The barrel nickel plate provides a bright attractive corrosion resistant appearance. The nickel plate also delivers excellent wear resistance making it a good choice for small threaded fittings that may need to survive several assembly/disassembly cycles.

The barrel plating method is an efficient and relatively low-cost method of electroplating. Parts and components are placed inside a barrel that slowly rotates while it is immersed in the metal plating solution. Electrical contact is made through the use of danglers or centerbars that are located inside the barrel. This electroplating method is usually recommended since high volumes of parts can be plated with uniform coverage.