Innovations: Case Studies & White Papers

Technical resources from ProPlate’s engineering team covering real-world plating challenges, engineered solutions, and documented outcomes across medical, energy, semiconductor, and dental applications

ProPlate has developed white papers and case studies documenting our approach to complex electroplating challenges. Each resource covers a specific application, the engineering challenge involved, the solution ProPlate developed, and the results achieved.

These documents are available for free download. They are also available on their respective industry and technology pages throughout the site.

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Medical

The following resources cover precision plating challenges and engineered solutions for medical device applications including catheter components, implantable devices, and minimally invasive technologies.

Vizi-Band®

Resources covering radiopaque marker plating applications for catheter-based and implantable medical devices.

Vizi-Band® Radiopaque Markers for Catheters

Traditional catheter marker bands require precise mechanical attachment, adding cost and risk of inconsistency or dislodgement. ProPlate developed the Vizi-Band® process to selectively apply radiopaque coatings with accurate placement and repeatable results. The result was improved visibility, reduced profile, and enhanced reliability without secondary assembly steps.

Download White Paper PDF→

The Product: Catheter Marker Bands

Marker bands help with the placement and guidance of catheters during medical procedures due to their radiopaque properties. A traditional marker band is a short, thin-walled tube machined from Gold or Platinum that is mechanically crimped or swaged at specific locations on a catheter to provide high levels of visibility under an x-ray fluoroscope. This allows surgeons to precisely locate the catheter placement deep within the body to deploy stents, balloons, and other devices.

The Challenge

Medical device manufacturing requires highly controlled processes that meet stringent criteria. In order to provide consistent radiopacity, ProPlate® had to determine the optimum process solution. The other challenge for this project was the precise placement at specific locations along the catheter or similar components. The marker bands had to be selectively placed at exact locations, with consistent and repeatable results.

The Engineered Solution

ProPlate® worked in order to achieve comparable radiopacity to traditional markers. A set of studies were conducted until ProPlate® was satisfied with the results. Through these trials, ProPlate® developed Vizi-Band®, a highly radiopaque and bio-compatible metal coating that can be selectively applied to any area of the desired component, with endless options for design and brightness customization. Custom tooling and masking were developed to ensure consistent and accurate positioning of the Vizi-Band® marker coating along the catheter, guidewire, hypotube, stent, or similar components. Vizi-Band® allows a manufacturer to reduce the labor component of handling and attaching the traditional marker bands, reduce the cost of machining them from solid Gold, and improve distal tip flexibility. Vizi-Band® not only improved application performance by reducing the catheter profile but also eliminated the risk of traditional marker band dislodgement due to it being atomically bonded to the component.

Benefits

Bio-Compatible
Replace Traditional Markers
Reduce Material & Labor Costs
Lower Device Profile
Improve Distal Tip Flexibility
Eliminate Dislodgement Risk
Atomically Bonded Coating

Contests & Awards:

2015 Minnesota MedTech Week Innovation Contest-Top 10 Finalist: Vizi-Band®
2015 MD&M West & UBM Canon Supplier Innovation Challenge-Top 10 Finalist: Vizi-Band®
2016 BIOMEDevice San Jose Innovation Contest-Top 5 Finalist: Vizi-Band®
2017 BIOMEDevice Boston Must See Product-Top 11 Finalist: Vizi-Band®
2017 MD&M Minneapolis Emerging Technologies Tour-Top 5 Finalist: Vizi-Band®

Vizi-Band® Radiopaque Markers for Cannula Devices

Traditional radiopaque marker bands for cannulas require secondary machining and attachment processes that add cost and risk of dislodgement. ProPlate developed the Vizi-Band® process to selectively apply radiopaque coatings directly onto the component with precise placement and strong adhesion. The result was enhanced fluoroscopic visibility, reduced profile, and improved reliability without additional assembly steps.

Download White Paper PDF →

The Product: Radiopaque Marker Bands for Cannula Devices

A Cannula is a tube that gets inserted into the body for medical device applications and is often used to deliver or remove fluids or gather biological samples. A cannula can surround a trocar needle's inner or outer surfaces, thus extending the effective needle length by typically at least half the length of the original needle. This method is most commonly used in Intravenous (IV) cannulation and can be used in various medical applications. Cannula medical applications often require a need for radiopaque marker bands. RO Marker bands assist surgeons with the placement and guidance of Cannulas by providing a bright visible indicator under X-Ray fluoroscopy with a level of precision that is needed for these types of procedures. A traditional marker band is a short, thin, walled tube typically machined from Gold, Tantalum, Iridium, Tungsten, or Platinum. These machined marker bands are installed at specific locations of the medical device component to allow for precise location under x-ray fluoroscopy.

The Challenge

Traditionally, marker bands are crimped or swaged onto the component where there can be significant costs associated with such machining of the Gold and labor involved for secondary installation processes, such as swaging and crimping. The risk associated with traditional marker band dislodgement is a significant drawback of standard marker bands. Vizi-Band® radiopaque marker band technology accomplishes consistent and accurate positioning of the marker coatings along the cannula, catheter, stent, guidewire, hypotube, and other similar components. Through custom tooling and in-house design fabrication, we were able to craft a solution that allows the manufacturer to reduce the labor component, cost of traditional machining method, and optimize component performance in terms of placement and marker adhesion.

The Engineered Solution

ProPlate® worked through a series of experiments to achieve comparable radiopacity to traditional marker bands. Through proprietary plating and masking technology, ProPlate® developed a solution that provided a highly radiopaque metal coating that can be selectively applied to specific areas of the cannula or desired component that can furthermore be customized to desired design requirements. ProPlate's proprietary Vizi-Band® technology helps with application performance by reducing the dimensional profile of the component. Vizi-Band® also eliminates the risk of marker dislodgement of the cannula and marker interface by atomically bonding the radiopaque coating directly to the base substrate as opposed to mechanical bonding and providing a tailored radiopaque brightness specific to desired application requirements.

Benefits:

Enhanced Radiopaque Visibility
Custom Marking Design Shape & Placement
Improved Distal Tip Flexibility
Reduced Dimensional Profile
Eliminate Market Band Dislodgement

Vizi-Band® Radiopaque Markers for Stents

Radiopaque marker bands for stents presented challenges as devices became smaller, making traditional attachment methods costly, complex, and prone to dislodgement. ProPlate developed the Vizi-Band® process to selectively apply gold and platinum directly to the stent surface with precise control. The result was improved visibility under fluoroscopy with enhanced reliability and no impact on device profile or performance.

Download White Paper PDF →

The Product: Radiopaque Marker Bands for Stents

Stents are typically laser-cut metal tubes or braided cylinders which are inserted into the lumen of a catheter and are deployed to keep a specific passageway open in the body. They are commonly used in arterial surgery to prevent or treat heart attacks and strokes. Stents come in various base materials, including Stainless-Steel, Cobalt-Chromium, Nitinol, and MP35N. These materials offer excellent corrosion resistance and bio-compatibility in the body. However, the surgeon does not easily see these base materials without a radiopaque marker installed when performing surgery. The radiopaque visualization of these stents under x-ray fluoroscopy can be sub-optimal, especially when implanting stents with thin struts. Marker bands assist surgeons with positioning and guiding stents during medical procedures due to their radio-opaque properties. The marker bands act as a bright indicator under fluoroscopy, informing the surgeon where the component is in the body and how the operation is advancing.

The Challenge

As stents become increasingly smaller through miniaturization, marking them with radiopaque materials gets increasingly difficult with the traditional radiopaque marker band options available in the market. Two commonly used radiopaque materials are Gold and Platinum alloys. Attaching the precious metal to the base material can be costly, risk-prone, and time-consuming depending on the method used. The risk remains high that traditional marker bands will dislodge due to manufacturing issues. Traditional marker bands are installed on device components via welding, swaging, riveting, crimping, or soldering. Swaging requires a special machine with a die that hammers the marker band into place. Interestingly, these dies are often not corrosion resistant and require upkeep or replacement. This necessary maintenance requires machine downtime, which results in productivity and labor costs. Swaging occurs when a particular force is applied to the marker band at a high frequency well over 1000 times. The nature of swaging coupled with machine wear can lead to failures as a slightly angled marker band being out of tolerance can cut into an artery/vein wall. Precise micro-machining of highly elastic base metals is used for stents and guidewires. This adds time and cost to production through increased material and labor. These methods are prone to delamination of the metals from the base material. Thin-walled struts have small surface areas to work with and therefore limit the size of the marker band that can be attached.

