Arc damage - Hard chrome plating

Arc damage - Hard chrome plating - Coating defects

Figure 1: Arc damage to chrome plated parts.

Defect name: Arc damage
Record No.: 1737
Type of defect (Internal/Surface): Surface
Defect classification: Hard chrome plating, Coating defects
Steel name: Steel
Steel composition in weight %: No data.
Note: Arc damage can occur to parts during plating if they are not firmly held by fixtures or contact plates. Arcing can lead to severe damage, and often results in a scrapped part. A photograph of arc damage is shown in Figure 1. Arcing is mainly attributed to:
• Poor fixture design.
• Not tightening nuts, bolts or other holding mechanisms that secure the part to the fixture plate.
• Dirty contact points (e.g., debris, corrosion, or dried film of chromic acid on contact areas).
Arcing can be eliminated by using well designed fixtures, inspecting the fixtures for cleanliness before each use, and checking to be certain that parts are firmly secure in the fixtures before plating. Contact points can be cleaned using a Scotch-Brite® pad, pumice and water.
Reference: Not shown in this demonstration version.