Electrochemicals Blog – EPI – Electrochemical Products Inc.

July 14th, 2010

From the Left John Cheng, Eric Olander, Char Heinke, Mark Kulas, Tom Axon, and Paul Kozdron

By Eric Olander

Sorry for the delay in not writing a blog, but my father Stan has been had some health challenges. Sur/Fin 2010 was a great success as we  visited potential new customers and existing ones on new processes. It seems that alkaline non cyanide copper was one of them more popular topics. The  discussion included heat treat stop off applications which the E-Brite 30/30 leads the way as it is Boeing  approved BAC 5722 for commercial and defense applications. Another application was replacing cyanide copper being used in a strip application plus a barrel application on steel. To learn more about the alkaline copper CLICK HERE.

Mark Kulas, EPi Chemist from our lab demonstrated our latest Insta Blak 333 GEL for steel and iron and B/ox 311 GEL for copper and copper alloys. We shooing a video and we  will shortly be posting it once I create it. CLICK HERE to learn more.

Insta Blak 333 had some considerable interest as well as people were looking at  bringing parts in house that they were sending out for hot black oxide.

I won the Munning Award from the NASF on my work as the Sur/Fin committee chair person. I will be serving as Past Chair for the next two years.  The Munning Award is given to a supplier has demonstrated leadership and volunteerism for the NASF. I am working on a picture for you to see.

Posted in Black Oxide, Copper Plating, Metal Antiquing | No Comments »

March 8th, 2010

By Eric Olander

EPi was recently asked to participate in congratulating Master Lock in its upcoming 90th year in business. Of those 90 years EPi has been doing business for over 40 years with Master Lock. EPi was asked to support Master Lock's 90th year by creating an ad for Industry Today magazine www.industrytoday.com .

EPi has been selling its cyanide cadmuim process E-Brite C-135 for Master Lock laminated locks. The shackles have E-Brite 757 bright nickel process. The zinc diecast use EPi's E-Brite 23-11R cyanide copper brightner system and the E-Brite 757 bright nickel process. The new Magnum lock process uses E-Brite Ultra Chlor AP and our trivalent chromate E-Chrome Ultra Blue.

EPi processes measure up to Master Lock's stringent quality requirements resulting in a long lasting lock!

Posted in Copper Plating, Electroplating, Metal Finishing, Nickel Plating, Trivalent Chromates, Uncategorized | No Comments »

May 27th, 2009

By Eric Olander

Just a  few weeks away from Sur/Fin as we get ready to load up for the show. Even though the economy is a recession  we  are expecting a decent show of serious metal finishers that are looking for networking, technical sessions, and keynote speaker on the economy and when it is going to comeback. To register on-line go to this website . EPi has been getting interest in alkaline non cyanide copper E-Brite Ultra Cuand alkaline non cyanide silver processes E-Brite 50/50.

The main interest in the non cyanide processes is the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) includes cyanide on its list of chemicals to report. Switching to E-Brite Ultra Cu and E-Brite 50/50 eliminates the reporting the cyanide on the DHS reporting system.

We are taking appointments for Sur/Fin please call us at 262-786-9330 or e-mail us at general-mailbox@epi.com . See you in Louisville!

Posted in Copper Plating, Electroplating | No Comments »

December 19th, 2008

By Eric Olander

 Today Ms. Du from China completed here training at EPi. EPi looks forward to having my Ms. Du represent EPi is China. Ms. Du trained on EPi's  latest developments in blackening  magnesium and electroplating magnesium  . Ms. Du's customers are looking for a blackening process for magnesium. EPi hopes to launch it some time first quarter in 2009.

Additional training was completed on EPi's B/Ox  product line including a discussion on the many variables in antiquing processes; substrates, antiquing process, relieving process, and the top-coating process. Another  interesting application was black oxiding polished stainless steel cell phone cover with Ultra blak 407  as a replacement for black nickel. We look forward to growing our business in China with Ms. Du .

Posted in Copper Plating, Eric Olander Happenings, Metal Antiquing | No Comments »

December 2nd, 2008

By Eric Olander\

Last week we launched our second Metal Finishing podcast on www.metalfinishing.com. Out first podcast produced excellent results with a high amount of interest on EPi's trivalent yellow chromates,black oxide processes and our latest developoments in antiquing/oxidizing click here to see link www2.epi.com/electrochemicalsblog .