The Engineered Solution

Vizi-Band® is a selective radiopaque marker coating innovation with a myriad of design options for each unique medical device application. It is a proprietary metal plating process that atomically bonds a radiopaque metal to a medical device component, such as a stent, preventing dislodgement of the markers compared to traditional radiopaque markers, which are mechanically bonded. Unlike traditional marker bands, Vizi-Band® allows for custom marker shapes, wall thickness design, and placement. Vizi-Band® deposits highly radiopaque precious metals, pure Gold & Platinum, selectively to precise locations over desired surfaces of a stent. These radiopaque precious metals impart visibility under x-ray fluoroscopy due to the high density of the plated materials while allowing the stent to maintain its mechanical functionality, especially when compared to traditional marker band alternatives. In addition, Gold and Platinum are well understood in medical use regarding device bio-compatibility and toxicity, making them suitable RO markers for anything from short-term use to permanent implant stent applications.

Benefits:

Potential Process Reduction
Enhanced Radiopaque Visibility
Custom Marker Design & Placement
Risk Reduction of Dislodgement
Marker-Wall-Profile Miniaturization
Enhance Component Mechanical Functionality
Complex Geometry Marker Installment

Meta-Poly®

Resources covering selective metal deposition on polymer substrates for flexible and minimally invasive medical devices.

Meta-Poly® Metallization for Polymer Medical Devices

Traditional methods for coating polymers rely on chemical etching or conductive paints, which introduce toxicity risks and weak adhesion in medical applications. ProPlate developed the Meta-Poly® process to electroplate metals directly onto polymers without etching, creating a strong, biocompatible bond. The result is a low-profile, conductive, and reliable coating solution that enables new design possibilities for catheter-based and implantable devices.

Download White Paper PDF→

The Product: Coating Precious Metal onto Plastic

Coating metal on polymers was first widely used by the automotive industry in the 1960s. and is still frequently performed by that industry today. It is commonly achieved through the electroless plating process. Traditionally, before coating can be applied, a chemical etching process is performed to prepare the surface of the polymer.

The Challenge

The chemical etching process traditionally used to prepare the plastic surface for plating involves toxic chromic acid-based solutions. Although this may be beneficial for adhesion and an acceptable process for the automotive industry, this toxic surface preparation is not acceptable for medical industry applications. There are readily available alternative methods, such as painting the polymer with a metallic filled paint so that the layer of paint is conductive and electroplating can then be applied. However, this method is also problematic in critical applications like medical devices due to the bond being only as strong as the paint, which causes adhesion failures.

The Engineered Solution

After a complete analysis of the manufacturing process, an innovative use of current technologies was developed by ProPlate® to electroplate polymer substrates without the use of chemical etching or metal-filled paints. Since this proprietary process does not involve chemical etching, bio-compatibility is not an issue. With ProPlate's Meta-Poly® innovation, the polymer substrate, and electroplated metal bond are comparable to a metal-to-metal atomically electroplated bond, eliminating the adhesion issues experienced using alternative methods. ProPlate® has successfully plated onto Pebax, PEEK, Polyamide, and Urethane. Although the medical device applications are limitless, Meta-Poly® is especially exciting for catheter applications. For example, ProPlate® can selectively add radiopaque markers and current conducting paths to polymers. Meta-Poly® provides the same benefits as plating on metallic surfaces, eliminates the risk of dislodgement, maintains a low profile, offers cost reduction, and provides endless possibilities for design customization.

Benefits

Reduce Device Profile
Bio-Compatible
Atomically Bonded Coating
Selectively Applied
Electrically Conductive
Maintains Polymer Plasticity

Applications

Micro-Circuitry & Electrodes
Sensing & Signals
Stimulation & Ablation
Monitoring & Diagnostics

Featured Articles & Contests:

Meta-Poly® Metallization for Polymer Medical Devices

Traditional methods for integrating electrodes on medical balloons rely on adhesives or conductive paints, which can crack, delaminate, or dislodge during use. ProPlate developed the Meta-Poly® process to metallize electrodes and trace patterns directly onto the polymer with strong, reliable adhesion. The result is a flexible, biocompatible solution that maintains balloon performance while enabling consistent electrical functionality.

Download White Paper PDF→

The Product: Electrodes on Medical Balloons

Medical balloons require electrodes and trace patterns to connect to leads for ablation and sensor purposes. The electrodes and material must be bio-compatible for use in the human body during operations. The traditional options to integrate circuitry on a flexible polymer are mechanically bonding a conductive paint or adhesive-backed foil to the polymer substrate. Alternatively, ProPlate’s Meta-Poly® technology allows for an atomically bonded layer of pure Gold for electrical conductivity, biocompatibility, and reduced risk.

The Challenge

The previous technology of using an adhesive to apply a metal film for an electrode, or a lead, could result in the film dislodging from the medical balloon during application. Conductive paints can also be prone to delamination and cracking from elongation and stretching of the polymer. Additionally, the risk of accurate placement is a concern, and the repeatability of manufacturing can pose additional risks. Due to the melting point of many polymers and the chemical structure to absorb chemicals, traditional coating alternatives are not feasible to maintain the integrity of the base polymer.

The Engineered Solution

ProPlate® has developed a proprietary process to metalize electrodes and trace patterns onto Medical Balloons in a repeatable manufacturing process. ProPlate’s Meta-Poly® technology allows for an atomically bonded metallization of the polymer without degrading the polymer integrity during its use. The metalized coating allows the balloon to be folded, expanded, elongated, and manipulated while maintaining the polymer’s elastic properties.

Applications
- Stimulation
- Electroporation
- Cauterizations
- Sequencing
- Temperature Sensing & Mapping
- Mechanical Interactions Monitoring
- Arrhythmia Detecting & Mapping
- Electrophysiology Ablations

Torq-Lok®

Resources covering patented braid plating technology for increased torque transmission in braided catheters.

Torq-Lok® Braid Plating for Increased Torque Transmission

Braided catheters lose torque transmission efficiency when wire strands slide past each other at their points of intersection. ProPlate developed the patented Torq-Lok® process to lock these intersections together through selective metal plating. The result was a significant increase in torque response and torque-to-failure without sacrificing flexibility or increasing the catheter’s outer diameter.

Download White Paper PDF→

The Product: Braided Catheters

Braided catheter designs are generally used for applications that require high torque, pushability, kink resistance, and steerability. When designing a braid-reinforced catheter, it is crucial to consider the benefits of plating in the design phase to ensure the part meets the needs of the user.

The Challenge

ProPlate® set out to test whether catheter performance could be improved through electroplating. The initial challenge was working with a variety of polymer core materials, each of which reacts differently to the plating chemistries used throughout the Torq-Lok® process. An additional challenge was establishing reliable, repeatable adhesion, and ensuring the process could be reproduced at production volumes across various braid configurations.

The Engineered Solution

ProPlate® ran trials across different core materials to determine the best approach for each substrate, then tailored the Torq-Lok® process to achieve dependable adhesion. Custom tooling was developed to ensure consistent, repeatable outcomes at volume production. Preliminary testing of the Torq-Lok® process showed a 30-66% increase in torque response, a 66% increase in torque-to-failure, and a 90° increase in twist before kinking, compared to traditional, non-coated catheters. Torq-Lok® also eliminated unraveling at the catheter ends, improved pushability, enabled control of radial forces, and minimized elongation while maintaining flexibility. (Braided catheters used in this test: 4 French OD, 60 pic count, 12 inches long, 2-over-2-under-2 pattern, .001″ x .004″ wire. Results may vary.)

