Hard Chrome Plating

The process of hard chrome plating has been used since the early part of the 20th century. It is a process that is used in nearly every aspect of manufacturing where wear resistance and lubricity are critical. Typically coating thickness deposited are between 8 to 250 mm (0.00032”-.0098”) and hardness between 800-1000HV. High hardness and resistance to abrasion are retained unchanged up to 200o C. Early processes were standard chromic acid and sulfate processes. The late 1940’s gave to processes that used anions such as fluoride to improve plating rates and finish quality. Later evolution in … [Read more...]

Troubleshooting Process Line

It would be wonderful if everything worked smoothly all the time. But there will be times when things don't work exactly as planned. That is when a good troubleshooting process will help you identify the issue quickly and develop a comprehensive resolution plan. When troubleshooting a process line start with the following steps: 1.    Completely determine all of the symptoms of the problem 2.    Review when the problem started. 3.    Production records which include all the tank analysis, temperature and additions. 4.    Compare all the analysis, temperature and additional … [Read more...]