HVOF - A SUPERIOR ALTERNATIVE TO CHROME

High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) has many proven advantages to electrolytic hard chrome and in many cases is a superior solution when you are looking to extend lifespan and reduce downtime.

Electrolytic hard chrome (EHC), commonly known as chrome plating, has long been an industry standard for wear and corrosion prevention. And while the chroming process remains a strong option for certain applications, environmental concerns have made this process more challenging and expensive.

As wear and corrosion specialists for over 75 years, HFW is uniquely positioned to help our partners find alternatives that can save time and money while upholding and, in many cases, exceeding chrome plating’s effectiveness.

High Velocity Oxygen Fueled (HVOF) coatings, a service that HFW has offered for over 30 years, presents a great option for chrome plate replacement. The HVOF process can produce coatings that not only last longer than chrome, but that also reduce repair cost and turnaround time.

A seminal Department of Defense task force found that several HVOF coatings outperformed chrome plating when it came to fatigue, corrosion and leakage tests of aerospace components. Some coatings outlasted chrome plating by a factor of three. With HVOF coatings requiring less processing, both cost and time to repair were significantly reduced when compared to chrome. (Send us an email--we are happy to send these reports and papers to you!)

Through these studies, two of which can be found by clicking on the buttons below, the DOD validated HVOF as a largely superior replacement to chrome.

Which coatings work best? In lieu of chrome plating, there are a few coating options you may consider, including:

• Tungsten Carbide (WC/Co)
• Chrome Carbide (Cr3C2/NiCr)
• Tungsten Carbide Nickel (WC/Ni)
• Nickel-based Corrosion Resistant Alloys

HFW offers each of these coatings as well as a line of proprietary coatings that have dramatically improved our customer’s equipment lifespan--in our finest work, by as much as a factor of twelve.

At HFW, we have built a full-service, single-source facility specializing in these thermal spray and hardfacing services. We are happy to tailor a solution to your specific needs and application.

Contact us to discuss chrome replacement and how we can improve equipment life while reducing cost and turnaround time!