Brush plating is an out-of-tank process used to apply electroplated deposits onto localized areas of worn or damaged shipboard components to resize and repair, or to improve the performance of those areas. This portable plating process provides a unique alternative to repair methods such as flame spray and welding when deposit thicknesses ranging from a few tenths of a thousandth of an inch to thirty thousandths of an inch are required.

The portable brush plating process can be used anywhere in the shop or aboard the ship. Unlike flame spray and welding, brush plating is carried out at room temperature and carries no risk of warping or distorting the component being repaired. The extremely adherent deposits are applied uniformly and accurately, in many cases eliminating the need for machining operations.

Typical applications include the repair of out of tolerance conditions on reduction gear housing and shaft bearing areas; the in-place repair of damage to hydraulic cylinders; resizing pump and motor/generator shafts and bearing housings; repairing steam cuts in the mating faces of turbine casings; and the in-place repair of worn crankshaft bearing seats for diesel engines.

Brush plating has been used by the marine industry for over forty years in very demanding applications. It is approved by the American Bureau of Shipping, Lloyds of London, and the US Navy. This flexible process provides a viable, cost effective alternative to flame spray and welding when lower metal thicknesses are needed for repair of shipboard components.

For more information on how selective plating is used in the marine industry, click here.