Cadmium Electroplate
Cadmium electroplate per AMS QQ-P-416 — the smooth, high-lubricity legacy finish that torques more consistently than zinc, now largely confined to military-legacy callouts at a reported cost above four times zinc.
Last updated: 2026-11
Specifications
Cadmium electroplate is produced by the same electrolytic process as zinc, on a metal that gives the coating two properties buyers used to value: a smooth surface with lubricity above plain steel, and more consistent torque-tension behavior than zinc at equal thickness. Toxicity ended that — cad has been virtually eliminated from commercial products and from new military design, and as platers dropped the line the reported price climbed to more than four times zinc. What survives is the legacy spec base: AMS QQ-P-416 Type II Class 2 (0.0003″) with yellow dichromate is the callout still received, alongside ASTM F1941 FE/CD. Specify cad only where an existing platform or military-legacy drawing demands it; new designs take zinc-nickel, which was developed to replace it.
| Process | Electroplating — same deposition process as zinc electroplate, cadmium metal |
|---|---|
| Reference standards | AMS QQ-P-416 (Type II CL2, 0.0003″, yellow dichromate) and ASTM F1941 (FE/CD 8C) |
| Corrosion resistance | 72–168 h neutral salt spray by specification — AMS QQ-P-416 Type II CL2: 96 h; F1941-17 FE/CD 8C: 72 h |
| Lubricity | Smooth surface, increased lubricity vs plain steel — parts coated to QQ-P-416 torque more consistently than zinc per ASTM B633 |
| Hydrogen embrittlement | Electroplated process — high-strength hardened parts baked after plating |
| Status | Virtually eliminated from commercial products and new military design (toxicity); remaining use is legacy-spec replacement |
| Relative cost | More than four times zinc and rising — many platers no longer offer the line (reported plating-shop comparison) |
Materials
- Carbon steel fasteners (legacy specs)
- High-strength steel fasteners (baked after plating)
Ordering & documentation
Documents
Shipments are backed by Mill Test Certificate (MTC), Dimensional Report, Salt Spray Test Report on request, with full batch traceability from raw material to finished product. Quality management follows the owner-confirmed compliance list: ISO 9001:2015, RoHS, REACH. Exact document sets are confirmed on the order.
Quotation
- The fastener family (Cadmium Electroplate) plus the standard designation from your drawing — DIN / ISO / JIS / ASTM / ANSI, or a drawing for custom parts.
- Size (diameter and length), thread type (metric or inch), property class or grade, and coating or finish.
- Quantity per size and your target delivery date.
- Destination country, and any required documents (for example a mill test certificate) so the quote includes them.
Sample & supply
Minimum order quantity is per batch, carried with the fastener order. Finishing run adds 5–10 days to the fastener lead time. Quantities or variants outside the standard range are confirmed at quotation.
Storage & shipping
Parts are packed for export and shipped factory-direct to buyers in Europe, Asia, the Americas and the Middle East. Store fasteners dry and protected until installation, and keep coated parts in their packaging until use; specific packing and preservation requirements can be stated on the order and confirmed at quotation.
Frequently asked questions
Should a new design specify cadmium?
Almost never. Cadmium's toxicity has removed it from commercial products and new military design, availability is shrinking, and the reported price runs above four times zinc. Its genuine advantages — smooth finish, high lubricity, consistent torque-tension — are what zinc-nickel plating was engineered to preserve in a compliant system, and zinc-nickel also carries several times the salt-spray life. Specify cad only to service an existing platform whose drawing still calls it out, and expect sourcing to be the long pole in the schedule.
What is the MOQ and lead time for this finish?
Finishing runs per batch carried with the fastener order and adds 5–10 days to the fastener lead time. Coated parts follow the finish line that processes them, so confirm the exact schedule against quantity and finish class at quotation.
What should an RFQ for this finish state?
State the base fastener (grade, diameter, length), the coating standard and class (or the process plus thickness/color requirement where no standard callout exists), any salt-spray or friction requirement, and quantity per size — plus destination country and required documents such as a mill test certificate.
Related knowledge
- Reading a Fastener Coating Callout: ISO 10683 Designations, Salt-Spray Hours and What to Confirm With the Plater
- Zinc-Plated vs Hot-Dip Galvanized Fasteners: Which Coating for Which Environment
- Zinc-Flake Coating for Fasteners: When the Evidence Supports It, and What to Verify at the Coater
- Zinc-Flake vs Zinc-Nickel for High-Strength Fasteners: What the Evidence Settles on Hydrogen, Salt Spray, Friction and Specs
Request a Quote
Get factory-direct pricing from the manufacturer.
What to include in your inquiry
- ✓ Standard and property class (e.g. DIN 912, ISO 4762, class 8.8) — or a drawing for custom parts.
- ✓ Sizes, lengths and thread type (metric or inch).
- ✓ Quantity per size and your target delivery date.
- ✓ Destination country, plus any coating or finish requirement.
- ✓ Any documents you need with the shipment (e.g. mill test certificate) so the quote includes them.
- ✓ Your inquiry goes straight to the factory team by email and gets a reply within 24 hours.
- ✓ Factory-direct pricing
- ✓ Standard and custom specifications
- ✓ Factory-direct export to buyers in Europe, Asia, the Americas and the Middle East
- ✓ Full fastener family support