ELECTROPHORESIS

ENVIRONMENTALLY CONSCIOUS METAL FINISHING

Sawyer and Smith Corporation 5412 Homegardner Road Castalia, Ohio 44824 Ph: 419.951.4818 Fax: 419.951.4822 www.electroplatingequipment.biz sales@electroplatingequipment.biz

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T E C H N I C LA D : B A S I C I N FO R M A T I O N
The Buffoli group in the past five years has integrated its own production of electroplating equipment, racks and accessories, with the design and construction of electrophoretic equipment as well as the marketing of the products. The knowledge acquired by Buffoli in over thirty years of business is an unquestionable benefit for the manufacturing of the electrophoretic equipment. For this reason, the customer can consider Buffoli as an exclusive partner for the manufacturing of the equipment and for the make up and maintenance of the electrophoretic solutions. Since the process is similar to the electroplating process (the coating is made by an organic resin rather than metallic ions) a wide range of applications can be easily achieved. TYPICAL APPLICATIONS ..
Bathroom fittings Window and door furniture Giftware and fancy goods Electrical goods Metal buttons Metal parts for leather goods Supermarket carts Vehicle alloy wheels Automotive components and accessories Architectural aluminum extrusions Toys Medallions, coins and watches Bicycle parts Display stands Decorative and functional parts Lighting products Hollowware Eyeglass frames Trophies Household goods

Example of finishing with Techniclad electrophoretic products

environmentally conscious metal finishing

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T E C H N I C LA D : A P R O C E S S E A S Y T O M ANAGE
With Techniclad electrophoretic process is possible to coat every electroplated, polished or only vibro-finished metallic surface. Obviously the brightness of the coating depends from the surface conditions of the metal before the electrophoretic process. The Techniclad process starts with the pre-treatment phase according to the conditions of the surface to be coated. However, in order to achieve a satisfactory coating the surface must be cleaned and degreased as much as possible in order to avoid the contamination of the electrophoretic solutions. After the pre-treatments the pieces need a rinse phase with demineralized water and special wetting agent. It reduces drag in by about 50% thus minimizing contamination. The key-point of the process is the electrophoretic phase where, under application of continuos current supplied by special-designed rectifiers, the pieces are coated with a uniform layer over their entire surface, even in deeply recessed areas. The coating thickness ranges from 5-30 m depending on application. The thickness can be easily controlled simply by modifying the current. It is important to understand that a surface coated with 20 m thickness, variations are normally contained within 2 m. The average coating time is normally between 60 and 90 seconds. A key designed feature of the plant is a CLP (Closed Loop Purification) unit by means of an ultra filtration membrane, which can give over 95% recovery of resin solids. All materials coming from the CLP unit is recycled within the plant and purified, giving the process its greenness

environmentally conscious metal finishing

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LARGE PARTICLES: - RESIN SOLIDS SMALL PARTICLES: - WATER, ELECTROLYTES ACID, SOLVENT etc.

SMALL PARTICLES: PERMEATE

ULTRAFILTRATION MEMBRANE

SOLID RESINS: CONCENTRATE

The last phase is the hot rinse at 35 C. The parts being coated will then be placed in the oven for the curing at 140-160 C for 20-30 minutes. Various parameters determine the thickness of coating: bath temperature, dipping time, solvent percentage, and solid content percentage. In the following diagrams is indicated the relationship between various parameters and the thickness.

Tension

15 % Solvent

25 % content

15 %

25 %
Solid content

20

25 C Temperature

environmentally conscious metal finishing

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T E C H N I C LA D : P R O C E S S FLO W S H E E T

GALVANISED METALS

POLISHED METALS

OTHERS TREATMENTS

MATERIAL TO BE TREATED

Carb

Anion Cation
U.F.

