16 Feb Uses for Hard And Thin Dense Chrome Plating
Chrome plating remains one of the top choices in industrial metal finishing, and that’s not only due to its pleasing aesthetics. Its widespread applications in the medical, aerospace, and defense industries make chrome plating incredibly useful. Industrial manufacturers understand that both hard chrome plating and thin dense chrome plating offer superior technical capabilities. Here at CRC, we provide safe, high-quality hard chrome and thin dense plating services.
What are Hard Chrome and Thin Dense Chrome Plating?
Chrome plating is a form of electroplating that uses a direct electric current to dissolve chrome into particles that will form a thin layer on a piece of metal for decorative or practical purposes. Hard chrome and thin dense plating are generally used for functional purposes rather than cosmetic processes because they provide manufacturers key benefits for their purposes.
Hard chrome and thin dense chrome are generally thicker than decorative chrome, measuring anywhere from 200 µm to 1,000 µm. The thickness will vary depending on what a contractor wishes to plate and on their specific needs.
What Are the Benefits of Hard Chrome and Thin Dense Chrome Plating?
Chrome offers many features that prove beneficial to industrial producers. In particular, chrome’s corrosion resistance can be helpful for aviation manufacturers to improve the atmospheric corrosion resistance of critical components while maintaining their integrity. This helps to prevent dangerous failures mid-operations of these parts.
The benefits of chrome plating include:
- Corrosion resistance
- Friction reduction
- Improved durability
- Reduced seizing of parts
- Oxidation resistance
- Bulking material to restore original dimensions
Which Should We Use?
Hard chrome is an economical and efficient process that can repair damaged parts or improve overall durability. Production leaders in aviation and defense make good use of the process to increase the usability and reliability of parts that have to withstand heavy wear and tear. For most purposes, hard chrome is a reliable process that will serve your needs.
However, thin dense chrome has several advantages over hard chrome for some applications. The food and medical industries must take additional precautions to prevent contamination that might put human lives at risk, especially in the wake of COVID-19 for the medical field. They often use thin dense chrome because of its higher resistance to chipping and peeling.
Equipment exposed to harsh environments may also benefit from thin dense chrome. Because it costs more than standard hard chrome, thin dense chrome is not typically worth the extra expenditure. However, protecting human lives often outweighs the costs. For instance, defense manufacturers can use thin dense chrome for rifle barrels to improve their durability in field operations. They can also use thin dense chrome for key components of vehicles such as hydraulic piston rods to help deter breakdowns.
In Need of Plating Services?
If your business could use chrome plating in its industrial processes, contact Chem Research Corporation at (602) 253-4175 or (877) 457-5283 today. Our state-of-the-art, all-in-one facility can provide chrome solutions along with many other services to manufacturers nationwide. We’re proud to aid the medical, defense, and aerospace industries in ensuring the highest quality for the products that their clients depend upon.
Photo by Anthony Evert from Burst.