Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Los Angeles Metalizing Activity And Machine Used

By Essie Osborn


Metalizing is a wide word applied to refer to all processes of applying metal on non-metallic surfaces. The first introduction of this activity was done in 1835 when Von Justus coated glass surface with metal silver. This made mirror the earliest products to be produced through metallization. Introduction of ABS plastics led to fast growth of the procedure along with fresh remarkable improvements till where the technology has reached today.

Since substrates used are usually non-conductors, this process involves changing them into conductors first before they are plated. If the substrate is plastic in nature, chemical etching is performed through an appropriate process. Among the most appropriate processes used in etching plastic is to have it dipped into a hot mixture of sulfuric and chromic acid. The surface needs sensitizing and activating after etching. In Los Angeles metalizing is very refined particularly with the invention of vacuum metalizing.

Vacuum metalizing requires evaporating metallic substances within vacuum cabinets hence the origin of the term. Vapor from the vaporizing metal then settle onto the substrates being plated forming an even metalized finish. Another name for this process is thermal evaporation with aluminum as the mostly used metal. Thermal evaporation comes under a set of techniques called PVD, physical vapor deposition.

So as to vaporize the metals utilized for thermal evaporation, a continuous supply of heat is necessary. Therefore exists several heating methods that could be employed to supply the heat. Among the techniques are resistance heating, electron beam, and plasma. Aluminium is the most utilized metal and the process takes place inside a vacuum metallizer, which is evacuated to around 0.0005mbar.

The aluminum wire gets fed into the system through individual inter-metallic evaporators. Most metallizers are resistance heated. The aluminum melts and evaporates in a matter of seconds after being fed into the evaporators. The substrate is supported on chilled process drum and is passed over the evaporation source at variable speeds. Typical speed is 1000 meters per minute. That speed allows for a thin well spread coat to form on the substrate.

Metalizing process has many applications and benefits in the current world. The first advantage is that it raises the aesthetic value of the object it is applied on to a great extend. Several color shades can be integrated into the activity to make end products appear very attractive. The process may also be employed to produce substrates that regulate light reflection and/or transmission, conduct power, and save power.

Substrates produced using this procedure may also be used in war against theft and counterfeiting. Coat created as a result of thick layers of vaporized metal depositing can act as barriers to vapor and heat shields. Some of the mirrors installed in some famous telescopes like Hale telescope were made through the process of thermal evaporation.

Metalizing as an industrial process presents some disadvantages to people who do it. For instance, fumes generated from the process are highly dangerous to lungs when inhaled in huge amounts. The level of heat involved also presents a threat to the machine operator. This necessitates use of necessary safety gear and following of all safety rules.




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