Cladding and Plating

Cladding and plating are both processes which COINING utilizes to create multi-layer microstampings composed of two or more metal alloys sandwiched together. The outer layers can be the appropriate alloys to facilitate joining these parts to mating surfaces.

Cladding

Cladding is a multi-step process where two or more metals are joined or bonded together in strip form under high pressure without adhesives or filler materials. In order to assure a quality bond, the individual metal strip layers must be thoroughly cleaned and then brushed to provide a contaminant-free bonding surface. The metal strips are then bonded together in a highly controlled rolling operation, often with inline brushing. Once the metals are bonded, they are rolled as one strip, annealed, then often rolled and annealed again.

As with normal strip processing, rolling clad materials increases the hardness of these metals while annealing removes residual stresses and softens the materials so that they can be further rolled as necessary. The challenge with any clad manufacturing is to create the proper combination of initial strip thickness, cleaning/brushing steps, rolling operations and annealing processes in order to cost effectively make the desired clad material with the specified individual layer thicknesses.

Once the clad material reaches the desired thickness and composition, the metal is cross-sectioned to verify proper individual layer thicknesses, and then the strip is slit to the desired width and coiled to the proper length, The exact volume of solder or braze layers can be tightly controlled via cladding, assuring that the correct volume of joining material can be located in the exact area where it is needed.

COINING has a dedicated team of operators and equipment focused on manufacturing clad strip which the company then processes into multi-layer microstampings. COINING specializes in clads whose base materials are molybdenum, Kovar, Invar, Alloy 42, copper, silver or Constantan (Monel). Occasionally, the company procures speciality clad materials from outside suppliers. But even in these instances, Coining's combined knowledge of rolling, brushing, annealing, stamping and cleaning helps to ensure that the resulting multi-layer microstampings completely meet customers needs.

Click here to download our Clad Materials Product Sheet.

Plating

COINING uses highly selected outside suppliers to plate its stamped parts. The company specializes in supplying stamped and plated Kovar and molybdenum tabs, bonding pads, covers, terminals, heat sinks, Kovar lids and cover assemblies. Shapes as small as 0.010 inch (0.25 mm) in one dimension can normally be plated. Often, parts are first plated with one metal, then plated again with a second metal (such as nickel plating followed by gold plating). Sometimes, this double plating of parts is repeated at the customer's request (example - nickel plating, gold plating, nickel plating, gold plating). COINING can also supply parts stamped from plated strip as an alternative if required.