Cadmium Plating Glossary

Cadmium Plating

The demand for cadmium plated components has risen very recently, and is mainly applied to components for the aerospace industry.

Cadmium plating gives a silvery white metallic appearance with excellent corrosion resistance. The metal is also reasonably hard and very ductile therefore making it useful as a coating for work which requires flexibility. The coating is electropositive to iron and has a very low contact potential with aluminium. Cadmium is a controlled substance and can only be used in specific applications.

South West Metal Finishing has invested heavily in the latest closed loop cadmium plating equipment which can offer the following different finishes:

  • Bright - Giving the surface a silvery / white appearance.
  • Dull - Giving the Cadmium’s natural state, being a matt deposit.
  • Chromate - Applying a golden yellow film with a high degree of protection against atmospheric corrosion.
  • Olive drab - Producing a dark green finish, with a further increase in corrosion resistance.

The usual thickness of Cadmium applied on a commercial basis is between the limits of 8-15 microns (0.0003 to 0.0006”) or to the relevant BS or aerospace spec.