Electrochemicals Blog – EPI – Electrochemical Products Inc.

May 6th, 2010

By Eric Olander

Last week I attended the www.nasf.org 's Washington DC forum with a trip to Capitol Hill. We learned at the DC forum many of the  latest issues regarding the metal finishing industry.  We learned  that the PFOS/PFOA issue is not going away. These materials are being used as mist suppressants in chrome plating baths. EPi does offer an alternative product E-Mist 7 that does not contain any PFOS/PFOA material and it effectively lowers the surface tension  to below 40 dynes/cm. The E-Mist 7 also does not cause a foam blanket. The resulting lower surface tension results in a reduced bubble size which suppresses the chrome mist.

EPA's TSCA act is going to be reformed under the Chemical Securtiy Act (CSA). This seems to be an answer to the EU REACH program. We can only hope that this resulting  CSA act will not result in too many new regs, paper work , and the elimination of using some chemicals.

Then I spent a day going to the hill visiting the Congress and Senate offices. I did meet briefly with Congresswoman Baldwin, Congressman Kind, and Congressman Ryan.I discussed mostly manufacturing industries. There were a lot of groups including the firemen group on the hill. In the past I could visit all the representatives in WI, but now it seems that some are getting to busy to see you if you are not from their district.

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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 »

October 30th, 2009

By Eric Olander

I received my Manufacturing & Technology (www.manufacturingnews.com) update for 10/19/09 and  it shows that companies are not making new parts for various industries. In fact, to quote the article it states  we are at "depression-level" for the machine tool industry. While econmists  state the worst recession in recent memory is over some parts of the economy will take longer to recover  because of where they are in the pipline of manufacturing. It could take up to 6-12 months before some companies start to feel the new growth. An indicator of the manufacturing business climate is machine tools sales. I am not sure if manufacturing  will achieve the high levels we achieved prior to the recession. I feel that until we easy money( available credit) days return we  will not experience that high level again.

 To read more specific details on the article including a graph view this link. (Souce US  Technology Consumption Report  www.usmtc.com )

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October 29th, 2009

By Eric Olander

Last September  I traveled to Rotterdam, Netherlands to visit AD Chemicals. EPi and AD Chemicals agreed that EPi will distribute AD Chemicals including  AD Precoat Chrome-Free for aluminum substrates to be painted. It has flawlessly pretreated 60 million square meters. It is Qualicoat A021 certified and is suitable for immersion/spray and coil coating applications.

EPi will also distribute the entire product line of anodizing products; cleaners, no dump caustic etch additve, fast desmutting  additive, anodizing additive that allows you to anodize at 86F(30C) increasing productivity and saving you money in cooling costs,standard seal additive, a lower temperature (190F (88c)) sealer that contains no nickel saving energy(30%) and improving productivity (30%)

Dinner at Kaat-Mossel with my wife Jeanie, Barry from AD and his wife Tanya

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June 11th, 2009

By Eric Olander

Next June 15-17th the 2009 version of Sur/Fin will be held in Louisville, KY.  EPi is ready to meet new potential customers and loyal existing  customers from all over the world. These economic challenging times present opportunities to reinvent our selves by going to a different type of metal finishing process. Sur/Fin is the place to learn how you can reinvent you finishes and your company. The technical program has over 70 papers this year. We will see you at Sur/Fin! I also get to help cut the ribbon on opening day. I hope the scissors is sharp!

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March 17th, 2009

By Eric Olander

I just got back from China. I worked with John of EPi who is living in Guangzhuo, China  our Asian Market Manager. During my last visit we went and called on EPI customers and potential new clients. The picture enclosed is me with Ms. Lu left side of picture and Ms Du the President of our Chinese distribution company. Ms Du has had much success selling Ultra Blak 407 black oxide for stainless steel, B/Ox antiquing processes, and E-Teccorrosion inhibitors. Ms. Du business is located in Foshan, China and she is looking forward to moving to a larger facility  by June. I did find business slowing down in China as well. The planes were not as full either as the flight attendant stated that US travel to Asia is down.

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February 10th, 2009

nioscan1.pdf

By Eric Olander

Linden Black of Phoenix Electroform Products challenged us for blackening nickel. We did not have an answer for him so we provided a sample for him to conduct blackening tests on his nickel substrate. Lindy like was he saw visually and now he had to test it with a spectrophotometer to confirm his visual results. He found a value of 0.73-0.75 using the spectrophotometer. Attached is his graph that  he developed and placed into the pdf above. Click on the pdf to view graph! To learn more about Ultra Blak 465 click on the underlined area.  If you review the previous blogs last April we also used Ultra Blak 465 to blacken Kovar!

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