Blog

Here at Qualitetch, we are experts in what we do. Photo etching or chemical etching is what we do best, and we pride ourselves on offering a comprehensive range of options so that you have the freedom to fully customise your product in order to meet the exact specifications of your individual manufacturing requirements.

We recognise that your every manufacturing requirement is unique and that no two components are ever the same. For that exact reason, we can offer you many variations on the etching processes that we provide.

An added extra for photo etching

Our vast selection of finishes and plating are specially tailored to our customer’s needs. We offer a wide range of finishes so that you will be able to select one that works best for each of your bespoke components, creating a highly individualised approach to photo etching or chemical etching.

Often, products such as jewellery use plating for aesthetic reasons, although it can also be used to promote functionality in completely separate products. This is especially relevant because plating actually provides a large number of benefits. These include: strengthening the product, protecting it from corrosion, and reducing friction.

However, due to the fact that our products utilise plating and finishing for such a wide variety of reasons, it is particularly necessary to ensure that we are using an equally wide variety of differing finishings to complement our photo etching services. These are designed to be equally suitable for each specific component and its role.

But with such a large variety available, how do you know which finish is going to be best for you?

Plating options

We offer four main plating options:

• Gold plating – Gold plating is one of the most popular methods of plating. It involves applying a thin layer of gold to the surface of the component, usually via a chemical plating process. It can be used for jewellery, circuit boards, and electronic parts.
• Silver plating – Silver plating is widely used across a range of products. It can also be applied in various ways. Silver plating is one of the more versatile types of plating available, and its uses can include cutlery, jewellery and decoration.
• Copper plating – This method takes a little longer than the others due to the nature of the process. Copper is often combined with other materials to improve the product as a whole.
• Tin plating – There are two methods of tin plating. Tinning, as it is sometimes known, is primarily used for tin cans but can also be used for cheap saucepans and other similar products.

Finishing options

At Qualitetch we have a large range of finishing options available to you. Some of the finishings that we can currently offer include:

• Rhodium – Rhodium is a rare but highly in-demand metal, often combined with other metals because of its rarity. It is prized for its durability, and as a finish is very reflective and resistant to most acids.
• Cadmium – As a by-product of zinc, cadmium is a malleable material, popular as a corrosion-resistant finish for steel.
• Palladium – This is a very rare material but is used in an extensive range of industries. It has a low melting point and is particularly good under pressure.

Of course, this isn’t a comprehensive list of all the plating and finishings we have available. For further detail on the finishes which we can offer you, please get in touch.

From the entire team here at Qualitetch, we’d like to wish you all a very Happy New Year!