocover™ coatings have passed the thermal shock test where a sample is heated to 250°C in an oven and quenched in cold water. Under 4x magnification there will be no signs of blistering or loss of adhesion.
Nicocover™ coatings have passed the punch test where a sample is subjected to an indentation made by a spring-loaded centre punch which has a ground point with a 0.2mm radius. There will be no blistering or flaking as the nickel is ductile and will flex with the base material.
As plated, the Nicocover™ deposit has a hardness of approximately 50 Rockwell C. This can be increased to approximately 70 Rockwell C (1000 Vickers) by heat treating at 350 to 400°C for one hour. This is a very stable form of heat treating as there is no quenching or sudden temperature change involved. Further heating above 400°C tends to reduce the hardness, but at the same time increases the ductility due to the growth in crystal size. A minimum deposit thickness of 0.025mm (.001") is necessary for maximum hardness.
The hardness of electroless nickel coatings can be determined using ASTM B-578 "Micro Hardness Testing of Coatings".
Nicocover™ deposits duplicate the brightness, texture and finish of the substrate surface 100%. This is critical in the plastic moulding industry on their product areas of the moulds, for restoration work on vintage cars and motor cycles. It is also important to obtain the correct surface finish on parts that are being plated for not only corrosion protection and hard facing but the plating must also look good to enhance their selling properties.
Excellent results have been obtained plating with Nicocover™ on the following substrates : Aluminium Alloys, Copper Alloys, Beryllium, Low Carbon Steels, High Carbon Steel, Cast Iron, Nickel and Nickel-Chrome Alloys, Stainless Steel, Hardened Tool Steels and Nitrided Steels. Some of the above materials do require special pre-treatments.
Electroless nickel deposits are covered by MIL-C-26074E entitled "Coatings, Electroless Nickel, Requirements for" and by SAE specifications AMS 2404A and AMS 2405. These specifications spell out the requirements for the final coating and not the requirements of the solution or the process used to obtain the coating. When used in accordance with the operating instructions, electroless nickel solutions will produce electroless nickel deposits which will meet all the requirements of MIL-C-26074B, ASTM B733, ASTM B656, AMS 2404B and AMS 2405.
Nicocover™ deposits have many and varied useful properties which generally are functional as well as decorative. So due to its hardness, lubricity, wear resistance, and uniform deposit thickness, Nicocover™ should be considered whenever there is a need for a hard, smooth, corrosion resistant, and uniformly distributed coating.
Examples of some typical parts that can be plated with Nicocover™ are given below. Naturally, no such list can include all of the possible uses for Nicocover™. At best, such a list can present a cross section of the various uses.
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Aluminium Blow Moulding Dies |
Front End Loaders |
Extrusion Dies & Press Screws |
Hydraulic Rams |
Aluminium Machine Parts |
Labelling Machines |
Backhoe Turret |
Lift equipment |
Blow Moulding Dies |
Moulding Machine Parts |
Brass Polyurethane Foam Cup Dies |
Plastic Injection Moulding Dies |
Measuring Equipment |
Sand Casting Dies and Patterns |
Calibrating Equipment |
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Cast Iron Machine Parts |
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Cope and Drag Patterns
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Air-conditioner Components |
Bolts (High tensile) |
Computer Discs |
Bearing Journals |
Build Up of worn parts |
Computer Housings |
Conveyor Chains |
Connectors |
Decorative Applications |
Diodes |
Dies |
Drive Mechanism |
Dry Cleaning Equipment |
Heat Sinks |
Flow Control Valves |
Laser Mirrors |
Gun Parts |
Memory Discs |
Heating Elements
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Microwave Components |
Hydraulic Cylinders and Pistons |
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Printed Circuit Board |
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Marine Equipment |
Resistors |
Medical Equipment |
Transistors |
Oil Field Drilling Equipment Oil |
Nozzles |
Plastic, Glass and Foundry Moulds |
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Pneumatic Parts |
Printing Rollers |
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Aluminium Printing Rollers |
Flap Guides |
Bolts (High tensile) |
Engine Components |
Pumps |
Gyroscopes |
Steel Rollers |
Missile System Parts |
Landing Gear Components |
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Butterfly & Ball Valves |
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Chemical Blending Tanks and Equipment |
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Filters |
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Fire Control Pumps (Ships) |
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Heat Exchangers |
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Impellers |
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Pumps, Housings and Impellers |
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Tubing |
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Valve Components |
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Bakery Dough Trays |
Gang Knives |
Conveyor Chains & Rollers |
Slicing Blades |
Doughnut Cutters |
Mixing Blades |
Food Presses |
Pumps |
Forming Equipment |
Valves |
Meat Hooks |
Packaging Equip. |
Mixing Bowls |
Hooks |
Steam Trays |
Presses |
Troughs & Rollers |
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Aluminium Brake Discs |
Exhaust Pipes |
Carburettor Components |
Extractors |
Cylinders |
Rocker Covers |
Differential Pinion |
Cross Shafts |
Dyno Parts |
Inlet & Exhaust Manifolds |
Gears and Gear Assemblies |
Restoration Parts |
Brake Disc Adaptors |
Bolts (High tensile) |
Aluminium Tooth Pulleys |
Pistons |
Racing Car Parts (Aluminium) |
Turbine Blades |
Aluminium Brake Callipers |
Valves |
Electromold's technical services are available at all times to ensure that the correct treatment is used for your particular application. Our qualified staff will be please to visit you for any further on site technical support you may need without obigation.
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Phosphorous Content |
10.0 to 12.00 Wgt, % |
Melting Point (eutectic) |
880 to 1400 °C. |
Coefficient of Friction, ASTM D-2714 |
0.3 - 0.4 Dry |
Thermal Conductivity |
0.0105 to .0135 cal/cm/sec/'C |
Electrical Resistivity |
50 to 100 micron-cm |
Bond Strength (Ring shear method) |
Carbon Steel 40,000 - 60,000 psi.
Aluminium 15,000 - 35,000 psi. |
Magnetic Properties |
Non Magnetic |
Hardness Rockwell C |
75 um - 50g load, deposit, steel
As plated 48 R C - 50 R C
Heat Treated @ 1 hr., 400°C 68 R C - 70 R C |
Wear Properties |
Taber Abrasion Wear Test
As plated 15 to 18 mg Wgt
loss /1000 cycles
Heat Treated @ 1 hr., 400°C 3 to 6 mg Wgt
loss /1000 cycles |
Corrosion Related Properties |
Salt Spray Test * (ASTM B 117 or AS2331.3.1)
35°C, 5% NaC1, 25 um deposit.
Hours to first corrosion spot
2024 Aluminium 1000+
1010 Carbon Steel 1000+ |
Nitric Acid Test |
Conc. nitric acid 42° Be'
30 sec., room temp. Pass **
25 um, steel |
Hydrochloric Acid Test |
50% HCl 3 min., room temp. Pass **
25um, steel
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*Test is performed on a flat panel. More complex or rough parts may show initial spotting in fewer hours. Salt spray test is primarily a porosity test and is only affective as a screening tool to show the differences afforded by alternative processes. It is not, however, a quantitative corrosion test.
** Fail is indicated by any significant discolouration of the deposit.
If you require any further information regarding this process or any of Electromold Australia's plating processes, please contact us on +61 3 9464 0922 and one of our technical staff will be able to assist you.
(Clice Here for PDF Brochure)
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