PALATINE, Illinois, USA, June 22, 2017 – Arlington Plating Company (APC) recently completed the installation of a new materials reliability testing laboratory. Staffed by a team of highly skilled technical and quality engineers, the laboratory conducts thickness, hardness and composition testing of electroplated and anodized products.

Employing advanced instrumentation, material characterization and failure-mode analysis are performed using the following techniques:

  • STEP analysis (Simultaneous Thickness and Electrochemical Potential)
  • Multilayer thickness through cross section and electrical conductivity of non-magnetic metals (e.g. copper and aluminum)
  • Coulometric hardness testing
  • X-Ray fluorescence non-destructive analysis to determine material composition
  • Eddy current and cross sectional thickness methodology for anodized products

The APC Materials Reliability Testing Laboratory is equipped to perform tests following the ASTM and ISO standards. Stress, ductility, adhesion, temperature resistance, alkaline resistance, car wash simulation and other tests are conducted daily. The lab includes a micro-hardness tester to verify stable hardness of various nickel deposits.

Richard Macary, President of Arlington Plating Company, said “As an industry-leading Top Shop, we recognize that the need for best-in-class laboratory services is required to certify that the highest quality coatings are being consistently applied to components. It is for this reason that Arlington Plating Company employs a multi-faceted, quality-driven approach to ensure that our electroplated products, as well as our aluminum anodizing meet stringent product quality and testing criteria for a diversity of industry applications.”

To learn more about Arlington Plating materials reliability and chemical analysis testing capabilities, click here.

Photo caption: Dishant Tailor, Arlington Plating Company’s Quality Director, conducts STEP (Simultaneous Thickness and Electrochemical Potential) analysis to determine the total electroplated deposit thickness and millivolt potential of a part.