Hexavalent Vs. Trivalent Chrome Plating

Companies across North America continue to make the switch to trivalent chromium plating for its cost-effective, environmentally friendly advantages.

Advantages Of Trivalent Chromium Plating

Switching from hexavalent chromium plating to trivalent solutions will protect your production costs and boost your bottom line. Trivalent plating produces at least five percent fewer rejects than hexavalent plating. You’ll save money on scrap metal and can plate more parts in the trivalent bath, which will increase production.

Trivalent plating also boasts:

  • Fewer toxic fumes than hexavalent plating
  • Less waste sludge
  • Lower wastewater treatment costs
  • Fewer testing regulations and associated costs

Columbia Chemical’s TriCOL® Décor

TriCOL® Décor is a chloride-based trivalent chromium plating process that produces brilliant white chrome finishes with fewer burns. The improved plating speed allows smooth transitions from hexavalent processes and will operate during process interruptions to minimize rejects.

Columbia Chemical’s TriCOL® Décor operates in a mixed sulfate and chloride electrolyte, giving excellent throwing power across the current density plating range. Our TriCOL Blackjack is designed to meet a wide range of black trivalent decorative chrome finishing specifications, ranging from light smoky black to a rich, deeper black.

Columbia Chemical’s TriCOL Reclaim®

Innovation has arrived in Decorative Trivalent Plating with the introduction of Columbia Chemical’s TriCOL Reclaim®. Cost savings of 40-60% over traditional trivalent systems is compelling enough for shops wanting to switch, but CASS at 60 hours, High Chloride Corrosion at 200+ hours, NO post-dip, 1000+ hours NSS, and L values in the 80s are the performance data points surpassing the competition and driving demand for the new system.

This groundbreaking process was designed with a unique formulation to allow for total reclamation without the buildup of counterions. Features a single liquid additive – no more heating, no messy chrome dust powder.

Make The Switch

Ready to explore trivalent plating? Please submit your email below, and a member of our team will reach out to begin your free consultation.

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Click below to request a case study illustrating the impressive cost savings and reject reductions that accompany Columbia Chemical’s trivalent plating.

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Want to talk to a member of our team now? Call Columbia Chemical at 330-225-3200 today to discuss how we can help you today!