Skip to content

Plating know-how

Zinc or zinc-nickel? Choosing the right finish for your part

The two most common finishes on automotive parts differ in corrosion resistance, heat resistance and cost. Here is how to choose.

Zinc-nickel plated parts — silverP-46 · interim

Zinc plating

Zinc plating electro-deposits a layer of zinc on steel. Zinc corrodes sacrificially before the steel does, giving solid rust protection at a sensible cost — ideal for brackets, wire rods, shafts, nuts and general parts.

At Chayatat we run a non-cyanide alkaline zinc bath, which builds an even coating on complex shapes, followed by trivalent (Cr³⁺) passivation in silver/blue, yellow or black to the customer's specification.

Zinc-nickel plating

Zinc-nickel is an alloy of zinc and nickel. It generally resists corrosion several times longer than plain zinc and holds up better when parts get hot, which is why it is popular for underbody, engine-bay and brake components.

Which one should you choose?

Zinc Zinc-nickel
Corrosion resistance Good Very high
Heat resistance Moderate Good
Cost Lower Higher
Typical parts Interior parts, brackets, wire Underbody parts, tubes, shafts, hubs

The deciding factor is always the customer specification — thickness, passivation colour and salt-spray hours. Our team is happy to review your spec and recommend a finish. Contact us

All news
ShareFacebookLINE

Start your plating project

Send us your drawing or spec — we’ll quote and recommend the right finish