relatively low average voltage is preferably used.

M e t h o d of F o r m i n g C o a t i n g

F i lms a n d C o a t e d A r t i c l e

U S . 6 7 9 0 3 2 9 ( N i p p o n P a i n t Co .

L t d . )

S a k a m o t o , H . ; F u i j i i , M . , e t a l .

E l e c t r o c o a t i n g o f p a i n t ( e l e c -

t r o p h o r e t i c ) s u c h a s a u t o m o t i v e

i n n e r o r o u t e r p a n e l s t o g i v e r u s t

p r o t e c t i o n . G r a p h p l o t s t i m e v e r -

s u s . t h i c k n e s s a n d p o t e n t i a l .

Tin P l a t i n g

U.S. Patent 6797142 (Shipley Co. LLC) Crosby, J.N. Electrolyte compositions for the deposition of tin and tin-alloys on a substrate are given, along with methods of electroplating tin and tin-alloys using such composi- tions. These electrolyte composi-

tions are useful for high-speed tin plating.

Apparatus for Plating and Polishing

a Semiconductor Workpiece

US. Patent 6797132 (Nutool Inc.) Talieh, H.; Uzoh, C.E. Mult i -chamber device, with one plat ing and one polishing cham- ber. Plat ing can be brush plating or e lec t rochemica l -mechanica l deposition. Polishing process can be e lect ropol ishing or CMP. Claims to offer improved elec- t ro lyte mass - t r ans f e r and thus allow higher current densities.

Design of Hardware Features to

Facilitate Arc-Spray Coating

Applicat ions and Functions

US. Patent 6797131 (Applied Materials Inc.) Tzou, C.S.; Tsung, J., et al. Apparatus for forming coating on

sputter-coating workpiece; this usually has one or more trenches to define arc-spray coating region.

Methods of Chemical Vapor

Deposition and Powder Formation

US. Patent 6793975 (Micro Coating Technologies Inc.) Hunt, A.T; Hornis, H.G., et al. Powder is formed by CVD or using plasma or flame torch.

Reader queries relating to patents published in

Metal Finishing, or to advise on patent searches of

the approximately 30 million patents in the public

domain can be e-mailed to Anselm Kuhn, Metal

Finishing Information Services Ltd., at fin-

pubs@compuserve.corn. The patents summarized

are a sampling of some 500 surface-finishing-

related patents published every month. Almost all

patents can be viewed on the Internet and down-

loaded or printed, in many cases free of charge, at

www.uspto.gov and www.delphion.com. ]nr

66 Our NeLu

Vopor Dec3moser Solved Our

Most Serious Environmentol & Production Problems...

Rnd Provided Severol Other Cost Sovin 9

Benefits

Thanks, FEI.

~OMING TO A L OCA TION

NEAR YOU!!

~ ~!( '::~' :: :~;~

Jim Thomas Supervisor of Maintenance, Waste Treatment and Electroplating

D£TROIT TUBULAR RIVET, INC, WYANDOTTE, MI

"lain amazed that prior to plating we can clean 40,000 pounds oDivets per day, using only 5 gallons of methyl- ene chloride, while reducing our oil costs by over $50,000 per year." Rivets are notoriously difficult to dean and plate because of their smaller diameter and blind holes. No one knows better than Detroit Tubular Rivet, Inc. Their three-step aqueous rotating barrel cleaning system with oil skimming and oil separations equipment was not doing an ade, late job. "The additional aqueous or semi-aqueous ~rocesses we inves- tigated- whether spray, rotation ~ or anything else- were not effec- ~ ~ ~ five," Thomas s a i ~

d e R r ~ ~ ~ e g r e a s e r was permitted under

E q u i ~ t f a r more II2SHAP and Mtctugan t .... rules and has readily met the

than they expected. Solvent permit requ)rements. degreasing solved the cleaning problem and eliminated the oil problem. The quality and consistency of their plating process soared while the use of alkaline cleaners plummeted by one-third and acid usage dropped by 70o/0. Plus, their waste water treatment system can now function properly.

Degreasing systems from Finishing Equipment can solve the toughest cleaning problems, and cut your operating costs, too.

Contact us today for more information. www.finishingequipmentinc.com www'finishingequipmentinc'net

E ~FINISHING EQUIPMENT INC.

3640 Kemmbec Drive • St.Paul, MN 55122 651-452-1860 Fax: 651-452-9851

Circle 021 on reader information card or go to www.thru.to/webconnect

This World Recognized Two-Day Training Program has Helped Over 1300 Plating

Professionals Improve Their Plating Skills

ELECTROPLATING KNOW HOW BASICS TM

A TWO-DAY TRAINING PROGRAM ON THE BASIC PRINCIPLES OF ELECTROPLATINO Some of the Many Topics Covered:

. Mathematics of Electroplating . Plating Cycles • Chemistry of EtectropJatlng • Cleaning & Rinsing Techniques • Electrochemistry of Plating . Troubleshooting Principles • Equipment of Electroplating . Testing Procedures

Register Today for One of These Information Packed Programs:

Greenville, SC April 4 & 5, 2005

Cincinnati, OH April 7 & 8, 2005

Providence, R! April 11 & 12, 2005

Los Angeles, CA April 18 & 19, 2005

Call, Fax or E-mail for More Information

Kushner Eiectroplating School "Training Electroplaters Since 1947"

732 Glencoe Court, Sunnyvale, California 94087 (408) 749-8652 • Fax: (408) 749-0176

info@platingschooLcom www.platingschool.com

Circle 001 on reader information card or go to www.thru.to/webconnect

March 2005 59