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Determination of Cadmium Plating on Aluminum Bronze or Beryllium Copper

Q. I have Aluminum Bronze and Beryllium Copper bushings that "may" have been cadmium plated. Is there a quick and dirty way to test whether or not the plating exists?

Charles Kuehl
- Lancaster, California, USA
2003

Your bushings are copper color. Cad plate is silver. It may have a gold chromate coating that would confuse the color check. Remove the chromate by boiling in distilled water for say 5-10 minutes in a pyrex glass vessel. Cool it in running water and immediately rub with a clean white cloth. If you see a silver color, it has been plated.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
2003

Charles, color is the first thing that comes to mind. Beryllium copper is a very coppery color, and aluminum bronze is just a bit lighter. Both are very different from the gold color of chromated cadmium, and even more different from the silvery color of non-chromated cadmium.

Lee Gearhart
metallurgist - E. Aurora, New York
2003

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