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Chrome plating improvements save time, money and energy

  • Published
  • By Lanorris Askew
  • 78th ABW Public Affairs
ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. (AFMCNS) --  The 402nd Maintenance Wing's Process Improvement and Quality Assurance Office's efforts to increase production efficiency while reducing hazardous waste, hazardous material consumption and energy use are paying off.

According to Steven Battle, 402nd MXW process improvement and quality assurance division environmental engineer, one of the top ideas that came out of a process-specific opportunity assessment was to replace imprecise anodes used in the hard chrome plating process with new anodes that would conduct charges better and allow more uniform chrome coating.

"We had 72 ideas come out of the session, but that one rated highest in terms of return on investment," he said. "We've been able to save nearly $1 million in labor alone so far."

Mr. Battled explained how the process works.

"In electroplating, you have positive electrodes and you have negative electrodes, which means you have a positive and a negative side to the process," he said. "The part (being coated) becomes a cathode when direct current is applied.

"Current flows from the cathode to the anode and chrome ions are drawn to the part where they form a hard, crystalline coating. Current has to make the jump from part to part and will land pretty much anywhere if it's not forced onto the precise area intended for coating."

The new anodes prevent stray current from plating the wrong areas of the work piece, saving time, energy and adding consistency to the build-up of the coating.

Metal finishing technicians from the 402nd Commodities Maintenance Group worked with Process Improvement and Quality Assurance Office employees to accomplish several process-improvement goals, including improving safety on the shop floor during the plating process.

One year after the initial meeting, a new process for plating two high volume parts critical to propeller overhaul on the C-130 airframe was in place.

The two parts, the C-130 propeller hub and the C-130 lever support sleeve are now plated using the new process.

"I am very pleased with the new process," said Earnest Davis, electroplating technician. "Before, it took 72 hours to complete a job. Now, we can do it in 24 hours. It's a whole lot less work."

One reason for the faster turn-around is the removal of the waxing process which took an entire day to perform.

"Beeswax is no longer needed," Mr. Battle said. "The original anodes were 20 years old and didn't conform well and were too big to transfer the current to the part accurately. A maskant, made from bees' wax, was applied to the part to keep the bath from plating areas of the high-strength steel where chrome was not needed. This masking step, which was extremely time-consuming, has been virtually eliminated using the conformal anodes and masker appliances."

Another benefit to the employees is that fewer hazardous emissions are created by the new process equipment.

"Worker exposure to lead chromate and possible burns are eliminated using the new fixtures and racks," said Mr. Battle.

"This was a straightforward project which returned every benefit we predicted and more. Chrome buildup on plated parts is far more consistent and elevated chrome concentrations in the solution baths are no longer needed. Chrome concentrations have been returned to normal which save time, money and worker exposure."