Chrome-plated parts.

make your car attractive and bright - the dream of the majority of car owners.For this, many resort to such a process as plating parts.This design allows you to change any particular part of the machine, such as a body, emblem or attachments.Features of this process, we will look at in this article.

When you want?

Industrially chromium used to make the metal surface of a solid and strong.In terms of car design, this procedure is necessary to make it protective and decorative properties.In addition, the chrome parts - a guarantee that the machine will be protected from corrosion and oxidation, and generally be more reliable in operation.Along with the vehicles can be subjected to chromium plating elements of plumbing, furniture, interior details, and various souvenirs.However, most of chrome car yet.

Features of

Chrome details of the car - is the possibility of a significant transformation, especially if the cause, such as airbrushing on the body.The surface after application of chromium will be shiny, bright, attracts attention, but because many people think that in front of them just bought a car.Because of this, in general, a simple process has an opportunity to give his car an interesting view and thus increase its mechanical strength.It is noteworthy that until recently it was possible to create a surface is the color of chromium, whereas today there are new technologies, respectively, and the color of the car can be anything.

technology chrome plating parts suggests that the painting is exposed to a particular part of the machine.For example, chrome entire machine is absurd, because the mirror surface of the body is simply not safe for the driver.But when the shine some parts of the machine, it looks attractive and interesting.Today, there are several techniques for applying chromium:

  1. Film.
  2. Electrochemical.
  3. catalyst.

film

The most reliable method is a chromium plating film.Apply it simply, while consumption is very small, and therefore, this method is considered to be economical.With a wide color range it is possible to give your car almost any shape.It is important that the film can be easily removed, while it will reliably protect the factory paint from various injuries.

Electrochemical method

most expensive way - an electrochemical because special equipment is required for chrome plating parts, and the master must have special skills.To give the surface a fashionable effect, you first need to apply a layer of rough metal, such as nickel, and only then by the process of electrodeposition is applied directly to Chrome.In order to make the item more wear-resistant, and will take another chrome top layer, however, without the metal underlayer.

Catalytic chrome

The third method - the catalytic chrome when parts are applied to the surface of several layers of a special liquid in which no acids.That is, working with her is completely safe for humans.Feature catalytic method that can be coated with an unusual effect.In addition, such plating allows to work even with flexible parts, which in the electrolytic process is impossible because the coating will flake off.

As a complement

To get the effect of chromium plating, can also carry out the processing of chrome with a special paint.The essence of the process is as follows:

  1. on the surface of cars, which must be pre-prepared, first apply a thin layer of black paint.
  2. After it dries the surface carefully polished, degreased and then heated with hot air.These measures will allow a new layer of paint is good "lie" to the surface.
  3. can now apply paint "chrome", which contains tiny particles of aluminum.
  4. surface must dry and then polish it again, and then it is given a certain texture by using different tools.

Today chrome parts in Moscow is done with more modern methods.Thus, the prepared surface is first treated with a primer such as automotive lacquer class HS, which has a special pigment.Thanks to him, on the surface creates glare, and the adhesion of the composition to the metal gets better.This varnish - an excellent basis for direct coating of chromium.On the base coat is sprayed chrome paint, through which creates a mirror effect.To avoid haze and dull spots, experts use the distiller.The final layer - a protective coating class HS, which add special color pigments - they give details of the effect of the surface of steel or brass.

Independent work

Every motorist wants to make your car special, not only in the choice of colors and design in general.This chrome parts with your hands - it's quite affordable event, the main thing - to have the necessary materials and tools.For carrying out chromium plating you will need to stock up on:

  • good spray;
  • thermal fan or a hairdryer;
  • automotive paint - black and chrome reflective;
  • polishing composition;
  • means on the basis of alcohol.

order of work will consist of several stages.First you need to prepare the surface for application of paint - it is well clear of her old coat, grind it.Spray, coat the surface with black paint, and the first protects against the glass composition and details that we're not going to paint.Now we wait until the paint dries.

Chrome parts with your hands suggests that we make parts and shiny mirror.For this it is necessary to polish the surface first and then clean and degrease it using funds that do not contain alcohol.Using a hair dryer or a heat fan, heat the place, which is to be painted.Chrome spray paint will be applied, it is important to well and evenly disperse it.We are waiting for the complete drying indoors.Now our task - polished to a mirror finish our items.In this work, the process of chromium plating can be considered complete.

requirements for surface preparation

Chrome parts - a process consisting of several steps, which together make it possible to give the car an individual look.At the same processes are performed in sequence:

  • first machined surface (sanded or polished);
  • surface should be cleaned with organic solvents, which remove greasy dirt;
  • holes are sealed, isolated those areas that will not be passivated.

