When I was 19 years old I joined the Navy. I was assigned to work on submarines and spent much of my time in the service under water. Floating under the water in a hopefully airtight vessel will focus your mind on the importance of maintaining equipment. I was assigned to the Attack Submarine USS Snook (SSN-592). During my time onboard I was forced to become familiar with the “Submarine Safety” (SUBSAFE) program. In fact , the Navy taught me a few things. First, I learned the importance of check lists. Second, I was introduced to the need for standard operating procedures. Finally, I was … [Read more...]
April 24, 2015 By
What is the Timeline for GHS?
In an effort to promote standard criteria worldwide for classifying chemicals according to their health, physical and environmental hazards the Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals initiative was launched. Supporting this initiative, Osha has issued a Hazard Communication Standard Final Rule. This rule outlines changes for both chemical users and chemical producers to become compliant with the new GHS standards. Chemical users: Continue to update safety data sheets when new ones become available, provide training on the new label elements and … [Read more...]
April 15, 2015 By
Water and Your Plating Process
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...]
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...]
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...]
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 14, 2014 By
Plating Fundamentals: Clean Your Parts
In plating, there is one very simple secret for plating good parts: Be sure you have clean parts. It's not groundbreaking and won't break your process. Much like when you wash dishes at home, we soak and “scrub” parts in our plating process. You'll also use different types of cleaners depending on the soils you are trying to remove Most common cleaners are one of two types: “soak” cleaners or "electro" cleaners. Soak cleaners work simply by reacting with soil as parts are dipped in them. Electro cleaners use electricity to create a reaction that separates soil from your parts. While most … [Read more...]