The Environmental Benefits of Anodizing Process

Aside from producing better quality finish, other important reason why anodizing is considered a promising industry process - particularly in the metal finishing industry - is the fact that it is more environment-friendly than other processes available. This feature is relevant most especially today that climate change issues are a hot topic.

Some Aluminum materials that have undergone anodizing process
(Photo credit: GMP Plating, Inc. - Bay Area Anodizing Service Provider)

But how exactly can anodizing process be beneficial to the environment? I have listed below some of the benefits as claimed by a number of companies in this industry. These are the following:

• The use of simple water-based chemicals - anodizing is recognized as environment-friendly as it uses simple water-based chemicals that produce no harm to both people and the surroundings. It does not use halogenated hydrocarbons or similar toxic organics in the process.
• An acceleration of a natural oxidation process - this is, in other words, means it does not produce harmful or hazardous by-products and thus ensure no damage to human health or the environment.
• Produces finish that is chemically stable - it will not decompose; it is non-toxic; and, it is heat-resistant to the melting point of aluminum, which is at 1,221 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Produces recyclable liquid by-products - liquid by-products (also known as secondary product produced in the manufacturing process) are recyclable and therefore can be reused/returned to the process.
• Produces harmless primary by-products - by-products such as aluminum hydroxide and aluminum sulfate can be used in other applications. For instance, they can be utilized as filters in the sewage treatment process of sewage treatment plants.
• Solid by-products has other uses - they can have a variety of uses such as in aluminum manufacturing, baking powder, for cosmetics, for newsprint, and as a fertilizer. 
• Emits no ozone-producing solvents - the process does not contribute to the worsening of our ozone layer and there are no heavy metals involved during the process.
• Anodizing as energy-saving catalyst - generally, anodizing is applied to aluminum alloys and this provides energy-saving advantage as well as environment safety. The reason is that Aluminum metal is a good electricity conductor while the anodic coating serves as good insulator. These properties substantially contribute to a product longer lifespan and energy demand reduction.

Above are just few reasons why the anodizing is of real advantage over other metal finishing process. This, indeed, plays a crucial role in the industry,environment-wise -- not to mention the benefits it provides in producing quality finish.

How can a business benefit from electrical failure analysis?

As you might (or might not ) be aware of, electrical failure analysis has been helping many companies in several industries for quite some time. In particular, the manufacturing as well as the retailer sectors - of various products - are the ones considered to be benefiting the most of the process.

What is electrical failure analysis? 

EFA, in a simple way of defining it, is a process of collecting and analyzing data to find the cause of a failure - usually applicable to examining electronic product defects. This approach is very useful in many branches of manufacturing as it allows the development of new products and the refinement of the existing ones. It is carried out by, first, collecting failed components for, second, evaluation using various methods.

Two most common method employed in electrical failure analysis:

• Microscopy - a process that uses microscopes to examine samples and objects that cannot be seen with the unaided eye.
• Spectroscopy - defined as a study of the interaction between matter and radiated energy; it pertains to the dispersion of an object's light into its component colors. (more of this can be found here)

Other methodologies employed in electrical failure analysis

• Curve-tracing - a method used to test the electrical paths of a device or package; a way of analyzing the current-voltage characteristics of an electrical path using a tool called curve tracer.
• Emission microscopy - considered to be one of the most efficient optical analysis techniques; it detects and localizes certain integrated circuit failures. It uses sensitive camera to view and capture optical emissions, which allows the detection and localization certain IC defects.
• Circuit edit FIB - using focused ion beams to remove and deposit materials with high precision - capabilities that can be used to cut and connect circuitry within a device.

So, how can a business benefit from electrical failure analysis?

A lot of businesses can benefit from this methodology, including those, as I have said, in the manufacturing sectors as well as other industrial facilities that play a vital role in our society such as those in the commercial and residential power distribution sectors, electro-mechanical machinery, electronics and appliance manufacturing and distribution sectors, HVAC systems, control systems - to name a few.

The determination of any failures within the facilities mentioned above is very essential for the improvement of their current systems or for the adaptation of new methodologies -- to produce a more improved products -- which are a key to achieving the common goal of all businesses - customer satisfaction and continued business growth.