Alkaline non-cyanide zinc (ANCZ) plating has been prevalent in the plating industry for about 50 years. It has become a preferred process for finishers who require a fairly bright zinc-plated finish on parts that have challenging geometrical shapes. ANCZ is typically the chosen zinc process for complicated geometrical shapes due to its ability to plate zinc at a preferred low ratio of zinc thickness from the high current density areas to the low current density areas. Thickness ratios can range anywhere from 1:1 to 2:1 from the high current density area to the low current density area. Bath … [Read more...]
July 19, 2019 By
Is there a better way to provide a high corrosion resistant finish that is not an expensive alloy process?
If a high corrosion resistant finish provided 400+ hours to first white corrosion product and 700+ hours to red corrosion, until now, the answer was NO. Alloy finishes with passivate and seals that were complex and difficult to control were the only choice to achieve 400+ hours to first white corrosion product and 700+ hours to red corrosion. Traditional zinc plating just could not meet these requirements. As a result, finishers and their customers could only look to zinc alloy systems to provide high corrosion resistant attributes. The challenges associated with these processes were just a … [Read more...]
April 22, 2018 By
How to Keep a Plating Bath from Slowing Down
As published in Products Finishing Magazine, April 2018 issue. Alkaline plating baths form carbonates over time, and these carbonates cause the baths to become less efficient, resulting in slower plating speed. Asterion’s Roger Sowinski outlines three options for removing carbonates. Q. Why is the plating time in my alkaline plating baths increasing? How do I fix this problem? A. When it comes to plating, time is money, and nothing is more frustrating than your plating bath slowing to a crawl. The good news is that you can return the plating speed to its original levels; the … [Read more...]
May 10, 2017 By
Alkaline Zinc Black Systems Offer Ultimate Performance
The recent introduction of the Asterion® Ultra alkaline zinc systems has placed a spotlight on a truly integrated approach to reducing rejects and increasing productivity. Of special note is the high interest in black trivalent systems that are production-proven to maintain and enhance the appearance of complex part geometries, while not sacrificing corrosion resistance. To address some of the questions (and excitement!), I’ve authored this blog specifically on Ultra black systems, with a special emphasis on passivate and sealant process operations. TECHNIBRITE™ Ultra Zn Before we … [Read more...]
May 3, 2017 By
Alkaline Zinc Systems Answer the Call for Integrated Solution
As published in Products Finishing Magazine, May 2017 issue. Asterion introduces a comprehensive plating system covering demands for productivity, corrosion resistance and appearance. Alkaline zinc plating is often met with a range of requirements including cost, corrosion resistance and aesthetic appeal. Providing plating processes, pretreatment chemistry and powder coatings to the surface finishing industry, Asterion introduces an integrated system it believes meets those demands, increases productivity and reduces rejects. According to the company, several chemical suppliers have … [Read more...]