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One-step organic phosphating How costs, features, and benefits stack up against conventional pretreatment wash systems
One-Step Organic Phosphating How costs, features, and benefits stack up against conventional pretreatment wash systems. By Mary Carpenter, President, Carpenter Chemicals LC, Alexandria, Va.
~
n an article describing one-step organic phosphating rinsed, and the bath is extremely stable and never published in the February 2006 issue of this maganeeds to be changed out. zine, it was stated that the distributors of the oneThe cost savings associated with these differences in operations are very significant. So how does a step process had developed a computer-based method for comparing the costs of a conventional pretreatment potential user compare conventional p r e t r e a t m e n t wash system with the one-step system. In this article, to the one-step organic phosphating process? we explore that in more detail, since a company considering its p r e t r e a t m e n t choices m u s t make such RETURN ON I N V E S T M E N T CALCULATOR comparisons as part of its decision-making process. The distributor of the one-step process has develCosts, of course, are not the only criteria for the decioped a q u e s t i o n n a i r e designed to accomplish two sion to invest in a one-step system. The ease of use, stapurposes (see Figure 1). Most importantly, of course, bility of the bath, and consistent performance of the is to calculate the customer's true costs associated process, as well as environmental considerations, and with their conventional system and compare these permitting issues are also part of the equation. to the costs associated w i t h the one-step organic Conventional s y s t e m s are phosphate system. But since no set of questions can quite similar to each other in most respects. They all use water, heat, multiple t r e a t m e n t stages, rinse(s), and, perhaps, a separate seal stage. Comparing the differences among t h e m is relatively easy, because there are not very m a n y variables to contend with. Conversely, the one-step process is different from conventional wash systems, so all costs must be considered from scratch. For example, prospective customers tend to assume, based on their experience w i t h conventional p r e t r e a t m e n t wash systems, they will have to cont i n u e to pay the high (and rising) cost of fuel to h e a t w a t e r tanks. These same prospects assume they will have to deal with obtaining and maintaining permits for the dumping of water, oil, sludge, and other wastes. They also a s s u m e t h e i r b a t h s m u s t be c o n s t a n t l y tested because t h e y will be unstable. In m a k i n g these assumptions, t h e y discount the very reasons w h y a one-step process is so attractive. The one-step organic p h o s p h a t i n g process is really different--it operates at room t e m p e r a t u r e , creates Figure 1: ROI questionnaire. no sludge, uses no water, is not June 2006
41
possibly cover everyone's individual situations, the other reason for the questions is to get the u s e r thinking and contributing to the analytical process. The main questions asked are shown in Figure 1. As is evident, these questions are divided into categories for easier analysis. Some discussion of these categories is in order. ANALYSIS G e n e r a l : This section describes the overall operat i o n - - p r o d u c t i o n volume, hours of operation and prices of n a t u r a l gas, electricity, water, chemicals, and labor.
Figure 2: Low-pressure spray w a s h e s oils and fines off the parts, then applies a p h o s p h a t e and a resin.The resin cures during drying.
FINISHING EQUIPMENT SYSTEMS Auto Technology Company acquired IYNIFIED EQUIPMENT SYSTEMS (UES) ibrmerly UDYLITE EQUIPMENT CO. Standard~ custom and "hard to find" parts for all UDYLITE machines are available using the original engineering and design data. The Company will continue to engineer and manufacture the CYCLEMASTER, SENIOR SPLIT-RAIL, C and E OBLIQUE BARREL machines.
