Professional Documents
Culture Documents
CGPP2004/7
The optimisation of
electroplating activities
Irish Finishing Technologies Ltd
Waterford Plating Ltd
Project Description
Achievements
The successful implementation of the project has
resulted in the environmental savings
documented in Table 1. There has been a small
increase in energy use per round produced
(13%), as a result of operating at the lower
concentrations but this additional cost has been
off-set by the other savings.
Water
usage
(m3)
Quarter 1 2005
Quarter 1 2006
Water savings
Water
usage
(m3/round)
1399
0.540
%reduction
859
0.320
per round
540
0.213
40%
More Information
For more information on this project please
contact:
Brendan Marlborough,
Irish Finishing Technologies Ltd.,
35 Ballybane Ind Est, Tuam Rd., Galway,
Ireland.
tel.
fax.
Observations
One of the greatest benefits was in the training
and education of staff in the use of cleaner and
more efficient techniques.
The project has resulted in improved operator
awareness the line operators have gained a
more rounded knowledge of the operation
including water, energy and chemical
conservation techniques. The reduction in
usage of water was an area where the line
operators were responsible and therefore a
large emphasis was placed on their training.
Lessons
The implementation of reduced process bath
concentrations at two different sites with very
different operating equipment with no
variation in the quality of product attained
confirms that this project could be duplicated
at other electroplating sites around the country.
In part two of the project the main problem
encountered involved the marketing of the
new trivalent chemistry to customers. The
approach taken was to offer this alternative
chemistry as a replacement for the hexavalent
Programme Managers...
The Clean Technology Centre (CTC) at Cork
Institute of Technology was appointed to
manage the programme. Established in 1991,
the CTC is now nationally and internationally
regarded as a centre of excellence in cleaner
production, environmental management and
eco-innovation across a range of industrial
sectors.