Before coating the surface, the item is first processed according to the class of purity, which is specified for a particular component.The essence of the machining is reduced to the surface to remove all non-metallic inclusions, cracks, deep risks and chrome just excels well to remove such defects.If there are holes on the surface, they should be closed before the chromium plating material which is resistant to chromic acid.

Wipe the workpiece, it should be remembered that the steel parts with thin walls can not degrease in the cathode.In such cases it is expedient to use anodic degreasing or degreasing chemically.

Recovery details: chrome plated to help!

feature chrome plating process is that it can be used, if necessary, improve the wear resistance of parts.For example, restoration of details chrome made for those elements that are subject to mechanical wear during operation.In addition, wear-resistant chrome plating helps to restore the size of worn parts, and to fix the details, dimensions have been changed during machining.The thickness of such coatings of chromium is up to 1 mm.To achieve the maximum effect, should be chosen as the base layer of solid material.This is especially useful for those parts which are operated at a high specific load.

Chrome plastic

plastic or any other dielectric chrome as a final layer of multi-layer decorative and protective coating.Notably, but plastic parts chromium significantly increases their resistance to corrosion, and thus make the surface more durable.Whichever method chosen or chrome plating, it is important to properly prepare the surface of the plastic.First, it must be processed by grinding, and then the etching.This may be used in several ways.Thus, a versatile composition for etching consists of chromic anhydride, phosphoric and sulfuric acid.However, for some types of plastics may require special composition.Thus, etching of polystyrene, a combination of chromic anhydride and sulfuric acid.A part of PTFE should be processed composition of sodium and naphthalene.

Once the etched plastic, metallized, or need to apply heat-conducting layer.This can be done in two ways.The first involves applying a lacquer or graphite powder which conducts current.In the second method is applied chemical copper.To make the heat-conducting layer is stronger, is coated with a "prolonged" copper.After this is carried out and plating plastic parts.

electroplated: What is special?

Galvanic chrome parts today is widespread, such as wear-resistant coating, a solid, durable, resistant to chemical and thermal environments.This method attracts motorists and chrome plating that allows you to keep an aesthetic coating for a long time.Galvanic chrome coatings are used in a few cases:

  1. In the production of the reflectors, lights, mirrors, because the coating has high reflective properties and yields on these indicators only silver and aluminum.
  2. If you want to cover, corresponding protective and decorative tasks.
  3. If you want the size of the restoration that will extend the life of the components and return them to the original size.
  4. If necessary, increase the service life of the important mechanisms for details.

plating thickness depends on the conditions under which will be operated parts.For example, if the dimensions are restored worn, the layer thickness is approximately 500 microns.If you want to make parts more durable and wear-resistant, the thickness of the chrome layer can be 9-60 microns.

How is chrome plating?

quality chrome plating will depend on the mode in which it is applied.During this process, oxygen is rapidly released on the surface of the anode and the cathode, hydrogen evolution occurs.To form a coating on the inner side of the parts, it is important to establish the additional anodes.And they must be mounted so as not to interfere with the exit gases.

In some cases, it is advisable to form a protective layer with a high level of heat transfer.In this embodiment, it is best to use black chrome: it will create a stable and reliable coverage, while maintaining its properties even when the temperature drops.If you want to remove poor-quality plating, for this purpose, a chemical or electrochemical method.

Chrome parts in Moscow

Prices in services in Moscow and St. Petersburg for such services vary.Most companies offer a wide range of services - from electroplating and galvanizing to anodizing and nickel plating.Thus not every company the cost of preparing the coating included chrome plating in general.Furthermore, the final price depends on how many and what form materials and dimensions have been spent.On average, the cost of the work in the service station range from 500 rubles.up to 700 rubles.for detail 10 x 10 cm. In other companies, the price per treatment area 1 dm 2 starts from 150 rubles.depending on the coating thickness.Additional processing (grinding, welding, polishing, gartsovka) separately.Some companies of St. Petersburg focus attention on the fact that they do not perform plating, for example, bumpers motorcycle rims headlights or mufflers.The reason is that it is cheaper to buy the item itself, rather than to give it a fresh look.As for prices, then in St. Petersburg chrome offered an average of 15 000: that is to be treated with any particular part of the car with the material.A dyeing machine is entirely estimated cost of 200 000 rubles.In Moscow, a car covered with foil for about 30-50 thousand. Rubles, and cording, certain details of the interior car will cost an average of 2,000 rubles per one piece.