AUdiolOgy
= Hoist systems for Barrel, or Rack • Split Rail machine, single or double file • Batch and/or random processing capabilities
Environmental Test Chambers • Cyclic Corrosion Chambers • Salt Fog & Humidity Chambers • Walk-in, Drive-in and Multi Gas test chambers
Centrifugal Dryers • 75 to 800 pound capacity • Choice of six sizes • Heating available fbr fast drying
Auto Technology Company 20026 Progress Drive • Strongsville • Ohio • 44149 Tel: 1-800-433-8336 • Fax (440) 572-7820 www.autotechnology.net • [email protected] Circle 006 on reader information card or go to w w w . m e t a l f i n i s h i n g . c o m / a d v e r t i s e r s •
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No question about it, We have your answers-and so much more! Contact us for more information LaurenHeard,SFIC 115SFifteenth Street,NW Suite500 Washington, DC20005 Phone:1-ZOZ-457-8404 Fax:1-202-530~0659 Emall:[email protected]
www.su~fin.net
/FIN September 18-21, 2006 H ~ w e s t Ail~ines Center~ Hilwaukee, W|, USA
42
W a s h e r : This section concerns costs that fall into several categories: • H e a t i n g the t a n k and maintaining it at t e m p e r a t u r e in a conventional system is a source of increasing concern. The onestep organic phosphating system is not heated. In a conventional system, a typical burner m a y be r a t e d at 1,500,000 BTU and operating at 75% efficiency (a conservative assumption). If the b u r n e r operates one eight-hour shift per day and if natural gas prices are $1.20 per therm, that burner is costing about $35,000 per y e a r in n a t u r a l gas costs alone. A 2,500,000-BTU b u r n e r will cost about $58,000 per year u n d e r those same conditions, and, if it operates two shifts, the costs will top $115,000. Heating more t h a n one tank, of course, also adds to the cost. • Electricity is used in the pumps, blow-off fans, and exhaust. These elements exist in both systems. However, in the case of one-step organic phosphating, the pumps and fans are generally less powerful and thus require less electricity b e c a u s e air flow and liquid flow are minimal in that system. A typical conventional installation might cost $4,000 for electricity per year for the washer, and the onestep organic phosphating system would probably cost a b o u t a quarter of that amount. www.metalfinishing.com
• Water: A great deal of water is used in conventional processes, but the one-step process does not use water at all. Although water costs are not a significant factor for some, others are paying ½ to 2/3 of a cent per gallon. One company we know of uses 300 gallons per hour and pays $14,000 a year j u s t to supply the water for its washer. This cost does not include dumping the water, neutralizing it, or paying the municipality to do it. • Labor for maintenance is reduced because parts are fewer and simpler and, importantly, there is no n a t u r a l gas equipment. In addition, the ongoing costs of obtaining water, waste water, and dumping permits and keeping up with reporting and renewals is eliminated. E v a p o r a t o r : If a pretreatment s y s t e m includes an evaporator, the n a t u r a l gas and labor costs will be important there as well. A 1,500,000-BTU burner operating eight hours per day will generate more t h a n $67,000 in n a t u r a l gas costs per year if the gas costs $1 per t h e r m , and over $73,000 at $1.20 per therm. Labor, at just an hour a day, will add up to about $5,000 per year. Of course, if the evaporator operates more t h a n eight hours per day, the costs will be higher. None of these costs apply to the one-step organic phosphating system. Waste collection and disposCircle 021 on reader al q u e s t i o n s c o v e r s e v e r a l elements: • Drums of sludge directly from the tank; • drums of sludge from the evaporator, if there is one; • labor; • and w a t e r to refill the t a n k after it is changed out. Disposal of a d r u m of sludge generally costs at least $500. If a company g e n e r a t e s 20 d r u m s a year of sludge, getting rid of these d r u m s would cost $10,000. One prospect t r e a t i n g 20,000 square feet of metal a day generates 30 d r u m s of sludge and spends about $15,000 a year on hauling. Lost production and quality issues are other areas of costs
o f t e n n o t c o n s i d e r e d . It normally takes about an hour a day to h e a t up a tank, during which time no t r e a t m e n t can be accomplished. At lunchtime, at the end of the day, when changing the types of metals being treated, and sometimes at other times, a conventional system pretreater must leave gaps in the production line. The reason for the gaps is during those periods (assumed to be an hour per day total), no painters would be available to coat parts, and any parts in process that haven't been seal coated or gone through the dry-off oven can flash rust. And finally, most companies report about 40 hours
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43
,
,~
.......
Figure 3: S m a l l , e f f i c i e n t batch spray washer: parts are pretreated and dripped off on manual or automatic cycle,
per year for maintenance downtime t h a t occurs during the workday. Summing up these lost production costs, a user for whom goods produced are valued at (for example) $200 an hour would be losing more t h a n $100,000 a year in goods not produced. In a one-step organic phosphating system, the t a n k is not heated, so work can start right away. Parts are protected from flash
r
IN JUST SECONDS OFF with the OLD ON with the NEW
DISPOSABLE, SLIP-ON DANGLER HEADS ADVANTAG
ES:
NO LOST PLATING TIME.
u.s. Po,.#,,t 11,781
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rusting for weeks, so line gaps are unnecessary. And m a i n t e n a n c e is much less; you j u s t change filters and clean or replace polyethylene curtains a couple of times each year. In addressing quality, conventional p r e t r e a t m e n t systems are quite erratic because the chemistry is inherently unstable and m u s t be monitored daily or even several times each day. When the chemistry is not balanced, performance and quality suffer. This is a difficult cost to quantify, because finished goods m a y not be defective and continue to be sold and shipped. But the reject rate can be monitored, as can the r e t u r n rate. Moreover, if a customer is dissatisfied, it costs the pretreater/coater goodwill and can compromise sales if the lost client must be replaced. G I V I N G THE P R O S P E C T A N O V E R A L L COMPARATIVE COST As we can see, there are several different high costs associated with conventional phosphating. On the other side, the only major cost in the one-step organic p h o s p h a t i n g process is the chemical itself. The higher the square footage of metal treated, the more significant the chemical costs.
