In many development projects, surface treatment is the last item on the list. The part is drawn and the tolerances are determined. Only then is the question asked: What coating should actually be applied?
The order is understandable. It's just often unfortunate.
The shape of the part affects how a coating will adhere. The layer thickness must match both the function and the tolerances. And the choice between chemical, galvanic and PVD-based treatment depends on what the part needs to be able to do in reality. If you wait with these questions until the drawing is locked, the options will be fewer and the changes will be more expensive.
That's why our customers in the energy sector rarely see us as a classic subcontractor who only comes in when the order is to be produced. They use us as an advisor long before the first item hits a process line. It's been that way since the early 1990s, when we started working with surface treatment within the energy sector.
Components that must not fail
We work with surface treatment for the wind industry, Power-to-X and heat and cold management. The common denominator is metal components that must function reliably under heavy load, often for many years.
Plating can give the workpieces exactly the properties required by the operation:
- Corrosion protection
- Increased wear resistance
- Heat resistance
- Increased surface hardness
- Improved electrical conductivity
- Friction reduction
- Greater adhesion
The list also contains the whole point of the advice. No single coating delivers all 7 properties at once. The right solution depends on the item and the conditions under which it must function, and sometimes we combine coatings to achieve the desired properties. That choice requires a professional conversation about the item and the operation it must withstand.
Consulting is part of our quality policy
At Chem-Tec Plating, advice is written directly into the quality policy: We must provide qualified advice to the customer on which surface treatment is best suited for the purpose.
In practice, our sales department works with experienced technicians on the guidance. We focus on the product's surface from the start of the development process, and the questions we most often help clarify are:
- How the product's design can affect the surface treatment
- The necessary thickness of the surface treatment
- The most suitable coating for the purpose
“The earlier we are invited into a development process, the more opportunities we have to point out the treatment that best suits the subject. That is where we create the most value for the customer,” says Bo Hvid Mikkelsen, CEO of Chem-Tec Plating A/S.
The experience behind the advice
An advisor is only as good as the foundation behind it. Ours goes back to October 4, 1986, when the first order was produced in Uldum: gold plating of edge connectors on printed circuit boards. Since then, the company has grown to 3,600 square meters of production and office space with 12 production lines, and in the early 1990s, the energy sector became one of our regular areas of work.
The quality of the advice can be documented. We have been ISO 9001 certified since 2009 and upgraded to ISO 9001:2015 in 2018. Our own laboratory analyzes the coating processes continuously, including with an atomic absorption spectrophotometer that can analyze up to 67 elements, and all analysis results are stored in a database for at least 10 years. In daily morning meetings, quality, production, development and sales all discuss current issues, so that efforts are coordinated across the company.
This documentation is included all the way to the customer. As standard, we include a certificate with all orders with information about, among other things, layer thickness and adhesion tests.
From development project to delivery at your doorstep
The advice does not stop when the coating is chosen. We are happy to participate in development projects in the energy sector and keep ourselves updated with the ongoing developments, in close cooperation with our customers. The area has changed significantly since the 1990s, and we have taken part in that development along the way.
“The energy sector is constantly evolving, and so are we. This happens in close collaboration with our customers, which is why we are happy to participate in development projects in the sector,” says Bo Hvid Mikkelsen.
Logistics are also taken into account. With a central location in Central Denmark, we cover Denmark, the Nordic countries, Germany and other European countries, and we always strive to meet the customer's wishes for fast shipping and door-to-door delivery. This applies regardless of whether a single item or thousands of items are produced.
Bring the surface to the next development meeting
If you work with components for the wind industry, Power-to-X or heat and cold control, our best advice is simple: Ask about surface treatment while the drawing can still be changed. It costs a conversation. The alternative may cost a redesign.
Contact us at 75 67 92 92 or info@chemtec.dk, then we will help clarify your surface treatment needs.
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