Hard chrome plating
Hard chrome, also known as industrial chrome or engineered chrome, is a functional chromium finish used on wear surfaces and for dimensional build. Olymco, Inc. lists the process at its Canton, Ohio plant. Send the current and finished dimensions with your part details.
What does hard chrome get specified for?
Hard chrome is used on components such as shafts, cylinder rods, tooling, and rolls where wear or dimensional restoration matters. If appearance is the main requirement, review decorative chrome plating and provide the process specified on your drawing.
For shafts, rods, rolls, and other working parts, the finished dimension and surface finish are central to the requirement.
A worn or previously plated part needs its current condition described. Include existing coatings, pitting, damage, and any known repair history. Confirm the proposed scope before sending parts for rework.
Mark threads, oil holes, journals, and other areas that must remain unplated. If drawings are available, call (330) 452-2300 to arrange how to share them.
Six details to specify for a quote
- Material and substrate
- Submit the alloy and the hardness.
- Finish variant
- Specify the coating and any grinding or finishing that follows, and say who performs it.
- Part size limits
- Submit length, diameter, geometry, and weight, and mark the area to be plated.
- Tolerances
- State the final dimensions and the required surface finish.
- Volume range
- State the quantity per lot.
- Minimum order
- Confirm the minimum order for the job.
How is hard chrome different from decorative chrome?
Hard chrome is a heavier functional layer plated straight onto the base metal for wear and dimension, while decorative chrome is a thin chromium flash over a nickel or copper underplate, chosen for how the part looks. Both are electroplated chromium. They do different jobs, so the print should name the one the part needs.
Hard chrome
- Layers
- Plated straight onto the base metal, usually with no nickel underneath.
- Corrosion protection
- Depends on its thickness and the condition of the base metal, because the deposit is micro-cracked by nature.
- Thickness and size
- Heavy enough to bring a worn part back toward size. It builds more on edges, corners, and outside diameters, so parts are plated oversize, then ground or superfinished. As plated, it is not to size.
- Chosen for
- A surface that has to take wear, or a worn rod or shaft that has to come back to size.
- On the print
- The finished dimensions, the surface finish, the plated area, and who does any grinding afterward.
Decorative chrome
- Layers
- The top of a stack: a polished base metal, then copper, nickel, or both, then a thin chromium flash.
- Corrosion protection
- Nearly all of it comes from the nickel underneath.
- Thickness and size
- A thin flash that follows the surface it is given, so scratches or grind lines under it read straight through.
- Chosen for
- A bright show surface on trim or hardware. The polish beneath the chromium sets the appearance.
- On the print
- The full coating system and the show surfaces.
| Hard chrome | Decorative chrome | |
|---|---|---|
| Layers | Plated straight onto the base metal, usually with no nickel underneath. | The top of a stack: a polished base metal, then copper, nickel, or both, then a thin chromium flash. |
| Corrosion protection | Depends on its thickness and the condition of the base metal, because the deposit is micro-cracked by nature. | Nearly all of it comes from the nickel underneath. |
| Thickness and size | Heavy enough to bring a worn part back toward size. It builds more on edges, corners, and outside diameters, so parts are plated oversize, then ground or superfinished. As plated, it is not to size. | A thin flash that follows the surface it is given, so scratches or grind lines under it read straight through. |
| Chosen for | A surface that has to take wear, or a worn rod or shaft that has to come back to size. | A bright show surface on trim or hardware. The polish beneath the chromium sets the appearance. |
| On the print | The finished dimensions, the surface finish, the plated area, and who does any grinding afterward. | The full coating system and the show surfaces. |
Questions buyers ask about this process
Can hard chrome restore a worn shaft to size?
Dimensional build is one use of hard chrome, but the specific repair needs review. Send the current dimensions, target dimensions, material, and damage history. Confirm plating and final finishing as a complete scope.
Does hard chrome always need grinding afterward?
The required dimensions and surface finish determine whether further finishing is needed. State the final requirement and confirm who will perform any grinding. Do not assume grinding is included in a plating quote.
Is hard chrome interchangeable with decorative chrome?
No. Hard chrome serves functional wear and dimensional requirements; decorative chrome is primarily selected for appearance. Use the finish and specification on your print when requesting a quote.
Can an existing chrome layer be replated?
The existing coating and base metal condition must be assessed first. Describe wear, pitting, and previous repairs, and ask whether stripping or other preparation is feasible before sending the part.
Do hardened steel parts need treatment after plating?
That depends on the material condition and governing specification. Provide the alloy, hardness, and any specified hydrogen embrittlement relief requirements. Confirm the required process and records before ordering.
Can the full length of a 12-foot part be plated?
It needs a fit review first. Twelve feet is the published length of the longest tank, and racking and clearance take up part of it. Send the complete dimensions, shape, and weight, and mark the area that requires plating.
Related finishes
Get a quote for your part
Have the six details above ready when you request a quote.