Pollution Prevention and Control Technologies for Plating Operations

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Section 5 - Substitute Technologies

5.2 PRODUCT CHANGES

5.2.2 Positive Responses to Product Changes

• We have gotten customers to change their plating specification from brass or nickel-brass to Òsimulated brass.Ó This is zinc plating with a blue chromate dyed to a brass-tone. As a result, we have converted 50,000 lbs to 75,000 lbs [of parts] per month from cyanide-brass to acid zinc (PS 004).
• If drain holes are not present, we will not plate the parts. Usually the customer will add adequate holes with no problem (PS 010).
• We have reviewed the design of parts in an effort to reduce drag-out and contacted our customers with recommended changes (e.g., use of easily cleaned material and change to non-petroleum machine lubricants) (PS 041).
• On proprietary furniture, we have optimized orientation and drain holes (PS 058).
• We insist on drain holes (PS 082).
• Redesign of racking and adding drain holes to reduce drag-out (PS 089).
• Had customer redesign some weldments to avoid pockets that trap solution and added drain holes to other parts (PS 099).
• At one time we copper plated bars used in the textile industry. Later, we would buy this material already plated. Now, this product is manufactured from stainless steel and copper plating is not needed (PS 102).
• We request and usually get permission to drill additional drain holes in tubular products (PS 109)
• Whenever necessary, we ask our customers to include drain holes or change the design to improve drainage (PS 124).
• We work with customers to control the drainage of parts (PS 125).
• As a job shop we do not have much control on design changes, but there have been times when we were successful in making suggestions to our customers where a change was possible (PS 156).
• We provide constant customer education for part modification and design. In some cases we refuse jobs involving problem designs. Our success is difficult to determine since this is our business philosophy, but we feel we are generally successful (PS 172).
• We communicate with customers on part design to include drain holes (PS 176).
• We refuse work that is highly oiled or soiled and return them to the customer for cleaning. We have the customer provide adequate drain holes, and we recommend corrosion resistant parts when feasible (PS 188).
• We have implemented drain holes, material substitution and racking modifications (PS 192).
• Auto companies have changed part finish specifications to use processes perceived to reduce pollution problems (PS 214).
• Provide input on part design, when possible (PS 228).
• Some customers have implemented changes to allow for adding additional drain holes and additional “dimples” to separate barrel plated work (PS 245).
• We advise our customers on proper drainage in the design of their parts (PS 251).
• Redesigning of parts to add or re-position drain holes has been successful (PS 275).
• Successfully replaced hot rolled steel with cold rolled steel to reduce pickling (PS 288).
• We “no-quote” work that could generate excessive drag-out. Tooling has been re-configured for more evenly distributed plating. Plastisol coating of tooling is increased to avoid stripping/plating of our racks (PS 298).

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