Hard Chrome Plating Alternatives -
Heat Treatments
The primary uses of heat
treatments in military equipment are:
While there is
some usage of gas or plasma nitriding for wear surfaces, it
is only used by OEMs, not by depots. Heat treatments cannot
be used for building up worn components.
Table 1. Hard chrome alternatives summary –
heat treating and surfacing* (primary alternatives in
blue).
|
Alternative |
Compliance |
Usage |
Notes |
|
Nitriding, carburizing,
nitrocarburizing |
RoHS, WEEE, ELV, OSHA Cr |
Widely used for gears, large
wear components |
Modern methods include plasma
nitride. Nitrocarburizing has been used in place of
chrome on hydraulic rod |
|
Metallizing (chromizing,
aluminizing, boronizing) |
RoHS, WEEE, ELV |
Used primarily for oxidation
resistance of hot section turbine blades
(aluminizing) |
Modern engines moving to
coatings as temperatures too high for diffusion
methods |
|
Laser glazing |
RoHS, WEEE, ELV, OSHA Cr |
Automotive and aircraft parts |
Not widely used |
|
Ion implantation |
RoHS, WEEE, ELV, OSHA Cr |
Very small market. Biomedical
implants, molds, dies |
Very limited usage |
|
* Note: None of the
heat treats can rebuild worn components. |
|
