APPH - a simple solution to electroplating
As part of APPH's ongoing drive to increase both the environmental efficiency and effectiveness of its processes, the company continues to identify and implement projects across the business that improve ways of working. Many of these projects are delivered within APPH's Continuous Improvement Forum and training programme which aims to involve all APPH employees in business improvement activities that add value and eliminate waste.
The introduction of croffles (small plastic balls around twice the size of a ping pong ball) and insulation of APPH's electroplating vats at Basingstoke and Runcorn Landing Gears started as a continuous improvement project to reduce utilities costs in the metal finishing shop at Basingstoke.
The electroplating process used significant amounts of energy both to heat the vat and to supply the current which drives metals such as chromium and cadmium out of solution and onto the surface of the component being electroplated.
Now croffles have been added to the vats to insulate the surface: they create a physical barrier but do not interfere with the electroplating process. In addition, the vat heating systems have been replaced with safer and more energy efficient heaters and the vats have been insulated using inexpensive standard retail insulation panels.
APPH's simple solution has had added environmental, health and safety and productivity benefits.
‘
Plating is a key process for APPH and we are very pleased to have introduced a step change in its efficiency, especially one that is simple, inexpensive and very easy to replicate at other APPH facilities.’
Ken Livingston, Quality and Business Improvement Director, APPH
