February 2001 ISSUE

COVER STORY

Painting Over Gold Plate

Question: We are in the eyeglass business.

FEATURES

Anodizing

"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.

Powder Coating

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 . . .

Liquid Coating

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.

Powder Coating

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.

Electroplating

Carbonates in Cyanide Plating Baths

Question: What causes carbonates to form in a cyanide plating bath?

Liquid Coating

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?

Parts Cleaning

Disc Drive Parts Cleaning

Question: My company is working with several disc drive parts manufacturers.

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.

Electroplating

Electroless Nickel on Aluminum

Question: We want to plate aluminum with electroless nickel.

Electroplating

Electroplating Specifications for Engineering Drawings

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

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.

Liquid Coating

Painting Molded Polyurethane

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

Liquid Coating

Painting Over Gold Plate

Question: We are in the eyeglass business.

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.

Parts Cleaning

Powder Metal Parts Cleaning

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

Parts Cleaning

Pretreatment of Aluminum for Powder Coating

Question: What is the best way of treating aluminum before powder coating?

Electroplating

Properties of Metals and Alloys

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

Parts Cleaning

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.

Electroplating

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 . . .

Electroplating