Electroplating - Plant Tour pt.7
Bath Maintenance
These days, we monitor the demand placed on each bath every 24 hours. We do this though usage meters installed on the baths and by calculation based on data from the order entry/production scheduling databases. Every 24 hours this advancing bath aging is compared to pre-set maintenance intervals for each of the 690 chemical parameters under surveillance. As each parameter reaches its' next maintenance set point, work instructions are generated for the chemical maintenance technicians that instruct which baths to sample and which test to run. The tests results are entered into the software and automatically checked against control limits. Bath adjustments are indicated based on current position with respect to the control limits.
The result is that baths no longer "break down". They operate for years without major failure. Production losses due to chemical failures account for less 1% of production downtime. This translates into efficiency, lower cost of doing business, and lower prices and more value to you. Finally, it results in the same finish on your part every time you receive it back.
Electroplating plant tour continued >>