Selection and Comparison of Common Mould Surface Treatment Technologies
Introduction
Surface treatment is an indispensable process of mould manufacturing. It can not only improve the appearance and performance of the product, but also extend the service life of the mould. This article will introduce several common surface treatment technologies for moulds and compare their advantages and disadvantages.
Selection of Surface Treatment Technology
1. Electroplating
Electroplating is a process in which metal ions are deposited on the surface of a product to form a metal film layer through electrolysis. This is a widely used surface treatment technology for molds. It is suitable for processes such as stamping, punching, hot forging and die forging. This method can meet the surface requirements of molds under operations such as pressing, deep drawing, cutting, which have high requirements for wear resistance, corrosion resistance and forming.
Advantages: First, the coating has good uniformity and continuity, and it is not easy to be damaged during daily use and maintenance. Second, it can form a layer of wear-resistant and corrosion-resistant protection film on the surface of the mould.
Disadvantage: The cost of electroplating is relatively high, and the material waste brought by the electroplating process is also very large.
2. Hard Chrome Plating
This is a kind of metal surface treatment technology, also known as chrome plating. It is a process to electrolyze metal or metal compound as the plating solution, and deposit various metal or metal compounds on the metal surface. Hard chrome plating plays an important role in metal surface wear and corrosion resistance.
Advantages: First, it has good wear resistance and corrosion resistance properties. Second, it is easy to form a continuous and uniform coating layer.
Disadvantage: This process will produce many toxic substances and water vapor. If the workshop is not equipped with a suitable exhaust gas treatment system, it will cause certain environmental pollution.
3. Chemical Nickel
This is a kind of surface treatment technology with the help of chemical nickel solution. It is mainly used in the surface treatment of hardware, molds and other mechanical components. Chemical nickel can form a layer of protective film on the surface, so as to improve the wear and corrosion resistance of the parts.
Advantages: First, this method is relatively environmentally friendly and does not produce dust particles. Second, it has a short production cycle and can meet the needs of mass production.
Disadvantage: This method does not have strong impact resistance and its wear resistance is slightly worse.
4. Iron Phosphating
Iron phosphate coating is a kind of surface treatment technology of metal products. It is mainly used to deposit a layer of iron phosphate protective film on the surface of the product by chemical method. The advantages of iron phosphating are that it is not easy to be damaged during daily use, it has good corrosion resistance, it is easy to operate, it has low cost and it is not limited by the shape of iron phosphating parts.
Advantages: First, the iron phosphating process is relatively simple and requires a relatively low cost. Second, it is not easy to be rubbed off and has good corrosion resistance.
Disadvantage: It is not suitable for surface treatment of components with complex shapes and has poor heat resistance.
Comparison
In terms of cost, iron phosphating is the most cost-effective surface treatment technology for molds, and chemical nickel is slightly more expensive than it. In terms of environmental protection, chemical nickel is better than electroplating. In terms of performance, hard chrome plating is the best, followed by chemical nickel, electroplating and iron phosphating.
Conclusion
The surface treatment technology of molds should be selected according to its material, shape, performance requirements and cost. Generally speaking, iron phosphating has the lowest cost and good characteristics, while hard chrome plating has the best performance. Of course, the actual surface treatment technology should be selected based on comprehensive considerations.