Benefits

Increased Torque Response
Increased Torque-to-Failure
Improved Kink Resistance
Eliminates Cut-End Unraveling
Improved Pushability
Maintains Flexibility
Patented Process

Patents

Torq-Lok® is protected under U.S. Patent 9,962,522 B2, “Braid Plating Method for Torsional Stiffness,” assigned to Professional Plating, Inc.

Recognition

2015 MD&M West and Qmed Supplier Innovation Challenge — Finalist: Torq-Lok®
2016 BIOMEDevice Boston Innovation Challenge — Top 10 Finalist: Torq-Lok®

Catheter Performance Innovations

Resources covering engineered coating solutions for catheter components including marker bands, electrodes, and pull rings.

Gold & Platinum Plated Marker Bands as a Pt-Ir Alternative

Traditional platinum-iridium marker bands offer strong radiopacity but come with high costs, long lead times, and manufacturing challenges. ProPlate developed a solution using stainless steel marker bands plated with gold and platinum to achieve comparable performance. The result was a cost-effective, scalable alternative that reduced material usage, simplified manufacturing, and maintained radiopaque visibility.

Download White Paper PDF→

The Product: Au & Pt Plated Loose Radiopaque Marker Bands

A radiopaque marker band is a small metallic ring or band placed on a medical device, such as a stent or part of a catheter assembly. The radiopaque marker band helps visualize the location and orientation of the device during medical procedures using X-ray or other imaging technologies. Installation methods for radiopaque marker bands include but are not limited to, crimping, welding, and adhesive bonding. Crimping involves using a tool to compress the marker band onto a specific location on the device. Some marker bands can be welded onto the device using a laser or other heat source. Adhesive bonding uses specialized adhesives to attach the marker band to the device. The marker band appears as a dense and bright area on the X-ray image, which allows medical professionals to accurately position the device and monitor its movement within the body. Radiopaque marker bands are commonly used in interventional cardiology and radiology procedures, where precise placement and alignment of devices are critical for successful outcomes.

The Challenge

The most common fabrication for radiopaque marker band is using Platinum-Iridium. Pt-Ir marker bands are preferred in the medical industry due to their radiopacity, biocompatibility, corrosion resistance, and durability properties. However, there are challenges with Pt-Ir marker bands. The material properties may create challenges during the manufacturing process. Due to the dense, hard, and brittle characteristics, shaping the marker bands may be challenging and require specialized equipment. There is also high cost associated with Pt-Ir marker bands due to the cost of raw materials, as Iridium is rare and expensive. Along with the high cost, due to the availability of raw materials, lead times for Pt-Ir marker bands have increased over time. The challenge in finding an alternative to Pt-Ir marker bands was identifying a material with similar material properties, lower costs, and shorter lead times.

The Engineered Solution

After an analysis of the manufacturing process for Pt-Ir marker bands, an alternative was discovered. ProPlate worked through a series of tests to achieve comparable radiopacity to Pt-Ir marker bands. Fabricating marker bands using lower-cost materials and adding electroplating to the manufacturing process would reduce the amount of precious material used, ultimately reducing costs. The addition of electroplating adds the necessary material properties of traditional Pt-Ir marker band to the low-cost material alternative. Marker bands were fabricated using stainless steel and electroplated using Gold. Gold’s material properties include radiopacity, biocompatibility, and corrosion resistance, similar attributes to Platinum, making it an excellent choice for this application. The properties of stainless steel also decrease potential manufacturing challenges such as shaping. Development was continued, and in addition to Gold plated marker bands, ProPlate engineered a process for Platinum plated stainless steel marker bands—a stack of Gold and Platinum. Platinum is 10% denser and costs less than Gold. With Platinum plated marker bands, the material consumption decreases along with cost and still provides comparable radiopaque visibility. Gold and Platinum plated stainless steel marker bands are a comparative alternative to traditionally fabricated Pt-Ir marker bands. Reducing costs, lead time, precious metal consumption, and challenges in the manufacturing process.

Benefits:

Replace Traditional Markers
Reduce Material Consumption
Reduce Overall Costs
Reduce Lead Times

Gold & Platinum Plated Ring Electrodes for Catheter Performance

Traditional catheter electrodes made from platinum-iridium or stainless steel present limitations in conductivity, flexibility, and design. ProPlate developed a solution using selectively applied gold and platinum to form electrodes directly on complex geometries without machining or secondary attachment. The result was improved electrical and thermal performance, reduced profile, and enhanced reliability without the risk of dislodgement.

Download White Paper PDF→

The Product: Catheter Ring Electrodes

Several broad categories of electrodes are used in catheter assemblies; ring electrodes, electrode pads, probes, cores, and wires. Traditionally catheter manufacturers and OEMs implement Platinum-Iridium (Pt/Ir) or Stainless-Steel electrode components through laser micro-machining, crimping, coiling, or swaging onto industry-standard Nitinol, Tungsten, MP35N, or Stainless-Steel base materials. These electrodes are typically applied to the tips of catheters, pull ring assemblies, discrete struts of stents, flexible laser-slotted hypo-tubes and rigid hypo-tubes, guidewire tips, needles, mandrel cores, and other similar catheter-based components. The most common functional uses of catheter electrodes are ablation, stimulation, and sensing electrodes. Monopolar, concentric, and macro electrode designs are commonly used in electrode applications.

The Challenge

Electrode materials often need to be highly electrically conductive or resistive depending on the application, thermally conductive, and biocompatible, with a low potential for corrosivity and dissolution. Gold and Platinum are often the preferred material for electrodes used in the medical device industry. Pure Platinum & Pure Gold are too soft to be machined as an electrode or a radiopaque marker for a catheter assembly, which is why Pt/Ir and SS are often used even though there are downsides to performance and limitations for installation into a catheter build. Unfortunately, Stainless Steel electrodes are far less thermally and electrically conductive than precious metal electrodes. Pt/Ir electrodes reduce component flexibility and cannot easily be installed onto complex geometries. They also have design limitations regarding wall thickness for a ring-electrode because traditional machining of Pt/Ir has constraints due to the subtractive nature of the process, which in turn results in a more extensive dimensional profile. Platinum-Iridium alloys are also vulnerable to corrosion and dissolution with intensive stimulation protocols.

The Engineered Solution

Rather than use a machining process and various methods of limited installation for rigid Stainless Steel or Platinum-Iridium alloys as markers and electrodes, ProPlate® uses pure Platinum or Gold with its additive plating process. In this scenario, electroplating has a clear advantage. Instead of subtractive machining followed by an installation process such as swaging or crimping, electroplating builds the Platinum or Gold layer gradually, several micro-inches at a time, and can be selectively applied in a myriad of shape and thickness designs with tight control of tolerances. Therefore, it is advantageous in this specific application to use an electrode installation because it allows the use of pure soft forms of metal instead of hard Platinum-Iridium alloys. Compared to Pt/Ir alloys and SS, pure Gold and Platinum are superior at conducting electricity and have other performance advantages. The advantage of Gold or Platinum is that pure Gold shares similar properties and characteristics with pure Platinum regarding biocompatibility, low potentials for corrosivity and dissolution, high density, ductility, and malleability. Gold is a superior electrical and thermal conductor, while Platinum has higher electrical resistivity and hardness properties in comparison. These properties are often advantageous for catheter component performance, especially for applications requiring electrodes for sensing, stimulation, and ablation. ProPlate® uses electroplating processes to apply Gold or Platinum onto complex catheter component geometries, often resulting in lower-dimensional profiles and eliminating the risk of marker or electrode ring dislodgement. Gold and Platinum electrodes may result in a higher ablation success rate and reduce char/coagulation formation incidents, making these electrodeposited metals the preferred electrode material of choice over Platinum-Iridium electrode or Stainless-Steel materials used in ablation applications.

Benefits

Reduce Device Profile
Tailored Electrical Conductivity/Resistivity
Radiopaque Materials
Bio-Compatible
Atomically Bonded
Selectively Applied

Gold Plated Pull-Ring Assemblies for Radiopacity & Performance

Pull-ring assemblies require precise radiopacity at critical locations, but traditional material options present joining challenges and design limitations. ProPlate developed a selective Vizi-Band® plating process to apply gold only to targeted areas of the ring and wire interface without damaging delicate components. The result was enhanced visibility, improved bond strength, and reliable performance in complex catheter assemblies.

