The optimisation of electroplating activities
The aim of this project was to reduce usage of materials and emissions at two sister electroplating sites.
This involved achieving reduced zinc and cyanide concentrations in the electroplating baths without impacting the quality of the product produced at the Galway site of Irish Finishing Technologies Ltd. and its sister site Waterford Plating Ltd.
Concentrations were successfully almost halved. Zinc and cyanide concentrations were reduced from 27g/l and 70g/l to 14g/l and 38g/l respectively.
The key benefits were a reduction in metal hydroxide sludge generation and a reduction in water use. The generation of the hydroxide sludge, which is a hazardous waste, has been reduced by 40% at the Galway site. Water use has been reduced by 40%, saving over 200 litres per round produced or approx. 2,200 m3 per annum for IFT (comparing the first quarter of 2005 and 2006).
The improvement also resulted in reduced usage of zinc since:
1) the required overall customer specification for distribution level can be achieved using a lower amount of zinc since the lower concentration provides a more uniform distribution of metal on the surface, and
2) drag out of zinc from the process solution is reduced due to the lower concentrations.
A second element to the project was the introduction of trivalent chromium passivation at Irish Finishing Technologies Ltd. to replace the existing hexavalent chromium process. This is a less hazardous chemistry and has been taken up by a number of major customers.
For further details, download the Irish Finishing Technologies PDF.
