Aerospace

surface technology for safe flying

Hard chrome plating for the aerospace industry


Certified according to EN 9100:2018

In aerospace, consistent quality and reliability stand for nothing less than safety in flight. The certification of our management system according to EN 9100:2018 in the areas of hard chrome plating and heat treatment serves as proof of our quality standards. Along with the certification, Betz-Chrom is listed in the OASIS database. In addition, Betz-Chrom has certified management systems in the areas of occupational safety, environment and energy. Click here for an overview of our certificates.

Hard chrome plating

Hard chrome coatings protect stressed and safety-relevant components from corrosion and wear. The aerospace production line is physically separated from the other bath lines and is supervised by experienced and qualified specialists. Careful and accurate work ensures continuous high quality and complete documentation. Our hard chrome process is certified to EN 9100:2018 and complies with aviation standard AMS 2460.

Betz-Chrom acts in accordance with EU Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 (REACH) of 18 December 2006 as the holder of an authorisation for the use of chromium trioxide. You can find more detailed information on REACH, our authorisation and our activities for alternative research under FAQ on REACH.

Heat treatment

Heat treatment (tempering/annealing) serves as a preventive measure with regard to the resistance of high-strength steel components to hydrogen-induced brittle fracture. The temperature curve and the treatment time of the annealing batches are conscientiously logged to ensure the traceability of components. Our heat treatment process is certified according to EN 9100:2018 and complies with e.g. AMS 2759/9 and AMS 2750 standards.

The reason for the required heat treatment is that hydrogen is co-deposited during the coating process. This can lead to hydrogen embrittlement, which can cause the component to fracture when stressed at a later date. To prevent this, the component is annealed in a furnace immediately after chromium plating to remove the absorbed hydrogen. Very little changes in the surface properties. It should be noted that as the layer thickness increases, the gas tightness of the layer also increases.

Plane PC 12 flies over the Alps

Properties of the hard chrome layer:

  • Layer thickness: 0.003 to 0.500 mm
  • Hardness: > 850 HV 0.1
  • Roughness: Rmax < 0.1 μm to Rz 70 μm
  • lead and cadmium free (RoHS compliant)
Box with electroless nickel plated actuators

Properties of your components:

  • Subject to aerospace standards e.g. AMS 2460, AMS 2759/9
  • Dimensions: 840 x 650 x 800 mm
  • Weight: 400 kg

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Complementary processes


Grinding

In our grinding center, we use modern CNC technology to produce a wide variety of contours with high precision and quality. The technical application determines which surface properties must be fulfilled. We realize precision grinding with the required diameters, shape and position tolerances as well as the desired surface quality. With our know-how we implement your specification of the surface structure. Learn more about precision grinding at Betz-Chrom.

Blasting

Glass bead blasting (cleaning blasting) provides a pore-deep basic cleaning of scaled, oxidized or nitrided surfaces, which leads to an improvement in adhesion . A metallically pure surface is the basic prerequisite for optimum adhesion of the deposited hard chrome layer. Accordingly, the quality of the blasting is a decisive factor for the surface quality of the coating. The selected blasting material meets the respective requirements, e.g. quality V 180. Learn more about our blasting processes.

Preservation

As additional corrosion protection after coating, we preserve your components with Androx 3961 ( PX 24 ). This is a mixture of surfactants, corrosion inhibitors and oil. The thin oil film gives good corrosion protection due to the water displacing properties.

Betz-Chrom – your partner for strong parts

In the sense of a trustful partnership, you will receive highly qualified technical advice from us that is tailored to your needs. We combine 70 years of experience in surface technology with an innovative and inquisitive corporate culture. Our quality awareness, our occupational health and safety management as well as our measures for environmental protection and energy saving are audited and certified according to DIN standards. As an on-schedule partner with high quality level, we constantly aim to find the optimal process solution for you.