Download Case Study PDF →

The Product: Catheter Pull-rings

A pull-ring is part of a medical catheter assembly. The pull-ring allows for steerability and deflection of the catheter during a procedure. Typically, to deflect the tip of a catheter, a wire that runs the length of the catheter shaft is pulled, which is joined to the distal tip of the catheter. The pull wire is commonly installed by welding a Stainless-Steel wire to a Stainless-Steel ring and then installing the ring within the distal end of the catheter through a reflow process or similar. When the wire is pulled from the proximal end of the assembly, the ring location will determine the deflected shape. Oftentimes a catheter needs to deflect in two directions for a procedure, which requires two pull wires installed within the ring on opposite sides from each other. Typically, a handle is at the proximal end of a pull-wire assembly, giving the operator of the catheter the option to contract and release the tip of the guidewire as the catheter is placed.

The Challenge

A client required the Stainless-Steel ring of a pull-ring plated assembly to be plated with ProPlate's Vizi-Band® radiopaque marker coating for radiopacity brightness. The ring's location during the procedure was critical to the application as location dictates the deflected shape, which is why the SS ring needed to be highly radiopaque. The alternatives are to use Platinum-Iridium rings in place of the SS rings; however, these dissimilar metals do not join easily and often result in a bond with adequate tensile strength. The plating challenge was to selectively apply Vizi-Band® to the ring and a very small section at the joined area where the distal tip of the wire connects to the pull-ring, without coating leakage beyond this area and without bending or damaging the lead wires or damaging the fragile rings. Additionally, ProPlate® needed to obtain good adhesion of the Vizi-Band® RO plating onto the desired areas, which had been welded and electropolished prior to plating. Due to the heat scale from the welding process, and a passive layer from an electropolishing process, plating would not readily adhere to the required areas with a standard plating process.

The Engineered Solution

The solution ProPlate® engineered required a tailored plating process, masking process, and process fixture. ProPlate® used a proprietary mechanical masking method to protect the wires during the plating process while reducing handling of the parts to mitigate risk or damage to the parts. The fixture was in-part used to mask the pull wires and give an electrical connection close to the plated area for the best plating outcomes. Additionally, plating preparation steps needed to be tailored to the unique components to ensure adequate adhesion by removing the heat scale oxide and passive layer created by the welding and passivation processes prior to plating. Plating Gold (Au) Vizi-Band® added radiopacity brightness to the critical area required for the catheter application, as well as created a stronger bond at the joined area of the ring and wire due to the bond being a SS to SS weld that is then plated over with Gold (Au) for further bond strength.

Benefits

Replace Traditional Markers
Reduce Material & Labor Costs
Lower Device Profile
Improve Distal Tip Flexibility
Atomically Bonded Coating

Looking for a Specific Application?

If you do not see a resource that matches your challenge, contact ProPlate’s engineering team directly. We work with customers across a wide range of applications and can discuss your specific requirements.

Medical Coating Solutions

Case studies and white papers covering engineered plating solutions for medical devices including implantable components, catheter assemblies, and complex geometries.

Gold-Plated NdFeB Magnets for Biocompatible Implant Applications

NdFeB magnets require protective coatings for medical use due to their porosity and susceptibility to corrosion. ProPlate developed a multi-layer Ni-Cu-Ni-Au coating process that provides strong adhesion and corrosion resistance without damaging the base material. The result was a biocompatible surface capable of withstanding aggressive corrosion testing and meeting short-term implant performance requirements.

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The Product: Neodymium Iron Boron Magnets

Neodymium Iron Boron Magnets are one of the most powerful commercial permanent magnets available today. These rare earth magnets can be up to 10 times stronger than the strongest ceramic magnet. NdFeB magnets are typically produced using one of two general method categories, bonded magnets (compression, injection, extrusion, or calendaring molding) and sintered magnets (powder metallurgy, PM process).

The Challenge

ProPlate® worked with a medical customer who needed to achieve a biocompatible protective surface for NdFeB magnets used in a short-term implant application. Due to the porosity of the base magnet material combined with the reactivity of the magnets to acidic and basic chemistries, ProPlate® faced a difficult challenge designing a plating process for the Neodymium magnets. Throughout the plating process, adequate adhesion is necessary to use acidic and basic chemistries to remove surface oxide, which NdFeB rapidly forms without any protective coatings. Furthermore, proper handling of the magnets added more complexity to the project to ensure the magnets wouldn’t oxidize in the process steps or in the queue to be plated.

The Engineered Solution

Major obstacles ProPlate® faced were finding the precise balance of chemicals to use during the plating process and finding the most effective electroplating technique for uniform deposition and leveling to combat porosity. The key was to develop a chemical process aggressive enough to promote the best adhesion but mild enough for the base material to not corrode. Various plating methods using specific agitation, custom fixtures, and plating apparatuses were required to address the porosity. After numerous trials, the optimized process used a combination of Nickel and Copper layers followed by Gold; Nickel-Copper-Nickel-Gold. Gold is the ideal final layer because Gold is a commonly used bio-compatible metal in the medical device industry, and it offers superior corrosion protection due to its inertness. Using an aggressive accelerated corrosion test, ProPlate® tested the plated magnets to validate that the magnets could withstand a final series of corrosion testing like its intended use in the human body. An unprotected magnet would show signs of corrosion almost immediately in an accelerated corrosion test. ProPlate’s magnets, in some instances, have lasted months in this corrosive environment, which far exceeds the typical application requirements.

Benefits:

Eliminate Corrosion
Eliminate Porosity
Biocompatible
Hermetically Sealed
Atomically Bonded
Radiopaque

Applications:

Computer Hard Drive Magnets • Microphones • Headphones • Dentures • Loudspeakers • Magnetic Pump Couplings • Door Catches • Magnetic Suspension • Motors & Pumps • Generators • Sensors • Orthopedics • Halbach Arrays • Healthcare • MRI and NMR applications • Magnetic Separators • TWT (Transverse Wave Tube) • Magnetic Bearings • Lifting Apparatus • Limpet Pot Magnets • Starter motors • ABS systems • Fans Eddy Current • Brakes • Alternators • Meters • Magnetic Clamps • Magnetic Levitation • Electro-acoustic pick-ups • Switches • Relays • Catheter assemblies and components • Catheter tips • Surgical components and minimally invasive devices • Endoscopic assemblies • Hard disk drives • Electric motors in cordless equipment • Fasteners

Featured Article:

The Magnetic Force in Medicine: Integrating Magnets Safely into Medical Devices

Gold-Plated Ni-Ti Interfaces for Reliable Dissimilar Metal Joining

Joining Nitinol to dissimilar materials presents challenges due to poor weldability and surface oxidation. ProPlate developed a selective gold plating process to create a fusible interface between Ni-Ti and stainless steel components. The result was improved weld strength, reduced manufacturing complexity, and cost savings without compromising device performance.

Download White Paper PDF→

The Product: Fusing Ni-Ti to Dissimilar Materials

Ni-Ti handles continuous distortion and kinking. It presents many advantageous properties, such as super-elasticity, corrosion resistance, and bio-compatibility. In addition, the shape, stiffness, and other properties of Nitinol can be controlled by chemical composition, heat treatment, and temperature.

The Challenge

Ni-Ti is a versatile material but has rather difficult weld-ability and is expensive. For many medical applications, it is beneficial to use Ni-Ti for only a portion of the device and weld a different, less expensive material such as stainless steel for the remaining portion of the device. This combination enables cost reduction because of Nitinol’s high cost and provides for manufacturing improvements. It is commonly known that the disadvantages of Ni-Ti are difficult machine-ability because of its elasticity and hard surface and problematic weld-ability.

The Engineered Solution

After a complete analysis of the manufacturing process, a custom plating process was developed by ProPlate® to Gold plate the ends of the Ni-Ti and Stainless Steel components before welding. Custom tooling was used to mask and plate the device within quality specifications. Nitinol oxidizes naturally, which inhibits a weld from adhering correctly, but adding Gold to each end of the device allows for a fusible area between the two components. This innovative solution saves costs without sacrificing part performance while increasing tensile strength. Additionally, the applied Gold can be used as a radiopaque marker for specific applications.

