SIFCO ASC is due to attend the SUR/FIN 2019 conference on 3-5 June.

At this year’s event, SIFCO ASC will be delivering a series of presentations as their expert team look at some of the leading trends and challenges of today’s surface finishing industry and what can be done to help OEMs evolve to benefit from these developments.

From brush plating techniques through to groove and encapsulated plating and automation, the SIFCO ASC team will share insights into the world of surface finishing through real-world examples and more than 40 combined years of experience within the sector. Here, we take a look at what the team will be discussing during the three-day event.

The benefits of automation in selective plating

Just as automation is taking centre stage across much of the manufacturing landscape, the surface finishing industry is also taking advantage of the distinct benefits associated with automated processes. As SIFCO ASC’s Derek Kilgore, Mechanical Design & Project Engineer, will discuss during SUR/FIN, manufacturers are becoming increasingly reliant on the benefits of automation such as improved consistency and traceability. These benefits are now available through automated selective electroplating. Even for challenging applications, fully customized machines can be designed for repair or OEM applications to apply engineered deposits without the need for operator intervention. Attend Derek’s presentation on Wednesday, June 5, at 10 am.

Getting the best results from brush-plated zinc-nickel

As the industry evolves to meet the needs of today, many applications now require well-engineered and proven deposits that pose as little risk as possible to both the operator and the environment. During her presentation on Wednesday, June 5, at 11:30 am, Sarah Medeiros, Corrosion Engineer, will look at what this means for the aerospace industry as zinc-nickel emerges as a less toxic alternative to cadmium when repairing damaged cadmium, zinc-nickel and IVD aluminium on high strength steels. Sarah will also explore the most suitable plating techniques for zinc-nickel, helping attendees to meet their customers’ exacting requirements.

Enhancing surfaces through encapsulated plating

As components become more complex, the process of selective plating is becoming increasingly challenging, triggering a shift away from traditional brush and tank plating towards encapsulated plating technology – as Patrick Kerampran, Engineering Manager of SIFCO ASC France, will explore. Encapsulated plating is a closed loop electroplating process in which the anode and workpiece are completely encapsulated along with the areas of interest – thus eliminating the need for large tanks, extensive masking, and operator exposure. Utilizing real-world examples from the aerospace and oil & gas industries, Patrick will demonstrate how the process has enabled the application of deposits for corrosion protection and anti-galling, as well as exploring the core benefits of the process – from cost through to efficiency. Attend Patrick’s presentation on Wednesday, June 5, at 11 am.

Getting in the groove of selective plating

As the process of selective plating has advanced to repair severe corrosion in ever-more challenging applications – such as internal grooves – SIFCO ASC Research & Development Manager, Danijela Milosevic-Popovich’s presentation, scheduled for Wednesday, June 5, at 11:30 am, will explore how selective groove plating has evolved to deliver uniform, high-thickness deposition of a plated deposit with little need for intermediate machining steps. Danijela will discuss how this helps OEMs to achieve reduced downtime through high quality and repeatable selective plating repairs for grooves, either through manual operation or an automated process.

Visit SIFCO ASC at the exhibition at booth 330. To find out more about SIFCO ASC, please contact the company via the enquiry form.