Theta Plate in Albuquerque, New Mexico, a third-generation family business started in 1976, says it has developed processes to plate precious metals such as gold, platinum, and palladium on substrates of strategic materials critical to modern technology.
Co-owner Aaron Velasquez says the new proprietary processes are attracting attention to the Albuquerque business from materiel and procurement officers in the aerospace and defense industries.
Theta Plate made a name for itself in niche markets by performing decorative and military specification electroplating for the private sector and government contractors. Small jobs in the aerospace industry indicated an opportunity for growth, and the company embarked on a vigorous path toward registration with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
With the assistance of the New Mexico Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP), Theta Plate’s management and eight employees analyzed processes and made changes that aligned and standardized existing procedures to conform to the ISO 9001:2015 standard. During the pursuit of ISO registration, New Mexico’s national laboratories began to request more from Theta Plate, and lab engineers asked if different coatings could be applied to substrates not normally used in industry.
Analysis and experimentation led Theta Plate to develop processes to successfully apply gold, silver, platinum, and rhodium to aluminum, titanium, and molybdenum. This further drove the development of new masking techniques.
Staff involvement in the implementation of lean manufacturing processes was critical to the pursuit of ISO registration and development of the new processes. Weekly group meetings engaged staff through action plans to achieve goals and support rapid changes with no tasks falling through the cracks. Cross-training increased staff flexibility and expertise. Lead times have been reduced, and Theta Plate’s loyal and dedicated team is eager to meet the needs of customers.
Theta Plate achieved ISO 9001:2015 registration in early 2022, and Sandia National Laboratories approved Theta Plate as a Tier 3 Vendor, enabling it to work on nuclear-related jobs at all U.S. national labs.
