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As a testament to its improvement processes, in 2015, IPS was named a Products Finishing Top Shop for its outstanding workmanship. "It was a huge honor for us to receive that recognition," says Mereles, "We've worked very hard to get our company to where it is today, and to be recognized was very rewarding." Polishing Specialists IPS has an impressive array of metal polishing capabili- ties, using a combination of manual, automatic and robotic processes for its high-quality finishes, depending on part configuration, volumes and finish requirements. The company has more than a dozen automated lines that enable it to produce medium- to high-volume polishing with a greater consistency and quality. It also has a pair of robotic polishing systems for larger components. IPS runs more than 100 manual stations for belting/sanding, polishing, buffing and satin operations, showcasing true flex- ibility and expertise on some of the most complex parts and designs. Mereles Jr. says that one thing that sets IPS apart from other operations is its ability to design, manufacture and repair its own polishing fixtures in-house for quick tooling develop- ment and maintenance, thereby reducing tooling inventories and downtime. Take a peek inside one of the facility's several manual polishing rooms, and it is easy to see that its operators have extensive expertise in what they are doing. Meanwhile, the automatic polishing machines include rotary and straight line machines with rotating spindles that fixtures for the parts are placed on. Mass finishing and burnishing is performed with vibratory bowls of various sizes. Plating, Coating Capacity The expansive facility has all the neces- sities to offer an OEM and others all that it would need to get its parts finished at high quality. IPS special- izes in decorative rack plating, and has 14 plating lines to prove it, including seven hoist lines that provide a range of finishes, flex- ibility and volume. It has six return lines (all Cyclemaster plating machines) designed to produce large volume finishes with the highest reproducibility, as well as two manual lines. IPS has several chemical engineers trained on a comprehensive software program that increases reliability in the plating process. In the plating lab, the engineers monitor the tank concentrations and temperature levels to ensure proper specification by performing hull cell analysis as well as titrations. The software maintains a record of all chemical maintenance procedures, and it also alerts IPS personnel when corrections are needed, which reduces the degree of IPS runs more than 100 manual stations for belting/sanding, polishing, buffing and satin operations. IPS specializes in decorative rack plating, and has 14 plating lines to prove it. PRODUCTS FINISHING — pfonline.com 15 RISING & SHINING