Many coatings can protect metal parts, but demanding applications often require more than standard solutions. At Magnaplate, we provide advanced customized coatings, along with specialized processing capabilities and enhanced surface treatments, to meet even the toughest application challenges.

For more than 70 years, we have served as an extension of our customers’ engineering teams — delivering tailored surface solutions that maximize part functionality and performance. We’ve continued to adapt to meet our customers’ needs by developing FDA-compliant coatings and offering PFAS-free options. In addition, many of our coatings meet federal and industrial specifications.

Custom Coatings and Process Capabilities

Here are just some of the ways we enhance coatings and the specialized process capabilities that we utilize:

• Polymer application. Along with providing highly effective base coatings such as electroless nickel, hard anodizing or thermal sprays, we add various polymers and manipulate the blend and baking temperatures to achieve the characteristics that the application demands. Our high-performing base coatings plus custom polymers give customers the best of both worlds for superior protection.
• Masking. There’s a lot of time, effort and difficulty involved with masking, but it is no less an important step for many coating projects. Unfortunately, not all coating companies have the staff or resources to do it. We mask all surfaces that do not require or cannot tolerate a coating, and can perform multiple techniques such as taping, plugging, adding lacquers and more.
• Blasting. Depending on the chosen surface treatment, we can blast away contaminants and alter the part surface during pretreatment using a variety of media. If blasting is not needed, we can also apply the coating to an already pre-finished, machined surface without significantly altering the surface finish.
• Baking temperatures. We often raise or lower baking temperatures to achieve an ideal combination of characteristics such as hardness, corrosion resistance, density or lubricity to achieve an ideal coating.
• Hydrogen embrittlement. Ductility loss is possible for materials with hardness beyond Rc 40. That’s why we take the time during pretreatment to bake out any dirt or oils that could cause a surface to crack or otherwise compromise a coating’s adhesion to the base material.
• Racking. Whether your part has areas that cannot make contact with a rack or if you simply have a high-volume job that needs faster processing, custom racking is another Magnaplate service that many coating shops are not willing to offer.
• Larger equipment to facilitate coating large pieces. At Magnaplate, our tanks typically exceed industry size standards. Examples include:
  • Electroless nickel: 22 x 2.9 x 2.5-feet part capacity with a weight capacity up to four tons.
  • Hard anodizing: 14 x 2.5 x 4.3-feet part capacity with a weight capacity up to two tons.
  • Polymer coatings: 18 x 8 x 6-feet part capacity with a weight capacity up to 4,500 pounds.
  • Thermal sprays: 20 x 10 x 10-feet part capacity with a weight capacity up to 4,500 pounds.

A Facility Built for Quality and Process Flexibility

At Magnaplate, there’s more to just coatings and exceptional customization capabilities. Our Arlington, Texas facility was established with process flexibility and quality in mind. It starts with our NADCAP certification which indicates our coatings meet the aerospace industry’s stringent standards for quality, reliability and safety, as well as having an AS9100-compliant quality management system in place. Our facility is semi-automated by design, allowing us to perform difficult tasks manually, such as those that involve complex geometries or challenging dimensions. We address every detail from ovens that match our processing tanks and their dimensions, to maintaining an ideal temperature where a coating will work its best. Our total commitment to innovation drives us forward — we continually invest in state-of-the-art capital equipment while upholding our commitment to environmentally responsible practices.

Our Commitment to Successful Applications

Whether you choose to increase hardness, protect against wear, friction or corrosion or are restoring a part, there is a good chance you will have concerns that can be best addressed with a custom solution. Although these may not be top of mind for many plating companies, there’s no need to settle for a coating vendor who cannot go the extra mile to solve your problems. At Magnaplate, our experts will discuss various polymers and processes to suit your part’s operating conditions and application requirements. Together, you’ll determine the best coating, special polymer or process to ensure your parts perform as intended for a long time to come.

For more information about Magnaplate’s custom capabilities, contact us.