Federal, State and City regulations require intense monitoring of chrome plating facilities. Hi-Tech is proud that the company is within full compliance with all agencies. Hard work, continuous monitoring, updating procedures and policies, along with an environmental consultation team, make Hi-Tech 100% compliant. While “chrome” is the standard finish in the custom wheel industry, the number of ch
rome platers in the United States has dwindled in recent years. As many of their competitors have been forced to close their doors, Hi-Tech has managed to adapt to the ever changing and challenging environmental regulations, to emerge as a leader in the industry. The majority of wheel manufactures are now importing their one piece chrome wheels from China; Hi-Tech has shifted to the multi-piece market and OEM Suppliers. Each part is polished by hand to eliminate imperfections in the surface and prepare the aluminum surface for the plating process. At the first stage of plating the parts are cleaned in a soap cleaner bath to remove polishing compound. The parts are next dipped through various baths including a double zincate before they reached the copper baths. Acid Copper plating helps fill in any imperfections in the metal and copper buffing smoothes the surface to a high luster finish. The most important step in the plating process is the application of the nickel, or in Hi-Tech’s case “nickels” Hi Tech is unique in that they run a semi-bright, bright, and particle nickel on each and every part. The particle nickel is superior in providing corrosion protection like no other. Both front and rear anodes are used to help ensure complete coverage on all recess areas. Lastly the parts are put through the chrome bath itself, where they are submerged for only two minutes. Once removed from the chrome bath, parts are rinsed several times, cleaned and inspected by a quality control team. The quality of polishing and plating provided by Hi-Tech Metal Polishing is what makes us a leader in the chrome plating industry, for only those that are looking for the best.
