DER STECKVERBINDER 3 2012 - ODU

NEUES AUS DEM BETRIEB | NEWS FROM OPERATIONS
Die Zukunft kann kommen!
We’re Ready for the Future!
Volker van der Pütten
Leiter Oberflächentechnik
Manager Surface technology
Erweiterung der Galvanik: Mit neuer Aluminium-Anlage
gewappnet für die Zukunft
ODU hat in den Bau eines neuen Fertigungsgebäudes sowie
in die Anschaffung und Inbetriebnahme einer Aluminium-
Galvanisierungsanlage investiert. Eine Erweiterung der Galvanik
war notwendig geworden, da die im Jahr 2008
installierte Chromanlage bei Vollauslastung ihre Kapazitätsgrenze
erreicht hatte.
Zur selben Zeit startete das ODU AMC-Projekt, bei dem es
um eine neue Oberfläche (Ruthenium) und einen anderen
Grundwerkstoff (Aluminium) ging. Der Neubau sollte also
einerseits der Erweiterung der Chromkapazität dienen und
anderseits den Anforderungen des ODU AMC-Projektes
gerecht werden. Diese Anforderungen ergaben sich aus den
Merkmalen der neu entwickelten ODU AMC Steckverbindung.
Diese wird zwecks Gewichtseinsparung aus Aluminium
gedreht. Außerdem soll ihre Oberfläche bestimmte
Eigenschaften aufweisen wie z.B. RoHS-Konformität, geringer
Übergangswiderstand, gute tribologische Eigenschaften
und hohe Korrosionsbeständigkeit. Ebenso soll sie
blendarm und dunkel sein. Als Endschicht wurde hierfür
Ruthenium gewählt, das all diese Anforderungen erfüllt.
Ruthenium gehört zu den Platinmetallen und ist aufgrund
seines edlen Charakters sehr korrosionsbeständig.
Expansion of the electroplating area: Ready
for the future with new aluminum system
ODU has invested in the construction of a new manufacturing
building as well as in the acquisition and commissioning of an
aluminum electroplating system. It was necessary to expand
the electroplating section because the chrome-plating machine
which has been installed in 2008 had already reached its capacity
limit.
At the same time, the ODU AMC project started, and this involved
a new surface (ruthenium) and another base material (aluminum).
The new building was intended to house the expansion
to the chrome capacity and also satisfy the requirements of the
ODU AMC project. These requirements resulted from the features
of the newly developed ODU AMC connectors, which are
lathed from aluminum in order to save weight. Their surface
was furthermore intended to have certain characteristics, such
as RoHS conformity, low contact resistance, good tribology
characteristics and high corrosion resistance, and furthermore
be low-glare and dark. Ruthenium was selected for the final
layer here, because this material satisfies all these requirements.
Ruthenium is a platinoid and very corrosion-resistant thanks to
its noble character.
The criteria for the plant planning were consequently given, and
the new machine was connected to the existing system. The
working capacity that resulted is impressive: It is now possible to
provide a surface finishing of copper, nickel, chemical nickel,
satin nickel, chrome, black chrome, white ruthenium, black
ruthenium and palladium-nickel on the base metals aluminum,
stainless steel, copper and their alloys for some 22 million individual
parts a year.
But this was not the only system to be expanded. As a part of the
same action, it was also necessary to enlarge the waste water
treatment plant, set up a new chemical laboratory, install a corrosion
test chamber and enlarge the surface inspection area. A
new building provided the space for this. It also houses a small
administration tract and social areas for the surface technology
employees.
To optimize the flow, the sand-blasting area was integrated into
the surface technology building. The tampon printing as well as
a number of other process steps will be coming soon, because
this will optimize and accelerate a number of work processes,
such as blasting, attachment, inhouse electroplating system,
inspection and tampon printing, in one flow.
We’re ready for the future!
22 | Der Steckverbinder