Product description:

The piston rod is a connecting component that supports the piston in performing work. It is mostly used in oil cylinders and air cylinders as motion execution components and is a frequently moving and highly technical motion component. Taking the hydraulic cylinder as an example, it is composed of the cylinder barrel, piston rod (oil Cylinder rod), piston, and end cover. The quality of its processing directly affects the lifespan and reliability of the entire product. The processing requirements for the piston rod are high. Its surface roughness should be within the range of Ra0.4 to 0.8 μm, and strict requirements are imposed on coaxiality and wear resistance.

A Chrome-plated piston rod is a precision-engineered component used in hydraulic cylinders, pneumatic systems, and industrial machinery to transmit linear force while withstanding friction, corrosion, and wear. It plays a critical role in ensuring the stability, efficiency, and durability of hydraulic and pneumatic systems. With its hard chrome-plated surface and high-precision finish, the chrome-plated piston rod provides exceptional performance under high pressure and heavy-duty operating conditions.

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Material Composition and Structure

Chrome-plated piston rods are typically made from high-quality carbon steel or alloy steel such as C45, AISI 1045, AISI 4140, or ST52. These materials offer excellent mechanical strength, impact resistance, and fatigue endurance. For special environments, stainless steel grades such as AISI 304, 316, or 420 can be used to ensure maximum corrosion protection.

The rod’s core provides structural strength, while the outer chrome plating layer—usually 20–30 μm thick—offers a hard, corrosion-resistant surface. This layer is precisely deposited through electroplating, creating a uniform coating with high adhesion and exceptional surface hardness of HRC 60–65. The result is a piston rod capable of enduring continuous reciprocating motion and harsh working environments.

Manufacturing Process

Each chrome-plated piston rod undergoes a strict production process to ensure accuracy, performance, and reliability:

Raw Material Selection: Choose seamless steel bars or precision-ground rods with consistent mechanical properties.

Heat Treatment: Quenching and tempering improve hardness, tensile strength, and fatigue resistance.

CNC Machining: The rod ends are machined for threads, grooves, or other custom connections.

Centerless Grinding: Achieves excellent roundness, straightness, and dimensional precision.

Hard Chrome Plating: Electroplating produces a uniform, high-adhesion chrome layer that resists corrosion and abrasion.

Mirror Polishing: Creates an ultra-smooth surface finish (Ra ≤ 0.2 μm) for minimal friction and seal wear.

Quality Inspection: Each rod is tested for coating thickness, hardness, surface finish, and straightness tolerance.

Key Features and Advantages

Superior Surface Hardness: Hard chrome plating increases wear resistance and extends service life.

High Corrosion Resistance: Protects against rust, moisture, and chemical exposure.

Smooth Surface Finish: Reduces friction and improves sealing performance.

Excellent Dimensional Precision: Ensures accurate and stable piston movement.

Enhanced Fatigue Strength: Performs reliably under high load and continuous motion.

Versatile Material Options: Available in carbon steel, alloy steel, and stainless steel.

Long Operational Life: Reduces maintenance costs and downtime in demanding applications.

Production process of the piston rod:

Applications:

The hydraulic cylinder is an energy conversion device that converts hydraulic energy into mechanical energy. It is the core actuating component in the hydraulic system. The hydraulic cylinder uses hydraulic oil to drive the piston to move, converting hydraulic energy into linear reciprocating motion. When the hydraulic oil enters the cylinder barrel, it pushes the piston rod to extend or retract, completing the predetermined action. The direction and speed of its movement are regulated by the hydraulic control system. The hydraulic cylinder consists of a cylinder barrel, cylinder cover, piston and piston rod, sealing device, and buffering device. According to its structure, it can be classified as piston type, plunger type, multi-stage telescopic sleeve type, and gear-rack type. Hydraulic cylinders are widely used in machine tools, construction machinery, vehicles, and other fields, featuring a simple structure and smooth movement.

