- 12 May 2008 -
The Evolution of Cleaning
John Durkee, Metal Finishing columnist and an authority on cleaning, looks at the recent history of metal cleaning and what tomorrow might look like....more

- 03 March 2008 -
PLATERS/PAINTERS Profile: Master Metal Finishers
Aluminum anodizing specialist leverages expertise in proprietary processes, innovation, and wealth of experience....more

- 04 February 2008 -
Converting a ‘Worker’ into a ‘Supervisor’
Are you faced with the daunting decision of hiring an outside manager or promoting an existing staff member? Should you choose the latter route, there’s an assessment map you need to follow...more

- 30 November 2007 -
You Can’t Forget Hazardous Wastes
When a waste material is classified by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as hazardous, that classification can’t ever be rescinded. Finishers may stop using chromium in operations, but the chromium-containing wastes they previously disposed will always be theirs to own. In other words, the liability for management of a hazardous waste is permanent!...more

- 05 October 2007 -
PLATERS/PAINTERS Profile: Professional Plating
Diversity of plating and coating services is king at Brillion, Wis.-based Professional Plating, but the company’s driving philosophy hinges on one key factor: “un-imitation”...more

- 30 July 2007 -
PLATERS/PAINTERS Profile
Why diversify when there are so many advantages in specialization? Cadillac Plating, Warren, Mich., believes it has the answer...more

- 27 July 2007 -
New Explosion Relief Standards Impact Coating Equipment
In the wake of new NFPA measures, operators and manufacturers alike need to carefully evaluate differences in two key provisions to assess the best approach to compliance...more

- 12 June 2007 -
Defense Specs Keen on ‘Green’
With emerging standards threatening exemptions to hazardous materials in military applications, observers are calling for greater industry-wide collaboration in pursuing alternatives and developing information repositories...more

- 17 May 2007 -
PLATERS/PAINTERS Profile
Cadon Plating & Coatings adapts to survive in challenging Michigan industrial environment. Read about how its focus on flexibility and service is paying dividends...more

- 01 May 2007 -
Stripping Organic Coatings—and Recycling Them, Too
Miles Chemical Solutions of Rochester Hills, Mich., has devised a process designed to chemically strip organic coatings while at the same time allow coaters to recycle paint rework back to original, pre-paint, virgin condition and still obtain first-pass, zero-defect quality. Another benefit, according to Sam Miles, the company’s owner, is the process does not negatively affect the original condition of the parts substrate...more

- 04 April 2007 -
Cleaning Times: Regulations to Live by
There are a slew of U.S. governmental requirements with which finishers must comply. Often referred to as "SHE” regulations (safety, health, and environmental), these regs now have the force of Federal Law behind them. In this piece, Metal Finishing columnist John Durkee demonstrates how the burden of compliance affects those focused on cleaning activities...more

- 13 March 2007 -
PLATERS/PAINTERS Profile: Tucker Industrial Coatings
Read about how Bernie Tucker, a veteran paint and supplies sales manager, took the entrepreneurial leap into the business of specialty liquid coatings for industrial, military, and commercial applications...more

-06 February 2007 -
Why Coatings Unexpectedly Fail
There are many reasons why coatings fail. Often, failure can be related to an extended aging process, such as thermal, photolytic, or hydrolytic degradation. These types of failures are due to the service environment and the ability of the coating or adhesive, for that matter, to resist it. Unanticipated, catastrophic failures that occur relatively early after production are more troublesome. These are generally related to something unforeseen occurring at the interface that significantly reduces the bond strength of the coating or adhesive to the substrate. The exact cause of this type of failure is difficult to determine because so many factors contribute to bond strength...more

- 11 January 2007 -
Pros of Outsourcing to In-house Contractors
This month's Editor's Choice feature examines the benefits of system integrators, namely how they allow manufacturers to focus on their core competencies...more

