articwhiteZ

iTrader: (56)

Was told by a manufacturer yesterday ...that chrome plating turns welds brittle...
And that the Chrome plated part would have to be a annealed in an oven....
LMAO.... nothing about chrome plating will affect a weld..... I can't make this stuff up...
****** ****.... we know why they have low prices now....(they make some nice stuff..)
Remember kids .... stay in school.

Twin_Turbo

iTrader: (25)

Hydrogen embrittlement.... it pertains not just to welds

Arctic White 91 RS

If excessive current is used in the plating process doesn't that result in excessive hydrogen and cause the metal to become more brittle? It's my understanding this happens if a chrome plating process that's used for big parts like bumpers is used for smaller parts and the current not adjusted according.

It's my understanding GM didn't offer factory chrome plated wheels for the C5 Z06 Corvette because chrome plating often cracks under stress and can create a stress point in the basic material when it does.

In case, this seems like a logical explanation, it was posted on another forum.

https://www.hobartwelders.com/weldta...p/t-13804.html

Concerns regarding Hydrogen embritlment affecting carbon steels. Hydrogen gas is created in the plating tanks during the process, as it turns out steel is very porous when it comes to atomic hydrogen, it will soak it up like a sponge. The same is true for damp welding electrodes by the way.

Time is critical , as soon as possible following plating the part should be baked. A common temp. for steels of unknown hardness is 275 +/- 10 deg f for 8 hr's. Yes, you can bake a part hotter and for less time but you need to have accurate information about the hardness of the steel so as to not affect any heat treatment it might have received during manufacture.

The longer the lapse in time between plating and bake, the greater risk the part has been weakened. Think of those hydrogen atoms working there way into all the little spaces and voids in the crystalline structure of the metal, these atoms then begin to react with the carbon present and expand exerting huge amounts of force. It can't be undone after it starts. Failures due to hydrogen embritlment are often sudden and catastrophic
I should mention though that soft unhardened steels may be able to "give" enough as to not be weakened to the same degree as a hard/more brittle steel might be.

articwhiteZ

iTrader: (56)

plating temps never go over warm...you could put your hand in it...(but don't) without rubber gloves ..the stuff is a bit hard on skin.. in a nut shell

polish
clean
copper plate
then the chrome plate if your steel and weld is good..you will be fine..
shops have been doing this for years..from wheels to bike frames..and every thing in-between.
copper wire use to hang parts in the last chrome plate bath will become brittle..to the point of braking when you go to remove the wire tie.
we are talking High quality production shops..not bobs back yard plate and bottle shop...
things are not left unchecked..= do it right..the first time shops.. they are out there ..as my work when doing jet eng parts. there was a lot of plating from hard chrome to nickle..on parts used... this was never a issue..

iv never dealt with problems like listed... one example chrome plated motorcycle/boat exaust....one manufacturer never did anything but plate and box up for sale...
just sayn ya learn new stuff every day..go fig..