Walter Lemmen GmbH

Electroplating

06
  • Galvanizing
  • Galvanic tinning
  • Electropolishing stainless steel
  • Passivating stainless steel
  • Special applications

Electroplating

05

Electroplating as a service

Thanks to our many years of experience in the field of surface treatment and coating, we are the ideal contact and service provider in the field of contract electroplating. We focus in particular on the individual wishes of our customers. When selecting the surface treatment, we take into account the intended use, corrosion protection, function and decorative appearance. Using special process technologies, we guarantee optimum surface finishing even for partial coatings and geometrically complicated parts. Last but not least, in addition to flexibility, speed and surface quality, we also offer support and advice on solving technical issues.

 

We surface treat the parts according to customer requirements for different applications and industries:
  • Automotive industry
  • Medical technology
  • Jewelry and watch industry
  • Printed circuit board industry
  • Apparatus and plant engineering
Procedure

Surface coating of steel parts and non-ferrous metals

We specialize in the galvanic surface coating of parts and components. The supplied components can be surface-treated as follows:

All processes at a glance
Pre-cleaning | Degreasing
Pickling
Pre-cleaning - decapping & activating
Galvanizing
Galvanic tinning
Passivation
Post-treatment Passivation / chromating
Electropolishing
Chemical deburring & polishing

Our focus

in the area of surface finishing

Pre-cleaning - degreasing

If metal workpieces are electroplated after shaping, they must be clean and free of grease. Contamination, such as oil and grease, acts as a separating agent between the base material and the coating. For this reason, workpieces contaminated with oil and grease are first degreased and cleaned in our electroplating shop using:
 
  • Ultrasonic cleaning
  • Electrolytic degreasing

Pre-cleaning - decapitation and activation

Decapitation is immersion in an acid solution to remove thin layers of tarnish and to activate metallic surfaces. Decapitation is used after degreasing surfaces in alkaline solutions to neutralize them.
Before placing workpieces in an electrolyte, especially after a previous pre-treatment, an immersion process in an acidic solution is usually carried out. Decapitation is intended to facilitate the removal of alkaline electrolyte residues, prepare the surface for the subsequent process and, above all, remove passive and oxide films.

Pre-cleaning - pickling

In the pickling process, interfering layers and adhesions, in particular the oxide layers of the metals, are removed from the surface by chemical reaction with the pickling agent. Acids are used as pickling agents, mainly sulphuric and hydrochloric acid, in special cases nitric, hydrofluoric and phosphoric acid, or mixed acids. The pickling of

Galvanic metal deposition

Zinc

Galvanic zinc coatings are used as an anti-corrosion coating on ferrous materials.
The metal is characterized by good environmental and biocompatibility as well as high economic efficiency. Deposition is possible both on large parts that pass through the process individually attached and on small bulk parts (bulk material) that are processed in baskets or drums. The usual layer thicknesses are between around 5 μm and up to 30 μm.

Tin

Electroplated tin and tin coatings are used due to their good corrosion resistance, solderability and self-lubricating properties, which are required for bearings. The usual layer thicknesses of the coatings are between around 0.5 μm and up to 30 μm.

Post-treatment - passivation / chromating

The basic tendency of galvanized steel surfaces to white corrosion can be significantly reduced by chromating. It is an essential post-treatment step in the galvanizing process. In addition to the original yellow chromating, we offer blue. Olive and black chromating as further coating systems. In addition to corrosion protection, these coatings also have a decorative effect.
The layer thicknesses of the chromates are between 0.1 and a maximum of 2 μm. They are also very suitable as adhesion promoters for post-treatment with paints or plastic coatings.

Electropolishing

Electrochemical process for surface ablation on
metals. The surfaces are polished, cleaned and deburred.

Materials:

  • Stainless steel
  • Titanium alloys (titanium, Nitinol...)
  • Carbon steel Copper alloys

Chemical deburring and polishing

Chemical process for surface removal on metals and is used for controlled chemical deburring and smoothing of the surface. For processing, the parts are immersed in the process bath loosely in baskets, drums or individually on racks.


Materials:

  • Carbon steel
  • Copper alloys
  • Titanium alloys

Pickling

Chemical and anodic pickling process for removing tarnish, scale and other surface impurities.

 

Materials:

  • Stainless steel
  • Carbon steel
  • Copper and
  • Copper alloys
  • Titanium and
  • Titanium alloys

Passivation

Chemical production of a protective layer on a metallic material which prevents or significantly slows down the corrosion of the base material.

