Barkens Hard Chrome

United States

Silicon Carbide particles are ultra-hard particles and they provide extra hardness and wear resistance to the corrosion resistant nickel matrix. Silicon Carbide particles range from 15 percent to 25 percent of the volume of the coating. Silicon Carbide coatings are most commonly applied in thickness between .001" and .003". However, in certain applications deposits can be as thin as a few tenths of a thousandth or as thick as 4-5 thousandths of an inch. Different thicknesses are specified depending on the application. Silicon Carbide can be applied to most metal surfaces and can even be applied selectively on a part through the aid of masking.

A customer in the solar power industry contracted us to repair a number of natural gas turbines with hard ID grinding (inside diameter) and chrome plating. The turbines, which were manufactured from a proprietary forging, had dimensions that ranged in size up to 22" in diameter.ID grinding was completed on our advanced Heald 273A ID grinder, this capability allows us to grind inside diameters up to 24", and features a 24" swing. Once the ID surface was prepared we applied the required hard chrome plating. This project requires tolerances of .0002", which we verify through comprehensive dimensional testing. This service is provided to this customer on an ongoing basis, with 5 day turnovers, and meets all applicable API standards.To learn more about this project, or the processes used to complete it, contact us directly.

Artificial lifts are a mainstay of the US petroleum industry; in fact 96% of US wells require some form of artificial stimulation for crude extraction. Pump barrels are a crucial component of artificial lifts and a heavy wear item, operating an oil extraction operation requires constant refurbishment of pump barrels. Because of the sheer volume of refurbishments and the precision required, a cost effective solution is a must.Low cost Asian solutions are problematic; the precision required by US petroleum customers is almost unattainable from Asian firms, as well as the obvious logistical challenges.At BHC Industries plating, we're committed to providing petroleum customer across the United States with a precision, low cost solution to this need. We've invested capital and developed proprietary equipment and processes to meet the needs of the petroleum industry. This commitment has resulted in contacts to provide ID etching and plating for over 300 pump barrels per week in diameters from 1-116" to 16". To better support all of our valued customers in the petroleum industry, we will soon be opening a new state of the art facility in Keene, Texas, dedicated to pump barrel plating.To learn more about all of our petroleum industry services, see the table below or contact us directly.

To better accommodate the diverse needs of our customers we also offer electroless nickel plating. Electroless plating has long been known for characteristics such as uniform application, its lubriciousness, solderability, and high resistant to corrosion. In most application these features would be enough, however at BHC Industries Plating; we're continually looking for ways to improve our processes. That's why we use AutoTech Heath 25 hard chrome plating in all of our plating tanks. This enhanced capability allows for even greater corrosion resistance, making it an ideal choice for components that are exposed to highly acidic environments. It's also harder than conventional chrome plating and leaves a finish that can achieve a Rockwell hardness of 38 to 42. Our 24' tanks can accommodate parts up to 12, 000 lbs., and produce a plating of .0005" in thickness.The products highlighted here, valve blocks used on a drilling rigs, and jack screws for an aerospace application, are an example of the wide range of metals that our plating can be applied too. 4140 steel, all ferris and non-ferris metals as well as proprietary materials can all benefit from our advanced plating capabilities.To learn more about our plating services contact us directly.

At BHC Industries Plating, we've been servicing customers in the petroleum industry since 1942. Working with heavy industry requires us to possess capabilities to accommodate the large scale requirements of this industry. The 55' drilling rig rotor shaft highlighted here exemplifies these capabilities.This project posed not only machining and plating challenges but also several logistical challenges as well. The shaft was shipped over the road to our facility, because of its size it could only be moved by crane. Fortunately, our shop is equipped with a 45' retractable roof, which allowed the 40 ton crane that we contracted, to place the shaft onto our shop floor. In preparation for plating the shaft required grinding, our centerless grinding capabilities allow us to accommodate components up to 50' in length, and 8" in diameter, almost the exact dimensions of the shaft. The 4140 steel shaft was ground to 7.900", and to tolerances of .001. We then applied the hard chrome plating to a thickness of .00075" per diameter, completing the entire project in just 4 days.At Barken's we take quality seriously, our facility is ISO 9001: 2008 certified, and we comply with all API codes and standards. To learn more about this project, or the processes used to complete it contact us directly.

A customer in the solar power industry contracted us to repair a number of natural gas turbines with hard ID grinding (inside diameter) and chrome plating. The turbines, which were manufactured from a proprietary forging, had dimensions that ranged in size up to 22" in diameter.ID grinding was completed on our advanced Heald 273A ID grinder, this capability allows us to grind inside diameters up to 24", and features a 24" swing. Once the ID surface was prepared we applied the required hard chrome plating. This project requires tolerances of .0002", which we verify through comprehensive dimensional testing. This service is provided to this customer on an ongoing basis, with 5 day turnovers, and meets all applicable API standards.To learn more about this project, or the processes used to complete it, contact us directly.

BHC Industries is pleased to offer top-notch hard chrome plating services for aircraft, large production parts, cylinder bores, and other equipment, in accordance with military, federal, and proprietary specifications. Perhaps our greatest expertise is in plating pump barrels, which is our main application for on- and off-shore drilling. Focusing on hard chrome, electroless nickel, manganese phosphate, and other materials, we provide polishing and grinding, and additional services like honing and penetrant inspection. Our retractable roof allows us to handle large parts, and we have our own lab for testing chemicals, which is especially important because electroless nickels must be checked every few hours. Our tanks are capable of holding parts up to 52 feet long, 72 feet wide, and 32 feet deep, with weights up to 40, 000 pounds.

The project highlighted here exemplifies our ability to apply precision grinding and coating processes to large diameter shafts. This customer needed a phosphate coating applied to shafts with variable outside diameters of 8" to 24". Prior to coating the shafts are sand blasted, and then ground on our Landis OD Grinder, which features a 30" swing, and is capable of grinding components up to 240" between centers, and up to 12, 000 lbs.Once the shaft surface is prepared extensive masking is applied to control the coatings coverage. The finished coating on this proprietary forging meets tolerance of +.0000-.0005", with a 16 RMS finish. Ongoing production of these components is currently running at 30 shafts per week, with turn-around times of 2 to 3 days.To learn more about this project, or the processes used to complete it, see the table below or contact us directly.

BHC Industries features multiple grinding capabilities, in accordance with military, federal, and industrial specifications. Our outside diameter grinding machine allows up to 60 inches in diameter and 5 feet in length, and our inside diameter machine permits grinding up to 24 inches in diameter and 2 feet in length. In addition, the centerless grinding machine grinds up to 8 inches in diameter. Focusing on materials such as steel (300M), stainless steel (300, 400 series), and aluminum (2000, 6000, 7000 series), we also provide additional services like shot peening and reverse engineering. Working with tungsten carbide, ceramics, and the removal of exotic spray, we can achieve super finishes up to 1 Ra. Our tanks are capable of holding parts up to 52 feet long, 72 feet wide, and 32 feet deep, with weights up to 40, 000 pounds.For further inquiries about our company, please contact us or see the table below.