Benefits:

Reduce Material Costs
Increased Tensile Strength
Improve Manufacturability
Maintain Performance & Quality Standards

Featured Article:

What Can MedTech Manufacturers Gain From Electroplating – MDDI Medical Device and Diagnostic Industry-ProPlate Medical Device Plating

Consistent Silver Plating for Bipolar Forceps Performance

Bipolar forceps require uniform silver plating to ensure reliable thermal conductivity, but inconsistent coating led to high scrap rates and additional finishing. ProPlate developed a controlled plating process with custom tooling to deliver consistent silver coverage on the forceps tips. The result was improved product quality, reduced waste, and increased production efficiency.

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The Product: Bipolar Forceps

Bipolar Medical Forceps are similar to normal surgical forceps in shape, but the intended purpose is much different. Unlike surgical forceps, which are meant to open and hold tissue, bipolar forceps are meant to coagulate, or make solid or semisolid, tissue using an electrical current. This electrical current is fired through the tips of the bipolar forceps requiring a metal finish to complete the thermal conductivity.

The Challenge

Three organizations were selected to design, manufacture, plate, and finish the Bipolar Medical Forceps for the OEM. In order to provide for thermal conductivity, a heavy layer of Silver was required. The existing plater was not able to provide consistent Silver plating, which drove additional downstream finishing by the fabricator. Additionally, 25% of plated forceps were considered unusable and disposed of, causing production problems for both the finishing partner and OEM.

Engineered Solution

ProPlate® worked closely with the engineers at the fabricator to determine manufacturing and Silver plating requirements for thermal conductivity. After a complete analysis of the manufacturing process, a recommendation was provided to plate and package forceps for the finishing partner. A custom plating process was developed to ensure consistent Silver coverage on the tips of the forceps with minimal post finishing. Custom tooling was used to mask and plate the forceps within specification consistently. The fabricator was able to reduce the labor component of handling and finish poorly plated forceps, eliminate the cost of disposing of unusable forceps and meet the contractual demand requirements by both the finishing partner and OEM.

Benefits:

Thermal Conductivity
Reduce Tissue Adhesion
Reduce Labor Costs
Eliminate Waste
Eliminate Defects
Non-Stick Ablations

Palladium-Nickel Alloy Plating as a Cost-Effective Gold Alternative

Gold and platinum offer strong electrical and corrosion performance but can be cost-prohibitive and prone to wear in certain applications. ProPlate utilized palladium-nickel alloy plating to provide a durable, conductive, and more cost-effective alternative with improved hardness and reduced porosity. The result was a reliable solution for medical and electronic components that maintained performance while reducing material costs.

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The Product: Electroplated Palladium-Nickel Alloy

Nickel is known for ductility resistance. When combined with Palladium, the result is an alloy that has great stress and heat resistance, corrosion resistance, electrical conductivity, ductility, and solderability. The use of Pd-Ni became popular in the 1970s when scientists discovered the contact resistance, wear properties, and protective values of the alloy. Pd-Ni is a dense deposit; as a result, it offers reduced porosity and excellent solderability characteristics. Electrodeposited Palladium-Nickel alloys have a density between 10 and 11.5 g/cm3, which is noticeably less than electroplated Gold ~17.0 to 19.3 g/cm3 and comparable to electroplated pure Palladium ~10.5 to 11.8 g/cm3.Type II Palladium-Nickel alloy plating is composed of approximately 20% Nickel & 80% Palladium. This combination makes it less likely to crack or break under stress and, in turn, makes it more resistant to galvanic corrosion and heat than pure Palladium. It also has better ductility and hardness. The hardness of plated Palladium-Nickel measures favorably in comparison to other electroplated noble metals. For example, the approximate hardness of Pd-Ni is 300–650, Gold (HK25) is 50–250, Palladium is 75–600, Platinum is 150–550, and Rhodium is 750–1100.

The Challenge:

When looking for a metal or alloy that offers characteristics like Gold but is more cost-effective than Palladium, Palladium-Nickel is an excellent alternate solution. In both the medical and electronics industries, Gold and Platinum can be used for electrical conductivity, ductility, and corrosion resistance. Unfortunately, since Gold and Platinum are expensive metals, engineers often look for a lower-cost alternative. Pure Gold is often used for electrical contacts, but due to its softness, it will burnish and wear if there is mechanical movement in the application, such as a sliding contact or a battery contact that requires the replacement of the batteries. Palladium is another option for electrical contacts; it has a higher mechanical wear resistance than pure Gold, but when plated too thick, it often cracks from stress in the deposit. To avoid this problem, an alternative solution is to alloy Palladium with a more ductile metal that still has a reasonable hardness value, such as Nickel.

The Engineered Solution:

When looking for a metal alloy with a reasonable hardness value (that is still ductile and conducts electricity well), Palladium-Nickel is an excellent solution. Due to low surface contact resistance, Pd- Ni is often plated onto a base material such as Copper or stainless steel, sometimes prior to a thin layer of Gold; this combination results in a low-cost, stable solution. In the medical industry, Pd-Ni can be used as both an underlayer and a final layer. Palladium-Nickel can be used on medical devices such as stents, pull rings, catheter shafts, and Nitinol-based complex geometries. Palladium-Nickel does not distort magnetic resonance images and allows for more flexibility on medical devices than pure Palladium. Pd-Ni is commonly electroplated onto connectors and battery contacts and remains a valuable alternative to Gold or pure Palladium in the electronics and medical device industry for these reasons. Lastly, Pd-Ni can be used in the dental industry. Like Gold, Palladium is not toxic; in the dental industry, it can be an excellent choice for products such as bridges, inlays, and crowns and can be used for aesthetic purposes in the orthodontic industry.

Benefits:

Excellent Wear Resistance
High Level of Brittleness
Very Conductive
High Heat Resilience
Solderability
Very Hard Finish

Selective Gold Plating for Insulin Pump Battery Casings

Selective gold plating on insulin pump battery casings presented challenges with masking costs and palladium staining. ProPlate developed a custom plating process with specialized tooling and airflow control to achieve precise gold placement and eliminate defects. The result was a reliable, corrosion-resistant solution that reduced plating costs by 40% and supported production demands.

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The Product: Insulin Pump Battery Casing

The insulin pump is a medical device used to administer insulin in the treatment of diabetes mellitus, also known as continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion therapy. The pump includes controls, a processing module, and batteries. The battery casing at the left is designed to be corrosion resistant. In order to provide this, the casing must be plated in Nickel and Palladium and include a small strip of Gold.

The Challenge

The approved plater was not properly equipped to selectively plate Gold onto the battery casing. Options to mask the battery casing post Nickel and Palladium plating proved to be cost-prohibitive. Options were tested to plate Gold selectively, but Palladium staining could not be controlled inside or outside the battery casing.

The Engineered Solution

ProPlate® worked closely with the engineers at the fabricator to determine manufacturing and plating requirements for corrosion resistance. After a complete review of the requirements and challenges faced by the fabricator and downstream finishing partner, a custom plating process was developed to meet plating requirements. Custom tooling was designed to plate Gold selectively, and an engineered airflow management system was created to prevent gas staining. The ProPlate® engineered solution reduced the overall cost of plating by 40% and provided a production environment to meet quantity demands.

Benefits:

Corrosion Resistant
Reduce Plating Costs
Eliminate Stains

Gold Plated Copper Targets for Radiopharmaceutical Production

Gold-plated copper targets used in cyclotron-based radiopharmaceutical production required enhanced durability, corrosion resistance, and thermal performance to maintain isotope purity and operational efficiency. ProPlate developed precision gold plating processes with controlled thickness and selective application to withstand high-energy irradiation and harsh chemical environments. The result was improved Cu-64 production yield, extended target lifespan, and reduced downtime for radiopharmaceutical manufacturers.

