WHAT IS IP?
IP = Ion plating
IP is a plating technique, a specific means of covering a base metal with a precious or semi-precious metal.
Ion plating is a physical vapour deposition
Ion plating is used to deposit hard coatings of compound materials on tools, adherent metal coatings, optical coatings with high densities, and conformal coatings on complex surfaces. It is the modern equivalent of gold plating, but its more durable & effective.