- 04 December 2006 -
Painting Problem Solver: Cold Rolled Steel
In this month's Editor's Choice section, Ron Joseph, Metal Finishing's Organic Editor, delves into the tricky situations regarding the pre-treatment and painting of steel—among other related issues...more

- 06 November 2006 -
The EU RoHS Directive: Big Issues Linger
As of July 1, 2006, all new electrical and electronic products put on the European Market and falling under the scope of the European Union directive "Restriction of the Use of Certain Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment" (RoHS) have to comply with its requirements. Every "homogeneous material" within covered products is restricted to maximum concentrations of 0.1% by weight lead, mercury, hexavalent chromium, PBB and PBDE and a maximum of 0.01% by weight cadmium. To the uninitiated, these requirements seem reasonable and clear. But to those who have studied the EU RoHS Directive and its implications, the requirements are as clear as mud...more

- 3 October 2006 -
Surviving and Thriving With Regulations
Of all the challenges facing the metal finishing industry today, perhaps none ranks higher than government regulations. Industry experts delved into this weighty topic during a special seminar, "Surviving and Thriving with Regulations," held during SURFIN. Donald P. Gallo of Reinhart, Boerner, Van Deuren conducted the session; Christian Richter, The Policy Group, moderated...more

- 06 September 2006 -
The Art and Science of Paint Deformulation
Deformulation, or reverse engineering as it is sometimes called, refers to the breaking down of a formulation into its basic components. The idea is to be able to take the formulation generated by the deformulation work and reconstruct the original formulation to be able to achieve all the physical properties associated with the original formulation...more

- 14 August 2006 -
What You Need to Know About Removing Mold and Mildew
Over the past decade, scientists have greatly increased their understanding of molds and mildew. Specifically, the potential health risks associated with molds. Little has been done to educate the general public. Understanding this fungus can greatly help with the removal of this micro-organism and, thus, reduce health risks to humans...more

- 14 August 2006 -
Painting Problem Solver: Compliance with Specifications
On Fed. Spec. 1952b we meet volume by solids but come up short on volume by weight. Is there a problem with this or does this do anything to the quality of the paint...more

- 10 August 2006 -
Part Finishing and the New RoHS and ELV Directives
If you manufacture plated metal components that are sold in Europe or Asia, you better take heed. The RoHS and ELV directives took effect July 1, 2006. Many traditional plated finishes do not comply; the alternatives may cost more to apply and offer questionable performance...more

- 09 June 2006 -
Electroplated Zinc Nickel
Zinc nickel is widely plated from both alkaline and acid electrolytes. Alkaline zinc nickel electroplating processes can be generally described as having uniform brightness, excellent alloy distribution versus current density, and very good plated thickness distribution on complex geometries. The attributes make alkaline zinc processes commercially viable and robust...more

- 08 June 2006 -
Spray Cleaning Made Easy
Most operations that spray liquid coating on their products require the spray gun apparatus to be cleaned. Historically, cleaning was done manually over a 55-gallon drum...more

- 30 May 2006 -
On-Site Plastic Powder Spraying
The coatings industry, like so many others, has become increasingly concerned with environmental problems and continually seeks methods and materials that are less hazardous and wasteful. Among the concerns are the environmental problems associated with VOCs, which led the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to embark on a program to remove VOC-bearing coating materials from the market as alternatives became available. This effort continues today with increased urgency. Painting contractors facing increasing regulatory pressure in the use and handling of all paints are looking for viable alternatives...more

- 08 May 2006 -
Is it Time to Change Your Filters?
What is the best rule for signaling the time to change filters? This question has been asked of spray booth manufacturers, as well as filter manufacturers.
There is not an easy answer. Let's look at filtration, fans, and chamber design...more

