Hard Chromium plating:

Extremely hard and corrosion resistant. The process is used for applications where
excellent wear and/or corrosion resistance is required. Chrome plating may be either a thick
layer of chrome (generally known as hard chrome) that offers exceptional hardness,wearresistance, and oil-holding capability, but limited corrosion resistance;
Hard chromium deposits are intended primarily to increase the service life of functional parts
by providing a surface with a low coefficient of friction that resists galling, abrasive and
lubricated wear, and corrosion.
The average life of a chromium-plated ring is approximately five times that of an unplated ring
made of the same base metal.
Nickel Plating
The Nickel plating process is used extensively for decorative, engineering, and
electroforming purposes, because the appearance and other properties of electrodeposited
nickel can be varied over wide ranges by controlling the composition and the operating
parameters of the plating solution. Decorative applications account for about 80% of the
nickel consumed in plating; 20% is consumed for engineering and electroforming purposes.
These deposits may be specified to improve corrosion and wear resistance, to salvage
or build up worn or undersized parts, to modify magnetic properties, electrolytic nickel plating
is decorative, functional, and corrosion resistant but it tarnishes and it is not as hard as
chromium.
Nickel-chrome:
Nickel plating followed by a flash of chrome for tarnish resistance and extra corrosion
resistance.
Industrial (Hard) Chromium Plating
Hard chromium plating is produced by electrodeposition from a solution containing
chromic acid (CrO3) and a catalytic anion in proper proportion. The metal so produced is
extremely hard and corrosion resistant. The process is used for applications where excellent
wear and/or corrosion resistance is required. This includes products such as piston rings,
shock absorbers, struts, brake pistons, engine valve stems, cylinder liners, and hydraulic
rods. Other applications are for aircraft landing gears, textile and gravure rolls, plastic rolls,

and dies and molds.

Decorative chromium plating in the following ways:
Hard chromium deposits are intended primarily to increase the service life of functional
parts by providing a surface with a low coefficient of friction that resists galling, abrasive and
lubricated wear, and corrosion. Another major purpose is to restore dimensions of undersized
parts. Hard chromium normally is deposited to thicknesses ranging from 2.5 to 500 m (0.1 to
20 mils) and for certain applications to considerably greater thicknesses, whereas decorative
coatings seldom exceed 1.3 m (0.05 mil). With certain exceptions, hard chromium is applied
directly to the base metal; decorative chromium is applied over undercoats of nickel or of
copper and nickel.
The major uses of hard chromium plating are for wear-resistance applications,
improvement of tool performance and tool life, and part salvage.
The fact that a chromium deposit can significantly reduce fatigue strength must be
considered in determining whether chromium plating can be safely used.
T

The excellent wearing qualities and low coefficient of friction of chromium are highly

advantageous.
Selection Factors
The decision to use hard chromium plating on a specific part should take into account the
following characteristics:
The inherent hardness and wear resistance of electrodeposited chromium
The thickness of chromium required
The shape, size, and construction of the part to be plated
The type of metal from which the part is made
Masking requirements (for parts that are to be selectively plated)
Dimensional requirements (that is, whether or not mechanical finishing is required and can
be accomplished in accordance with desired tolerances)
From the standpoint of processing, hard chromium plate may be applied to steels,
regardless of their surface hardness or chemical composition, provided that the base metal is
hard enough to support the chromium layer in service.

Engineering Plating
The engineering applications of nickel plating include those where a fully bright
appearance is not required. Engineering nickel deposits are usually sulfur-free and matte in
appearance. These deposits may be specified to improve corrosion and wear resistance, to
salvage or build up worn or undersized parts, to modify magnetic properties, to prepare
surfaces for enameling or for organic coating, to function as diffusion barriers in electronic
applications and for other purposes. Engineering applications exist in the chemical, nuclear,
telecommunications, consumer electronics, and computer industries.
Engineering and Electroforming Processes
Electrodeposited nickel coatings are applied in engineering applications to modify or
improve surface properties, such as corrosion resistance, hardness, wear, and magnetic
properties. Although the appearance of the coating is important and the plated surface should
be defect-free, the lustrous, mirror-like deposits described in previous sections are not usually
required. Nickel electroforming is the specialized use of the nickel plating process to produce
or reproduce articles by electroplating onto a mandrel that is subsequently separated from the
deposit.
Chromium Alloy Plating
For both chromium and stainless steel types of alloys, the most important properties to
develop in a coating are corrosion resistance, abrasion and wear resistance, hardness,
surface texture, and luster.
Conventional electrolytic nickel plating is decorative, functional, and corrosion resistant but it
tarnishes and it is not as hard as chromium.
Electroless nickel plating (actually autocatalytic nickel plating) is a glassy nickel-phosphorous
coating that is very corrosion resistant and quite hard, and often used on rough-service
applications like down-hole applications.
Chrome plating may be either a thick layer of chrome (generally known as hard chrome) that
offers exceptional hardness,wear-resistance, and oil-holding capability, but limited corrosion
resistance; or it may be nickel-chrome (nickel plating followed by a flash of chrome for tarnish
resistance and extra corrosion resistance, as is employed on truck bumpers and automotive
brightwork).