CHROMIUM PLATING.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19150, 5 November 1927, Page 10

CHROMIUM PLATING.

WEAR-RESISTANT. The possibilities of chromium plating as a wear-resistant on the working parts of the car have been the subject of recent researches. Chromium plating has alrcadv been adopted for windshield supports and radiator shells, on account of its extreme hardness, durability and untamishable properties. Exhaust manifolds arc now being plated on trucks in America.

In more recent experiments chromium plating has been applied to the wearing surfaces of pump spindles, for shafts and even crankshaft journals; parts so treated and polished run with much less friction than plain steel shafts. In one experiment a chromium-plated fan shaft was run for two hours without lubrication, and, although it squeaked, thero was no measurable wear after this period; in similar circumstances a plain steel spindle became reduced in diameter to an extent of six-thousandths of an inch. Chromium plating is also being tried on sleeve valves and un cast-iron cylinder bores. One of the great advantages obtained bv plating cylinders with this material is' that carbon will not adhere to chromium, being blown off as soon as it is deposited. Periodic decarbonisation would presumably become unnecessary, were chromium-plated cylinder heads and piston crowns used.