What Does
Cadmium Ion Plating Mean?
Cadmium ion plating is a highly reliable standard coating. It is usually applied on steel, aluminum and iron to provide outstanding corrosion resistance properties in almost all types of conditions, most particularly in alkaline or marine environments.
This type of plating is commonly used in industries such as:
- Electronic
- Electrical
- Mining
- Aerospace
- Automotive
- Defense
- Offshore
Common applications include:
- Chassis
- Connectors
- Bolts
- Various types of fasteners
Corrosionpedia Explains Cadmium Ion Plating
Cadmium is a very good plating material since it can offer utmost protection to steel, even with the existence of small gaps within the surface, unlike other coating types. Minimal damage to cadmium plating will not result in protection loss.
Moreover, cadmium plating offers impressive lubricity, which is vital for a majority of engineering components. This type of plating is commonly applied through electrodeposition from acid solutions in vats or barrels. It can also be applied through other means, such as metal spraying and vacuum deposition.
Cadmium plating is one of the top choices in many industries due to the following benefits:
- It offers sacrificial protection to underlying material.
- Cadmium's corrosion protection is proportional to the coating's thickness.
- It provides excellent resistance against marine and rural settings.
- It offers low friction coefficient, so there is no need to undercut thread on bolts and nuts.
- Cadmium plating can promote good adhesion.
With all these advantages, cadmium plating is mainly used to provide corrosion resistance for a wide variety of steels and other applications which require cadmium's engineering properties. For instance, the aerospace industry makes use of cadmium ion plating in order to prevent bimetallic corrosion that may occur between aluminum alloys and steel fasteners. Engineers consider cadmium plating a vital process for engine bolts, aluminum sheet fasteners as well as landing gear.