ZVO: Strong forum for the surface industry

Around 90 presentations and discussion panels provided a broad cross-section of relevant industry topics ranging from process optimization and energy efficiency to digitalization.

Despite a persistently difficult economic environment, the ZVO Oberflächentage took place this year in Berlin at its new location in the Hotel MOA with a good dynamic and also a remarkable spirit of optimism towards digitalization. Last year, most people were still just talking about it, but now there are more and more concrete projects and approaches to actually integrating digitalization into production.

RFID chips are certainly not a new invention, but their use offers a wide range of potential for tracking processes and procedures in production and reliably documenting them without manual intervention. The possibilities go far beyond the usual areas of application such as time recording or access restriction.

Transparency through RFID

Fabian Herbst from B+T ID Solutions dealt with process optimization in all operational areas using RFID technology. In particular, he used examples from the coating operations at B+T to demonstrate the potential of tracking process components such as interchangeable trays. Tubs with different contents can be recorded directly when changing position, a comparison with stored order information and thus a plausibility check is also possible, as is the direct assignment of analysis values. The recording of operating hours or strokes, for example for drums or other system components subject to wear, also opens up new possibilities for predictive, demand-oriented maintenance. Order tracking was also converted to RFID. As a result, B+T has seen an acceleration of processes, standardization and, in the specific application, process cost savings of up to 21 percent. Based on the positive experiences, corresponding RFID equipment is being planned for the laboratory area.

Hans-Ulrich Eckert from Gerweck GmbH, which has 200 employees and offers a broad portfolio of services ranging from strip electroplating and single-part electroplating to special processes, reported on digitization approaches in his own company. Gerweck also relies on barcodes and RFID chips, which results in significantly greater transparency with regard to the order process. However, digitalization also means more comprehensive sensor technology for the process parameters. For this reason, a current recording of 20 baths has created the conditions for filtering out critical bath parameters in real time based on quality data using AI. Eckert clearly sees the goal as electroplating 4.1, in which customers benefit from optimization in terms of quality, costs and production as well as delivery reliability and traceability. Internally, the focus is on reducing the workload of employees, as well as predictive maintenance and reduced costs in the raw and finished materials warehouse, the chemicals warehouse and disposal. Overall, Eckert also sees digitalization as an essential prerequisite for optimizing a company's CO2 footprint.

Potential through key figure monitoring

Key figures are rarely easy to obtain and the preparatory work required to integrate the appropriate sensors, such as digitally networkable electricity meters or the measurement of volume flows or heat, alone causes a lot of effort and costs. What's the point, you might ask. Edgar Kauffmann from B+T Oberflächentechnik illustrated why this effort is worthwhile for almost every energy-intensive company and what can be achieved by monitoring energy-related operating figures. In addition to discussing how a process CO2 footprint is created, he used specific evaluations from his own company to show how useful it is to evaluate energy use and compare it with production processes. The primary aim is always to identify the causes of performance peaks, but such data can also help to uncover irregularities in the process. For example, evaluating the coated surface in relation to the power consumption of the rectifiers can provide a lot of valuable information, such as whether the anode baskets are empty, the contacts are dirty or items have been calculated incorrectly. Flow sensors on heat exchangers also provide a wide range of important information. For example, the volume flow can be used as an indicator of process bath mixing, the current temperature at the heat exchanger outlet is also helpful and the function and performance of the motor and pump can be continuously monitored. The prioritization of maintenance jobs is also made possible by the corresponding data, which provides information about the load on the system and the items being run.

Automated inline bath analysis

Digitization also means having as much and as regular information as possible about the status of the baths. In this respect, inline-capable measurement analysis is of great importance. In this respect, Helmut Fischer GmbH has developed the XAN Liquid Analyzer, a new measuring device based on the X-ray fluorescence method (XRF), which Jonathan Becker presented in Berlin. It can sample and evaluate up to four connected baths using four patented measuring cells.

This makes the process easier to plan and a long-term history of bath quality is possible without additional strain on employees. Initial applications in practice, including long-term tests in a Zn/Ni electroplating plant, were very successful and, according to feedback from the partner, the previously defined targets were achieved. The device offers extensive networking options so that the measurement results can be processed directly and used for control processes.

