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Cadmium Plating thickness

can you please tell me what is the thickness that Cadmium plating adds to the material. we are a manufacturer of load cells, which I have most Cad plated for corrosion purposes.

Richard Boyovich
manufacture of load cells - USA
June 3, 2011

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Hi, Richard.

Actually, the buyer specifies the cadmium plating thickness. But .0002" to .0005" would probably be typical.

Cadmium is a cumulative biotoxin and is no longer used as a plating except in situations where its unique combination of properties make it indispensible. I think you should probably be investigating switching to a zinc alloy plating. Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
June 7, 2011

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June 9, 2011

Hi Richard,

Consider looking at AMSQQP416, this describes thickness classes and will give you a point of reference.

I can only re-emphasise what Ted has said and say that you really ought to be looking at non-cadmium options for corrosion resistant coatings. The only real exception to that at the moment is the Aerospace industry and even we are slowly but surely moving away from cadmium.

Brian Terry
Aerospace - Yeovil, Somerset, UK

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June 14, 2011

I will support Ted's views.
Zinc- Nickel and lately Tin-Zinc are more suitable. But some Military specs are still with Cadmium- like rifle bore...
Cadmium plating gives good corrosion resistance with low friction, lubricity and soldarabilty.It has the advantage of making a barrier layer in between two different metals.
Thus preferred in aerospace industries where aluminum is most in use. During corrosion, the volume of Zinc hydroxide generated in the size as volume is much more than that of cadmium produces and is weaker.Thus cadmium plating cannot be replaced with mere Zinc plating for military applications.
regards

T.K. Mohan
plating process supplier - Mumbai, India