Closed electroplating system developed
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A new computer-controlled electroplating system has been developed by Bell Telephone Laboratories and Western Electric that the companies claim cuts pollution, saves energy, boosts output, and reduces the use of raw materials. The system is completely self-contained, carrying out all electrical and chemical processes in small, totally enclosed cells. In the system, cells are arranged in a straight line, with each coupled to its own "mother" tank containing plating chemicals, heat exchangers, pumps, filters, sensors, and other control instruments. Components to be plated are wound around spools on either end of the 45-foot assembly. They are drawn steadily and sequentially through each chemical processing cell. The cells, being independent, can be rearranged to accommodate combinations of gold, nickel, or copper plating processes. Unlike conventional open-vat operations, the new system allows virtually no chemicals to evaporate into the plant or to exhaust outside. Only the small volumes of air within the cells must be handled. Thus, not only is pollution reduced but energy required to condition and treat the air is reduced more than 85% from what would be required to process air from open-vat rooms. All told, the companies say, the new system cuts gaseous exhausts 97% and chemical waste 90%. Also, to cut the amount of wastewater that must be treated, water is recycled for those steps that don't require highly purified water. The water is treated only after it becomes unsuitable. Conventionally, rinse water is used once, treated, and then discarded. Western Electric currently is using two of the electroplating systems at its Dallas works. It plans to introduce another this year at Kansas City. •
C&ENMay29, 1978
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Telephone network contacts plated by new system are scrutinized for flaws 22
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