Electroplating Profile
Reprint from an article in Product Finishing Magazine, July 2002 issue Profile of Professional Plating By Beverly Graves, editor Plating electronic parts smaller than a baby's eyelash requires precision, control, engineering and an appreciation for the delicate nature of these minuscule parts. This is particularly true if the parts are going into aerospace assemblies, heaiiring aids, telecommunication devices or other electronic systems, because even a difference of a thousandth of a micron in thickness is reason for rejecting a part. This concept of precision and focus fit perfectly into Craig Ingalls, president of Professional Plating (Anoka, MN), plan for the company when he purchased it in 1997. Rather than concentrate on a small group of customers, adding finishes and services to meet their needs, Mr. Ingalls decided to focus on what Professional Plating (ProPlate®) did best, which was plate small parts with precision. "We are a technology company. We do engineered electroplating, which includes a lot of very small connector pins. There is a lot of micro miniaturization going on in the electronics world. We develop the finishing processes for these tiny parts and find the customers that need this type of electroplating," stated Mr. Ingalls. "We tend to be second tier. Our customers manufacture the parts for the bigger name companies, such as Motorola, Compaq Computer, IBM and other telecommunications companies." |