The effect of environmental compliance on anti-corrosion control
|
Mechanical engineering design covers a huge spectrum: aircraft, automobiles, factory systems, mechanical pumps, defense systems, and hospital equipment are just some of the products produced by mechanical engineering companies, and all need protecting against corrosion in some way. Modern environmental compliance laws have had a big impact on the way this is implemented.
Corrosion control is essential to any mechanical system subject to adverse environmental conditions, whether these are external or internal. Sea water, rain water, petrochemicals, biological fluids and manufacturing by-products all play a role in shortening the life of mechanical systems. Superior modern alloys help, but you can't always rely on the corrosion-resistant properties of steel and aluminum alone.
Corrosion control takes several forms: plastic polymers; metallic galvanization, special paint finishes and metal plating being just a few. Whatever chemicals are used must comply with environmental compliance legislation. Unfortunately, this is a highly confusing area; the need to reduce the environmental and occupational health impact of industrial chemicals is globally recognized, and EU REACH and RoHS/WEEE legislation has led to individual countries and even states implementing their own variations, and mechanical designs designated for world-wide export must obey all of them. This means making sure all products used in the products' manufacture obey universal compliance laws too.
One chemical restricted by REACH/RoHS legislation has been known for its toxic effects since the 1940s, and was already the subject of heavy debate in the US before the RoHS paper was ever drafted. Hexavalent chromium (Cr(Vl)) is of major importance in the mechanical engineering industry, being used for the manufacture of stainless steel. It is also used in paint finishes, surface primers and decorative and functional electroplating of, for example, marine shipping and automobile parts. It can also be produced during hot welding of non-hexavalent chromium metal.
Cr(Vl) was first used as an electroplating material in the 1920s and is still used for that purpose today, although it is gradually being replaced by other products, including the safer trivalent chromium. Its environmental and occupational toxicity is well documented by the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration), both of whom have set industry standards and restrictions for Cr(Vl) use in electroplating and for metal finishing (though not an outright ban.)
Mechanical engineering companies exporting hexavalent chromium-plated products to the EU and other areas with Cr(Vl) restrictions will be unlikely to find their way blocked by EU environmental compliance laws, since although the plating bath may have contained Cr(Vl), the final metallic coating entering customs has a valence state of zero. However, Cr(Vl) is also used as conversion coating in combination with other metals, e.g. zinc, and in this form would almost certainly fail to meet environmental standards. The same is true of corrosion-resistant paint finishes containing Cr(Vl).
Mechanical engineering makes heavy use of commercial products such as these, which must be checked against environmental compliance standards for the areas your finished product is being exported to. We at Enventure Technologies realize the problems involved in doing this, and offer a comprehensive range of environmental compliance management solutions.
|
|
Author Resource:-
The Article is written by www.enventureonline.com providing Environmental Compliance and Mechanical Engineering Services.Visit http://www.enventureonline.com for more information on www.enventureonline.com Products & Services___________________________Copyright information This article is free for reproduction but must be reproduced in its entirety, including live links & this copyright statement must be included. Visit www.enventureonline.com for more services!
|
By :
Tom Jui
Submitted
2011-02-23 10:03:57 |
Article From Article Mayhem
 Ezine ready view |
|
|
|
Related Articles
|
|
|
![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.articlemayhem.com/images/icon_Rss.png "XML Feed For RSS"){kind=icon}
Category Rss Feed![[Valid RSS feed]](http://www.articlemayhem.com/images/rss.jpg "XML Feed For RSS")