Electrochemicals Blog – EPI – Electrochemical Products Inc.

February 20th, 2008

Recently, a distributor from Chemithon -Portland Gary Sylvester presented us an opportunity to remove laser scale. We tried two products E-Pik 215  sodium bisulfate base and E-Kleen 154 phosphoric acid base cleaners. The following is the method that works for removing the scale

E-Pik 215 2#/gallon, 140 F, 3 minutes

E-Kleen 154 10% by volume, 120-140F, 5-7 minutes

E-Kleen 154 — An acidic, solvent based, multi-metal cleaner and mild aluminum etchant.

E-Kleen 154 is a liquid concentrate blend of acid, solvent, surfactants and complexers, formulated to achieve in one step, the cleaning and preparation of a variety of metal surfaces prior to blackening, phosphating and chromating. It is recommended for use following conventional alkaline soak cleaners to ensure neutralization of residual alkalinity prior to acidic blackening or oxidizing processes. It is an effective surface conditioner/activator prior to Insta-Blak acidic blackening processes. It will remove light oils, light rust, light heat-treat scale and most shop soils efficiently and quickly. This metal cleaner can be bought online.

E-Pik 215 — Dry Acid Salts

It is a general purpose metal activator and deoxidizer containing fluoride which is used at room temperature on steel, copper, brass, and zinc.

E-Pik 215 is a free flowing mixture of dry acids and is more convenient and safer to use than liquid mineral aids. It does not produce the undesirable fumes given off with strong acids. It is dissolved in water and used at ambient temperatures to remove light to medium surface rust from steel and to activate steel surfaces prior to blackening with EPI's Insta-Blak or Ultra-Blak solutions. Heavily rusted surfaces may require elevated temperatures of 150°-170° F. No venting required when used at ambient temperatures. It is used following the water rinse after cleaning the steel surfaces with EPI's E-Kleen alkaline soak and electrocleaners.

E-Pik 215 is more moderate in its action on steel surfaces than mineral acids and produces a uniformly active surface. It is also used to activate zinc plated surfaces, diecast zinc surfaces, and copper and copper alloy surfaces prior to blackening, oxidizing, antiquing, plating, chromating, or other finishing.

Posted in Black Oxide, Metal Cleaners | No Comments »

February 15th, 2008

By Eric Olander

February 12th, John Jairo Sanchez President of Galvano of Quito, Ecuador visited EPi to receive training on EPi products.

Galvano sells in Ecuador and Columbia metal finishing processes. John learned about EPi's trivalent chromates E-Chrome Ultra Blue and E-Chrome Ultra Yellow which he stated has an excellent potential with his customers. E-Brite Ultra Cu alkaline non cyanide copper plating for zinc die cast was also demonstrated resulting in excellent adhesion to zinc die cast. John will also be selling the E-Brite 50/50 alkaline non cyanide silver plating process as well as EPi's Insta Blak and Ultra Blak metal blackening & black oxide processes. We look forward to a long term relationship Galvano.

Posted in Black Oxide, Electroplating, Eric Olander Happenings | No Comments »

February 15th, 2008

We recently received some tooling parts in our lab from a major tool manufacturer that was having black oxide coated tool parts turning an orangish-red color on a machined surface area. Their goal is to make the parts a uniform black. They sent some parts to Mark Kulas, one of EPi's chemical technicians, to develop a custom process for their parts. Here is the procedure that produced uniform black parts.

1.  E-Kleen 148-E 10% by volume, 140F, 3-6 minutes
2. Cold Water Rinse 30 seconds
3. E-Prep 258 20% by volume, 70-80 F, 30-90 seconds
4. Cold Water Rinse 30 seconds
5. Insta Blak 333 10% by volume, 70-80F, 2-4 minutes
6. Cold Water Rinse 30 seconds
7. E-Tec 503 water displacing oil 100% by volume 1-2 minutes

    There are other instances where Insta Blak 333 will produce black parts where hot black oxide will not.  Steel castings can turn red-black during the hot black oxide process. Take the same parts in Insta Blak 333 and the parts will turn a uniform black color with no red hues. Insta Blak 333 produces a black without the white salting out that hot black oxide will on powdered metal parts. Insta Blak 333 produces a great black color on cast iron, while hot black oxide will have a red hue to it. So when evaluating your blackening choices Insta Blak 333 can produce superior results to hot black oxide.  Here is a quick link to our Intsta Blak page.

http://www.epi.com/black-oxide/insta-blak-333.html

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October 17th, 2007

EPI's YouTube Videos are Live
See Eric Olander, President of EPI Demonstrate the
Black Oxide Metal Blackening Process

• Part 1 of 4-Part Series on Room Temp/Cold Black Oxide Insta Blak
• Part 2 of 4-Part Series
• Part 3 of 4-Part Series
• Part 4 of 4-Part Series

Posted in Black Oxide | No Comments »

October 15th, 2007

History of Electrochemical Products, Inc. (EPI)
by Eric Olander

Welcome to our new blog.  Just so you know a little about our company:  EPI was founded in 1954 and is family-owned.   We are located in New Berlin, which is 13 miles west of Milwaukee in Wisconsin.  We're about 80 miles from Chicago.

EPI is an award winning developer and manufacturer of high quality chemicals for the metal plating and metal finishing industries.  We sell our products in the United States and overseas.  EPI offers a wide variety of chemical cleaning, metal blackening (black oxide), antiquing, electroplating and rust prevention solutions. Among its many innovations, EPI is well-known for developing custom metal cleaners, trivalent chromates, and alkaline non-cyanide and acid copper plating processes.

We'll be blogging about our industry, changes in products, upcoming & current events including conferences and various webcasts.  We're also posting to YouTube so you can learn more about our black oxide processes.  We've recently posted a short video segment on the room temperature (also referred to as "cold black oxide") black oxide process (<1 minute).

Posted in Black Oxide | No Comments »