Case
Study
FABRICATED METAL PRODUCTS AND METAL FINISHING
Closed-Loop Plating System
| Company | Elliot-Barry Company 94 Commerce Street Colorado Springs, CO 80907 |
|---|---|
| Person to Contact | Gary Wimsett, Manuf. Manager Telephone: (719) 578-5017 |
| Product or Service | Precious metal emblematic jewelry |
| Number of Employees | 25 |
| Waste Stream Targeted | Plating bath wastes (metals, acids) |
| Original System | Small Plating System for precious metals only (Nickel, Gold). Copper and other metals were sent off-site for plating. This system was not a closed-loop system. The plating rack held 38 metal emblems which were cleaned, plated, and then rinsed (in 6 gallon tanks). The nickel plating tank was equipped with a spray rinse over the plating bath to remove drag-out (washes drag-out directly back into the plating bath). Multiple rinse tanks were pH tested and discharged into the sanitary sewer system. |
| New System (with P2 Modifications) |
Tivian Industries MINNIETM Plating System (Model TIL- MP\\01) designed for copper strike, nickel, and gold plating processes. This is a closed-loop plating system. The system consists of multiple counterflow rinsing tanks (30 gallon, D.I. water), and the plating rack holds 70 metal emblems. The plating tanks are equipped with a spray rinse directly over the plating baths to remove drag-out. Rinse water flows through an ion exchange unit. The ion exchange unit contains resins that selectively remove ions from the plating bath solutions. The treated water is of high purity and can be returned to the rinse system for reuse. Every 3-6 months, the ion exchange resins are recharged off-site and metals are recovered from the resins. |
| Cost Savings | |
| Initial Equipment Costs | The new system allows an expansion of plating operations done on-site. The closed-loop system is far cheaper (total cost of~$44,000) than the expansion of the waste water treatment and monitoring system which would have been required with a conventional discharge system (total estimated cost of~$80,000). |
| Operating Cost Savings | Operating costs are also much less than they would have been, but this comparison is difficult to quantify/estimate. |
| Major Benefits | Closed-loop system eliminates waste water discharge and the
associated regulatory burden and liabilities. Substantial cost savings
versus conventional system allowed expansion of on-site plating
capacity.
Positive Business Image. |
| Obstacles | Employee adjustment to the new system. |
| Time Since Implementation | 7 months |
| Source/Supplier | Tivian Industries Limited 65 Dexter Road Telephone: (401)435-3125 East Providence, RI 02914 |
| Main Reason Implemented | To allow cost-effective expansion of on-site plating capacity. |
| Key to Success in Making this P2 Modification | Other companies' input on innovative equipment. |
Created by Lighthouse Communications Group, LLC.
Edited for use on this site by Ronald Lee Still and posted with
permission of CDPHE.