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Innovation Hard Chrome Plating Tooling at CCAD
The object of the recently completed CCAD tooling project
was to design, fabricate, and test advanced fixtures for chrome plating that
avoid the need to mask off areas of the part that are not to be plated. In
addition, the fixtures increase the speed of plating (reducing turnaround time),
and provide much more uniform chromium deposits. The no-mask concept is
relatively new to chromium plating. It involves the design and fabrication of a
rack and anode fixture that is customized to a specific part. For the CCAD
project, parts were selected that posed particular challenges for the CCAD
plating shop.
The project proceeded in two phases. During Phase I, the concept of no-mask
tooling was introduced to CCAD through the design, fabrication and
implementation of custom tooling for two frequently plated aircraft parts. This
tooling was well received by the plating shop and was fully integrated into
their production activities. During Phase II, custom no-mask anodes were
designed, fabricated and implemented for an additional six frequently plated
aircraft parts (two during Phase I and six during Phase II), plus design changes
were made to one of the Phase I anodes. Also during Phase II, generic tooling
was developed for several less frequently plated parts.
During Phases I and II CCAD separately funded work beyond the scope of the CTMA
project including the design and fabrication of no-mask tooling for an
additional two parts, additional sets of no-mask anodes for high production
parts, and other support equipment. Combined, the new tooling is now being used
for plating operation involving over 80% of the total hard chrome plating
production load at CCAD.
Program Manager: Paul Chalmer,
(734) 995-4911,
paulc@ncms.org,
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