TECH FEATURE: DECORATIVE TRIVALENT CHROMIUM BARREL PLATING PRESENTATION

 

Technical Presentation Generates Interest & Questions

Decorative platers attending SUR/FIN showed great interest in Mark Schario’s technical presentation on Decorative Trivalent Chromium Deposits Applied by Barrel Electroplating. There is high demand for effective decorative barrel plating technology along with the reduced labor costs and exposure benefits that would be generated as a result. After providing an overview of the history and establishing the advantages of decorative trivalent barrel plating over hexavalent, Schario reviewed the approach for development and walked through the parameters and analysis for evaluating such a process.

The presentation had its background in the internal R&D work done by Schario and Research Chemist Christian Kissig to customize and adapt Columbia’s TriCOL Décor rack electrolyte into a barrel process. Audience members were able to learn about and ask questions regarding the stages of testing and modification of the electrolyte, custom modifications to the barrel and evaluation of varying part geometries. Schario concluded by noting that after several rounds of R&D testing and analysis, the successful decorative barrel plating process is ready for trial in a production setting. Schario’s technical presentation as well as additional Columbia Chemical technical presentations are available for download on the NASF website for registered SUR/FIN 2019 attendees.

Groundwork for the trial phase has been completed at a plating shop in the Southern market and we are currently qualifying additional trial locations to further this innovative process along.

Are you interested in qualifying as a trial location for decorative barrel trivalent chromium plating? Send your contact info and a summary of your current decorative barrel plating work to techquestions@columbiachemical.com