Chrome plating is a versatile process used to enhance the qualities of industrial components, car parts, and machine tools. Depending on the application, chrome might be used to increase an object’s durability, friction tolerance, or resistance to corrosion. While there are a variety of processes available, most can be divided into decorative and hard chrome plating. Understanding the differences will help you select the right plating for your application.

Decorative Chrome Plating

Since chrome can be polished to a bright mirror finish, it’s often used to enhance the appearance of high-end components and appliances. The thin layer of chrome also protects against corrosion, so plating also reduces the risk of rust.

Manufacturers create this protective layer by submerging the object in a solution of water and chromium. When electricity is run through the bath, chromium atoms bond to the surface for about an hour and a half. When creating a decorative finish, workers will buff and polish the chrome surface until it shines.

Hard Chrome Plating

Hard chrome plating uses the same electroplating process, but the object is left in the chromium solution for twice as long as the decorative plating time frame. While a decorative finish may only have 5 or 8 micrometers of chrome, hard finishes may be 500 micrometers thick. Since appearance isn’t a priority, hard chrome finishes usually aren’t polished after application.

Hard chrome plating increases the surface hardness and corrosion resistance of an object, making it essential for some industrial, construction, and manufacturing applications. This process is often used to protect machine tools, piston rods, piston rings, pump rotors, and any other part that has to withstand intense pressure, heat, or abrasion.

When Cincinnati, OH, based businesses need high-quality, dependable metal refinishing services, they turn to the professionals at Porter-Guertin Co. Their facility features some of the most advanced equipment in the industry and a team of highly trained technicians capable of delivering outstanding results on any job. Visit their website for more on their hard chrome plating services or call (513) 241-7663 to discuss your project and request a quote.