Trivalent clear is a chromate conversion coating over zinc that leaves a bright surface close to the natural color of the zinc, with a faint blue cast. It runs on trivalent chromium chemistry, so it is RoHS and ELV compliant.
The passivate adds everyday corrosion resistance and a clean cosmetic surface. It is the finish customers pick when they want plated steel that still looks like bright metal.
When to choose trivalent clear
- You want a bright, near-silver finish rather than a colored one.
- The part lives indoors or sees light-duty service.
- Appearance is part of the spec and a yellow or black finish would read wrong.
- Your drawing calls for clear or blue zinc.
Clear chromate generally offers less corrosion life than yellow. When a job needs more hours of salt spray, we point the customer to trivalent yellow and explain the trade.
How we plate it
Clear runs on both lines. Small parts in volume go through the barrel. Appearance-critical or delicate parts run on the rack, where each piece is fixtured and handled on its own. A plater reads the bath and the parts as they move, and the finished work is inspected by hand and wrapped in kraft paper. Typical turnaround is about seven days, with expedite available.
Specs and corrosion targets
We plate trivalent clear to ASTM B633, military prints, and your own drawing. Send the zinc thickness and the salt spray target you need, and we set the process to meet it. We plate under your ISO and quality system so the parts fit your paperwork.