DeKalb Metal Finishing Introduces SolrDefense™
Up to 30% Savings Over Other Finishes
DeKalb Metal Finishing introduces SolrDefense™, a unique and highly protective zinc iron electroplating system for solar panel components that is highly cost effective.
When approached by its customers regarding plating projects for major solar panel manufacturers, DeKalb Metal Finishing began to investigate a process design that would be highly effective and extremely economical for the solar panel industry. Many solar panel components are coated with Galvanized Zinc or Zinc Nickel electroplating. These processes work well but have a higher price point. With the challenge of plating solar panel components at a lower cost per unit without sacrificing performance, DeKalb Metal Finishing assembled a team to design a process that would meet or exceed the performance of Zinc Nickel while remaining cost competitive with Zinc. As the first company in the country to offer zinc iron plating, DeKalb Metal Finishing believed that if they pursued the application of a different post plating system, they could reach the cost/performance balance that was needed. Goal achieved!
MEETING AND EXCEEDING SPECIFIED CORROSION REQUIREMENTS
Through the use of solutions built on nano-particle technology with self-healing properties, DeKalb Metal Finishing was able to easily meet customer specified corrosion requirements:
- Process easily passes the 720-hour corrosion test per ASTM B 117
- Has the ability to withstand continuous temperatures of 248 degrees Fahrenheit
- Coating is UV resistant
- Coating is adhesion and scratch resistant
- Self-heals due to the nanoparticles in the passivate and sealer
- Shows very high corrosion resistance
All of this was accomplished with a zinc-iron plating approach that proved to be 30% cheaper than the zinc-nickel process!
“When looking at our history of being the first plating company in the US to offer zinc-iron plating and now years later being the first company in the US to come up with a new but affordable zinc-iron plating approach for the solar panel industry, I am very proud of our team and our ability to continuously innovate,” says Matt Morris, of DeKalb Metal Finishing. “We took the time, coupled with our knowledge of plating and testing, to produce phenomenal results. From our efforts we created SolrDefense™ and now look forward to seeing how this process will translate onto components in other industries.”
DEKALB METAL COMPANY INFORMATION
DeKalb Metal Finishing has been a US plating company for over 70 years! Located in Auburn, Indiana, our company specializes in pure zinc, zinc nickel, and zinc iron plating primarily for the automotive parts industry. Our electroplating specialists and extensive approach to testing for rubber to metal bonding and other specifications have made us leaders in the plating industry and our IATF 16949 Certification is further assurance of quality management. For more information, contact DeKalb Metal Finishing at 260-925-1820, email info@dekalbmetal.com, or explore our website.