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This section provides an overview for rhodium plating as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 11 rhodium plating companies and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked rhodium plating companies as of December, 2024: 1.Professional Plating, Inc., 2.MITSUYA CO., LTD., 3.Xometry.
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In rhodium plating, a thin film of rhodium is formed on the surface of the material by placing the material in a liquid in which rhodium is molten and passing electricity through it. This film is called rhodium* plating**.
* Rhodium is a member of the platinum group, an expensive metal classified as a precious metal with the element symbol Rh.
** Plating is a technique used to apply a thin film to the surface of a material to protect it.
Rhodium plating is used in various industrial fields such as optical and electronic equipment because it is chemically very stable, has very high hardness, is scratch resistant, has good abrasion resistance, and does not oxidize at temperatures below 500°C. Rhodium plating is used in various industrial fields such as optical and electronic equipment.
It is also used for high-end ornaments, taking advantage of its white luster and high reflectance of 80% or more, which gives it an elegant appearance.
In industrial applications, rhodium plating is used for electrical contacts (reed switches, etc.) due to its excellent corrosion and wear resistance and low electrical resistance. It is also often used in industrial parts such as mirrors and other optical elements and catalysts to control exhaust gases, taking advantage of its high reflectivity over a wide range of wavelengths.
Materials that can be plated include copper, copper alloys, iron, and stainless steel.
In addition to industrial applications, rhodium plating is also used for high-end decorative items such as eyeglass frames, necklaces, watches, and rings.
Rhodium is extremely hard and, unlike gold and other metals, cannot be formed into shapes. For this reason, it is often used for plating. It is a platinum metallic element that is chemically stable and does not corrode in ordinary acids or alkalis, and its hardness is about the same as industrial chromium. For this reason, it is also used for industrial applications such as optical equipment.
Rhodium plating has high hardness and excellent wear resistance and does not tarnish at temperatures below 500℃. It also has high light reflectivity and low electrical resistance of only a few microhms, making it suitable for use in areas where antistatic measures are required.
Since it is an expensive precious metal that can cost more than gold, a base coat is usually applied to form a thin rhodium layer of about 0.05~0.3 μm only on the topmost surface layer. Although the film thickness is considerably thinner than normal plating, it functions well as plating even with a thin film thickness because of its good chemical properties, scratch resistance, and hardness.
*Including some distributors, etc.
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Xometry is an American AI-driven B2B platform of custom parts and assemblies, with minor operations as a contract manufacturer that was originally established as NextLine Manufacturing Corp. before its rebrand in 2015. Based in North Bethesda, Maryland, the company connects manufacturers and buyers via a range of services including instant quoting and a web database. They also offer sheet metal fabrication, CNC machining, 3D printing, injection molding, and die casting services for rapid prototyping or high-volume production projects. Xometry chiefly serves clients in the defense, robotics, aerospace, and automotive sectors, including BMW, Bosch, and NASA.
Professional Plating, Inc., established in 1988 and headquartered in San Diego, California, is a manufacturer and supplier of electroplating services. The company's product range includes electroplating solutions, including gold, rhodium, palladium, platinum, and silver plating. It serves diverse industries such as medical, dental, semiconductor, electronics, and energy. The company’s services extend to offering custom plating solutions, managing complex part geometries, and maintaining tight plating tolerances. The company also places emphasis on customer satisfaction and continuously aspire to meet customer needs reflecting its devotion to maintaining stringent quality management systems. Its strong customer base extends across the United States and around the world.
Electronic Precision Specialties, Inc. is a plating facility in Brea, California, established in 1980 to provide premium electroplating services. The company’s service offerings include precious metal plating (gold, silver, nickel, rhodium, and copper), Electroless Nickel plating, Tin-Lead plating, and Palladium-Nickel plating. As a major player in the automotive, aerospace, electronics, medical, and telecommunications industries, this NADCAP-accredited facility has full-time equipment maintenance staff and lab technicians who monitor the chemistry and quality of the components.
Prodigy Surface Tech, founded in 2002, is a gold and platinum plating service provider based in Santa Clara, California. The company offers precious metal plating (gold, platinum, palladium, rhodium, and copper), Sulfamate Nickel plating, and Electroless Nickel plating. It provides supplementary services, such as prototype to production, engineering and design, cleaning and surface preparation, as well as quality assurance and testing. The company conforms to international standards such as AS 9100, ISO 9001, and NADCAP, providing plating solutions to medical, military, aerospace, and semiconductor tool industries.
