Electropolishing

[Hpowder 0]

First time poster long time lurker.

 

As a business we want to start doing some electro polishing. Do any of you bright sparks on here have any contacts that might assist us in a set up?

[wheels 543]

Have you ever done electropolishing as a job or anything remotely similar?

[Hpowder 0]

Yes, previously I did this as a job but it was with existing plant (and another country). I was hopeful that I could find someone as a consultant to help me set up the plant and refresh me on the process.

[Surprise 0]

Heat Treatments Marine Division in Stoddard Rd. Mt Roskill used to do it I think.

 

May be worth contacting.

[wheels 543]

Mate have I got a lot of questions to ask you sometime then. I could become a Client of yours in the future, but that's another story for now.

You will probably find a commercial operator will be rather reluctant to tell you anything, as you could appreciate. A retired person would be your best bet, but sorry I can't help there.

Are you trying to understand the legalities of operation in NZ or more about equipment needed, or??

[Hpowder 0]

Happy to chat if we ever get underway!! I'm looking for someone to help with a bit of both really. Had conflicting "advice" from the council about what permits we need, if any (we already hold permits for other treating we do). And need some advice on suppliers of equipment.

 

Like you I don't expect anyone commercial in Auckland to help but thought someone outside Auckland might be prepared to share some knowledge, or as you said someone that has been in the industry.

[Pumbaa 9]

Cyril Jordan in Kerikeri builds game chairs and built his own large polishing bath, he might well be worth talking http://www.cyrilsgamechairs.co.nz/

[wheels 543]

Had conflicting "advice" from the council about what permits we need, if any (we already hold permits for other treating we do).

Isn't it pathetic trying to get the information required from these organisation. A $50K fine for not having the boxes ticked, but when you are asking what boxes you need to provide for the ticking, no one seems to be able to help. It's the initial setting up when you are starting from nothing that is a real nightmare. You don't know what questions to ask, what answers there are already provided are not relevant.

I would suggest (but don't take my word for it) that if you are already buying, using and disposing of, hazardous Chemicals, along with already holding permits, then that should mostly carry across any other similar processes. You are not playing with any chemical that is not already being played with in NZ, so any hazardous substance you are dealing should be in the list of approved chemicals on the EPANZ website.

As for tanks, I suspect you will need to have them custom built. Any engineer should be able to help you there. The Powers supply could be interesting. High current DC, at low voltage and with a user variable control range. I am not sure that kind of thing would be available off the shelf.

[Hpowder 0]

Yes wheels my issue exactly. We ask and get told different things!! From our research, given what we already use, we think we already hold relevant permits but no one at the council will say yes (or no). And don't get us started about waste water!!!! Stupidly we redid our water agreement before thinking about adding this - again no one in that organisation wants to venture an opinion.

 

It's not the polishing that's the issue - it's the set up - I have to wonder how many people just choose not to comply and hope they don't get caught.

 

We're expecting to purpose build the tanks, but again it would be nice to talk to someone that has done it, we have had a couple of conversations with engineers and had widely conflicting opinions.

 

Hitting my head against a wall would be easier

[wheels 543]

PM me. I maybe able to help....a little anyway.

I imagine because you are experienced in this, that you already have knowledge of equipment needed in your workplace. Like Fume extraction and so on.

All the Chemicals/Acids you use and will be using are already used in NZ (obviously) and thus will already have an EPA approval. So you will be covered on the front.

The big issue is storage and handling. Once again, for some chemicals, there are limitations on what quantities and how you can store some Chemicals. But you will have learned all that for what you are currently doing anyway.

The main issue will be Risk Management. Which takes you into the World of OSH. Once again, if you are already working with similar chemicals, it will be similar. The main thing is having all the Murphy scenarios covered. If you have a tank rupture, where will the Acid go and how will it be contained. Down the Drain is not the answer, as you will know. So a Risk management plan will be needed and it needs to cover all possible scenarios or what could go wrong, from Fire, earthquake, accident/injury and so on. The normal Eliminate, Mitigate or Remove/Isolate.

In a nutshell, if you have a RM plan, then the agencies seem to be happy. If you have no plan, you can get the book thrown at you.

If where you work from is designated Industrial, you should be covered on that. If you work from home, that can become a major problem. If you are wanting to operate in an area that is not Industrial, you need to apply for RMA and that can take years and hundreds of thousands for approval and the same with the result of no approval.

The only time an operation carried out on a properly approved location (industrial) needs further approval, is if there is a risk to others outside the workplace. For instance, if you were making fireworks for instance, the potential for taking out the next door neighbors is fairly high and you need to jump through many hoops to meet the requirements for such an operation.

I think in a Nutshell, you will be OK seeing as you already play in the similar game.