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Electrolytic Nickel Plating

Electroplating & electroless plating · Electrolytic bath

Electrolytic nickel provides a bright decorative surface, corrosion barrier, wear layer, or undercoat for chromium and precious metals.

CNC machiningSheet metalCastingStandard cost $$Conductive
Quote a part with Nickel plateCompare electroplating & electroless plating
Electrolytic Nickel Plating on a machined part

What is Nickel plate?

It is less thickness-uniform than electroless nickel.

How it works

The workpiece is cathodic in a nickel-salt electrolyte, commonly a Watts-type bath. Direct current reduces nickel ions while soluble nickel anodes replenish the bath. Brighteners and leveling agents control appearance. Current density is highest at edges and lowest in recesses, so throwing power, rack orientation, shields, and auxiliary anodes determine local thickness. A strike layer is often used to establish adhesion on passive or difficult substrates before the main nickel deposit.

Why specify it

  • Bright decorative silver finish
  • Typical 5–25 µm engineering buildup
  • Useful diffusion barrier and underplate
  • Can level fine polishing marks

Where it falls short

  • Edges build faster than recesses
  • Deep holes may receive little deposit
  • Nickel may trigger skin-contact restrictions
  • High-strength steel needs hydrogen controls

Nickel plate at a glance

Nickel plate is strongest on cosmetic quality (78 of 100), at a standard cost.

Corrosion protectionFair51 / 100
Surface hardnessGood55 / 100
Cosmetic qualityVery good78 / 100
LubricityLow25 / 100
Relative costStandard35 / 100
CorrosionHardnessCosmeticLubricityEconomy

Each score is 0–100 against every finish in this catalog. Corrosion comes from salt-spray life (ASTM B117, log scale) and hardness from the finish layer's Vickers or pencil hardness; cosmetic, lubricity and cost are FabDigit's engineering assessment. Economy on the radar is the inverse of cost.

Nickel plate key numbers

Typical values from the governing specifications and shop practice; bars are this finish against the highest value among electroplating & electroless plating finishes.

Thickness5–25 µm0.2–0.98 mil
Hardness150–600 HV
Salt spray48–200 h
Thickness
5–10 µm as an underplate; 10–25 µm for decorative or engineering service
Hardness
150–600 HV — Depends on bath chemistry and additives; sulfamate engineering nickel is generally softer than bright nickel.
Corrosion (salt spray)
48–200 h per ASTM B117 to red rust on steel, 12–25 µm bright nickel (typical) — Bright nickel is porous at low thickness; a chromium or duplex-nickel top layer is what buys life.
Electrical
Conductive
Colours
  • silver
Appearance
Bright mirror-like, satin, or matte silver depending on polishing and bath additives.

Where Nickel plate sits among all finishes

Surface hardness (Vickers, log scale) against corrosion protection (salt-spray hours, log scale) for every coating FabDigit offers, one cloud per finish group. Nickel plate is highlighted; hover a dot for its name or open the full map.

