Engineering Resources
Hard chrome vs thermal spray
The question we get asked most. Here is how we think about it.
They are not interchangeable
Both processes add a surface to a component, and both can rebuild a worn one. They get there differently, and that difference is what decides between them.
Hard chrome is electroplated — chromium is deposited out of solution onto the part. It gives a dense, hard, low-friction surface that grinds to a fine finish, and it excels on sliding surfaces and corrosion protection.
Thermal spray melts a feedstock and drives it onto the surface, where it bonds mechanically. That opens up materials plating cannot touch — tungsten carbide, chrome oxide and aluminum oxide ceramics, molybdenum — and it deposits heavier, faster.
Where each one fits
General guidance. Send us the part and the duty, and we will tell you which we would run.
| Sliding surfaces, seals, low friction | Hard chromeDense, fine-finishing, low friction against a seal. |
|---|---|
| Corrosion protection, minimal dimensional change | Hard chromeFrom .0001" — thin enough that size barely moves. |
| Heavy abrasion | Thermal sprayTungsten carbide goes harder than chrome will. |
| Ceramic or electrically insulating surfaces | Thermal sprayAluminum oxide and chrome oxide — not platable. |
| Long components | Thermal spraySprayed parts run to 6" × 120"; plated rolls to 6" × 29". |
| Rebuild of a worn diameter | EitherChrome to .050"; spray where the material suits the duty better. |
You do not have to choose alone
We run both, which means we have no reason to steer you toward the one machine we own. Send a drawing and tell us what the part does and how it failed.
Common questions
- Which is cheaper?
- It depends on the part, the material and how much you need to put on. That is a real answer, not a dodge — send the drawing and we will quote both if both apply.
- Can you grind either one afterward?
- Yes. Precision grinding is in-house for both plated and sprayed components, so the part comes back to print in the same building.
- Do both meet aerospace specs?
- We plate to AMS 2460 and AMS 2406, and plasma spray to AMS 2437, all as revised. BBC is an FAA approved Repair Station, #BK3R400L, working to FAR 145.
Related
Send us the part
A drawing, a photograph, or just a description of how it failed. We will tell you what we would do with it.