- 03 May 2006 -
'It's the Finish that Counts'
Prior to the early 1970s, there was little to no awareness of the relationship between part function and the process that created a piece part. Many areas of automotive power train manufacturing was starting to realize that component failure was causing increases in scrap and warranty costs even though the used metallurgy, fit, and form were specified and controlled properly. There was no unified understanding of the root cause of premature wear, leakage, noise, unusually high operating temperatures, and catastrophic failure, or even if they were related...more

- 27 April 2006 -
Hex Chrome PEL Guidance
On February 28, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a standard that significantly lowered the limit on worker exposures to hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)]. This new standard greatly increases the monitoring, training, and hygiene requirements for facilities with industrial processes that use Cr(VI), even in small quantities and/or concentrations...more

- 10 April 2006 -
'Super Finishing' Gets Even Better
The need for new and more advanced solutions for minimizing the process time required to improve metal surfaces and reduce friction has been accelerated in recent years for two main reasons: fierce competition between engine manufacturers and automotive makers, which constantly requires suppliers to lower their prices, and maintaining long service life and durability in spite of reduced prices...more

- 05 April 2006-
Metal Finishing Product News
Metal Finishing Product News provides you with the most current information about recent product introductions. Entries convey valuable information about the features and benefits of new products, complete with product and contact information...more

- 03 April 2006 -
Driving Away from Hex Chrome Coatings
Surface treatments are key technologies used in the fight against corrosion for many industrial applications. Surface coatings allow the bulk properties of one metal to be combined with the surface properties of another. Coatings extend in-service component life through improved corrosion protection, enhanced aesthetic appeal, and greater wear resistance...more

- 02 March 2006 -
Advanced Ceramics Soar to New Heights
Aerospace manufacturers face extreme pressure to lower costs while increasing performance and satisfying stringent safety standards. Producers in the commercial airline, defense, and space exploration sectors continually seek new materials that are reliable and robust, and meet the needs of highly specialized applications....more

- 02 March 2006 -
How to Keep New Hex-Chrome PEL From Grounding Your Aerospace Business
The airline and aerospace industry is one of the few that still uses chromate-containing primers, such as Mil-P-23377 "Primer Coatings: Epoxy, High-Solds." This primer contains strontium chromate, but some facilities still use coatings that contain zinc chromate for painting ground support equipment and other applications...more

- 16 February 2006 -
A One-Step Process for Metal Pretreatment
In the metal pretreatment field, "everybody knows" that heat, water, high-pressure impingement, and at least two and generally five or more treatment stages (more for application of a sealant), are needed to get parts clean and ready for painting. So how does a company successfully counter that it has an equally effective, simpler, smaller, and less expensive process...more

- 09 February 2006 -
Surfactants in Aqueous Cleaners
A surfactant is defined as a linear molecule with a hydrophilic (water-loving) head and a hydrophobic (water-repelling) tail. The molecules tend to clump together in solution and form a surface layer with the heads in solution and the tails in the air. Air bubbles in the solution also act as gathering spots for the tails while the heads remain in the solute (Google)...more

- 06 February 2006-
The Eyes Have It
This article is about visual assessment of surface cleanliness. It's about using your eyes to evaluate how well your parts have been cleaned...more

- 11 January 2006 -
Metal Finishing Product News
Metal Finishing Product News provides you with the most current information about recent product introductions. Entries convey valuable information about the features and benefits of new products, complete with product and contact information...more

- 09 January 2006 -
Intelligent Design
The growing demand for higher performance has pushed designs to incorporate via in pad designs and stacked microvias...more

- 06 January 2006 -
Review & Forecast: Environmental Compliance Changes Approach to Business
Driven both by governmental legislation and by our own re-evaluation of obligations as good corporate citizens, our increased focus on environmental compliance will have the most significant impact on the way we approach our business. Among the most influential environmental drivers are the RoHS, WEEE, and ELV directives...more

