Powder Coating Clinic: Discoloration of Metal-Flake in Powder
Q. We have a metal-flake silver powder color that we use regularly. If the surface is abraded with a Taber wheel—or even a pencil eraser—it darkens significantly in the abraded area. We even have this problem when our parts scrape against cardboard packaging. Our supplier suggested we switch from an unbonded leafing aluminum to a more expensive bonded product. We tried the bonded leafing aluminum, but we still have the same problem. Certain types of friction create this effect, seemingly those that perhaps have a higher coefficient of friction. Do they remove the aluminum flake from the surface? Can you explain this problem and tell us why it happens with some abrasives and not with others? What can we do to stop this?
#curing #masking
Mechanical Finishing Clinic: Recoverable Blasting Media
Q. We blast with a No. 9 glass bead media in our blast cabinets, but are interested in what our hourly media cost would be and how cost compares to other medias?
Mechanical Finishing Clinic: Pressure Blasting for Heavy Mill Scale Removal
Q. We are blasting heavy mill scales off of medium-sized parts in our suction blast cabinet with 80-grit aluminum oxide. We want to continue to blast by hand in a cabinet but would like to be more efficient. Can you suggest a quicker process?
Mechanical Finishing Clinic: Steel, Stainless Burnishings for Edge Dulling
Q. We have a precision 5 x 6-inch stainless machined part with various small holes. We need to dull the many edges and brighten the part. We’ve tried vibratory mass finishing, but the medias wear down and lodge into the holes. What finishing system would you recommend?
Apple Launches iPhone 7 with New "Rotational 3D Polishing"
Watch Apple chief design officer Jony Ive's video at the event that highlights a new anodized finish demonstrating a polishing called "rotational 3D polishing."
Benchmarking a Plating Operation to No. 1
Indiana’s Electro-Spec uses Top Shops data to improve efficiencies.
#Top Shops
What’s New in the Defend Trade Secrets Act of 2016
The Defend Trade Secrets Act (DTSA) of 2016 passed with overwhelming support and the Act is now effective, impacting how a company can protect its assets. Below is a recap of what is new and what every company should be looking to do in light of this new law.
#pollution control
Parts Cleaning Clinic: Zinc Shot Blasting, Zinc Plating Alternatives
David S. Peterson talks zinc shot blasting, zinc plating alternatives, and advantages to reducing the heating of alkaline cleaners.
How KVF Quad in East Moline Survives in a Dwindling Manufacturing Industry
Television station WQAD shows us that when companies like John Deere suffer, so too does KVF Quad Corporation, which does a lot of business related to the ag industry.
#construction
Visual Finishing Options In Mechanical Finishing
There are only three visual finishes (with variances of each) with mechanical finishing when visual effects are important: bright-reflective, satin-matte and directional or non-directional lines.