Is the finish and hardness of the substrate important?
Performance wise, a harder and smoother surface is better. It will wear and protect against corrosion better than the same part with a softer and rougher surface. The RMS of the pre-plated surface will remain unchanged after plating down to about a 6 RMS. The process may deter slightly with finishes finer than 6 RMS, however the plated surface may be polished down to a 4 RMS at our facility but only if the same or better finish exists prior to plating.
