QLQ zinc alloy surface finishing equipment and process

Professional Zinc Alloy Surface Finishing Solutions

Special Color Plating

Special Color Plating — Rose Gold, Gun Metal, Champagne & More

The fashion-color playbook: alloy systems, process windows, and how we hold ΔE ≤ 1.0 across batches.

Colors On Our Line

Nine fashion finishes, all Pantone-matchable

Rose Gold

Champagne Gold

Black Nickel

Gun Metal

Pearl Nickel

Antique Bronze

Antique Copper

Matte Gold

Green Gold

💡 Pantone Matching ServiceSend a Pantone code or a physical swatch. Our lab formulates the bath, plates test coupons, and verifies with a spectrophotometer until ΔE ≤ 1.0. Development takes 7–10 days.

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How Special Colors Are Built

Color is a 3-layer system — base, color flash, protection

1Base Coat (Brightness Foundation)

Bright nickel or acid copper base at 8–12 μm. The base brightness decides 70% of the final look — a dull base makes muddy rose gold.

Oxidation antique finish barrel for zinc alloy parts — Black nickel barrel plating gives zinc alloy parts the deep black finish

Black nickel barrel: deep black zinc alloy hardware — Black nickel barrel plating gives zinc alloy parts the deep black finish

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Champagne color barrel plating on zinc alloy parts — Champagne barrel plating: soft champagne-gold shade on zinc alloy parts

Antique oxidation: barrel parts get the rubbed bronze finish

Key Parameters

Base thickness: 8–12 μm

2Color Bath Formulation

Rose gold = Au-Cu alloy (75–85% Au). Gun metal = black Ni-Sn. Antique = controlled oxidation over copper. Ratios are weighed, never eyeballed.

Key Parameters

Rose gold: Au-Cu 75–85% Au

Gun metal: Ni-Sn black

Antique: Cu + controlled oxidize

3Color Flash Plating

Short, precisely timed immersion. 10 seconds too long = one shade darker; too short = base shows through. Every color has its own window.

Key Parameters

Time window: 30–120 s

Temp: 45–55 °C

Current: 0.5–1.5 A/dm²

4Color Stabilization

Immediate rinse to freeze color development. Reactive colors get a stabilizer dip to lock the shade before drying.

5Protective Topcoat

Gold-family colors get clear e-coating or lacquer — without it, copper in the alloy tarnishes within months.

Key Parameters

E-coat: 15–25 μm, cure 160–180 °C

6Color QC

Spectrophotometer on every batch, compared to the master swatch under D65 light. Batch ships only at ΔE ≤ 1.0.

Key Parameters

Tolerance: ΔE ≤ 1.0

Light source: D65 standard

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Color Systems Compared

Pick by look, durability and budget

Color	Alloy System	Finish	Durability	Best For
Rose Gold	Au-Cu (75–85% Au)	Bright warm pink	High w/ topcoat	Fashion jewelry, luxury bags
Champagne	Au-Ag-Cu	Soft golden	High w/ topcoat	Watches, premium hardware
Black Nickel	Ni-Sn	Satin-black	Very high	Tactical, modern gear
Gun Metal	Ni-Sn alloy	Semi-bright grey	Very high	Sports equipment
Pearl Nickel	Microporous Ni	Satin pearl	High	Premium handbags
Antique Bronze	Cu-Sn + oxide	Aged matte	Medium (sealed)	Vintage furniture hardware
Antique Copper	Cu + oxide	Aged copper	Medium (sealed)	Retro designs
Matte Gold	Au matte	Non-glare gold	High	Minimalist luxury

⚠ Special colors drift fastA ±2 °C bath swing or 0.2 pH drift visibly shifts rose gold. We log temperature and pH every 2 hours during color runs. Antique finishes are designed to keep aging; that patina is the look, not a defect.

📌 Special Color Cheat Sheet

Color flash time30–120 s

Bath temp window45–55 °C

Current density0.5–1.5 A/dm²

Color toleranceΔE ≤ 1.0

Rose gold alloy75–85% Au

Topcoat cure160–180 °C / 20–30 min

FAQ

Do special colors cost more?

Yes — expect 20–50% over standard nickel. Gold-family colors carry precious-metal cost; gun metal and black nickel are mid-range.

Will rose gold tarnish?

Not with our e-coat topcoat — the clear layer isolates the alloy from sweat and air. Untopcoated rose gold will darken in months.

Can you color-match our existing supplier parts?

Yes. Send 2–3 sample parts; we match to ΔE ≤ 1.0 and keep a master swatch for future batches.

MOQ for custom colors?

3000 pcs — the bath must be formulated and tested specifically for you.

Get a Free Quote Today

Send us your samples or drawings — our engineers reply within 24 hours with pricing and technical advice.

Barrel special colour: control points

Variable	Effect	Control
Load size	Colour variation across the batch	Weigh in, do not estimate
Rotation	Uniformity of the thin colour film	Fixed program per part
Current density	Colour depth	Calculate from total area
Dwell time	Colour shade window is narrow	Timer, not judgement
Rinse	Staining after colour	Two-stage rinse, quick transfer

FAQ

Why is barrel colour less even than rack colour?

Contact points change during rotation. Accepted range is wider - agree the tolerance with the customer up front.

Can we mix part numbers in one colour batch?

Only if the surface area and shape are similar. Mixed loads give mixed shades.

Special Color Plating