High-gloss chromium plating

Chair arm holders of office chairs after vibratory grinding and chromium plating

To be technically correct, this process – as is the case with pearl-brightness chromium plating – involves high-gloss nickel plating and subsequent chromium plating. A typical layer structure here also consists, depending on the requirement, of approx. 10-30 µm nickel and approx. 0.3-0.5 µm chromium. As regards copper undercoating, the same applies as in pearl-brightness chromium plating.

For decorative high-gloss chromium plating the basic material must either be smooth and faultless or the items to be chromium-plated must be mechanically treated first by grinding, brushing and/or polishing. Special attention must be paid here as these operations are usually very cost-intensive and sometimes more than double the chromium-plating price.

The other side of this page shows the brazed arm holders used in the group of table and chairs in the photo above them; to attain a perfect surface, these are ground in vibratory grinders for about 3 hours and only then plated with high-gloss chromium.