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Surface Finishing

Chrome Plating
Services

Industry-leading hard chrome and decorative chrome plating delivering extreme surface hardness, mirror finishes, and superior wear resistance for the most demanding applications.

Chromium — Element 24 HXCNC
ISO 9001:2015AMS 2460ASTM B650
Cr
Chromium — Element 24
800–1000
Hardness (HV)
2–250μm
Thickness Range
0.1μm Ra
Surface Roughness
5–10 Days
Lead Time
Hard Chrome vs. Decorative Chrome

We offer both functional hard chrome and decorative bright chrome, each optimised for different end-use requirements.

Property Hard Chrome Decorative Chrome
Primary Purpose Wear & Hardness Appearance
Thickness 25 – 250+ μm 0.1 – 1 μm
Hardness 800 – 1000 HV 700 – 900 HV
Undercoat Direct on substrate Copper + Bright Nickel
Surface Finish Ground after plating Mirror bright as-plated
Typical Use Hydraulics, rolls, dies Automotive trim, fixtures
Chrome Plating Process Steps

Precision-controlled chromium baths with strict quality protocols ensure consistent, high-performance deposits.

01

Substrate Preparation

Precision grinding, degreasing, and electrolytic activation to achieve the required pre-plate surface finish and adhesion.

02

Chrome Deposition

Controlled current density, bath temperature, and chromic acid concentration ensure targeted deposit thickness and hardness.

03

H.E. Relief Bake

Post-plate baking at 190°C relieves hydrogen embrittlement in high-strength steel parts per AMS 2759/9.

04

Grinding & Inspection

Post-plate grinding to final dimensions, XRF thickness verification, hardness testing, and adhesion validation.

Process Specifications

Our hard chrome process meets or exceeds all major international standards for coating quality.

Hard Chrome Parameters
Thickness Range5 – 500 μm
Hardness800 – 1000 HV
Friction Coefficient0.10 – 0.16
Max Service Temp480°C
Post-plate GrindAvailable to ±2.5 μm
Performance Standards
StandardsAMS 2460 / ASTM B650
Salt Spray> 1000 hours (NSS)
Wear RateExcellent (Taber)
H.E. Bake190°C / 4–24 hrs
Max Part Size1200 × 400 mm
Industry Applications

Chrome plating is specified wherever extreme hardness, wear resistance, or a mirror finish is required.

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Hydraulic Cylinders

Piston rods and cylinder bores requiring hard, smooth, low-friction chrome with excellent corrosion resistance.

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Industrial Rolls

Printing rolls, calendar rolls, and processing rolls requiring precision-ground hard chrome.

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Tooling & Dies

Forming dies, punches, and molds benefiting from chrome's hardness, release properties, and wear life extension.

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Aerospace

Landing gear, actuator rods, and structural components requiring AMS-spec hard chrome for extreme performance.

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Automotive

Engine shafts, suspension components, and decorative trim for both functional and bright decorative chrome.

Marine

Winch components, steering shafts, and deck hardware requiring corrosion-resistant chrome in saltwater.

Key Advantages

Post-Plate Grinding to Spec

We grind hard chrome deposits to final dimensional tolerance as tight as ±2.5 μm in-house, eliminating outsourcing delays.

AMS & ASTM Qualified

Our process is qualified to AMS 2460 and ASTM B650 with full material certifications for aerospace and defense customers.

Largest Part Handling

Our plating tanks accommodate shafts and cylinders up to 1200 mm long and 400 mm diameter for large industrial components.

Full Dimensional Reporting

CMM measurement report and XRF thickness certificate issued with every hard chrome order for complete quality assurance.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know before ordering. Contact our team →

Hard chrome is a thick functional deposit (25–500+ μm) for wear resistance and hardness (800–1000 HV). Decorative chrome is a thin bright finish (0.1–1 μm) applied over copper and nickel undercoats purely for aesthetics. The processes, purposes, and costs are completely different.
Yes. We offer in-house cylindrical grinding after chrome plating to dimensional tolerances as tight as ±2.5 μm and surface roughness Ra down to 0.1 μm. Specify finished drawing dimensions when requesting a quote.
Yes. For steels above 1000 MPa tensile strength, we bake all parts at 190°C for 4–24 hours per AMS 2759/9 and issue a bake certificate with every qualifying order.
Our largest rack tank handles parts up to 1200 mm long and 400 mm diameter. Contact us for parts outside this range.
We primarily use hexavalent chrome for hard functional deposits per AMS/ASTM specs. Trivalent decorative chrome is available for cosmetic applications. Discuss EU ELV or RoHS requirements with our engineering team.
Hard chrome (800–1000 HV) has higher as-deposited hardness than as-plated EN (500–550 HV). Heat-treated EN reaches 900–1000 HV with better corrosion resistance in acidic environments. We advise on the optimal choice for your specific requirements.
Get a Quote

Send Your Drawing.
Get a Quote.

Every enquiry includes a DFM review — tolerance feasibility, material confirmation, and process approach confirmed before production starts. MOQ 1 piece.

24hr
Quote Response
MOQ 1
Prototypes OK
ISO
9001:2015
📐
DFM Review on Every Enquiry
Tolerance feasibility, fixturing strategy, and material confirmation. Specific, actionable feedback — not generic pushback.
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First Article Inspection — Standard
FAI report on every new run. Material certs and surface treatment certs included with every shipment.
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Same Process: Prototype to Production
Process plan from your prototype applies to production batches. No re-qualification when you scale.
3 / 4 / 5-Axis CNC + Turning
Complex structural parts, shafts, housings, and transmission components. Metals and engineering plastics.
ISO 9001:2015 3/4/5-Axis Milling CNC Turning CMM Inspection Global Delivery