Metal Plating Case Study: P.K. Selective Metal Plating Inc.

P.K. Selective Metal Plating Inc., a Santa Clara metal finisher and graphic anodizer, modified its operations in order to meet local wastewater discharge limits. The changes made benefited the company in other ways as well:

• Several low-cost alterations to rinse processes reduced water use on affected production lines by about 40% - use of (1) a slower flow rate, (2) a hose rinse (turns on/off) instead of a constant fast flow, and (3) a "reactive rinsing" system (rinse following an alkaline cleaning bath is reused as influent water to a rinse following an acid cleaning bath).

• Installation of an ion exchange system (isolates and removes heavy metals from the rinse solution, then filters and recirculates the water back to the original rinse tank) helped the company meet discharge limits and saved another 500-600 gallons of water per day.

• Installation of an efficient anodizing system, utilizing a "hydromiser" chilling unit, reduced hazardous material input while producing a higher quality product. Significant energy savings, reduced material costs, and increased production capacity essentially paid for the $250,000 investment in about a year.

P.K. has demonstrated that both business and the environment benefit from waste reduction efforts. Changes made resulted in compliance with discharge limits, a 30% reduction in water use and discharges, decreased energy costs, improved quality, and a doubling of production capacity!

For more information call
Santa Clara County Pollution Prevention Program
(408) 441-1195