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How to identify self-regulating high speed chrome plating bath

1996

My place of employment uses a small chrome plating setup to plate small parts (dies,etc). They claim to use just chromate for their plating. After reading about plating, I know this is not so. They do however circulate water in the bath. Is something in the water acting as the catalyst? Could you please tell me if this is a self regulated high speed bath or what it is.

thanks

KEITH CECIL

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It is probably a hexavalent chrome plating system, Keith, but an experienced chrome plater could tell you whether it is or not from a 5 second look at your facility. But I know of no way of easily determining whether it has a self-regulating fluoride catalyst from just a glance unless the containers of supplies say so.

You need to have somebody with experience take a look at the situation! You probably buy at least some of your plating supplies from a local plating chemical distributor, and any of their salespeople or tech service personnel can probably straighten it all out for you in minutes. Good luck.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
1996