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Zinc Contamination

After my parts have been zinc plated and are fed through a feed bowl they we are seeing a black substance form on the parts and the feed bowls. The bowls are stainless steel and we are feeding approx. 40,000 to 50,000 parts in a 8 hour shift. The part measures 1/2 inch square and is .059 inches thick and are flat. The black substance has a tendency to stop the parts and cause or automated machines to stop moving the parts. Is this a nature of the plating or can this black substance be eliminated? It seems as though it comes and goes.

Skip Shildmyer
PTL Mfg. Inc. - Belleville, Illinois, USA
2003

Most zinc plated parts are chromate conversion coated. This coating is a very thin gel but not abrasion resistant. If the parts do not have enough drying time, or if the chromate coating is thicker and thinner you might see this problem come and go.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
Ted is available for instant help
or longer-term assistance.

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