02550751000255075100Corrosion protection (0–100)Surface hardness (HV, log scale, 0–100)Plating — 19 finishesHard coatings — 17 finishesAnodize & conversion — 8 finishesPaint & powder — 7 finisheshard, low corrosion protectionhard and protectiveprotective, softsoft, little protectionType II anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 54BSA anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 52Type I anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 49Hard anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 61PTFE hard anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 61Nitriding — corrosion 55, hardness 73PEO — corrosion 70, hardness 74Sherardizing — corrosion 83, hardness 56Brass plate — corrosion 35, hardness 44Bronze plate — corrosion 40, hardness 49Cadmium plate — corrosion 70, hardness 26Copper plate — corrosion 32, hardness 39Decorative chrome — corrosion 64, hardness 71Electroless copper — corrosion 20, hardness 41Electroless nickel — corrosion 70, hardness 68Gold plate — corrosion 68, hardness 39Hard chrome — corrosion 40, hardness 73Hot-dip zinc — corrosion 90, hardness 42Nickel-PTFE — corrosion 72, hardness 57Silver plate — corrosion 55, hardness 39Solder plate — corrosion 42, hardness 9Tin plate — corrosion 34, hardness 0Zinc plate — corrosion 60, hardness 30Zinc-nickel — corrosion 86, hardness 60Cerakote — corrosion 83, hardness 27E-coat — corrosion 83, hardness 15Epoxy coat — corrosion 83, hardness 15Powder coat — corrosion 83, hardness 14Wet paint — corrosion 59, hardness 10AlCrN PVD — corrosion 58, hardness 93AlTiN PVD — corrosion 52, hardness 94CrN PVD — corrosion 62, hardness 83DLC — corrosion 55, hardness 93MoS2 PVD — corrosion 20, hardness 26TiAlN PVD — corrosion 50, hardness 93TiCN PVD — corrosion 40, hardness 92TiB2 PVD — corrosion 40, hardness 94TiN PVD — corrosion 45, hardness 87WC/C PVD — corrosion 48, hardness 77ZrN PVD — corrosion 52, hardness 90CVD alumina — corrosion 70, hardness 85CVD TiCN — corrosion 38, hardness 92CVD TiN — corrosion 45, hardness 87Multilayer CVD — corrosion 62, hardness 88HVOF coating — corrosion 78, hardness 77Plasma spray — corrosion 60, hardness 68Plastic chrome — corrosion 72, hardness 71Electroless plastic — corrosion 58, hardness 39Clear coat — corrosion 20, hardness 12Soft-touch — corrosion 20, hardness 5PLATINGHARD COATINGSANODIZE & CONVERSIONPAINT & POWDERType II anodizePowder coatZinc plateZinc-nickelHard chromeDLCTiN PVDTin plateCadmium plateE-coatCerakoteWet paintHot-dip zincNitridingHVOF coatingNickel plate — corrosion 51, hardness 55Nickel plate
02550751000255075100Corrosion protection (0–100)Surface hardness (HV, log scale, 0–100)Plating — 19 finishesHard coatings — 17 finishesAnodize & conversion — 8 finishesPaint & powder — 7 finishesType II anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 54BSA anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 52Type I anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 49Hard anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 61PTFE hard anodize — corrosion 71, hardness 61Nitriding — corrosion 55, hardness 73PEO — corrosion 70, hardness 74Sherardizing — corrosion 83, hardness 56Brass plate — corrosion 35, hardness 44Bronze plate — corrosion 40, hardness 49Cadmium plate — corrosion 70, hardness 26Copper plate — corrosion 32, hardness 39Decorative chrome — corrosion 64, hardness 71Electroless copper — corrosion 20, hardness 41Electroless nickel — corrosion 70, hardness 68Gold plate — corrosion 68, hardness 39Hard chrome — corrosion 40, hardness 73Hot-dip zinc — corrosion 90, hardness 42Nickel-PTFE — corrosion 72, hardness 57Silver plate — corrosion 55, hardness 39Solder plate — corrosion 42, hardness 9Tin plate — corrosion 34, hardness 0Zinc plate — corrosion 60, hardness 30Zinc-nickel — corrosion 86, hardness 60Cerakote — corrosion 83, hardness 27E-coat — corrosion 83, hardness 15Epoxy coat — corrosion 83, hardness 15Powder coat — corrosion 83, hardness 14Wet paint — corrosion 59, hardness 10AlCrN PVD — corrosion 58, hardness 93AlTiN PVD — corrosion 52, hardness 94CrN PVD — corrosion 62, hardness 83DLC — corrosion 55, hardness 93MoS2 PVD — corrosion 20, hardness 26TiAlN PVD — corrosion 50, hardness 93TiCN PVD — corrosion 40, hardness 92TiB2 PVD — corrosion 40, hardness 94TiN PVD — corrosion 45, hardness 87WC/C PVD — corrosion 48, hardness 77ZrN PVD — corrosion 52, hardness 90CVD alumina — corrosion 70, hardness 85CVD TiCN — corrosion 38, hardness 92CVD TiN — corrosion 45, hardness 87Multilayer CVD — corrosion 62, hardness 88HVOF coating — corrosion 78, hardness 77Plasma spray — corrosion 60, hardness 68Plastic chrome — corrosion 72, hardness 71Electroless plastic — corrosion 58, hardness 39Clear coat — corrosion 20, hardness 12Soft-touch — corrosion 20, hardness 5PLATINGHARD COATINGSANODIZE & CONVERSIONPAINT & POWDERPowder coatZinc plateNickel plate — corrosion 51, hardness 55Nickel plate
Anodize & conversionPlatingPaint & powderHard coatings

Specifications for Nickel plate

The documents a drawing cites to define this finish, with the Type / Class rows that apply. Each links to a page explaining the standard.

StandardType / ClassThicknessRequirement / testStatus
ASTM B689
Standard Specification for Electroplated Engineering Nickel Coatings · ASTM
Type 1—Nickel without hardeners, brighteners, or stress-control additives. · Composition/process control and applicable performance tests.Active
Type 2—Nickel with additions for hardness, grain refinement, or internal-stress control. · Hardness, heat resistance, and applicable tests.
Type 3—Composite nickel containing dispersed hard particles for wear above 325 °C. · Composition and wear-related qualification.
Classes 5, 25, 50, 100, 2005–200 µmMinimum nickel thickness equals the class number in micrometres. · Thickness and adhesion.
Class X—Purchaser-specified thickness. · Specified thickness and agreed tests.
SAE AMS 2403
Plating, Nickel, General Purpose · SAE · alternative
Nickel flash—Thin continuous nickel deposit when the drawing states nickel flash. · Approximately 0.0001 in (2.5 µm) thick. · Thickness and adhesion.Active
Drawing-specified thickness—Thickness controlled by the engineering drawing or purchase order. · Thickness by an approved ASTM method.

Test and related methods: ASTM B850 (Standard Guide for Post-Coating Treatments of Steel for Reducing the Risk of Hydrogen Embrittlement).