- 06 January 2006 -
Review & Forecast: Platers Must Adapt to Changing Market Conditions to Survive
As commodity work has gone off shore, the basic finishes of zinc, nickel chrome and straight anodize have become less in demand without an accompanying decrease in availability. So, too, has finishing for particular industries become specialized to the extent that trivalent chrome finished zinc with an organic sealer—which meets the automotive industry’s demand for 1,000-hour salt spray—won't work in electronic applications due to the high electrical resistance of the sealer. Not only are processes driving firms to target specific industries, quality systems such as Nadcap for aerospace, ISO/TS 16949 for automotive and TS 9000 for telecommunications are furthering the need for specialization...more

- 06 January 2006 -
Review & Forecast: Update on Association Consolidation
There has been substantial progress in crafting a meaningful consolidation of the three key associations of the North American surface finishing industry: the American Electroplaters and Surface Finishers Association (AESF), the National Association of Metal Finishers (NAMF), and the Metal Finishers' Suppliers Association (MFSA)...more

- 06 January 2006 -
Review & Forecast: Preparing for Regulatory Challenges and Opportunities
The surface finishing industry enters 2006 with a mix of caution and intrepidation that is characteristic of the philosophical approach of job shops. The challenges facing the industry include burgeoning globalization, increased operating expenses and regulatory requirements, advancing technology and the changing business climate for U.S. manufacturing. The industry's government relations program continues its efforts to identify the best ways for surface finishers to respond to the challenges in 2006...more

- 06 January 2006 -
Review & Forecast: Specification Confusion Creates Opportunities for Metal Finishers
The European initiative, ELV Directive 2000/53/EC, initiated before the turn of the century, was designed to eliminate leach-able hexavalent chromium from automobiles. This turned out to be one of the most significant impacts on the metal finishing industry last year...more

- 06 January 2006 -
Review & Forecast: Many Factors Impact Finishing Equipment Purchases
From the viewpoint of an equipment supplier, there are several areas that seem to impact the finishing industry. All companies are being squeezed from both sides. The customers of the product, whether it is another manufacturer or the final consumer, are pushing to keep the price down. In addition, the costs of energy and raw materials keep going up...more

- 06 January 2006 -
Review & Forecast: China Remains a Formidable Competitor for Surface Finishers
That "great sucking sound" that Ross Perot initially identified as the sound of jobs going South because of NAFTA turns out to have been coming from a different direction: the Far East. I don't think there is a North American company involved with surface finishing, whether it is decorative or functional plating, PCBs or electronics, that hasn't felt some impact of the "China Explosion."...more

- 12 December 2005 -
Finishing Touch
As architects and designers look for more varied and exciting finishes, they are realizing the benefits that powder coatings can provide them with as a high-performance, environmentally responsible method of enhancing the beauty and durability of the buildings they design. In particular, the choice offered for coating aluminum profiles and cladding grows with new innovations in application and finishes, including decorative marbled and wood effects, providing architects and designers with quality powder coatings technology and unique finishes to differentiate and protect their designs...more

- 08 December 2005 -
Nanoceramic-based Conversion Coating
In industries such as office furniture, home appliance, automobile, or electrical components construction, metal pretreatment is currently used before paint application. Its purposes are the adhesion of the future paint coat and anticorrosion properties. The state of the art consists of applying phosphating salts over the surface during a complete process...more

- 08 December 2005 -
Cleaning Times: How Transducers Work
This column is about technology common to many metal cleaning shops—ultrasonic cleaning systems. These equipment components are used in both aqueous and solvent cleaning applications. Chiefly used for removing solid particulate matter, they are agents of agitation which can dislodge soil components that can’t be removed solely by chemical action. In common use for decades, they are becoming (or have become) commodity equipment products despite the best efforts of suppliers to provide differentiation...more

- 08 December 2005 -
Painting Problem Solver: Spray Applying High Solid Coatings
Q: There is a good deal of speculation today about the development of paints, epecially chemical agent resistant coatings (CARC), that do not need thinners. I have tried this and the finish is a dry dusty coat that is easily rubbed off. Have you any experience, other than water-reducible paints, that can be sprayed out of the can? We used a well-known HVLP gun with about 35 lbs. of pot pressure. If you know of paints being sprayed without thinner, what equipment was used...more