Electrophoresis

Degreasing

Degreasing

Passivation

Demi rinse

Drag out

Hot rinse

Drag out

On load

+ -

+ -

Pre-treatment

Rinse

Techniclad

PROCESS

FINISHED PRODUCT

OVEN CURING

environmentally conscious metal finishing

Off load

Pre-dip

Rinse

Rinse

Rinse

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T E C H N I C LA D : A P R O C E S S W I T H M A N Y T E C H N I C A L B E N E FI T S

UNIFORM COATING: being an organic coating, the resins are deposited on the work and become an electrical insulator. As the coating adheres on the work, the current is reduced until the electrolysis stops and deposition of resinous material is terminated. The coating process continues until all conductive areas on the work are insulated giving a uniform thickness over the part being coated. HIGH RESISTANCE COATING: the electrophoretic process assures a long lasting finish and is therefore suitable for external use, even in adverse environments. HIGH EFFICIENCY: The production efficiency of eletrophoretic equipment is normally much higher than electroplating equipment, thus obtaining an energy savings and less need of factory space. LOW TEMPERATURE PROCESS: even the energy consumption during the deposition is less than the consumption of the electroplating process. As a matter of point, the working temperature of the bath is contained between 20 and 25 C.

environmentally conscious metal finishing

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T E C H N I C LA D : A N E N V I R O N M E N T A L FR I E N D LY P R O C E S S

HIGH RECOVERY OF PRODUCTS: the use of a closed loop ultrafiltration systems (standard features of the equipment supplied by Buffoli) gives over 95% recovery of resin solids. SMALLER WATER TREATMENT: The electrophoresis tanks do not need particular treatment of wastewaters; the only effluent is a periodic small amount of permeate. Therefore the water treatment is limited to simple ionic exchange resins plant for the treatment of the rinse waters. AQUEOUS TECHNOLOGY: the water base of the electrophoresis radically reduces the emission of V.O.C. (Volatile Organic Content). Beside the small quantity of solvent contained into the solution, electrophoresis is a non-toxic product. The water base assures no fire hazard.

environmentally conscious metal finishing

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T E C H N I C LA D : O N E P R O C E S S FO R D I FFE R E N T FI N I S H I N G
At the present time, the Techniclad process is available in three different groups: TRANSPARENT FINISHING: the deposit is invisible but protects the underlying surface from corrosion and wear. The typical application is to protect precious metals without detriment to their appearance.

TRANSPARENT COLORED FINISHING: which modify the appearance of the metal by altering its color and without hiding its metallic nature. A typical application is the brass color finishing that modifies the aspect of zinc die cast or aluminum door handles matching the same aspect as solid brass. These finishes can make many different new colors.

OPAQUE FINISHING: where the coating material hides the underlying metal. These can also be produced in any desired color.

environmentally conscious metal finishing

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T E C H N I C LA D : P R O V E N P E R FO R M A N C E
The performances indicated below are the average results of laboratory trials. The results can be confirmed by specific trials using the customers material.

TEST
Pencil hardness Adhesion (Cross cut) Corrosion resistance

CONDITIONS
5H 5B On forged brass On cast brass Zinc die-cast On mild steel (Phosphate) On stainless steel On aluminum (extruded) On aluminum (cast) 5% H2SO4 20 C 1% H2SO4 20 C 5% NaOH 20 C 1% NaOH 20 C
Acetone rub test

RESULT

600 1000 hours > 200 hours 500 hours 300 hours 300 2000 hours (depending on type) > 1000 hours > 1000 hours > 300 hours > 480 hours > 300 hours > 480 hours 200 double rubs (on brass) No perceptible change after 500 hours. 30

Acid resistance Alkaline resistance Solvent resistance UVB test Abrasion resistance

According to ASTM D3363-92a According to ASTM D3359-97 Neutral salt spray test according to UNI ISO 9227. Using UVB 313. According to ASTM D968 51. Expressed as liters of sand per Mil thickness.

environmentally conscious metal finishing

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Laboratory in Buffolis premise

environmentally conscious metal finishing