Filtration In The Anodizing Line

#filtration #plating #electroplating #anodizing #surfacefinishing

No matter what you are anodizing or why you need to filter some of the baths. Primarily the cleaner, desmutter, and the anodizing bath itself. Depending on your process, the color and seal may also need filtering. We have to match the correct type of filter to the bath in order to maximize the effectiveness and reduce downtimes and poor part quality.

Let’s start at the beginning of the line: the cleaner bath. Mefiag offers two types of filters that will be perfect for this application. The V-series filter is designed to remove oil from solution and is ideal for prolonging the life of the cleaners. A more standard option is a bag filter. Bag filters have been the standard for cleaner baths for a long time, given their ability to remove large particulate from the solution without plugging.

The desmutter and the anodizing bath can actually use the same type of filter. A cartridge filter is ideal for both of these baths, given the ease of change out and the ability to filter particulate. These pollutants can lead to trouble with the part’s surface and are best removed. Depth filtration is an easy-to-use means to accomplish this.

As mentioned before, other baths that can benefit from a filter. If your process has a dye bath, you may want to filter it. For organic dyes, this is a cartridge filter but you need to be careful to use a large enough micron rating to ensure that you do not filter the dye from the bath. Given how expensive most dyes are, filtering and prolonging the life of the bath can be a major cost saving. For other coloring methods, disc filtration may be more appropriate.

The seals can also be filtered. With hot seals, Mefiag offers the HT filter system. These filters are designed to handle the high temperatures of the seal bath, while insulating the filter chamber. This lowers the amount of heat loss (cost savings!) and keeps the exterior of the chamber cool enough to touch (safety!). Other areas of benefit include fewer hours spent cleaning up the white powdery residue that an unfiltered seal can leave.