Products Finishing magazine is the No. 1 industrial finishing publication in the world. We keep our readers informed about the latest news and trends in plating, painting, powder coating, anodizing, electrocoating, parts cleaning, and pretreatment.
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INNOVATIONS PRODUCTS FINISHING 46 SEPTEMBER 2015 — pfonline.com New and Updated Finishing Technology Elcometer's Digital Dewpoint Meter Measures Climatic Parameters The Elcometer 319 digital dewpoint meter is available in two models, Model S and Model T, which are designed to mea- sure and record all relevant climatic parameters required to determine whether conditions are suitable for painting, including relative humid- ity, surface temperature, ambient air temperature, dewpoint temperature, delta T as well as dry bulb and wet bulb temperatures and specifc humidity. The meter is compatible using the ElcoMaster app with both Android and iOS mobile devices. The Elcometer 319 is ftted with temperature sensors which are de- signed to enable Elcometer-authorized service centers to re-certify gauges at the facility. Elcometer / 800-521-0635 / elcometer.com BJM Pumps Help Plater with 8,000-Gallon Demand Although electroplating hasn't changed much from when it was frst invented, there have been signifcant improvements to the technology and chemicals used. These improvements have placed a corresponding and increasing demand on the equipment—namely the pumps that are in continual contact with the aggressive liquids involved in elec- troplating. As the electroplating process has improved, the pumps have had to keep pace. Aotco Metal Finishing Inc. supplies specifcation plating and electropolishing services in Billerica, Massachusetts. Since 1975, the company has provided specialty plating to the aerospace, optical, telecommunications, medical and electronics industries, working extensively with gold, silver, nickel, tins and coppers. "We do just about any kind of electroplating and electroless nickel plating" says Tim Tripodi, facilities manager. Tripodi says the small company may have as many as 900 diferent jobs in a single month. Although most of the work is from the U.S., it gets contracts from all over the world, including electronic components for tanks, aircraf and satellites, and even components for the Hubble Space Telescope. Aotco uses about 8,000 gallons of water per day for its various cleaning, plating and rinsing processes. Periodically, the baths and rinsing basins are drained into small pits and the spent fuid is transferred to a larger pit to be treated. Some of the water is gravity fed into the larger pit areas, but most of it is pumped. Tripodi explains that there is no good way of knowing the exact potency of the water once it's drained into a pit where it may mix with other spent liquid. Each job is unique and has its own learning curve. A particular job may have a new kind of part that suddenly starts dragging more acid than normal into the rinse, unexpectedly subjecting the pump to harsher chemicals. "There's not a lot you can do with that other than try to dilute it," Tripodi says. Moving the highly caustic, and ofen hot water would be a chal- lenge for any pump. But Aotco started using the BJM Perfecta Series pumps about 24 years ago. Tripodi says they have stuck with them because they perform better than anything else on the market. "Right now I have probably nine pumps working," Tripodi says. "Generally I have a Perfecta pump in a small tank that receives all this water and it's pumped to another larger pit where the water is treated." Aotco sources its pumps from Maltz Sales, headquartered in Foxboro, Massachusetts. Maltz ofers a comprehensive line of BJM Pumps, but for this job, the Perfecta Series pumps continue to fll the bill. "They're a good ft for this. They're corrosion resistant, they're Socomore Introduces Socogel Socomore introduced Socogel, a blue acqueous surface pretreat- ment product made of zirconium salts that is activated by an organic-silicon compound. This solution forms a high perfor- mance solgel hybrid coating afer application to enhance the adhesion of paint systems on metals, alloys and organic coat- ings. Socogel is a chromium-free conversion product that does not require rinsing afer application. Socogel range products have been approved by several key aerospace manufacturers for preparation prior to painting or bonding and are used in many diferent industries Socomore - Dysol / 855-895-2436 / socomore- na.com Moving the highly caustic, and ofen hot water would be a challenge for any pump. But Aotco started using the BJM Perfecta Series pumps about 24 years ago.