Software to combat skills shortage

The problems caused by the shortage of skilled workers will continue to increase for manufacturing companies, with no better news in sight. However, there are prospects for achieving good results even with less qualified personnel by using appropriate software and plant control systems. Sebastian Breuckmann from Ditec showed what possibilities plant control systems can offer today and in the future. For example, a dynamically and product-related controlled bath change or predictive, data-based electrolyte management. In his presentation, Breuckmann outlined the vision of no longer having to tell the control system in detail what it has to do, when and how, but simply expressing the objective, for example a layer thickness, and the system control software determining the parameters for the corresponding component completely independently. As things stand today, however, there is still a great deal of digitalization ahead of us.

Other major topics at the Management meets Surface entrepreneur forum included the climate-neutral, energy-saving orientation of electroplating, as well as finance, insurance and corporate management. Large parts of session two on Thursday also dealt with surface processes for sustainable, climate-neutral and energy-saving coating. The range of topics was continued on Friday in session four. Among other things, it dealt with the question of what climate-neutral electroplating could look like in the future. What are the German government's climate targets for the next 20 to 30 years? A reduction target of at least 88% applies for the year 2040, greenhouse gas neutrality is to be achieved by 2045 and even negative emissions from 2050. Christian Deyhle from targets an interesting forecast of energy prices. Depending on different scenarios, energy prices are expected to remain the same or even fall in the future. However, regardless of energy prices, one of the major Herculean tasks of the future will be to reduce CO2 emissions. In this context, a comparison of three coating lines in terms of their energy consumption and CO2 emissions was highly interesting. One user used a coating line from 1993, one from 2016 and an optimized line that could run from 2025 as an example. It is noticeable that the old 93 system consumes 26 percent more energy across all energy types than the newer 2016 system. The fact that an optimized new system could save another 38 percent in this specific application, without the need for SciFi technologies that have not yet been fully developed, shows how much a very conscious design for efficiency makes a difference. This reduces the consumption of the old system from 3,924,000 kwh to around 1,800,000 kwh with the optimized new system. Deyhle does not see any realistic options for switching to climate-neutral fuels such as hydrogen on a large scale in the foreseeable future. In this respect, he sees the electrification of process and building heat generation as a decisive strategy for a company's climate neutrality. In this context, he considers the use of heat pumps for process and supply air heating or cooling to be sensible. He presented a sample calculation for this. Assuming that an amount of electricity of 960,000 kWh per year must be generated in a climate-neutral manner for electrical consumers and a further 210,000 kWh per year is required for process and building heating, 1,170,000 kWh per year would therefore have to be generated. A planned installation of 830 kwPI of photovoltaic power on the roof for the example company would already cover 71 percent of this. With a certain amount of ambition, the remaining 29 percent could also be covered by covering additional roof and façade areas. Even if it must be clear that not every company can easily make the necessary investments for such a transformation in the short term, the presentation made it clear that climate-neutral operation of an electroplating plant is feasible.

Chromium(VI)-free pretreatment without etching

Session three dealt with costs and resource-efficient wastewater treatment, but the topic of chromium(VI)-free decorative chrome plating of plastics was also on the agenda in several presentations. A very promising and seemingly revolutionary approach to the electroplating of plastic surfaces was presented by Dr. Jürgen Nagel from the Leibniz Institute of Polymer Research. He showed that it is possible to metallize any plastic without any wet-chemical pre-treatment. Specially modified particles consisting of a CaCO3 core, which is later dissolved out in the electroplating process and surrounded by a coating of specially functionalized polymers, are used for this purpose. These particles are introduced into the injection mold as a coating so that they are then embedded in the surface of the plastic material, for example. After the core is removed, depressions with properties that can be shaped by the functionalized polymer remain in the surface, which can now absorb the palladium colloid. The process has been christened ForaSolv and can also be streamlined by embedding the palladium particles in the functionalized polymer. Even if this process still requires considerable development efforts before the achievable properties meet industrial requirements, it nevertheless shows a fascinating and very sustainable perspective for the metallization of plastics.

