Coating a metal or other material, such as plastic or china, with a hard, nonporous metallic surface to improve durability and beauty.
Early plated goods ("old Sheffield plate ") are made by the process invented by electroplating ). Much plating is done for decorative purposes, but still more is done to increase the durability and corrosion resistance of softer materials. Most automotive parts, appliances, housewares and flatware, hardware, plumbing and electronic equipment, wire goods, aircraft and aerospace products, and machine tools are plated for durability. See also galvanizing , terneplate , tinplating .