- 05 December 2005 -
Cleaning Times: What to Look For in a 'Perfect' Cleaning Solvent
Recently, I had an interesting consulting assignment. A manufacturer of chemicals, including solvents, had a panel to participate in a brainstorming session. The client wanted to know about which new products they should consider for development, and what approaches they should take to do that...more

- 14 November 2005 -
The Best-Kept Secret for Minimizing Your Energy Costs
Finishers and families alike have seen their typical steadily rising power bill increase more dramatically in recent years and even months. The national average price for natural gas has nearly doubled since 1999 (U.S. DOE), while companies in California and the New England states are paying as much as 0.15 cents per Kilowatt hour for electricity. For finishers, the operational cost of heating, cooling, and ventilating tanks should weigh in more heavily when designing new process lines or even retrofitting existing operations...more

- 10 November 2005 -
Everything You Need to Know About NOx
This article provides a basic primer on an important pollutant emission referred to as NOx. This regulated contaminant is formed in nearly all combustion reactions. This includes fired equipment such as heaters, dryers, and furnaces. Metal processors should be familiar with some basic information about NOx as it will likely be regulated in their plants in the very near future, if it is not already. Fortunately, there are many well-established methods for controlling and minimizing NOx, which are briefly discussed here...more

- 08 November 2005 -
The Driving Force Behind Whisker Growth
Whisker growth on tin is a well-known phenomenon. But whiskers grow on other metals, too. Whisker growths on zinc, silver, cadmium, indium, aluminum, lead, and even gold have been reported...more

- 02 November 2005 -
All for One and One for All
Following more than a decade of consolidation talks among the three major metal finishing industry trade associations, 21 representatives from the Orlando, Fla.-based American Electroplaters and Surface Finishers (AESF), Metal Finishing Suppliers' Association (MFSA), and National Association of Metal Finishers (NAMF) defined the framework for a new and unified organization on Sept. 29. The unanimous decision reached by the so-called "blackjack" committee culminated two days of vigorous discussions centering on creating a business model that each association could live with...more

- 04 October 2005 -
Down But Not Out
No one is certain how long it will take Gulf Coast communities to recover from two Category 4 hurricanes that hit landfall about one month apart. The disasters destroyed thousands of businesses and homes, disabled major oil and gas facilities, and forced massive evacuations. As flood waters in devastated areas, such as New Orleans, recede and residents return, the locals are expected to band together and rebuild, a process that could take years...more

- 04 October 2005 -
An Alternative to Bromide-Titration Method
Sodium allyl sulfonate (SAS) is a common additive used in Watts-nickel plating solutions. SAS contributes to the overall leveling of the deposit in plating solutions. In some manufacturing facilities, analysis of the SAS concentration provides a rough estimate as to the amount of leveling additive in a plating solution. A determination of SAS concentration is performed by generating excess bromine in situ in an acidic medium using bromate-bromide, while also using mercuric sulfate or stannic chloride to catalyze the addition of bromine to the allyl double bond. The excess bromine then is oxidized by iodide, and the iodine formed is titrated with sodium thiosulfate...more

- 04 October 2005 -
A Yardstick for Measuring Uniform Coating Thickness
Technical and decorative coatings typically require a uniform coating thickness. Since the thickness of a functional coating may range from a few nm to several hundred µm, it is prudent to use a parameter that is independent of the coating thickness as a quality measure for the uniformity. It can be shown that such a parameter constitutes far more than a quality characteristic; it is also suitable for establishing realistic specification limits. Specifically, this parameter is a measure of the relative variation, which allows not only the evaluation of the effectiveness of measurements for quality improvement but also the evaluation of the quality level of suppliers and production methods. The latter is important in view of the introduction of environmentally friendly technologies, particularly for functional coatings...more