The PFAS discussion

The consultation hour on regulatory developments in European and national environmental and chemical policy continued to meet with great interest. There was a lively discussion between experts and the audience. The topic of the PFAS ban was particularly heated, as this is an extremely broad field and it is often not even known which products and components would be affected by a complete ban. During the discussion, it became clear that such a ban would cause technological setbacks in many areas, from the durability of pumps to process tanks in electroplating. Dr. Malte Zimmer made it clear that there is hardly any willingness on the part of politicians and regulatory authorities to listen to the concerns and arguments of the industry. In this respect, there was a consensus in the discussion that public pressure might be the only argument that could help here.

Standardization thrives on participation

The topic of standardization was also on the agenda. Tina Gläsel from DIN e.V. and Karl Morgenstern made it clear why it is an advantage for companies to participate in standardization processes: they can contribute their own aspects that are important in everyday operations. This is because standardization works on the basis of a democratic process at both German and international level. And only those companies that participate can contribute their ideas. As it is currently not easy to get employees enthusiastic about standardization in Europe, Asian countries in particular are taking advantage of the gaps and experts see the danger here that countries such as China could have a stronger influence on standardization processes with global significance in the future.

The butterfly effect

Environmental approval procedures have probably never been something that was easy and completely straightforward for companies. In the meantime, however, a level of complexity has been reached that not only increases the effort involved in the approval process immensely, but also makes the outcome increasingly difficult to predict. Werner Huppertz, whose company Huppertz Umwelt & Technik GmbH advises companies on environmental issues and approval procedures, made it clear that politicians and legislators are imposing ever greater efforts on companies in order to successfully complete an approval procedure. The trend towards ever more regulations on safety and environmental protection requirements continues unabated. The question of whether these rules and regulations are appropriate and expedient often plays a subordinate role; instead, the aim is to raise the level of protection to the highest limit regardless of feasibility. The idea of a risk-based approach, which has been the basis of positive economic development in Europe for many decades, is increasingly losing its significance. The basic problem with current approval procedures is that they are developing into so-called complex systems due to regulations that are based on dynamic data - including the CLP Regulation and REACH. According to Huppertz, the complexity is now reaching a level of interaction that often no longer allows a reliable overall prediction. Interactions between the provisions of individual regulations that are not recognizable at first glance are particularly problematic in this respect.

For example, a new legal requirement that has suddenly arisen may have to be implemented in an ongoing procedure. The consequences of this can logically range from delays to a complete redesign. Huppertz concludes that approval procedures are no longer just complicated, but must be regarded as sensitive systems that are on the verge of emergence. This means that even if all the technical details have been clarified and are within the legal framework, the outcome of the procedure can no longer be predicted with certainty and therefore there is an urgent need for politicians and authorities to implement measures to simplify the process. Huppertz sent a clear message to the legislative bodies and interest groups to act sensibly and reduce bureaucracy. After all, if Germany and Europe are to continue to exist as an industrial location with the associated prosperity, risks must be accepted at an appropriate level. Otherwise, successful industrial production will no longer be possible at some point. But there is no time to wait for conditions to improve on their own, which is why he advises companies themselves to improve the success rate of such approval procedures through very good preparation, a coordinated and structured approach and, where possible, with the involvement of the authorities.

Enormous range of topics with 90 lectures

With around 90 presentations in five lecture series, the Surface Days offered an enormous range of topics and, as every year, it was not always easy to decide which presentation to attend. Unfortunately, it is not possible to cover all the presentations and their content in this review. The topics ranged from modern functional coatings and numerous presentations on zinc-nickel to exciting research topics such as composite galvanoforming for ultra-dense power electrodes for lithium-ion batteries or exciting prospects with regard to autonomous driving in connection with 4D radar technology. One speaker provided a comparison between an electroplated coating and a PVD coating for the waveguides between the antenna and electronics, which have a major influence on the precision of the sensor data. In this respect, there were interesting suggestions for many applications. Both the participants and the exhibitors drew a very positive conclusion from this year's event. The new venue was also well received thanks to the short distances between the exhibition and break area and the lecture halls.

CB