Every week
or so, I check out the questions in the forum section of PF ONLINE.
There are occasions when I have been able to help people find
answers to their queries.
As an example,
a high school teacher recently asked a question about copper/nickel/chrome
decorative electroplating. He wanted to know how to explain it
to his students in his Material Sciences class. It just so happened
that Jerry Poll, former editor and publisher of PRODUCTS FINISHING,
had written a "Five Minute Guide to Plating." I emailed
the teacher and gave him some basics on copper/nickel/chrome plating
and offered to fax him the guide, explaining that this would by
no means cover everything, since books have been written and conferences
done on the subject, but it would give him enough of an explanation
for his class. He was happy for the input.
In other
situations, I knew who to ask to answer the person's question.
One question asked how to figure the percentage of nitric acid
in an acid tank. The person needed a formula to compute the percentage
by volume. I knew someone who could answer the question. I asked
him if he would mind. Not only did he help out a fellow plater,
but he was able to get some recognition for his company as well.
For other
questions, it only takes a simple search through the PF
ONLINE Article Archive or even a search engine, and I find
the answer. Other times it is as simple as directing the person
to another web site such as the National
Institute of Standards and Technology or the American
Society for Testing and Materials.
So, what's
the point? The PF ONLINE Forums are a great way for you to get
answers to questions about your finishing processes and for you
to help out other finishers. Everyone has a different store of
knowledge. You cannot imagine what sharing that knowledge may
do to help someone. I'd like to think that the "Five Minute
Plating Guide" inspires at least one of those students to
go on to join the finishing industry. Even if it doesn't, it has
made a classroom of high school students aware of the industry
and what it is all about. If you have a finishing question, check
it out. If you think you can help another finisher, take a look,
www.pfonline.com/forums.
