Plating color options
Perfect Crafts offers over 20 eco-friendly electroplating finishes, including Antique Gold, Misty Nickel, Black Nickel, and Dual Plating, for custom lapel pins, challenge coins, medals, and keychains. All plating processes comply with RoHS and EN71-3 standards.
What Is Plating?
Plating, called Electroplating refers to the color finish on a metal surface. It can accomplish any metal color finish on one specific metal. and It is an essential process in Metal Crafts, in our lapel pin, challenge coins, medals, metal keychains, paperweights, we use the plating techniques.
ElectroPlating colors mainly include:
- Gold Plating
- Silver Plating
- Nickel Plating
- Copper Plating
- Brass Plating
- Chrome Plating
- Black Nickle Plating
- Misty Gold Plating
- Misty Nickle Plating
- Misty Nickle Plating
- Misty Copper plating
- Misty Brass Plating
- Misty Black Nickle Plating
- Misty Chrome
- Antique Gold
- Antique Silver
- Antique Nickle
- Antique Copper
- Antique Brass
- Gun and Dyed Black.
What Is Electroplating Process?
Electroplating is a kind of chemical reaction. By using the principle of electrolysis in some metal surface coated with a thin layer of other metal to make the products shiny, anti-oxidation, and improve abrasion performance. We insist on using Eco-friendly plating, which can meet the ROHS test and EN71-3 standard.
What Materials Can Be Plated? And What Can not?
In production, raw materials we used are Zinc alloy, Iron, Brass and copper, stainless steel, and Aluminum.
Among them, zinc alloy, Iron, Brass, and copper can be with all the plating color options, in Die casting process, die struck process, and photo-etched process.
Anyway, NOT all materials can be plated as some materials have their limitations. Such as Stainless steel and Aluminum, cannot.
Let’s about the stainless steel first, because of their higher strength and higher work hardening rates, which lead to difficulty in obtaining a fine surface finish.
Regarding Aluminum, it is a kind of metal very active. In the market, we see some colorful aluminum products, such as aluminum bottle opener and some metal accessories, which is an anodized aluminum technique.
Nowadays, With the development of the technique, the 304 stainless steel and aluminum can plate with the vacuum process. Because of its high cost, it is seldom used in the awards and promotional items industry.
What is Electroplating in Custom Metal Crafts?
Electroplating is an electrolytic process that coats metal surfaces with a premium color finish. It enhances durability, prevents oxidation, and delivers high-end visual appeal. We apply advanced plating techniques across all our metal products.
Electroplating Color Options Comparison Table
| Plating Finish | Visual Characteristics | Durability & Cost | Ideal Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shiny Gold / Silver | High-gloss, classic metallic shine | High durability / Standard cost | Corporate Pins, Award Medals, Premium Badges |
| Antique Gold / Silver / Copper | Vintage look, emphasizes 3D recessed details | Superior wear resistance / Moderate | Military Challenge Coins, Commemorative Medals |
| Black Nickel / Gun Metal | Dark metallic, sleek and modern | Moderate durability / Standard | Anime Lapel Pins, Tech Badges, Modern Coins |
| Misty Finish (Matte) | Non-reflective, textured matte appearance | High scratch resistance / Standard | Minimalist Pins, Tactical Badges |
| Dual Plating | Combines two different plating colors on one piece | Premium finish / Higher cost | High-Detail Recognition Awards, Collector Coins |
Material Compatibility Guide
- Compatible Materials (Zinc Alloy, Brass, Copper, Iron): Supports all plating options via die-casting, die-striking, and photo-etching processes.
- Special Treatment Materials (Stainless Steel & Aluminum): Standard electroplating does not adhere well due to surface characteristics. Anodizing or specialized vacuum plating (PVD) is required for these metals.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are your metal plating materials safe and environmentally friendly?
Yes. We strictly use eco-friendly electroplating processes that comply with international RoHS test requirements and EN71-3 safety standards.
2. Can I combine two different plating colors on a single custom item?
Absolutely. We offer Dual Plating (e.g., Shiny Gold combined with Antique Silver), which creates strong contrast and highlights intricate 3D design details.
3. Which plating finish is best for detailed 3D military challenge coins?
Antique finishes (Antique Gold, Antique Silver, Antique Bronze) are recommended for 3D designs because the dark accents in recessed areas significantly enhance depth and contrast.
