|
Q |
What's the difference between Chrome Plating and Chromium Plating? |
|
A |
There is absolutely no difference. Chromium is an element and chrome is
an industry word for it.
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|
Q |
Are there different types of chrome plating? |
|
A |
Yes! There is decorative chrome plating such as automotive bumpers,
wheel rims etc. and there is Hard Chrome Plating utilized for aircraft, aerospace
applications such as rollers, pistons, hydraulic cylinder shafts etc. and various other
industries.
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|
Q |
Of the above processes, does V&M do all of them? |
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A |
No, V&M Plating does NOT process decorative chrome such as wheels,
bumpers, firearms and etc. We specialize in Hard Chrome Plating for Industry
applications.
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|
Q |
What is Hard Chrome Plating? |
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A |
Hard Chrome plating is chrome plating, but applied as a relatively heavy
coating, measured in thousandths of an inch, to ensure wear resistance,
lubricity, oil retention, and other 'wear' situations. Prime examples would be
hydraulic cylinder rods, rollers, piston rings, mold surfaces, thread guides, etc.
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|
Q |
Why do most airframe manufacturers require parts heat treated to
150,000 ksi and above to be stressed relieved prior to a plating operation? |
|
A |
Most parts coming from a manufacturer to the plater have been machined
and/or ground prior to arrival for processing. The machining and grinding operations
are stress induced procedures, because of the heat which may be generated at the part.
It is a requirement to relieve this suspect stress by baking the parts prior to
chrome plate.
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|
Q |
Why do most airframe
manufacturers require that parts that have been plated be baked? |
|
A |
During the plating process, hydrogen is produced at the surface of the
part being plated. this hydrogen has an ability to enter the structure of the
material being plated and causing discontinuities of stresses. baking the part after
plating relieves this hydrogen and any stresses which may have been introduced during the
plating operation.
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|
Q |
Why not stress relieve and hydrogen embrittlement relieve all
materials in all heat treat ranges? |
|
A |
Through studies, it has been shown that materials in lower heat
treat ranges and some non-ferrous alloys in higher heat treat ranges are not susceptible
to stress producing operations as other materials. |
