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Editor’s Note

A Fast Lane to the Future of the Industry

— Darrell J Reeve

2018 is coming to a rapid end and most of us are wondering where it has gone. There have been many new technologies and new equipment released to the industry in 2018 and this will continue next year and beyond. As mentioned last issue, the 'China War on Waste' has had a dramatic effect on all manufacturing industry and on our surface finishing industry as well. We can expect to see much more in the future relating to greater longevity of finished surfaces and more efficient processes and systems to avoid all forms of waste, including energy.

 

Trivalent Chromium

Trivalent Chromium Passivation Layers

— Jennifer Honselmann and Eric Mankel, the University of Darmstadt, Germany; Peter Volk , SurTec, Germany

Over the years, research on trivalent chromium passivation (TCP) has expanded into many fields of application, among them as a replacement for conversion coatings containing hexavalent chromium (Cr6), known as chromates. REACH-compliant TCP processes have been found to be adequate replacements for chromates, however, implementing them in the highly safety-minded aviation industry, for example, requires fundamental knowledge about the layer composition of these types of conversion coatings.

 

Coating Applications

HAPTIC® Coatings – A New & Selective Additive 3D Coating Technology

— Thomas W. Schmidt, Xing-Sheng Jiang, Huafeng, Huangshi Ind. Dev. Zone, Putian, China; Li Chuan Lillian Tseng, Graduate Institute of Management, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology, Taipei, Taiwan

A new and selective additive 3D coating technology was developed and implemented for mass production. Besides attractive visual design opportunities, a strong focus is on the touch experience of the final products. HAPTIC perceptions can be controlled by application of selective multi-layer 3D textures, by the shape and thickness of these 3D textures, and by the coating formulation itself. The coating formulation can be fine-tuned to achieve soft-touch nubuck-like effects, as well as smooth, slippery, sticky effects or rough sandpaper-like effects. Via combination with attractive colours such as metallics, colour shifting or thermochromic colours and finishes with controlled matte or glossy surfaces, a huge freedom of design is afforded.

 

Corrosion Protection with Ion Barrier Coatings

— Jianguo Wang, Sue Wang, AnCatt Co., USA

The combination of an anion-barrier coating with a cation-barrier coating is suggested to be an ion barrier anticorrosion coating. Salt fog exposure and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests indicate that an ion barrier coating system provides better corrosion protection to cold roll steel (CRS) panels than commercial epoxy zinc-rich as well as epoxy zinc phosphate coating systems.

 

Zinc-Nickel Plating

Acid Zinc-Nickel Processes: an Extended Introduction (Part 2)

— Dr. Malte Standera, Dr. Hesse GmbH & Cie KG, Germany

Generally, acid zinc-nickel electrolytes are more closely related to acid zinc electrolytes than nickel electrolytes – initially a logical connection when looking at the incorporation rates. Nevertheless, significant differences to acid zinc electrolytes also do exist.

 

Environmental Challenges

Power Supply and Use Efficiency

— Mr. Darrell J. Reeve, Member of Institute of Materials Finishing and Australasian Institute of Surface Finishing, AISF

What is the relationship between the environment and the power we use? Power generation is a major contributing factor to global pollution and coal fired (fossil fuel) power generators, in particular, are under increasing pressure to shut down, scale down or dramatically improve in efficiency and emissions reduction. Contrary to common belief, there is continual progress in the latter area with coal beneficiation, utilization of stack gases and higher conversion percentages of coal to power (up to 60% at pilot scale).

 

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