Frequently Asked Questions

Why does it cost so much?
Cost is a reflection of the amount of work we do on your part. If you have read the section on how finishing is done, you will see that an enormous amount of time and energy goes into every plated part. Each piece is hand processed through as many as forty tanks and fifty different procedures using 14 different skilled employees. There are no short cuts to processing your part the right way. We strive to give you the best value possible. Our mission statement is to provide the very best value and quality to ensure a loyal customer.

What happens to my part?
Once you ship your part to AC Plating the action begins. We itemize and take a digital picture of your parts. The sales team estimates how much they think it should cost to process your parts. After you have approved the cost, we begin our work. First a traveler with picture is attached to your basket of parts. We strip off the old plate, grind, polish, copper plate, copper buff and inspect. The final two plating steps are nickel then chromed before going through final inspection and wrapped for shipping. Our job is done once you receive the parts and approve our workmanship.

How is metal finishing done?
There are many steps to ensure your part comes out the very best it can. First, all parts must be free of old plate, paint, rust, scale, oil and any other types of covering on the metal. This is accomplished by stripping the part in a special tank designed to remove a specific element. For instance, paint is removed from steel in a hot caustic tank. Next the part is polished to a pit free, 400 grit finish. Depending on the condition of the metal, polishing can be from one to four steps to achieve the necessary base. After stripping and polishing the item moves to the plating department, where it is inspected and attached to copper racks for the plating cycle. The first step of plating is to clean and activate. In triple plating, the part would be copper, then nickel and finally chromed. Understanding these basic steps helps you communicate with your plater.