Chrome-plated piston rods are essential in a wide range of hydraulic and pneumatic equipment, including:

Hydraulic cylinders in construction machinery, cranes, and loaders

Pneumatic cylinders for automation and robotics

Agricultural and forestry machinery such as harvesters and tractors

Industrial presses and injection molding machines

Automotive shock absorbers and steering systems

Marine, offshore, and mining equipment exposed to harsh environments

In each of these applications, the chrome-plated surface minimizes friction and wear, improving the overall efficiency and lifespan of the hydraulic system.

Company profile:

Since its establishment in 2014, Wuxi Hengxin Zhicheng Co., Ltd. has rapidly grown into a leading enterprise in the steel manufacturing industry. We focus on the research, production and sales of seamless steel pipes, special-shaped steel pipes and hydraulic cylinders, and are committed to providing customers with high-quality, customizable products that fully meet diverse application needs.

Our products are exported to global markets such as the Middle East, South America, Africa, and Southeast Asia, and are highly trusted by large purchasers and customers in the steel industry. We always prioritize quality, reliability and customer service, and attach great importance to establishing long-term and stable cooperative relationships with customers. We provide each customer with tailor-made solutions.

We continuously promote technological innovation and improve service capabilities and production efficiency. Through an efficient online platform, you can browse our best-selling products at any time and communicate with the sales and support teams in real time to conveniently obtain the information you need. We sincerely invite partners from all countries to visit, exchange and provide guidance, and jointly explore more possible cooperation opportunities!

Certification:

Packaging and Transportation:

【Package standard】

We use steel bands to tightly package the products into hexagonal bundles. The structure is stable and not prone to deformation. Each bundle is equipped with two high-strength nylon straps to ensure the safety and convenience of the lifting operation.

To meet various maritime transportation needs, we offer a range of customized packaging options, including full coverage with oilcloth, moisture-proof wooden boxes, and high-strength protective frame packaging, to ensure the maximum safety of goods during transportation.

【Guarantee for transportation】

We offer 20-foot and 40-foot standard container transportation services. Each container can carry up to 25 tons of goods and we can accept trial orders with a minimum of 5 tons. This allows for flexible adaptation to your purchasing scale. All packaging complies with maritime shipping standards to ensure that the goods are delivered to the destination efficiently and safely.

Why us?

We focus on the research, development, production and sales of seamless steel pipes, special-shaped steel pipes and hydraulic cylinders. We have a complete production chain and an advanced equipment system, including piercing machines, cold drawing machines, hot rolling machines, high-precision flaw detection and testing equipment. The company has passed multiple authoritative certifications such as ISO9001, API, SGS, CCS, DNV, ABS, CE, RoHS, etc., ensuring that each product complies with international standards. We are committed to providing customers with high-quality, customizable solutions to meet diverse application needs.

Relying on our own built processing base and modern workshops, combined with multiple branches and storage centers across the country, we have achieved sufficient inventory and efficient logistics coordination, significantly shortening the delivery cycle and ensuring the rapid delivery of orders.

We have established a complete service and support system. After the order is signed, the professional after-sales team can provide timely and safe on-site guidance and technical support to ensure that customers are at ease throughout the process from procurement to use.

FAQ：

1. Do you support customized design and production?

Sure. We have a professional engineering team that can conduct customized design and production with special sizes, control systems or OEM according to your requirements.

2. How fast can you deliver?

In stock sizes, it takes 3-5 days. For customized sizes, it takes 30-35 days.

3. What payment methods do you support?

We support TT payment. Generally, 30% to 50% of the payment is made in advance, and the remaining amount is paid before shipment.

4. Can you provide material certification (MTC)?

Yes, we will provide MTC to you after production is completed to ensure that the material quality meets the standards.

5. What is the minimum order quantity?

Generally, we accept trial orders. The minimum order quantity is 1-3 tons, which can be determined according to different products.