What is hard chrome plating?

Did you ever want to know what hard chrome plating was?

Hard chrome plating is an electroplating process in which chromium is deposited from a chromic acid solution.

The thickness of hard chrome plating ranges from 2 - 250 micrometers.
A variety of hard chrome include micro-cracked chromium, micro-porous chromium, porous chromium and crack free chromium.
It is vital that the micro-cracked coatings and porous coatings have a minimum thickness between 80 - 120 micrometers in order confer adequate corrosion resistance.

The formation of micro-porous chromium is achieved by a specialised plating method involving the use of inactive suspended particles.
Porous chrome plating is manufactured by etching electro deposited chromium - these are designed to retain lubricant, for sliding type applications.

Chrome plating is used mostly for resistance against wear and corrosion as opposed to its low friction characteristics.
However, there are environmental concerns associated with disposing the plating solution, which has lead to many users of chrome plating to seek out alternative coating methods.

Visit Hard chrome plating Birmingham's page on our site for more about this and our polishing services.

Advantages of chromium plating

Chromium plating, otherwise know as chrome plating, uses the technique of electroplating a fairly thin layer of chromium onto a plastic or metal surface.

An example of chrome plating

It is possible for the layer to be for purely decorative purposes, as well as it being able to provide resistance against corrosion, make cleaning efforts simpler, even to make a surface resilient. There are a variety of imitations of chrome that are inexpensive used solely for aesthetic purposes.

There a number of advantages that present themselves with chromium plating:

• Great surface finish
• Rare to little rusting
• Aesthetics

For further information about our chrome plating services, please visit our website!

What is Metal Polishing?

Metal Polishing - a method used to clean and restore plated and solid items. This is so that a shiny and smooth finish can be achieved. Metal polishing can be used on metals such as Chrome, aluminum, nickel, copper, silver and gold. There's many different tools which are used when polishing such as buffers & polishers, acids, solvents ad many more different types.

Metal polishing can create hazards including chemical exposure, entrapment/entanglement  and ergonomics.

Types of Metal Polishing

Aluminium and Stainless Polishing

Aluminium and stainless both oxidize on the surface of the metal which helps protect the metal from corrosion, once this oxidization is removed and smoothed down it can have a brilliant finish just like a chrome shine.

Chrome Polishing

Chrome is not polished but it is cleaned, as chrome doesn't oxidize much at all it is very hard and thin unlike stainless and aluminium. It's often found that once a chrome plate is scratched it's better to replace the part. However you can use solvents and soaps to clean the chrome with clean/soft rags.

Smoothing

When metals are pitted and scratched it's best to smooth the metal before attempting to polish. This can be done with wet dry paper or wet sand which is then soaked in water.

You must do this until all pits and scratches are gone in which case it'll be uniform, dull grey then it's ready to be buffed.

Buffing

Buffing is the final stage of polishing metals, this is achieved with a rotating wheel which has buffing compound on, such compounds contain a mixture of wax and fine abrasives.

When buffing a lot of people tend to use emery and rouge which is goof for first cut on aluminium and stainless, it's common to go directly from wet sanding to this stage.

To see when a metal is finished buffing you'll have to feel, keeping the wheel moving until the metal looks completely polished with no scratches... it's best to wipe off the wax then to take a look before deciding.

 Find more about this on Metal Polishing Birmingham's site.