1. Clean to bare metal
Steel must be fully degreased, rinsed, and freed from rust or oxide before it enters the bath. Any contamination left on the surface will show up as dullness, skips, or peeling.
2. Activate and plate quickly
After cleaning, avoid touching the part with bare hands. If needed, use an acid activation step and then move directly into the nickel bath while the surface is still active.
3. Match current to part size
Low current can look gray and inactive. High current can burn edges. Start conservative, watch the deposit, and adjust slowly until coverage looks even.
4. Improve brightness with bath control
Agitation, temperature, anode spacing, and brightener condition all affect how reflective the final surface looks. If your finish stays flat, review current density and surface prep before replacing solution.
5. Rinse, inspect, and replate if needed
Rinse in clean water, inspect coverage, and repeat short plating cycles if more thickness or brightness is needed.
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