Feature Articles

Painting Over Gold Plate
Question: We are in the eyeglass business.

"Bleach Test" for Quality of Anodic Seal
Question: A customer of ours has asked us to conduct a bleach test on its parts that have been sulfuric acid anodized, dyed and sealed.

Black Coating for Aluminum
Question: I am doing some research on the full range of potential coatings and associated application methods to apply a uniform black coating to the surface of an aluminum automotive condenser product. "Normal" spray techniques, for both liquid and powder, and the associated ovens and material handling equipment, are very expensive and labor intensive.

Perspectives: The Future of Hex Chrome
Replacements for hexavalent chromium in both plating and passivation processes are becoming necessary because of the End-of-Life Directive from the European Union that prohibits the use of hexavalent chromium and/or regulates the quantities used.

Painting Molded Polyurethane
Question: Do you have information concerning the painting of urethane?

How To Choose and Use Non-Woven Abrasives

Abrasive products are usually categorized as bonded abrasives and coated abrasives, but there is a third category that prepares and applies a final finish to the surface, these are non-woven abrasives . . .

On My Mind: Employee Motivation
Recently, a management consultant asked me to fill out a survey on motivational factors.

Disc Drive Parts Cleaning
  Question: My company is working with several disc drive parts manufacturers.

Specifications
Question: How should electroplating specifications be called out on engineering drawings?

Reverse Current Cleaning
  Question: I am the electroplating manager at a company that makes connectors.

Carbonates in Cyanide Plating Baths
Question: What causes carbonates to form in a cyanide plating bath?

Smut and Desmutting
Question: I am new to this industry and have heard about smut and desmutting operations.

Dot-Commentary: Design for Usability
One of the things that I love about the Internet is that anybody with a computer and a modem or a library card can use it.

Powder Metal Parts Cleaning
Question: I read Products Finishing, and I have come across a new opportunity for my heat treating company.

Automatic Powder Coating—Meeting Customers' Demands

Increased demand was pushing Royston's powder coating line to maximum capacity, amplifying the problems with the company's aging line. But, an automatic powder coating system relieved the pressure on the line and helped the company meet its customers' demands . . .

Cleaning Rust from Cold-Rolled Steel
Question: How can we clean the rust off of unpainted cold-rolled steel parts slated for electrocoating that underwent an atmospheric corrosion attack from an accidental release of muriatic acid vapors in our plant?

Electroless Nickel on Aluminum
Question: We want to plate aluminum with electroless nickel.

Rusting Through the Paint
Question: We manufacture large computer enclosures.

Bubbles During Curing on Galvanized Steel
Question: We read with interest your April column in which you addressed problems with powder coating over galvanized steel.

Trends in Painting
Question: What are the trends in the paints and coatings industry regarding what types of products are painted (for example, mobile phones)? What are some of the latest high-tech coatings?

Pretreatment of Aluminum for Powder Coating
Question: What is the best way of treating aluminum before powder coating?

Replacing Hexavalent Chromium in Passivations on Zinc Plated Parts

The use and benefits of passivations based upon hexavalent compounds, particularly on zinc plated parts, are well established and understood in finishing. Through the changing attitudes within society, the continued long-term use of this technology is under question and review. We examine the background and comment on the alternative strategies available that are most likely to commercially succeed . . .

Properties of Metals and Alloys
Question: My position at our company requires that I evaluate the properties of various electrodeposited metals and alloys.

Removing Flash and Parting Line
  Question: I am looking for an efficient way to remove flash or create a "uniform" parting line on numerous cosmetic parts that are zinc die cast.

Stress Reducer
Question: Are there any non-proprietary stress reducers that can be used in a nickel sulfamate plating bath?