Processes and services | Materials that ELHCO can process | |||||
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Aluminium alloys | Copper alloys | Low alloy steels | High tensile strength steels (>1240 MPa) | Corrosion resistant steels | Precipitation hardened steels | |
Material preparation | ||||||
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The Abrasive Blasting is an impact surface treatment technique used to obtain an excellent grade of cleaning and polishing of the surfaces. | ||||||
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The sand blasting process is an abrasive method for mechanical cleaning used on metallic and non-metallic parts, and consists in impacting aluminium oxide beads (corundum) or silica (glass beads), at high velocity, on parts surface. For aeronautics, sand blasting is a special process, for that Elhco established procedures according to AIPS 02-02-002 specification. | ![]() ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
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The trichloroethylene is a substance used usually as degreasing agent for metallic parts. Elhco has a small dimension machine equipped with a closed recirculation system, which is totally safe for the personnel and the environment. As part of our commitment to protecting the environment, we have reduced the use of this substance (trichlorethylene) due to its high toxicity, so we only use it in processes where it cannot be replaced. ![]() | ![]() ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
The cleaning by Ultrasounds is equally efficient as by trichloroethylene, and is totally safety. The cleaning by ultrasounds is based in the generation of high frequency sound waves, normally from 20 to 80 kHz, in a liquid. The effect produced is called cavitation and is formed due to generation of high and low pressure zones in the solution. The ultrasounds assure a high precision cleaning for parts with different geometries, both with small channels or tight holes, where any other method of cleaning are way less efficient. Our installation fo ultrasounds have a capacity of 1100 litres, with ultrasounds power of 10 W/L and a frequency of 20-40kHz. ![]() | ![]() ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
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In the cathodic electrolytic cleaning media the parts are connected to the cathodic part of a current rectifier and are negatively charged. Our experience with this process drive us to develop a robust process, safety and efficient for different types of parts and materials. We have different working tanks with a maximum capacity of 1200 L. | ![]() ![]() | ![]() | ||||
In the anodic electrolytic cleaning media the parts are connected to the anodic part of a current rectifier and are positively charged. A flux of continuous current pass through an alkali electrolyte, which serves as conducting medium and the electrolysis of water takes place. | ![]() ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() | ![]() |
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Wood’s Nickel is a type of electrolytic activation for stainless steel, which is done in an electrolytic plating bath based on nickel chloride and that has a very low pH. Stainless steel has a very rapid natural passivation that is difficult to eliminate. Wood’s Nickel contains a large quantity of hydrochloric acid and is designed to dissolve the passivation layer of the stainless steel while in the same time plates on the surface a very fine layer of nickel. We have different working tanks with maximum capacity of 1200 L. ![]() | ![]() ![]() | ![]() | ||||
Electroless plating | ||||||
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Electroless Nickel-Phosphorus Plating is the most important catalytic plating process used in the last two decades. The elctroless nickel-phosphorus layer is a double alloy of nickel and phosphorus with different ratio nickel:phosphorus. At ELHCO we have three types of electroless nickel-phosphorus platings: low content of phosphorus (2-5% by weight), medium contant of phosphorus (6-9% by weight) and high content of phosphorus (more than 10.5 % by weight). The plating processes are automatized and we have working tanks with capacities up to 2000 L. | ||||||
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Electroless Nickel-Phosphorus-Teflon is a plating process derived from Electroless Nickel-Phosphorus, where together with the nickel-phosphorus layer a Teflon layer is co-deposited. The nickel-phosphorus layer can be of medium or haigh phosphorus content, and the layer of Teflon has 20-30% by volume content in Teflon. | ||||||
Electrolytic Plating | ||||||
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We do Electrolytic Nickel based on sulfamate nickel salt and is generally used as base coating for others coatings as gold or silver. Also, it can be used as final finish, when a pure nickel coating is obtained, though the mechanical properties of these coatings are less interesting that the ones obtained for nickel-phosphorus coatings. For this process we have working tanks with capacity of 235 L. ![]() | ||||||
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The main applications of zinc-ncikel coatings are for automotive and aeronautic industries. It is used for prts that go to hydraulic connections, screws, fasteners, brake discs, etc. For the aeronautic industry we perform the process according to AIPS 02-04-006 specification. | ||||||
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Tin Plating is used for electronics, where substitutes lead. The coatings are soft, ductile and oxidation resistant, have a good conductivity, corrosion resistance and improve the solderability properties for substrates that are difficult to weld. We have both rack and barrel processes, with working tanks up to 150 L. ![]() | ||||||
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Silver coatings offer the highest electric conductivity of all the metals, but the main drawback is its rapid oxidation. For engineering reasons, silver coatings are recommended for parts that aer to be welded, where a high electrical and thermal conductivity are required, as well as wear resistance and a good corrosion protection. We have both rack and barrel processes, with working tanks up to 140 L. ![]() | ||||||
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Copper coatings are used mainly as base coating before other coatings, usually nickel, but also is used as unique coating, both for transforming non-conducting materials to conducting ones, as well as to improve the electrical conductivity for integrated circuit boards. We have both rack and barrel processes, with working tanks up to 520 L. ![]() | ||||||
Passivation | ||||||
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The passivation of corrosion resistant steels is used for strength the natural layer of passivation of the steel (superficial oxide layer) with the aim of improving its resistance to corrosion. Depending on the type of passivation, the process gives to substrates a better behaviour towards different factors of environmental corrosion. Also, it cleans the surface of free iron particles and offers to steel a better resistance to fatigue. | ||||||
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Anodizing and Chemical Conversion of Aluminium | ||||||
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The layers obtained with sulphuric acid are usually transparent, thicker and more porous than the ones obtained with chromic acid, and for that are better substrates for painting. | ||||||
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Hard anodizing is used to obtain a finish with the hardness equivalent of a casting steel and with the lightness and the resistance of aluminium. In the hard anodizing process the obtained layers are thicker than in the case of normal sulphuric acid anodizing or chromic acid anodizing. | ||||||
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The layers obtained with chromic acid anodizing are opaque, softer, and thinner and have better ware resistance than the anodized layers obtained with sulphuric acid. Also, the chromic anodized layers are more ductile and for similar thickness, have more corrosion resistance than the sulphuric anodized layers. | ||||||
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Due to the fact that the aluminium oxide layer is anhydrous and porous, it can be painted, introducing different organic or mineral pigments in the pores. We have a black organic paint that make a black anodized finish. | ||||||
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The Alodine process is a chemical conversion process of aluminium during which a layer of oxide/hydroxide of aluminium layer is obtained. This layer have at least 1 micron, and is obtained by chemical action of an acidic solution of chromates. The Alodine layers offer a certain grade of corrosion protection and are a good base for organic finishes. | ||||||
Post-process heat treatment | ||||||
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Plating removal | ||||||
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