The Rotalyt-Alutop process for aluminum plating is based on the chemo- mechanical plating of pieces in a medium containing an impact body, and metal particles and catalysts, using relative movement. The pieces are loaded into a perforated drum, and lowered into a plating bath where glass balls are added as the impact body and the aluminum flakes are added. The drum passes through a separation tank where the glass balls are separated for reuse, to a centrifuge unit, and to an unloading station for drying. The cathodic corrosion protection properties are considerably improved by the use of zinc containing aluminum alloys, or preplating to add a zinc/tin layer.