Minimization of Chicken Wire Cracking in Hard Chromium Plating

Causes of chromium cracks and operating conditions which minimize visible cracked hard chromium plating have been identified as a result of a literature study and published data study. Elimination of visible chicken wire cracking in chromium plating production has been obtained by reducing the chromic acid to sulfate ratio and current density in one case study. Analysis of data in the study indicates consistency in ways of reducing cracks. An experimental design consisting of chromic acid to sulfate ratio, current density and temperature is proposed to verify these findings.