Drawing call-out

ELECTROLYTIC NICKEL PLATE PER ASTM B689, 0.0005 IN MIN, BRIGHT FINISH; MASK THREADS AND SEALING FACES

Pattern: ENGINEERING NICKEL PLATE PER ASTM B689, TYPE <1|2|3>, CLASS <5|25|50|100|200|X>, <FINISH SIZE>

Which materials take Nickel plate?

Verdict per material family, with the grades that behave differently. Each family links to its datasheets in the material library.

Material familyVerdictNotes
Brass
YesCommon decorative and electrical substrate after cleaning.
Copper Alloy
YesCommon decorative and diffusion-barrier substrate.
Steel
YesCommon with suitable cleaning or copper undercoat.
Aluminum
With careRequires zincate and strike processing.
DMLS / SLM
With careMetal AM parts can be plated after density, powder, and porosity review.
Stainless Steel
With careNeeds a strike over activated stainless.
Zinc Alloy
With careUsually plated over copper to control porosity and adhesion.
Magnesium Alloy
LimitedHighly reactive; needs a qualified pretreatment and is rarely plated this way.
Polymer
LimitedOnly plateable resins after etch, catalyst, and electroless metallization.
SLA
LimitedOnly if the resin is qualified for metallization; most SLA parts are not.
Titanium
LimitedPossible only with specialized activation; not a routine job-shop sequence.
FDM
NoFused-filament polymers are not a standard plating substrate.
MJF
NoPorous nylon powder-bed parts are not a standard plating substrate.
SLS
NoPorous nylon powder-bed parts are not a standard plating substrate.

How Nickel plate is applied, and what it does to the part

  1. 1Clean
  2. 2Activate
  3. 3Apply strike if needed
  4. 4Electroplate nickel
  5. 5Rinse
  6. 6Optional polish
  7. 7Inspect
DimensionsDo not assume uniform thickness; call out minimum thickness and measurement locations in recesses.
Build-up per side5–25 µm — Local buildup varies strongly with current density.
MaskingUsually needed. Mask threads, fits, and areas that must remain weldable or free of nickel.
ElectricalConductive
AppearanceBright mirror-like, satin, or matte silver depending on polishing and bath additives.
Added lead time3–6 working days on top of the bare part

Design rules for Nickel plate

What to decide on the drawing before the part goes to the finisher.

  1. Show significant surfaces.Minimum thickness is difficult to achieve uniformly everywhere.
  2. Use rack orientation to hide contact marks.Every part needs electrical contact.
  3. Avoid blind deep recesses.Low current density gives thin coverage.
  4. Define finish before plating.Nickel reproduces or levels only limited substrate roughness.

Nickel plate versus the alternatives

Finishes engineers weigh against Nickel plate, and when each wins.

FinishCorrosionHardnessCosmeticCostThicknessChoose it when
Nickel plate
this page
515578$$5–25 µm—
Electroless Nickel Plating
Nickel plate vs Electroless Nickel Plating →
706855$$$5–75 µmwhen uniform thickness on complex geometry is essential
Decorative Nickel-Chrome Plating
Nickel plate vs Decorative Nickel-Chrome Plating →
647195$$$0.3–1 µmwhen a blue-white, tarnish-resistant decorative topcoat is required
CorrosionHardnessCosmeticLubricityEconomy
Nickel plateElectroless Nickel Plating

The radar overlays Nickel plate with Electroless Nickel Plating, its most common alternative — chosen when uniform thickness on complex geometry is essential. Scores in the table are 0–100 across every finish in the catalog.

Cost, lead time and compliance

Relative cost

Electrolytic Nickel Plating is a standard-cost finish ($$): cheaper than about 60 % of the finishes FabDigit quotes.

Finishing is priced per part with a lot minimum, from FabDigit's own China-side rates cross-checked against US job-shop pricing. The exact figure appears on the instant quote once the part is uploaded.

Lead time and compliance

Added lead time3–6 working days
RoHSCompliant
NotesNickel release is regulated for prolonged skin-contact articles in some markets.

What Nickel plate is used for

  • Decorative hardware
  • Appliance trim
  • Connector shells
  • Chromium underplate

Nickel plate — frequently asked

electroless nickel vs electrolytic nickel

Electroless nickel is chemically deposited and is nearly uniform on edges and recesses. Electrolytic nickel uses current, builds fastest at edges, and is often chosen for a bright decorative 5–25 µm layer.

how thick is nickel plating

Decorative and engineering nickel commonly ranges from 5 to 25 µm. A drawing should state minimum local thickness because recesses can be much thinner than exposed edges.

can you nickel plate aluminum

Yes, after aluminum-specific preparation such as zincate and a suitable strike. Poor activation causes blistering, so identify alloy and heat treatment.

is nickel plating corrosion resistant

Nickel is a barrier coating, not a sacrificial coating on steel. A pore through a 5–25 µm layer can concentrate corrosion at exposed steel, so thickness and underplates matter.

rack vs barrel nickel plating

Rack plating gives better cosmetic control and protects delicate parts. Barrel plating lowers cost for robust small parts but produces contact marks and risks tangling or thread damage.