Metal finishing Q&As since 1989

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SETTING UP NICKEL PLATE LINE FOR ALTERNATORS

I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT I WOULD NEED TO NICKEL PLATE ALTERNATORS, AND ALSO HOW TO DO IT. WHERE CAN I FIND INFO ON HOW TO, AND WHAT DO I NEED TO SET UP A NICKEL PLATE LINE.

Edwin Ellis
- Pontotoc, Mississippi
2002

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First of three simultaneous responses--

Time and money. There is a considerable amount of environmental work to be done before you even start to think about design. I have seen alternators that were very tiny and I have seen some that weighed over 100 lbs and that does not include power generators which are huge.The bigger the part, the more it costs. The higher the thruput, the higher the cost. Shape affects fixturing and processing. A small plating line can be put in for a few thousand dollars. Then there is storage, waste treatment, EPA paperwork, a lab facility and a qc facility. About 1 year and start thinking at an initial cost of over 100,000 dollars. With more information, you might get a better answer.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
2002

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Second of three simultaneous responses--

Hi, Edwin. As we sometimes facetiously say in reply, "What would I need to do to start manufacturing airliners?" Going into business nickel plating alternators is not as complex as getting into aircraft manufacture, but more complex than most people who ask such questions might think it is.

The first thing you would want to do if it fits your life situation is to get a job at a plating shop for a little while to understand the issues involved with polishing, pretreatment, plating, post-treatment, wastewater permitting and treatment, solid waste issues, OSHA requirements, quality control, and testing while someone else guides you. Because, although you can start by getting some answers from our "must have" book list and subscribing to some of the industry journals, unfortunately it is hard to understand it all without actually seeing it. Best of luck.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2002

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Third of three simultaneous responses--

In your case, I'd start with a consultant.

James Totter, CEF
- Tallahassee, Florida
2002