Decorative chrome is primarily used for appearance and corrosion resistance. It’s a multilayer coating, typically consisting of copper, nickel, and a very thin layer of chrome (under 0.00001″), applied to give surfaces a bright, reflective finish — common in automotive trim or bathroom fixtures.
Hard chrome (also called industrial chrome) is a functional coating applied at thicknesses over 0.002″, sometimes exceeding 0.010″ for wear protection. It has a microcracked surface, which can help with oil retention but may reduce corrosion resistance in some environments.
Thin Dense Chrome (TDC), such as Armoloy TDC, is a refined form of hard chrome applied at much thinner tolerances: typically 0.0001″ to 0.0005″. It features a micronodular structure instead of microcracks, offering better lubricity, wear resistance, and tolerance control. Because of its thinness, TDC can often be applied to precision components without affecting fit or dimensional integrity.