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Client – Radiopharmaceutical Manufacturers and Cyclotron Operators

Gold-plated copper targets are indispensable in radiopharmaceutical manufacturing, particularly in the production of high-purity medical isotopes such as Copper-64 (Cu-64). These targets are critical components in cyclotron systems, where their precision, durability, and efficiency enable the consistent production of radiopharmaceuticals used in diagnostics and therapeutics. Gold-plated copper targets are engineered to perform under extreme conditions encountered in radiopharmaceutical production:

Beam Currents: Capable of withstanding currents exceeding 200μA.
Proton Energies: Effective at energies ranging from 15 to 30 MeV.
Thermal & Chemical Durability: Resistant to elevated temperatures and corrosive dissolution processes.

ProPlate® specializes in advanced gold and selective gold plating techniques, ensuring that copper targets meet the stringent requirements of this high-stakes industry. This white paper explores the applications, benefits, and technological advancements behind ProPlate’s solutions for radiopharmaceutical production.

The Challenge

In cyclotron-based radiopharmaceutical production, copper targets plated with gold (or silver) serve as substrates for generating isotopes like Cu-64. The production process involves high-energy proton bombardment of nickel (Ni) or other enriched materials layered on these targets. However, this process presents several challenges:

Corrosion Resistance: Bare copper is susceptible to oxidation and corrosion, affecting isotope purity.
Thermal Management: High-energy irradiation generates significant heat, necessitating effective heat dissipation.
Chemical Purity: Unprotected copper surfaces can introduce contaminants, impacting pharmaceutical quality.
Durability: High-energy bombardment degrades unprotected targets, reducing operational lifespan.

The Engineered Solution

ProPlate® employs state-of-the-art electroplating techniques to produce thick, uniform gold layers tailored for radiopharmaceutical applications. Our process emphasizes precision and quality at every step:

Surface Preparation: Rigorous cleaning and preparation of copper substrates to optimize adhesion.
Selective Gold Plating: Advanced fixturing and masking techniques ensure precise deposition, minimizing material waste.
Controlled Electroplating Parameters: Bath composition, current density, and voltage are meticulously managed to create a uniform and durable gold layer.

A ProPlate® customer in radiopharmaceutical production reported the following improvements using our gold-plated copper targets:

Yield Increase: Cu-64 production efficiency improved by 15%, reducing isotope shortages.
Cost Savings: Targets with superior durability allowed for multiple production cycles, minimizing material costs.
Operational Uptime: Enhanced durability and ease of decontamination reduced downtime by 30%.

ProPlate®’s gold plating and selective gold plating solutions are transforming the landscape of radiopharmaceutical production. By delivering precision-engineered, durable, and reliable copper targets, we empower manufacturers to produce isotopes like Cu-64 with unparalleled efficiency and quality.

Benefits

Yield Increase
Costs Savings
Reduce Operational Downtimes

Energy Technology

Resources covering plating solutions for energy infrastructure, oil and gas, and industrial technology applications.

Gold-Plated Bearing Seals for Compressor Performance and Longevity

Gold plating replaced Babbitt-based bearing seals in a highly corrosive compressor environment exposed to sulfuric acid. ProPlate developed a process to apply thick, uniform gold plating without surface defects. The result was a significant increase in seal life and substantial cost savings through reduced downtime and replacement frequency.

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The Product: Compressor Bearing Seals

The OEM designed a replacement bearing seal to protect bearings located within a compressor. The original seal contained Lead or Babbitt, but it was prone to corrosion and had to be replaced each year. The compressor environment is highly corrosive from constant exposure to sulfuric acid. Gold plating is a highly corrosion resistant alternative to Lead or Babbitt. The cost of replacing a single Babbitt-based seal was greater than $325,000, which included the downtime to rebuild the compressor.

The Challenge

Gold plating at the .007234” level of thickness was prone to roughness and an uneven level of precious metal coverage. The size of the seal posed additional handling and masking issues that further challenged the plating process. Along with the productivity deficiencies, which took over 70 hours of plating bath time at this level of thickness, it was challenging to measure the thickness of Gold, which created a potential cost impact for both the customer and ProPlate®.

Engineered Solution

ProPlate® designed a unique process to selectively mask seals and Gold plate to .007234” thickness without roughness and coverage issues. The life of the seals increased from one year to six to ten years. An estimated $10,000,000 of lost opportunity could be eliminated by $60,000 in Gold-plated seals. This solution provided a cost savings impact of over $1,000,000 in uptime over six years.

Benefits:

Corrosion Resistance
Increased Part Life
Cost Savings
Reduced Operational Downtime

Gold Plating for Marine Bellows in Deep Ocean Environments

Gold plating was applied to nickel marine bellows to prevent hydrogen diffusion and corrosion in deep ocean conditions. ProPlate® developed a specialized process to achieve uniform plating inside narrow, complex cavities. The result was consistent coverage that improved durability and long-term performance.

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The Product: Marine Bellows

OEM designed a pressure sensing bellows out of Nickel to be used in deep ocean exploration. Due to the corrosive nature of saltwater and the installed anti-corrosion devices, the bellows are at risk of Hydrogen gas formation on the outer surface, which then diffuses through the bellows to its interior, resulting in gas overpressure and bellows rupture. In vetting out solutions to prevent Hydrogen diffusion, Gold was discovered to be the best choice material.

The Challenge

Long Marine Bellows require Gold plating throughout a narrow cavity. The shape of the bellows includes accordion-shaped ridges with many small areas making cleaning and plating very difficult because trapped fluid within the bellows canal causes blistering and voids in the plating process. Additionally, there is a need for an electrical charge to be carried throughout the narrow cavity.

Engineered Solution

ProPlate® designed a two-stage plating process to address the plating of both the inside and outside of the Marine Bellows. A unique plating fixture was built to hold Marine Bellows in position for Gold plating of the cavity. An anode apparatus was designed to funnel and circulate bath chemistry into the cavity within this unique fixture. It was also used to extend electricity throughout the cavity. A custom cleaning tool was created to quickly remove materials from the inside cavity of the Marine Bellows. ProPlate’s engineered solution provided even coverage necessary for corrosion resistance protection.

Benefits

Consistent Gold Coverage
Corrosion Resistance
Electrical Conductivity

Gold-Plated Seals for Corrosion Resistance and Extended Service Life

Seals used in hydrogen recycle compressors, wet gas systems, and petrochemical processing face accelerated wear and leakage in corrosive, high-temperature environments. ProPlate developed a gold plating solution to improve corrosion resistance and reduce friction without altering existing seal designs. The result was extended service life, reduced maintenance frequency, and improved reliability in demanding industrial conditions.

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Enhance Seal Performance with Custom Plating Solutions

In industries where reliability and efficiency are paramount, addressing seal performance challenges is essential. At ProPlate®, we specialize in advanced plating techniques designed to enhance the durability, functionality, and longevity of seals used in demanding applications, including:

Hydrogen recycle compressors
Wet gas systems
Petrochemical processing

The Challenge

Traditional seals often encounter issues such as oil leakage and wear, especially in corrosive environments with high concentrations of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) or chlorides. These harsh conditions accelerate material degradation, leading to increased maintenance, operational downtime, and significant costs.

The Engineered Solution

Our precision plating processes are engineered to meet the rigorous demands of modern industrial seals. Key benefits include:

Corrosion Resistance: Utilizing metals like gold, our plating solutions offer exceptional resistance to chemical attacks, ensuring seal integrity in hydrogen-rich or corrosive environments.
Extended Lifespan: Components plated with ProPlate's solutions demonstrate increased operational run times, reducing the frequency of costly seal replacements.
Reduced Friction and Wear: By enhancing surface properties, our coatings decrease friction and wear, improving performance during both normal operations and shutdown conditions.
Versatility: Our custom plating processes can be tailored to fit existing seal designs, pressures, and flows, providing seamless integration into your systems.

Benefits

Corrosion Resistance
Extended Lifespan
Reduce Friction & Wear
Versatility

Gold Plating for FPSO Slip Rings in Offshore Systems

Large-diameter slip rings used in FPSO systems required thick, uniform gold plating for corrosion resistance, conductivity, and wear performance. ProPlate developed a dedicated plating process and custom tooling to accommodate the size and complexity of the components. The result was consistent coverage and improved long-term reliability in offshore environments.

