When it comes to cleaning and plating, there is one element which affects every single bath. This substance often makes up well over half of each tank, and we largely ignore it. That’s right, I’m talking about water. We put it in every bath, but pay no attention to what kind of water we have and what impact it will make. So let’s start at the beginning to understand how water effects the plating process. Types of Water That’s right; there are multiple types of water. These can be summarized into Hard, Soft, and Purified. Hard water is characterized by a high mineral content. Oftentimes, … [Read more...]
April 10, 2015 By
Conitinuous Learning in the Plating Industry
With more than 20 years in the plating industry I was surprised by how many insights and new pieces of information I picked up at the recent CEF course sponsored by Asterion in Indianapolis, IN. Here are just two of the applications regarding fixtures which were new to me. As I have talked with other industry "old timers" this was new information for them as well. I thought I'd share them and encourage you to attend the next CEF course sponsored by Asterion next year, you just might learn something to save your shop thousands of dollars. Barrel design: Traditionally it has been … [Read more...]
March 30, 2015 By
Basic Cleaning Fundamentals
Here is a simple truth “Nothing gets Plated until it gets Cleaned” Despite this simple truth, cleaning is often a neglected part of the metal finishing process. Here are some basic principles in metal preparation to follow to help you determine how well prepared the parts are in subsequent plating or finishing operations. Soak Cleaning Fundamentals Soak cleaners are used in simple tanks in which parts are immersed and then left to sit for a period of time. Typically soak cleaners are controlled by time, temperature and concentration. Used properly, soak cleaners should remove all of the … [Read more...]
March 5, 2015 By
Chromate Conversion Coatings
Zinc is typically used for the electrodeposited coating for iron and steel when prevention of atmospheric corrosion is the primary objective. However without a subsequent treatment, typically chromate, electrodeposited zinc becomes dull and grey and will quickly develop white corrosion products after exposure to air. Chromate conversion coatings impart both an aesthetically pleasing finish as well as varying degrees of corrosion protection. The use of Chrome VI in the conversion coatings as the passivation agent for zinc deposits are endowed with numerous advantages. These include: High … [Read more...]
February 18, 2015 By
Auxiliary and Ancillary Products
As our team of trained technicians and sales representative talks with metal finishing shops we notice many needs for chemicals which are not “plating” chemistries. These may include uses for general purpose floor cleaners, rust inhibitors or anti-splatter for welding. Clients are often surprised to learn we offer many good and effective chemicals for these applications. But these products don’t just appear in your shop without planning. How do you find the right product for your business? Well you could just type it into the computer and hope a search engine takes you to the correct … [Read more...]
December 14, 2014 By
Hard Chrome Plating
The process of hard chrome plating has been used since the early part of the 20th century. It is a process that is used in nearly every aspect of manufacturing where wear resistance and lubricity are critical. Typically coating thickness deposited are between 8 to 250 mm (0.00032”-.0098”) and hardness between 800-1000HV. High hardness and resistance to abrasion are retained unchanged up to 200o C. Early processes were standard chromic acid and sulfate processes. The late 1940’s gave to processes that used anions such as fluoride to improve plating rates and finish quality. Later evolution in … [Read more...]
November 26, 2014 By
Asterion CEO Blair Vandivier Interviewed by Products Finishing
This interview was originally published by Products Finishing Online here. Blair Vandivier is a lawyer, a pilot and a former college golfer, as well as a board member of the NASF. Several years ago, Vandivier merged his successful Benchmark Products with Roger Sowinski’s New Surface Technologies to form Asterion, a surface technology company that provides specialty chemical finishing products for pretreatment, powder coating and plating. We were lucky to score a round of golf with Vandivier at his exclusive Crooked Stick Golf Club in Indianapolis, Indiana, where we also met his personal … [Read more...]
November 10, 2014 By
Execute the Basics All the Time, Every Time for Ultimate Success
It's the little things you do that make the big things in life easier to handle. Most of us have heard the stories of John Wooden, coach of 10 NCAA national championship basketball teams at UCLA, beginning each season teaching the team about putting socks on properly and tying your shoes right. Wooden says, "If you want to win championships, you must take care of the smallest details." The same holds true in plating. Executing the basics properly and taking care of the smallest details first without short cuts makes all the difference in the world when it comes to executing the perfect finish … [Read more...]
October 23, 2014 By
Plating Fundamentals: Checklists
Metal finishing operations and managers often overlook the importance of line maintenance. Rapid production demands and ever shifting production schedules lead to conflicts between making repairs and making money. Committing to the required dollars for equipment repair and upgrading is easy to postpone. Plating shops do everything they can to manage their bottom line by controlling short term expenses. Unfortunately, production is often disrupted as a result of avoidable equipment breakdown and failure. When we talk to industry leaders in plating, they point to the importance of discipline … [Read more...]