Stainless steel

Passivation of stainless steel surfaces chemically creates a passive layer to improve the corrosion resistance of the material. Recommended for components that are subject to high chemical stress after pickling or electropolishing.

Copper alloys

Copper and copper alloys have the natural property of oxidizing on contact with air and moisture. These surfaces can be protected against corrosion (tarnishing) with a special tarnish protection.

Processing the components

Bulk goods

Depending on the geometry, the bulk material is
Various drum units are surface-treated. 

Rack goods

The workpieces are processed according to
Geometry on a contact frame.

Technical data

Galvanizing and passivating

Procedure:
Galvanized according to DIN 50979 Formation of passivation layers

 

Coating color:

Blue (transparent; CrVI-free) | Black | Olive | Yellow

 

Protective property:
Improvement of corrosion protection and for
Increasing the surface hardness of the parts

System technology:
Frame

Usable rack bath size:
2000 x 350 x 750 mm
700 x 500 x 1100 mm
Tubes: max. 500 x 1100 mm

Drum

Small parts with a maximum capacity of 30 kg

Galvanic tinning

Procedure:

Tin coatings on ferrous materials and copper materials according to DIN 50965 - Cu/Sn

Coating color:

white (matt)

Protective property:
Improvement of corrosion protection and for
Increasing the surface hardness of the parts

System technology:
Frame

Usable rack bath size:
Max. Frame size: 450 x 400 mm

Degreasing of components

Electrolytic degreasing of steel parts, non-ferrous metals and stainless steel

Special solutions

Surface coating of small parts and small series on request
  • Pickling, etching, anodizing of titanium and titanium alloys
  • Electrochemical polishing and deburring (electropolishing) of titanium, titanium alloys and stainless steel
  • Chemical polishing and deburring of stainless steel
  • Passivation
  • Various chemical surface treatments (e.g. pickling, etching)
  • Various electrochemical surfaces (decorative and functional)
  • Various electroless surface treatments (e.g. chemical Ni/Au, chemical Sn)
Enquire now!

Everything from a single source

We offer all our services in our own electroplating shop. We only use our own equipment for this. This enables us to achieve the highest quality for your products and respond to your individual requirements.

Enquire now!
Call

Do you have questions about our systems? Please contact us directly.

Call
Mail

Would you like a quote?
Write us an e-mail

Write mail
Inquiry form

Please use our contact form. We will get in touch with you.

Send contact request
Edit template

Walter Lemmen GmbH

Birkenstraße 13 | 97892 Kreuzwertheim | Germany

  • +49 (0) 93 42-240977-0
  • info@walterlemmen.de
Sign up for our our newsletter!

We inform you optionally about:

  • Medical technology
  • Electroplating
  • PCB technology
  • Filter technology
  • Electroplating
Log in

*Log in with your e-mail address

STAY UP TO DATE

Facebook-f Instagram Youtube Linkedin

Business areas

Company

WE ARE A MEMBER OF THE

WE ARE A MEMBER OF THE

UP

© 2025 Walter Lemmen GmbH 

Our processes

Color anodizing type III

Medical parts or components made of titanium or titanium alloys are electrochemically anodized with special aqueous electrolytes. The result is a thin, firmly adhering titanium oxide layer that appears colored due to the superimposition of light waves (interference). The color palette of type III anodized surfaces ranges from titanium grey, blue, yellow, magenta to green. The main purpose of anodizing medical parts and components is to improve identification and corrosion protection. The titanium oxide layer has very good electrical insulation and biocompatibility

Color spectrum
Blue
Mint
Yellow
Magenta
Green
Before
After
Grey anodizing type II

In addition to colour anodizing, grey anodizing (acidic or alkaline) can also be carried out in the systems. Type II grey anodizing is preferably used for bone plates, bone screws and bone implants. The process produces even thicker coatings and serves to improve corrosion and wear resistance.

Electropolishing

Electrochemical polishing (electropolishing) and deburring of stainless steel significantly improves the properties of the metallic surface, which has a positive effect on the durability of the individual components. Electropolishing is an electrochemical process for surface removal. The removal is carried out with special aqueous solutions using electricity in the micro range and produces a smooth and shiny surface.

Your contact to us

Newsletter registration

MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY

Manual electroplating systems

Titanium dyeing device - tabletop device

Learn more

COMPACTA Ti professional

Learn more
Close
Contact us
Tanja Lemmen

Marketing & Sales

  • +49 (0) 9342 240 977 - 0
  • info@walterlemmen.de