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The Product: Oil & Gas – FPSO Slip Rings

Floating Production Storage Offloading (FPSO) swivels permit the continuous delivery of electrical power and signals, hydraulic fluids, and fiber optic signals while allowing the vessel to weather-vane about its mooring point. Typically, they are composed of electrical slip rings/roller rings or swivels and are used in various Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) Systems.

The Challenge

FPSO swivels meet the demanding requirements of offshore operators worldwide. In order to ensure a long life and high performance, a thick layer of Gold is applied to these rings. A fabricator approached ProPlate® for the OEM that could find no one willing to accommodate their needs to develop these parts. These rings are large, 48” in diameter. The size and fragility of the part, combined with the need for a thick, uniform layer of Gold, made for an engineering challenge.

Engineered Solution

ProPlate® worked closely with the engineers at the OEM and fabricator to determine Gold plating requirements for corrosion resistance, wear-ability, and conductivity. After a complete analysis of the manufacturing process and expectations of the plating, a custom bath was constructed. This Gold bath was dedicated to this specific part to ensure quality and uniformity. Custom tooling was also developed to plate the rings consistently and within specification. The fabricator was able to meet the OEM need for a very large part with unique requirements.

Benefits:

Increased Part Life
Consistent Coverage
Enhanced Performance

Semiconductor & Electronics

Resources covering plating solutions for high-reliability electronic components, semiconductor devices, and advanced interconnect systems.

Gold Plating for Hearing Aid Battery Contacts

Gold and nickel plating were applied to beryllium copper battery contacts used in hearing aids, where small, delicate geometries made traditional plating methods unsuitable. ProPlate developed a custom racking system and process to prevent part damage while achieving tight thickness tolerances at high volumes. The result was a significant increase in productivity, reduced handling, and consistent plating performance across all components.

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The Product: Hearing Aid Battery Contacts

An OEM designed a component that served as a battery contact within a hearing aid. Fabrication of the part would be by progressive die stamping. The contact would be made from Beryllium Copper and plated with Nickel and Gold. The contact was small and contained a variety of fragile features. Initial experience revealed that traditional barrel plating techniques were causing shape damage to the part. The OEM authorized a change to the stamping die in order to produce the part on a strip. However, the volume demand and lack of local plating resources indicated that reel-to-reel plating would not be optimal. It was decided to rack plate 12” strips containing 36 parts per strip.

The Challenge

Traditional “hook-type” plating racks would hold no more than 20-30 strips, which would not provide sufficient productivity to meet volume and price constraints. Also, Gold thickness tolerances were tighter than could be obtained by traditional rack methods. In addition, parts were prone to detach from the carrier strip quite easily.

The Engineered Solution

ProPlate® designed a unique rack system that holds 200 strips per load. Load sizes increased 10x to 7200 pieces from 720. Additional rack and bath engineering optimized plating thickness distributions within the narrow customer tolerance band. Custom, reusable containers were developed for part/strip transportation. These reusable containers were made of open mesh Stainless Steel, permitting pre-heat treat de-greasing, heat treating, and post-heat treat de-scaling all to occur without removing part/strips, reducing part handling from six events to two events. Post-plating packaging was developed to further protect individual strips during transport to hearing aid assembly.

Benefits:

Reduced Labor
Increased Productivity
Eliminate Waste
Consistent Thickness

Selective Gold Plating for Electrical Test Probes

Gold plating was required inside the tube of electrical test probes to ensure reliable conductivity, while avoiding unnecessary plating on external surfaces. ProPlate developed a high-throw gold plating process to achieve uniform internal coverage without over-plating. The result was consistent electrical performance, reduced material costs, and elimination of waste from nonconforming parts.

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The Product: Electrical Test Probes

A spring-loaded plunger, known as an electrical test probe, is used to test circuit board electronics. This component requires the application of gold to conduct electricity in its use. Fully assembled, the probe includes a tube, spring, and plunger,

The Challenge

The specification called for a consistent coating of Gold inside the tube, which is required for electrical conductivity. The outside of the tube did not require Gold. Due to the difficulties in achieving Gold uniform thickness throughout the inside of a tube, conventional plating can drive costs as high as ten times that of the original specifications. In order to meet the plating specifications while still controlling costs, a unique Gold chemistry and plating process was required.

The Engineered Solution

ProPlate® worked closely with the engineers at the manufacturer to determine requirements for manufacturing and Gold plating requirements for conductivity. After a complete analysis of the manufacturing process, a recommendation was provided. With ProPlate’s® expertise in plating chemistry, they designed a customized, repeatable process to plate Gold on the tubes with a “high throw” chemistry. This allowed them to ensure uniform thickness of Gold plating inside the tube while controlling the costs of potential over-plating. The OEM was able to eliminate the cost of disposing partial plated parts while also reducing the material cost of over plating the parts.

Benefits:

Reduced Material Costs
Electrical Conductivity
Eliminate Waste

Featured Article:

The Technology of Tiny Parts-Products Finishing-ProPlate Precision Plating

Rhodium Plating for Electrical Contacts, PCBs & Semiconductor Components

Rhodium plating was applied to electrical contacts, semiconductor components, and PCB applications requiring extreme durability, conductivity, and corrosion resistance. ProPlate developed tightly controlled plating processes and in-house chemistry management to ensure uniform deposition on complex and high-value components. The result was consistent, high-performance coatings with exceptional wear resistance, electrical reliability, and long-term stability in demanding environments.

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The Product: Electrical Contacts, PCB’s & Semiconductor Components

Rhodium is a silver-white color, chemically inert, hard transition rare earth metal. It is a member of the Platinum group, along with Iridium, Osmium, Palladium, Platinum, and Ruthenium. Industrial Rhodium is particularly precious since it is typically acquired as a byproduct of refining other metals, such as Copper and Nickel. In nature, it is found with other Platinum group minerals and metals. With the combination of unique characteristics, Rhodium is commonly used as an electrical contact material for electrical contacts, semiconductor wafers, printed circuit boards (PCBs), and other mission-critical components.

The Challenge

Rhodium has a high barrier to entry due to initial costs, with a high cost of failure. Due to Rhodium’s inertness, once plated, it cannot be chemically removed for in-process re-work like other precious metals are able to. Companies looking to electroplate Rhodium on high value parts need to consider the high risk of failure due to the steep learning curve when developing proper electroplating techniques with Rhodium. For this reason, there is a shortage of Rhodium platers with experience and adequate capabilities to serve the market demand for challenging electroplating projects.

The Engineered Solution

Semiconductor electroplating typically has precise requirements such as flatness of base material wafers or precise diameters of the interconnected pins for hermetically sealed connectors, with equally tight plating tolerances for the plating thickness and uniformity deposited to the flat wafers or precise diameter electrical connector pins. Often, these wafer assemblies have miniature features such as numerous small wires and stacked chips compacted onto a small wafer diameter which requires only selective areas of the assembly plated. Other applications include contact pins assembled in a hermetically sealed connector build that requires selective plating at the ends of the pins and specifies a very uniform plating deposit due to post-plating hermetic sealing assembly requirements. Thus, process control is critical for plating and especially critical for Rhodium plating to achieve reliable and repeatable outcomes. The plating bath and the parts being processed must be in their purest form, free of dust and particles, and the bath must be frequently maintained and monitored. For this reason, ProPlate® employs an in-house chemistry department so that chemistries can be proactively managed. In contrast, many electroplating companies do not have in-house chemical testing and management capabilities, forcing these plating operations to wait for weeks or months to receive bath test data critical to quality outcomes. ProPlate® has offered customers Rhodium plating services since its inception in 1984, giving them a vast knowledge base of experiences to offer customers unique plating projects and production services.

