Electro-Spec, Inc.’s innovative methods for service include the ability to follow each of your orders online. Not only can you track your orders…you can expedite, change shipping methods, view historical turnaround by part number, download packing lists, download certifications of compliance, and much more. Through our “Customer Portal”, you can access all of your orders as they are received, processed, and shipped back to you. From the time we receive the order until the time you receive the order back, you can track your order through this system.
If an item has shipped, you can click on the “detail link” and it will provide a hyperlink to UPS or FedEx to complete your tracking information.
If you need additional copies of documentation, you can download a PDF of the document right to your screen for each order.
This system also has the ability to manage inventory (kanban system) for orders you ship to us. You can view finished inventory, raw inventory, in-process inventory and conduct releases for plating and shipment, right from your desk. You can even upload shipping documents and purchase orders to our system through this portal when doing releases.
This system is updated every 30 seconds on our website and gives you the most up-to-date information on all of your orders. We understand the urgency of your orders and the need for immediate feedback on the status of these orders. Whether you are in the office or at home or on the road …. you will always have complete access and visibility to your orders through our online tracking and expediting system!
SEM/EDS
Scanning Electron Microscopy/Energy-dispersive X-Ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX) devices are capable of measuring a surface map of a material to be shown, as well as providing elemental information on the material based on X-ray emissions that occur during the overall process.
Scanning Electron Microscopy
The SEM portion of SEM/EDX devices utilizes focused beams of high-energy electrons that generate signals at the surface of the material.
A filament which is at the top of the electron column generates a high current beam (0.5 to 30 KV) of electricity, which is simply a movement of electrons from one conductive surface to another. The beam of electrons is focused on the part. The stager which the part sits on is conductive and may be moved in the x, y, and z directions or rotated. The electrons hit the part with predetermined energy and they cause x-rays to be emitted from the part with a certain amount of energy, due to an electron within the atom jumping from the outer shell to the inner shell. There is a detector within the unit that the x-rays hit after colliding with the part. An image will be displayed on the computer screen of the area that the electron beam is focused on. The image is in black and white because shapes and contours are displayed, not colors.
Small variations in texture and composition of materials are more easily detected with this technology. SEM allows manufacturers to detect barely visible material faults and take action before serious issues ensue.
Energy-Dispersive X-RAY Spectroscopy
During electron microscopy, X-rays are emitted from the material and can be used to determine the chemical composition of said material.
This is what allows an elemental composition analysis to be completed on the portion of the part on which the beam of electrons has focused on. Depending on what the electrons hit (which element) they will produce x-rays that collide with the detector with a certain amount of energy. This amount of energy can be used to determine what the portion of the part being zoomed in on is composed of or what contaminants are present at the surface of the part. Compared to the typical X-ray detector, the EDX will go a small amount of depth into the part whereas a typical x-ray will go to a much further depth causing some invalid readings. A low error percentage (<10%) is associated with accurate identification of the element which is being analyzed.
Neither units result in the destruction of the part or change the material properties of the finished part in any way. Repeated analyses may be completed at the same location of a part.
Using an SEM/EDX device allows the chemical composition of the sample material to be precisely measured. This technology is primarily used to examine materials for defects, but it also allows manufacturers to ensure that the material’s chemical composition meets exact specifications.
To accommodate the demands of the medical, aerospace, military, and automotive industries, the quality of the materials utilized is critical to success. By employing SEM-EDX technology, Electro-Spec provides the assurance that your products will be of the highest possible quality.
Closed-Loop Waste Treatment System and Chemical Capabilities
Waste Treatment System
Electro-Spec’s (German Engineered) wastewater treatment system is one of the most advanced systems of its kind. This closed-loop system treats and recycles the water before re-introducing it to the plating lines as rinse water.
Electro-Spec’s waste treatment technology can separate out 6 different types of metals in the waste stream. Rinses integrated into the plating line are constantly filtered and replenished through the waste treatment system.
Remarkably, cleaning and distillation recover over 99.9 percent of all materials. Even the material removed from the water is dried, pressed, and re-purposed. Silver and gold recovery from rinses ensures recovery of all precious metals.
Chemical Capabilities
Electro-Spec’s advanced PLC controlled Waste Treatment System allows our Lab Technicians to focus on what is most critical – our plating chemistry and baths. This focus is used on pulling samples for real-time analysis using Inductively Coupled Plasma and measuring in parts per billion.
Our “TrueChem” lab software allows us to track and analyze all plating bath data and ensure all scheduled additions are made.
Maintenance
“Value through innovation” is particularly evident in Electro-Spec’s maintenance department and engineering team. Excelling in all facets of preventative and predictive maintenance throughout both facilities, our staff is constantly challenged with the need to not only keep equipment and lines operational but develop innovative and creative ways to plate parts as well. Many companies look at maintenance as a non-value-added expense associated with predominantly keeping things operational. However, our technicians and engineers are exceptionally skilled in outside-the-box thinking and ingenuity and have a level of dedication and creativity unmatched in the industry. Constantly challenged to come up with a new fixture, tool, barrel, rack, or tank design to plate the variety of parts that Electro-Spec provides, our team of maintenance technicians and engineers routinely makes the “impossible possible”. Utilizing equipment not commonly found in a plating facility (special welding equipment, lathes, pipe benders, and many other types of equipment), our staff has developed ways of plating parts that even industry equipment suppliers and manufacturers are amazed with.
Customization can be found in many of our programs to support our diverse customer base. Special cleaning techniques, innovative spinning racks, vacuum processing methods, unique rinsing and drying equipment as well as developing ways to plate micro-miniature parts so small they suspend in solution, are just a few of the innovative ways that our maintenance and engineering team has solved problems for our customers. Driven by ingenuity and a need to be creative, these are specific examples of the capabilities of our team to add another level of value to our customers. Failure to find a solution is rarely an option in our dedication to our customers.
