All You Need to Know on Cadmium Plating

Cadmium which is a by-product of zinc and the only metal used as a unique replacement of gold often refers to a ‘sacrificial shield’ for protecting objects from being corroded even in the most adverse environmental condition. Cadmium coating can be applied on a number of metal items such as steel, cast iron, aluminum, and brass to make them consistently resistive to rusting used in marine, alkaline, and various outdoor settings. Because of its noxious effect on the environment, enterprises that use them as well as plating companies are obligated to stick to all defensive measures while using them, as stated in federal guidelines.

Industries, where cadmium plating has high demand, include automobile, electrical, mining, electronic, aerospace, offshore, and engineering. Automotive, engineering, and electrical are some of the largest users of cad plating items for finishing component such as nuts, bolts, connectors, fasteners, chassis, structural elements and more.

Cadmium Plating - Process

The simple method of Cad plating involves common electro-deposition procedure which is done through an electrolyte solution containing cadmium salt in barrel, rack and other settings. In the process, cadmium from the anode travels and get infused on metal objects placed at the cathode end, as the electrical charge is passed through the solution. Specialized cad plating houses mostly prefer using alkaline cyanide procedure as a consistent plating solution to add all needed features to objects. For small parts like bolts, screws, nuts, washers, springs, clips or fasteners of high volume, vat plating is most ideal, steady, and cost-effective.

Advantages of Cadmium Plating

Corrosion Resistance

Industries ranging from aviation to offshore and defense to engineering used to work in extremely unfavorable environmental settings that makes it crucial to defend elements like nuts, bolts, screws, clamps, fasteners, etc. used in wide-ranging applications from getting oxidized and corroded. With its brilliant protective property cad plating keeps objects unharmed from all kinds of wear and tear while sustaining the entire fatigue on it as a sacrificial barrier.

Adhesion Quality

Adhesiveness of substrates is often stood as a parameter for choosing substances used in the manufacturing of delicate part of aircraft, products used in aviation, engineering, structural frameworks. Whereas the integrity of bonding is essential, with a great adhesive feature of cad plating makes it high demanding to industries.

Defensive to Bacteria

Defending various metal elements that sit in the humid, sticky environment or under the sea from possible growth or bacteria and mold is a vital criterion for related industrial applications. Once objects are coated with cadmium, they become protected to all mold and bacterial invades that can collapse the strength of mechanisms and harm the project.

Natural Lubricity

Being gifted with natural lubricity feature, cadmium plated things facilitate moving parts of machinery to work without having friction that not only harms machine parts but also speed of production to a great extent. Once plated with cadmium, being on the substrate cad eliminates the chance of galling and roughness between moving elements.

Brilliant Aesthetic

The sheen of cad plating is highly acclaimed to industrial users whereas aesthetic of objects is a key concern. Its luster is identical to gold and silver that makes it popular to decorative, electrical, illumination and other applications. It offers color options such as black, olive, green, and whitish gold-like.

Other Features

Incomparable conductivity;

High-class solderability;

Galvanic compatibility as used with aluminum;

Unique as a paint base;

Low electrical resistance;