Skip to content

FAA Approved Repair Station #BK3R400L|Since 1945

(408) 298-1101
Babbitt Bearing Company, Inc.Since 1945

Hard Chrome Plating

Industrial Hard Chrome Plating — AMS 2460 & AMS 2406

Build up a worn journal, protect a new component, or cut friction on a sliding surface — plated to AMS 2460 and AMS 2406, then ground to size in the same building.

  • AMS 2460
  • AMS 2406

What we do

Hard chrome plating deposits a dense chromium layer on a machined surface. On a worn part it restores lost material and the part goes back to print. On a new part it adds a hard, low-friction, corrosion-resistant face that outlasts the substrate.

We plate for buildup of worn or new components, wear surfaces, low friction, and corrosion protection — in research, prototype, and production volumes. Because grinding, machining, and non-destructive testing are all on our floor, a rebuild does not leave the building between plating and final size.

Industrial hard chrome plating in progress.
Hard chrome is deposited out of solution onto the prepared surface, then ground back to the drawing.

Plating thickness

Thickness is driven by the job: protect a surface, or rebuild it.

Plating thickness
Corrosion protection.0001"Thin dense deposit where dimensional change must stay negligible.
Rebuild.050"Heavy buildup to bring a worn component back to print, then ground to size.
Full published range.0001" to .050"

Representative work

Parts that have come across our floor. Send a drawing if your component is outside these — this is a sample of past work, not a limit.

  • Discs masked for the hard chrome plating process.

    Disc

    4" diameter

    Parts are masked for the hard chrome plating process.

  • Flash chrome plated sleeves.

    Sleeve

    5" diameter

    Flash chrome plated sleeves.

  • A first stage compressor wheel masked for hard chrome plating.

    1st Stage Compressor Wheel

    10" diameter

    Aircraft component masked for hard chrome plating.

  • Hard chrome plated rolls after finish grinding.

    Rolls

    6" × 29"

    Hard chrome plate and finish grind.

  • A hard chrome plated brass component after finish grinding.

    Brass Component

    4" × 6"

    Hard chrome plate and finish grind.

  • Progressive cavity pump rotors hard chrome plated to specification.

    Progressive Cavity Pump Rotors

    3" × 30"

    Inspect and evaluate required repair, then industrial hard chrome plate to specifications.

Specifications

We plate to the current revisions of the aerospace material specifications below.

  • AMS 2460Plating, Chromiumas revised
  • AMS 2406Plating, Chromium, Hard Depositas revised
  • AMS-QQ-C-320Chromium Plating (Electrodeposited)Cancelled

Components we plate

Work that comes across our floor from semiconductor, food processing, aviation, printing, water pollution control and solar manufacturing customers.

  • Hydraulic ram shafts
  • Die parts
  • Spiral feed molds
  • Coater rolls
  • Housings
  • Water treatment plant components
  • Bearing diameters
  • Conveyor components

Finished in-house

Plating is one step. These sit under the same roof, so a rebuild does not ship between operations.

  • Precision grinding to final size
  • CNC machining
  • Thermal flame spray, plasma flame spray and twin wire arc spray
  • Welding — MIG, TIG and arc
  • Cast Babbitt
  • Dynamic balancing
  • Shot peen

Verified before it ships

Plated components can be inspected in the same building, to the ASTM practices we hold FAA ratings for.

  • Magnetic particle inspection
  • Liquid penetrant inspection
  • Complete inspection department

Approvals and memberships

  • FAA approved Repair Station #BK3R400L
  • National Metal Finishers Association member
  • Surface Technology Association member

Specifying hard chrome

My print calls out AMS-QQ-C-320. What now?
That specification is cancelled. It still appears on legacy drawings, and we still see it regularly. Send us the print — we will work out the current AMS equivalent for your application rather than quietly substituting one.
How much chrome should I ask for?
It depends on the job. Corrosion protection can be as thin as .0001", where dimensional change needs to stay negligible. Rebuilding a worn component runs up to .050", ground back to print afterward. Tell us the condition of the part and the finished dimension you need.
Do you grind after plating?
Yes. Precision grinding is in-house, so a rebuilt component is plated and brought to final size in the same building instead of shipping between vendors.
Is BBC approved for aerospace work?
BBC is an FAA approved Repair Station, #BK3R400L. Our Quality Manual, Repair Station Manual and employee training programs are developed in accordance with Federal Aviation Regulation Part 145.

Related

Services

Precision Grinding

Cylindrical and internal ID grinding — the finishing step that brings plated and sprayed components back to print.

Components We Repair

Hydraulic Ram Shafts

Worn hydraulic ram shafts rebuilt with hard chrome and ground back to print.

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.

Request a QuoteContact Us