Overview
EN ISO 1456:2009 (ISO 1456:2009) specifies requirements for decorative, electrodeposited coatings of nickel, nickel plus chromium, copper plus nickel, and copper plus nickel plus chromium. Published by CEN as a European adoption of the ISO document, it covers coatings applied to iron and steel, zinc alloys, copper and copper alloys, and aluminium and aluminium alloys to improve appearance and corrosion resistance. The standard defines coating designations by type and thickness and gives guidance for selecting the appropriate designation for expected service conditions.
Note: ISO 1456:2009 does not set surface-preparation requirements for the base metal and is not applicable to non‑fabricated sheet, strip or wire, threaded fasteners or coil springs.
Key topics and requirements
- Coating types and designations: Classification of electrodeposited nickel, Ni+Cr, Cu+Ni and Cu+Ni+Cr coatings by type and thickness for decorative use.
- Performance requirements: Criteria for appearance, minimum coating thickness, adhesion and corrosion resistance.
- Corrosion testing: Includes references to accelerated tests such as CASS, Corrodkote and neutral salt spray; guidance on STEP test requirements.
- Mechanical and metallurgical tests: Ductility testing, double- and triple-layer nickel coatings criteria, and requirements for adhesion and crack/porosity assessment in chromium layers.
- Hydrogen embrittlement: References to stress‑relief and post‑coating treatments to reduce hydrogen embrittlement risk for ferrous substrates.
- Sampling and inspection: Sampling procedures for attribute inspection and methods for thickness measurement (microscopical, coulometric, SE, X‑ray, magnetic methods).
- Informative and normative annexes: Procedures for crack/porosity determination, thickness measurement methods, ductility and sulfur-content determination in electrodeposited nickel, and STEP test method.
Applications
- Decorative finishes for consumer hardware, fixtures, fittings and architectural metalwork.
- Protective decorative plating on automotive trim, household appliances and furniture components.
- Specification basis for procuring plated components where appearance and moderate corrosion resistance are required.
- Quality and inspection criteria for plating shops, OEMs and finishing houses specifying electrodeposited nickel or chrome over nickel systems.
Who should use this standard
- Plating processors and electroplaters
- Product designers and OEMs specifying decorative metal finishes
- Quality assurance and inspection teams
- Procurement professionals and standards writers
- Test laboratories performing corrosion and coating-thickness tests
Related standards
- ISO 4525 (Cu/Ni/Cr on plastics), ISO 4526, ISO 6158 (engineering nickel/chromium coatings)
- Test and measurement standards cited in ISO 1456: ISO 1463, ISO 2177, ISO 2819, ISO 9220, ISO 9587/9588, ISO 10289, ISO 10587, ISO 15724, ISO 16348
Keywords: ISO 1456:2009, EN ISO 1456:2009, electrodeposited nickel, nickel plus chromium coatings, copper plus nickel, corrosion resistance, coating thickness, decorative coatings, CEN.
