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Is hardened 440C Stainless plate-able?

Q. I am having problems with getting some parts that are made of 440C Stainless Steel hard chrome plated.

The parts have been hardened to 46-52 Rc.

The plater is having problems with bubbling.

Is there something intrinsic in the 440C or with hardened parts that cause problems in plating?

Daniel Ross
- La Puente, California
2003

? What is his process?

Trevor Crichton
R&D practical scientist
Chesham, Bucks, UK
2003

A. Unfortunately not all chrome platers are qualified for the job and some of them treat SS very much like a conventional carbon steel (i.e., cleaning, reverse etch then plate). This reverse passivates most SS and adhesion is compromised. I think this is the most frequent case of failure in these type of materials. Furthermore, heat treatment sometimes adds the problem of smut.

Guillermo Marrufo
Monterrey, NL, Mexico
2003

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