Printing Roller Surfaces Without Chrome's Hazards

Chrome plating has long been used in a range of applications, such as for printing press rollers, according to Sifco Applied Surface Concepts.

Chrome plating has long been used in a range of applications, such as for printing press rollers, according to Sifco Applied Surface Concepts.

However, the growing awareness over the past decade of the health, safety and environmental hazards associated with chrome plating led to a development of safer and environmentally friendly alternatives.

Sifco said it has developed nickel-cobalt deposits that can be used successfully as an alternative to hard chrome in various applications including super finish rollers.

The nickel-cobalt deposits are claimed to have similar properties to hard chrome, such as high hardness and wear and corrosion resistance.

The company added that nickel-cobalt deposits also have two main advantages compared to hard chrome.

The first one is that they are environmentally friendly and they have a very high deposition rate.

Such repairs can be done at Sifco's factory in Redditch (UK) or on-site at the printing plant, the latter reducing costs and downtime.

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