Benefits:

Vickers Hardness1246 MPa
Boiling Point 3227°C
Corrosion Resistance
Oxidation Resistance
Tarnishing Resistance
Scratch Resistance
Heat Resistance
Low Electrical Resistance
Mechanical Wear
Chemical Protection
Electrical Conductivity
Friction Reduction

Selective Plating for Hermetically Sealed Feedthrough Connectors

Selective plating was required for hermetically sealed feedthrough connectors to maintain seal integrity while enabling electrical conductivity and corrosion resistance. ProPlate developed specialized masking, fixturing, and plating processes to precisely apply coatings only where needed, either before or after the sealing process. The result was reliable hermetic performance, consistent electrical functionality, and repeatable plating outcomes across complex connector assemblies.

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The Product: Hermetically Sealed Feedthrough Connectors

Hermetic Seals require leads to be sealed inside of a body/housing. The leads must not be connected to the hermetic seal body but still be able to pass current through the leads. Leads can be sealed within body/housings using either a glass or ceramic seal, with glass-to-metal being the most common feed-through. Due to the temperature of the sealing process for the glass and ceramic hermetic seals, selective plating of the feed-through pins is a critical requirement. Plating of the hermetic seal feed-through connectors can be designed according to the unique project requirement. Dependent upon the requirement of plating and specifications, including chemical or corrosion resistance, electrical conductivity, and thermal conductivity, common finishes include Gold, Rhodium, Platinum, Palladium, and Palladium-Nickel. Feed-through connectors have been proven useful throughout the Medical, Defense, and Aerospace industries as reliable connectors that can withstand harsh environments such as high temperatures, shock, and typical steam or sterilization methods used in medical device industries while insulating and channeling electricity. Glass-to-metal seals are the most common feed-through as it prevents the diffusion of gases that typically result in degradation or malfunctioning of the electrical components of other parts.

The Challenge

Previous technology was exposed to moisture contamination and leakage when the wire was attached to a glass or ceramic sealed pin. The first sealing technology was to mold epoxy to provide a seal. This posed an issue where the leads would encounter the housing and provide a current shortstop. This has been incrementally improved with the development of glass and ceramic fillers to seal the connector leads into the housing without the connection to the housing. Glass-to-metal and ceramic hermetic seals create plating challenges. Due to the melting point of glass and ceramic being higher than the melting point of the plated metals required, the molten material flows out is not able to create a tight bond. The thermal expansion of the glass and metal must be closely matched for the seal to remain in place after cooling. This does not allow leads to be plated entirely before being sealed, or the seal will not have a tight seal. Medical technology requires the dependability of all components reliable encapsulation and to withstand the different environments the device will have to go through, whether it is short or long term use medical device. Most medical connectors need to be sterilizable and autoclavable, and for implantable medical devices, the feed-through must be corrosion-resistant and biocompatible. The challenge of processing a hermetic seal after the sealing process is completed is that most applications cannot tolerate plating on the housing; therefore, selective plating techniques are required for successful outcomes whether the feed-through pins are pre-plated selectively prior to assembly or selectively plated post connector assembly.

The Engineered Solution

ProPlate® has developed a proprietary process to electroplate hermetic seals by using selective masking, racking/fixturing, and plating capabilities. ProPlate® can selectively mask and plate the leads precisely where the plating is required outside of the glass/ceramic seal prior to the sealing process. When the feedthrough goes through the sealing process, the molten seal material can form a tight bond to the raw base material, and the plating is not compromised due to selective plating only being applied in the areas that will not flow out from the sealing process. The plating must be held to a tight tolerance for the sealing operation to succeed. ProPlate® has capabilities to electroplate the leads at either the distal or proximal end and keep the rest of the feed-through pins free from plating, whichever is required, prior to assembly of the hermetic seal. ProPlate® has also developed masking and plating fixtures to allow electroplating of leads that are already sealed within glass or ceramic and outer body of the build, as opposed to pre-plating the leads prior to the sealing activity. Through the utilization of selective masking/plating and racking, ProPlate® has capabilities to form electrical connections to the leads, which results in a body/housing that is free of any plating. These solutions allow the lead pins to be plated before or after the hermetic sealing process, dependent on the customer’s needs.

Applications:

Multi-Pin Connectors for Endoscopy
Sterilized Connectors for Surgical Instruments
Male/Female Contacts
Implantable Medical Devices
Sealed Relays
Vacuum Feed-through
Injector Tubes
Thermocouples
Power Distribution
Headers

Materials:

Alloy 52
Copper Cored 52 Alloy
Beryllium Copper
Alloy 42
Kovar
Inconel
Invar
Stainless Steel
Molybdenum

Dental

Resources covering plating solutions for orthodontic and dental components.

Gold Plating for Orthodontic Arch Wires

Gold plating enabled biocompatible, corrosion-resistant orthodontic arch wires while maintaining the mechanical performance of Nickel-Titanium and stainless steel. ProPlate developed a specialized process to achieve full adhesion of gold to Nitinol and eliminate plating voids during production. The result was consistent, defect-free plating with improved aesthetics and reliable long-term performance.

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The Product: Orthodontic Arch Wires

Besides longevity, functional performance, and aesthetics, bio-compatibility is the fourth essential requirement for dental supply materials. Gold plated Nickel-Titanium (Ni-Ti) arch forms offer both the durability and life of Ni-Ti, and the aesthetics of Gold, while still being bio-compatible and corrosion resistant. Similarly, Gold plated Stainless Steel (SS) arch forms offer both the durability and life-span of SS, and the aesthetics of Gold, while still being bio-compatible and corrosion resistant.

The Challenge

Gold plating onto SS is a well-documented and understood process. However, Gold plating onto Ni-Ti is not. The main challenge for this project was to achieve adhesion between the Nickel-Titanium and the Gold. Also, there needed to be an efficient method and apparatus in order to plate production quantities of the wires without creating any plating voids from contact.

The Engineered Solution

After a complete analysis of the manufacturing process, a special bath was installed at ProPlate®. This bath was used for a unique preparation of the parts. Customized chemistry was developed that effectively activated the Ni-Ti for Gold plating. This new process enabled ProPlate® to achieve full adhesion between the Nickel-Titanium and the Gold, whereas before, it was only partial adhesion at best. ProPlate® also tooled a custom rack to efficiently plate the wires without any plating voids, which helped to drive the overall cost and defect rate down.

Benefits:

Biocompatible
Adhesion to Nitinol
Consistent Color
Corrosion Resistance

Gold and Rhodium Plating for Orthodontic Brackets

Gold and Rhodium plating improved the aesthetics and corrosion resistance of stainless steel orthodontic brackets while maintaining biocompatibility. ProPlate worked closely with the OEM to develop a controlled plating process capable of achieving consistent, customer-specific color requirements. The result was uniform, repeatable finishes that met both functional and aesthetic expectations.

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The Product: Orthodontic Brackets

Besides longevity, functional performance, and aesthetics, bio-compatibility is a fourth essential requirement for dental supply materials. Rhodium or Gold plated Stainless Steel (SS) brackets offer both the durability and life of SS while still being bio-compatible and corrosion-resistant. Gold offers pleasing aesthetics, and Rhodium's “white-metal” appearance is excellent for matching dental enamel and ceramics.

The Challenge

The challenge was consistently color matching the Rhodium and Gold electroplating with the customer's specific expectations. Even when parts are within the required specifications, the final aesthetic appearance of electroplating can vary widely depending on the degree of process control.

The Engineered Solution

After a complete analysis of the manufacturing process, a special bath was installed at ProPlate®. This bath was used for a unique preparation of the parts. Customized chemistry was developed that effectively activated the Ni-Ti for Gold plating. This new process enabled ProPlate® to achieve full adhesion between the Nickel-Titanium and the Gold, whereas before, it was only partial adhesion at best. ProPlate® also tooled a custom rack to efficiently plate the wires without any plating voids, which helped drive the overall cost and defect rate down. ProPlate® worked closely with the engineers at the OEM to determine the aesthetic requirements for the brackets. After a complete analysis of the plating process and numerous trials were run, results from the trials were shared with the OEM to reach the desired appearance. With a unique set of plating layers, a custom plating process was developed to ensure consistent Gold and Rhodium color. Additionally, process controls were instilled to ensure the color variation remained within customer requirements.

Benefits:

Biocompatible
Corrosion Resistant
Consistent Color