This latest blog talks about EPI's E-Brite Ultra Cualkaline non-cyanide copper and  E-Brite 50/50 alkaline non-cyanide silver process .  A new reason to switch to non-cyanide processes is the new Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regulations on sodium and potassium cyanide. If you switch to these non cyanide processes you do not have to fall under the regulations of the DHS.

Posted in Copper Plating, Electroplating, Eric Olander Happenings | No Comments »

September 26th, 2008

By Eric Olander

Eric Olander, President of EPi and John Gilbert, Sales Representative of Gilbert & Jones install a new E-Brite Ultra Cu bath (alkaline non-cyanide copper) to replace a copper  pyrophosphate  with excellent success. One advantage is the E-Brite Ultra Cu alkaline non-cyanide copper bath is it does not generate the orthophosphate like the pyrophosphate bath. The E-Brite Ultra Cu bath also plates directly to electro-less nickel (EN), while the pyrophosphate copper bath had to use a cyanide copper process. Another expected benefit is the bath stability day after day as it has a larger operating window than the pyrophosphate bath. The customer is also using cyanide copper strike prior to plating zinc die-cast and zincated aluminum parts and then the pyro copper. We can eliminate the cyanide copper process as well.

The E-Brite Ultra Cu is the same process that we used plating directly to the back of an I-pod . Click on E-Brite Ultra Cu to watch the video.

Gilbert & Jones is EPi's distributor in the New England area. To learn more about Gilbert & Jones go to www.gilbertandjones.net. John Gilbert has may years of experience in the metal finishing industry and solves problems for his customers. Gilbert & Jones is a full line distributor that can meet all of your needs. Gilbert & Jones and EPi make a great team!

Posted in Copper Plating, Electroplating | No Comments »

July 24th, 2008

By Eric Olander

EPI's E-Brite Ultra Cu , alkaline non cyanide copper plating process plates directly to the back of an Apple Nano I-Pod.  EPI's , Sid Arthur, Senior Service Engineer plated the I-Pod and was  interviewed by the President  of EPi Eric Olander. This process idea was developed by a Popular Science magazine idea. Now watch how it is done at EPi's booth at Sur/Fin 2008 in Indianapolis,IN. To view this video click this link .

Posted in Copper Plating, Electroplating, Eric Olander Happenings, Metal Finishing | No Comments »

July 24th, 2008

By Eric Olander

Eric Olander conducted an interview by Reg Tucker Editor of Metal Finishing magazine at Sur/Fin 2008 in Indianapolis to discuss EPI's new products which included a discussion about a fish. Check out the lates with EPI's newest trivalent yellow chromate, and BOX 311 metal antiquing process.  To see this video go to this link Sur/Fin 2008 Interview with EPI's president Eric Olander  .  Next years Sur/Fin show is in Louisville,KY to learn more about the show go to www.nasf.org .

Posted in Copper Plating, Electroplating, Eric Olander Happenings, Metal Antiquing, Metal Finishing | No Comments »

July 1st, 2008

By Eric Olander

Matt Linstedt,Sales Manager of Artistic Plating of Milwaukee,WI (web site www.artisticplating.net  ) won the ipod that was copper  plated by Sid Arthur Senior Service Engineer of EPi in EPI's E-Brite Ultra Cu alkaline non cyanide copper process. The E-Brite Ultra Cu plated directly to the stainless steel back of the nano ipod with excellent adhesion. Ultra Cu also plates directly to zinc die casts, steel, brass and other substrates. Shortly coming to www.epi.com will be the video showing Sid Arthur plating the ipod at Sur/Fin 2008 in Indianapolis.

Posted in Copper Plating | No Comments »

June 16th, 2008

By Eric Olander

 I am here in Indy Monday afternoon getting ready for Sur/Fin a two day show June 17-18th. Indy is a great conference town as over the years it has transformed itself to the new Midwest city ready to take on the world like Richard C. Longworth mentioned in his book "Caught in the Middle."

EPi looks forward to working with its distributors and cusomters discussing new finishes such as yellow trivalent chromate E-Chrome Ultra Yellow and EPi's alkaline non cyanide copper E-Brite Ultra CU and E-Brite 50/50 alkaline non cyanide  silver process.

I will be blogging about my presentation tomorrow on Trivalent Yellow Chromate and the Diphenyl Carbazide controversy. The blog will also discuss other trivalent chromates discussed tomorrow at 2-5 PM. Also on Tuesday and Wednesday we will be plating a nano I pod with our E-Brite Ultra Cu process. We will have a give away both days.

Posted in Copper Plating, Electroplating, Eric Olander Happenings, Trivalent Chromates | No Comments »