Cadmium is a sacrificial coating with an unmatched all-around profile on steel: galvanic compatibility with aluminum, natural lubricity, solderability, and stable torque-tension. It is restricted for commercial use, but still specified across aerospace and defense — and Gleco is one of a limited number of Texas shops still running it, to AMS-QQ-P-416, under an AS9100D and ISO 9001:2015 quality system, ITAR Registered and DFARS compliant.
| Governing specs | AMS-QQ-P-416 (successor to QQ-P-416); AMS 2400 |
|---|---|
| Types | Type I as-plated; Type II with chromate; Type III with phosphate (paint base) |
| Classes / thickness | Class 1 0.0005 in (13 µm); Class 2 0.0003 in (8 µm); Class 3 0.0002 in (5 µm) min |
| Salt spray (ASTM B117) | Type II ≥ 96 h with no white corrosion products |
| Embrittlement relief | Post-plate bake per ASTM B850, performed in house at both plants. Ovens to 500 °F with no practical limit on cycle time; 23 h post-plate relief and 18 h pre-plate stress relief cycles both routine. Bake records tied to the lot. |
| Regulatory status | Not RoHS compliant — cadmium is restricted (RoHS/REACH); specified for aerospace & defense under exemptions |
| Handling / part size | Barrel and rack. Barrels are 6 in. diameter x 12 in. long; rack is available for parts that do not suit barrel plating. Send the drawing and we will confirm fit before quoting. |
| Typical uses | Aerospace connectors and connector hardware, defense hardware, threaded fasteners and small fittings mating to aluminum. |

Yes, in house at both plants, per ASTM B850. Our ovens run to 500 °F with no practical limit on cycle time, so we bake to the profile your drawing calls for rather than to a fixed recipe — 23-hour post-plate relief and 18-hour pre-plate stress relief cycles are both routine. Bake records are tied to the lot in your certification package.
Cadmium runs in both barrel and rack at our McAllen plant. Barrels are 6 in. diameter by 12 in. long; rack handles parts that do not suit barrel plating. Most of what goes through that bath is aerospace connector hardware and defense work. Send the drawing and we will confirm fit before quoting.
Send the print and we’ll tell you. Quotes typically back within one business day, from either plant.
Precision metal finishing since 1979. Plating, anodizing, coatings and passivation from two Texas plants.
Gleco Rowlett
2220 Grisham Drive
Rowlett, TX 75088
972-475-4300
Gleco McAllen
3800 W. Ursula Ave
McAllen, TX 78503
956-800-4069