Tanury Plating Company has been specializing in electroplating services for decorative and functional applications since 1973, based in Rhode Island, USA. The company offers electroplating, electroless plating, electropolishing, as well as sandblasting, vibratory pre-finishing, polishing, and hand buffing. It has a 30,000-square-foot facility, using nearly 20 different plating materials, including palladium, gold, and nickel. This product meets the requirements of ISO, RoHS, Mil-Spec, ASTM, and EPA standards, providing metal finishing services for the medical, automotive, electronic, optical, and jewelry industries.
Safina Materials is a US-based supplier of precious metals fabricated products, specializing in platinum group metals as well as gold and silver alloys, established in 1860. The company offers sputtering targets, evaporative materials, thermocouple wires, tubing, and precious metal chemicals, along with refining and recycling services for all its products. It has chemical laboratories and rhodium flashing services and trades pure precious metals according to ASTM standards. It is an ISO 9001:2008, ISO 1348, and ISO 14001-certified company, providing calibrated products with quality certificates to serve the needs of temperature sensing, glass, semiconductors, thin film coatings, and electronic industries.
Kapitmas is a jewelry manufacturer established in 1996 and based in Bali, Indonesia. The company offers pre-production services of 3D printing, CNC milling, and wax carving, and production services of casting, jewelry plating, laser engraving, anti-tarnish coating, and hand metal fabrication, along with post-production services of x-ray metal testing and professional jewelry photography. It adheres to international standards in jewelry manufacturing, employing a systematic approach to production, quality control, and customer service. It also combines cutting-edge technology with traditional handcrafting to meet the jewelry industry's needs.
Dresdner Silber und Metallveredlung is a German manufacturer and service provider of galvanic metal finishing services, founded in 1939. The company offers many electroplating processes, layer combinations, pre-treatment, and post-treatment processes for drum galvanic and galvanic frames. It also provides galvanic surface refinement and special services like selective separation for single parts and small series, tampon electroplating, special size machining by arrangement, reconditioning of carcasses, and metal restoration. It is an ISO 9001 and ISO 14001-certified company, serving sectors including jewelry, medical devices, electrical components, automotive parts, and industrial machinery.
SPC, Sharretts Plating Company, was established in 1925 and is headquartered in Emigsville, Pennsylvania, as a manufacturer specializing in customized electroplating and metal finishing services. The company's product portfolio includes rack plating, barrel plating, prototype plating, and customized mass-production plating, benefiting customers across various industries, including automotive, semiconductors, electronics, and hardware. The industrial plating capabilities of the company consist of palladium plating, electroless nickel plating, gold plating, silver plating, copper electroplating, and numerous metal alloys. The company is one of the few in the sector that can plate gold and nickel onto titanium and handle plastic plating.
MITSUYA CO., LTD., founded in Tokyo, Japan, in 1931, is a service provider of engineering solutions and industrial plating. The company's product portfolio includes metal plating, plating thickness control, Surface Pre-treatment Solutions and eco-friendly plating solutions. The company serves industries such as Oil and Gas, Aerospace and Defense, Automotive and Transportation, Construction, and Heavy Machinery and Equipment. The company also offers customer services that include support, custom research projects and customized services.
Ranking as of December 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional Plating, Inc. |
16.3%
|
| 2 | MITSUYA CO., LTD. |
15.4%
|
| 3 | Xometry |
10.6%
|
| 4 | SPC |
10.6%
|
| 5 | Dresdner Silber und Metallveredlung |
9.8%
|
| 6 | Prodigy Surface Tech |
8.9%
|
| 7 | Electronic Precision Specialties, Inc. |
8.1%
|
| 8 | Safina Materials |
7.3%
|
| 9 | Kapitmas |
5.7%
|
| 10 | Tanury Plating Company |
4.9%
|
Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the rhodium plating page as of December 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
Newly Established Company
Company with a History
*Including some distributors, etc.
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
|
United States of America
|
7 | 70.0% |
|
Indonesia
|
1 | 10.0% |
|
Germany
|
1 | 10.0% |
|
Japan
|
1 | 10.0% |
