Electroplating has existed for decades and evolved from being an art to a small but consequential part of science. It is also considered part of engineering and has ever widening applications in different areas of engineering. Over the last few decades, the use of the electroplating process has increased in manufacturing electrical or electronic components, including optics, micro and macro, sensors, and opto-electronics. Of course, it still remains the single most important process where gold plating or silver or any other metal plating is concerned. Electroplating is also known as electrodeposition and is used for producing a metallic coating on the surface of an object using electric current. The process of electroplating requires adding a negative charge on the object to be plated and then immersing it in an ionic solution carrying positive charge. The positively charged ions are attracted to the negative charged surface of the object and thus coating takes place. Types of Electroplating The process of electroplating is used for coating any type of object with specific metals, including gold, silver, nickel, chromium, and aluminum. There are 4 types of electroplating processes, and the type of process to be used depends primarily on the object to be coated, the properties to be enhanced and metal to be used for coating. The different types of electroplating processes include: Rack Plating Rack plating is an electroplating process that is performed using a rack for holding the parts of an object that needs to be plated. In rack plating, the work piece or object is mounted on the rack and then immersed in the plating solution. It is also known as batch plating. Barrel Plating Barrel plating is considered an economical option of electroplating and is used where customers have specific plating requirements. Barrel plating accommodates objects of different shapes and sizes for plating purposes. There are 2 different types of barrels used for plating -e horizontal barrel and oblique barrel. Mass Plating Where small objects need to undergo plating in large or bulk quantities, then the mass plating process is applied. This type of electroplating process cannot be used for delicate objects or work pieces. Mass plating can take place using barrel plating methods. In-Line Plating In-line plating is normally used when plating as well as finishing process needs to be integrated into the primary production line. In-line plating has several benefits, including a significant reduction in quantity of plating material required, exclusion of the pre-plating treatment steps, lower consumption of energy, and there is less waste discharge. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7363594

Many small businesses use Quick Response codes as a marketing tool. Is QR code marketing for small businesses effective, or is it just a fad that they are getting into because everyone else seems to be using it? The answer depends largely on the type of business, the type of customers it is targeting and how well the tool is used.

A number of factors influence the effectiveness of Quick Response codes. If used correctly in the right situations, codes can be very effective in promoting products or services. Let us take a look at some factors which can make a major difference and how they influence the effectiveness of QR codes.

The customer profile:

For using QR codes, the targeted market should have a sizable percentage of people who own smartphones and have data plans on their mobiles. These people should have the knowledge and ability to use their phones to read the QR codes and navigate to a website. One of the main reasons why QR codes are not effective is because the target market is either not having the right gadgets or is not having the knowledge to use them.

Not everyone likes using Quick Response codes. Surveys on smartphone users revealed that though many were aware of QR codes, not many had the readers on their phones or wanted to use them. Many who used them once did not seem too keen to use it again.

The buying situation:

Can QR code really give information that will be of value to the customer in the situation. For example, a customer standing in front of a heap of garlic in a supermarket is unlikely to scan the code to know the health benefits of garlic, but the same customer is more likely to scan a code near a bottle of expensive garlic capsules to see if it will help him or her.

The benefit of using the code:

QR codes will be effective only if the user feels that using it is going to result in some benefit which will either get them a good deal or help them in the buying process. It is important to let the customer know what they are going to get when they scan the code.

The places where the code is displayed:

Quick Response codes can be used in many places, for example, printed materials, point of sales and print media. The effectiveness of a QR code campaign depends on displaying the code at many different places.

The type of content that is displayed:

QR codes are used on mobile devices. The content that is provided should be mobile friendly. People are not too impressed by sites which are made for bigger devices and are tough to read or navigate on smaller screens. Neither will they like slow loading sites with bulky videos. Not paying enough attention to this aspect is one of the common reasons why QR codes become ineffective for small businesses.