Pat Plater (Kathe Mayer) has been involved with the plating industry for more than 20 years in a variety of capacities, including selling equipment and supplies. She has served as chair of the AESF X-Ray Fluorescence Committee and was the editor of XRF Shop Guide Quality Control with X-Ray Fluorescence, published in 1999, which discusses thickness measurement in plating quality control. She also has given public presentations on this topic.
Hard chrome (Cr+6) provides hardness, corrosion protection and a low coefficient of friction for aircraft landing gear. However, hard chrome plating baths have to meet strict regulations from both the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). OSHA may limit Cr+6 to .05, which will require more equipment and expense for the plater. New high-tech materials may be a better way to handle aircraft parts.