- 14 September 2005 -
Metal Finishing Weekly's Coating 2005 Preview
A special edition of our weekly electronic newsletter about the Coating Show (19-22 September 2005) and containing local Indianapolis information...more

- 01 September 2005 -
How to Create an Abrasive Air Blast Room
Abrasive blasting has been around for as long as man could throw a mineral abrasive, such as silica sand onto an object. The reasons for the surface preparation vary from removing an existing coating to preparing the surface to accept a new coating. The idea is simple, and the industry was born with the advent of the air compressor...more

- 01 September 2005 -
Washing, Rinsing, and Drying
If a child is told to wash her hands and then reappears flinging soap suds and water around the room, the local adult is apt to send her back for additional reprocessing...more

- 09 August 2005 -
Braving the Elements
Chromate ions, usually as zinc and strontium chromate pigments, have been the main active ingredient of high-performance anti-corrosive coatings for many years. Chromate compounds are used in pretreatments, etch primers, and a variety of other substrate-specific primers...more

- 08 August 2005 -
Automating an Encouraging Bottom Line
Robotics is at the forefront of the move to incorprate more value for metal parts that reuire buffing and polishing...more

- 03 August 2005 -
United They Stand, Divided They Fall
A 12-year quest to unite the three leading metal finishing industry trade associations may finally be coming to an end...more

- 06 June 2005 -
The Risk Taker
As the winds of change blow through the industry in the new millennium, one electroplater is wasting little time adapting to the business climate. During a time when some metal finishers advocate a wait-and-see attitude, Roy Metal Finishing (RMF; Greenville, S.C.) is making significant changes to create a platform for growth...more

-06 June 2005 -
New Polysiloxane Hybrids
In recent years, engineered siloxane hybrid coatings have become established as the ultimate in durability and weather resistance for protective coating systems. Since their introduction in the mid-1990s, polysiloxane topcoats have been used on numerous major projects worldwide for marine, offshore, and onshore facilities...more

- 01 June 2005 -
Pulse vs. DC Plating
Plating chemical suppliers typically recommend a rectifier with 5% ripple or less in order to get the maximum benefits from their plating baths. In the last decade, pulse plating has become a mainstay in the plating arena. What is the difference between pulse plating and plating with high or low ripple? What kind of rectifier do you really need...more

- 16 May 2005 -
Starting Off with a Clean Slate
As any expert will confirm, poor cleaning is the most important single cause of defective finishing. In the case of paint- and powder-coated surfaces, the main result is poor adhesion. For plated surfaces, blistering and spotting are commonly found. So how does the metal finisher ensure that surfaces are properly cleaned, prior to plating or coating...more

- 05 May 2005 -
Sometimes Breaking Up is Hard to Do
"You're fired!" That's what many job shops would like to tell customers who have a hard time making payments...more

- 01 April 2005 -
Choosing the Right UV-curing Lamp Can Brighten Your Future
The use of UV coatings in the automotive refinish and repair market has grown the last two years...more

- 01 April 2005 -
Cyanide Copper Plating Reinvents Itself
Copper cyanide (single salt) provides the source of the metal ion. It is insoluble in water, but soluble in sodium or potassium cyanide solutions to form soluble complexes...more

- 01 April 2005 -
Caught Between a Rock and a Hard Place
Raw materials costs continue to go through the roof with no end in sight. Throw in runaway energy and transportation expenses and you have the making of a perfect storm eroding profit margins and threatening the viability of the metal finishing business, industry watchers say...more

- 08 March 2005 -
Meeting Demands for Safer Aircraft
A look at how stringent regulations pose a challenge to finishers involved with the aviation industry...more

-08 March 2005 -
Success by Association
Outgoing NAMF president, Mike Kelly answers questions from Metal Finishing...more

- 08 March 2005 -
A Pox on Hexavalent Chromium
A look at the viability of practical alternatives for hexavalent chromium...more

