Tin and silver plating are essential for components designed to carry heavy electrical currents such as Busbars. It’s believed that silver is the best metal for conducting electricity making it a popular choice for electronics and semiconductors.

At PRV Engineering, we provide a high quality painted finish to very exacting standards. Our plating facility is testament to how we operate in terms of quality finish and zero tolerance on rejects. There is no better way of controlling quality than by doing it yourself which is exactly what we do.

Silver Plating Applications And Busbars

Finishing is one of the most important areas within the engineering sector. Even components carefully machined to the highest standards and specifications can still be scrapped if the finishing is not up to standard. Silver plating is essential for the functioning of components and helps in the following areas:

  • reduced corrosion
  • enhanced strength
  • reduced friction
  • increased solderability
  • benefits to conductivity
  • help with paint adhesion

Did you know that silver has the highest electrical and thermal conductivity with the lowest contact resistance? This means it’s particularly beneficial in military, aerospace, medical and automotive sectors.

Speaking of the automotive industry, developments in electric vehicles and busbars are on the rise. Modern technologies allow companies to manufacture, plate, connect and fit busbars much faster than before. Silver plating and busbars could be seen as standard parts in an industry that has always relied on cabling.

Quality Finish And Manufacturing

To guarantee exceptional results on a permanent basis, first class pre-material quality is a non-negotiable. Flaws on the surface, however small or apparently insignificant, could affect the product at any stage during the manufacturing process. Always check pre-material for consistency of its diameter and surface before plating. In addition, complying with specific plating thickness is essential and presents a two-fold challenge. First, if the coating is too thin, the functionality of the conductor might be impaired. Second, when over-plating occurs, material waste is inevitable and customers literally pay the price which can be avoided.

Our entire manufacturing process around silver plating is geared towards producing only the finest quality. This includes several predetermined checks to continuously confirm that the machines are operating flawlessly and maintaining all parameters. We have a zero tolerance policy on rejects which underpins everything that we do.

Specialist Coatings And Testing

We provide a range of specialist coatings as part of our Busbar manufacturing services offering additional conductive properties. These are applied by either electrostatic spray, fluid bath or simple heat shrink processes. In addition to the application techniques, we also test the gloss level, coating thickness, adhesion strength, colour shade, porosity and dielectric strength.

Ongoing investments and development are vital to our growth as one the UK’s top engineering firms. Our finishing department now boasts a 6 metre Shot Blast room, various Shot Blast cabinets, Powder Coating booth, Wet Paint spray room and a 2.2 metre cubic High Bake Oven. Our investment allows us to provide a broader range of services to a wider range of industries. At the same time, we can advance further into new and more diverse markets.

We also use Copper to manufacture various components for the Low, Medium and High Voltage Industries. This includes Rail Rolling Stock and Trackside electrical components. We provide the electrical industry with punching and folding, forging, pressing, castings, stampings, busbar fabrication, silver plating and heat shrink sleeving.

Don’t forget about the 2018 Subcon Show 5-7 June and you’ll find us at Stand E19. For more information on the show, visit the Subcon website to download the preview brochure. If you can’t wait until the show and want to talk to us sooner, get in touch today.

Tags: , , , , ,