CHROME PLATING

Its well-known excellent properties make chromium suitable for very wide use.

The resistance of chromium against oxidisation is similar to that of noble metals. It has platinum-like colour, but it is also possible to produce blue, grey or black coatings of chromium.

The gloss and reflectivity of chromium are more or less the same as those of silver. Since its colour changes at a higher temperature, it is used in IR-equipment as mirror material.

Hardness and wear-resistance also belong to the important properties of chromium.

Main fields of application of galvanic chrome plating:

Decorative and protecting-decorative chrome plating: a thin layer of chromium is deposited, usually on an intermediate coating of nickel. Chromium decreases the matting of the nickel coat and increases the corrosion resistance.

Technical (hard) chrome plating: chrome is deposited directly on steel, aluminium or other non-ferrous metals.

Main application areas:

• parts exposed to wear (shafts, pistons, valves, pins, etc.)

• coating of press and injection tools and moulds, cold forming tools,

• hard coating of the joining faces of measuring instruments, etc. Technical chrome plating can be used well for the coating of low- and medium-alloyed steels, gun-iron etc. High-alloyed steels, aluminium, copper, nickel and their alloys can be chrome-plated after special pre-treatment. Cast iron and high-alloyed steels containing graphite or silicon cannot be chrome-plated.

Chrome-plated products