capricorn AUTOMOTIVE Ltd – Basingstoke, England

capricorn Automotive Ltd is the world leaders in nickel ceramic coating technology for motorsport and automotive applications.

Our propriety electrolytic nickel ceramic coating has been at the leading edge of motorsport technology for over 20 years.

Having our own in-house plating facility gives us the ability to deposit up to 300 µm of nickel ceramic coating, giving an optimum hardness of 550 Hv.

The honing technique used on this extremely hard material gives a crosshatch pattern, producing a superb oil retentive surface. We hone to the desired surface roughness between 0.1 to 0.3 Ra depending on application requirements.

With our electrolytic plating technology, we have facilities to plate engine block cylinder bores directly with nickel ceramic.

Providing we have information on the block material and damage is not too severe, we can plate a single cylinder through to V12 blocks.

Block plating can only be carried out on clean aluminium blocks with all steel components removed. The block is over plated to allow for honing and torque plate distortion.

The block can be bored to oversize, providing any damage is limited.

Some dis-colouration on the block will occur due to the plating process.

Block plating is a cost-effective option to increase engine life and improve performance.