- 08 March 2005 -
Is There Turbulence in Your Spray Booths?
Ron Joseph analyzes how airflow patterns affect VOC, HAP, and particulate emissions in spray booths...more

- 18 February 2005 -
The Spouted Bed Electrode Plater
George Federman and George Hradil discuss an improved technology for electroplating micro-sized components...more

- 07 February 2005 -
China: Threat or Opportunity
The second installment of the "At Issue" series looks at the challenge China presents to the metal finishing industry...more

- 07 February 2005 -
You've Come a Long Way, Baby
George Milad writes about how acid copper plating evolves from early days of double- and single-sided printed wiring boards...more

- 07 February 2005 -
Getting to Know the Language of Color
Danny Pascale reviews how the method of determining color can vary from simple to complex in the second part of a two part series...more

- 07 February 2005 -
The Color of Money
The first part of a two part series looks at how understanding the language of color can impact you profits...more

- 01 January 2005 -
The Painful Truth About Chrome PEL
This story marks the debut of the "At Issue" series, a year-long, in-depth look at key topics and challenges impacting the metal finishing industry. Our objective is help you better understand the dynamics reshaping job and captive shops. This article reports on legislative efforts to modify a proposed standard from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration on hexavalent chromium exposure and the challenges of complying with a dramatically lower permissible exposure limit...more

- 08 December 2004 -
Is Parts Drying Hot Air or Something Else?
John Durkee discusses why parts drying is a problem with aqueous cleaning agents used as replacements for some solvents...more

- 1 December 2004 -
Fantastic Finish
Greg Valero gives the low-down on P.K.Selective, arguably the largest and most innovative anodize shop in Northern California...more

- 30 November 2004 -
Conserve Water with Conductivity Meters
Dave Joseph explains how the proper usage of conductivity analysis allows plants to significantly reduce their water usage and costs...more

- 12 November 2004 -
Cleaning Times: Yesterday's Solvents Tomorrow: Part I
In the first part of a two part column, John Durkee begins his discussion about using mixtures of solvents called azeotropes...more

-04 November 2004-
Cleaning Times: Yesterday's Solvents Tomorrow: Part II
John Durkee explains why azeotropes are the future of solvent cleaning and this online column includes a table containing information on "Binary Organic Azeotropes Useful for Solvent Cleaning" ...more

- 02 November 2004 -
Problems with Volatile Corrosion Inhibitors in the Metal Finishing Industry
What the metal finishing industry should know about working with VCIs...more

- 02 November 2004 -
Clearing the Air Around Vapor Corrosion Inhibitors
This article reports on the historical development of VCI technology and dispels myths related to health and safety...more

- 18 October 2004 -
2004 Powder Coating Pictorial Round Up
The Metal Finishing staff shares its photographs and memories of the Powder Coating Show in Charlotte...more

- 18 October 2004 -
VOC Emissions from Industrial Painting Processes As a Source of Fuel Cell Energy
Mark Wherrett and Patrick Ryan pioneered the innovative "Fumes to Fuel" project at the Ford Motor Company. Here they describe how solvent waste from the coating shop was transformed from a pollution headache to a fuel for power generation ...more

- 8 September 2004 -
Don't Become an Endangered Species, Buy the Right Equipment
John Durkee guides us through the purchase of cleaning equipment and explains how to avoid what could be very costly mistakes...more

- 9 August 2004 -
2004 SUR/FIN Pictorial Round Up
The Metal Finishing staff shares its photographs and memories of AESF SUR/FIN 2004 in Chicago...more

- 1 June 2004 -
Ron Joseph's Guide to Trade Shows
Ron Joseph shares his experience and offers suggestions on how to not only get the most out of your trade show visit, but also how to enjoy the process...more

- 1 May 2004 -
Probing Problems
Dave Wickern shares his deep hands-on experience in getting the highest accuracy and longest life from test probes...more