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Mid-Western Processes,Inc. 32043 HowardSt., MadisonHeights,MI 48071 248/588-6500Fax 248/585-8636 Email: [email protected] Website: mid-westernprocesses.com
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Circle 071 on reader informationcard or go to www.metalfinishing.com/advertisers www.metalfinishing.com
ing, however, the installations are less expensive in At a certain high production level, the cost of the chemicals will outweigh the other operating beneany case. Installations can be a dip or spray (lowpressure flowcoat) process, and they can be batch, fits. But with the cost of n a t u r a l gas, in particular, indexed, or in-line. These variants affect installation going through the roof, t h a t upper limit has been rising steadily. costs, and the choice of installation type depends on the user's individual needs. Whichever option is choP u t t i n g these costs together is the job of the ROI sen, though, the costs will be significantly less t h a n calculator. A "typical" smaller user t r e a t i n g 8,000 a conventional system because it is a single-stage, square feet of metal per day, heating a single t a n k no-rinse process. There is no n a t u r a l gas equipment eight hours a day, paying $1 per t h e r m for n a t u r a l to install, and only one t r e a t m e n t stage. Moreover, gas, r u n n i n g an evaporator, and creating 12 drums because of the low air and liquid pressure required of sludge a year, could save about $200,000 annually using the one-step process compared to a convenby the process, pumps and fans are smaller and less tional system. If he were paying $1.40 for his natuexpensive. Finally, installation labor costs are lower because of the simplicity of the systems. ral gas (last fall's price), he would be saving about A small user might want a very simple dip t a n k $220,000 a year. holding 100 gallons of t r e a t m e n t chemicals. Such a At a higher production level, a user treating 50,000 t a n k would be made of stainless steel or molded square feet per day, paying $1 per therm for natural polypropylene, with a pump and filter, a cover for use gas, running an evaporator and creating 75 drums of when the t a n k is not in operation, and a very lowsludge per year, could look to save about $13,000. If he was paying $1.40 per therm, his savings would be velocity exhaust system. The cost for such a system is about $39,000 per year. Going to a second shift or very low and the performance is every bit as good as heating a second tank would only increase the costs of the conventional system, compared to the one-step organic phosphating Binks, the single source fc- ~" ...... process. CAPITAL
COSTS
What about capital costs? These are not included in the ROI calculator at this point, but some discussion is in order. Preliminary to any capital cost discussion for a one-step system, a prospect should consider seeking g o v e r n m e n t g r a n t s or lowcost loans for this process t h a t eliminates n a t u r a l gas, w a t e r use, and solid waste. Such financial incentives are available in m a n y jurisdictions. Aside from government financ-
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• NEW' • USED • REBUILT WHEEL BLAST OR AiR BLAST AUTOMATED SYSTEM ¢'TuMBLE BLASTS v"WIREMv.st~B~H" ,/Hook MACHINES v/TABLEBLASTS
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a larger, in-line flowcoat system. The only difference is the dip tank is designed for batch operation. Another good option is a batch spray washer, which consists of a box dimensioned to the parts (or racks of parts) to be treated, with the chemical reservoir underneath and risers and nozzles lining the inside of the box. The parts rack is placed inside the washer, the door is closed, and parts are flowcoated and dripped off in the chamber. When the process is completed, the exhaust is turned on for a short time, and then parts are ready to be removed. This system can be made completely m a n u a l or may employ timers for the process p h a s e s - - a n d costs will vary accordingly. However, it is a simple and inexpensive way to treat parts in a batch system. The cost for an in-line tunnel is chiefly dependent on the line speed, because the t r e a t m e n t area and drip-off/blow-off area must be longer for a higherspeed system. But a system running at four feet per m i n u t e needs four feet of t r e a t m e n t area and (depending on p a r t s configuration and blow-off) about 25 to 35 feet of drip-off/blow-off a r e a - - p l u s an entry and exit "buffer zone." Only the tank, risers, nozzles, and other elements t h a t come in contact
with the chemicals need to be m a d e of stainless steel, so the drip-off housing area can be polypropylene or galvanized. Moreover, compared to a conventional system, an in-line tunnel only has one t r e a t m e n t stage, so it is a simpler and less expensive unit because most of the length is simply housing.
CONCLUSION The cost comparison program developed by the distributors of the one-step organic p h o s p h a t i n g process contains a great amount of detail for those who want it, and because it is an Excel file, parameters can be changed to reflect the actual user profile. Prospects may find additional items applicable to their p a r t i c u l a r operations; those can also be incorporated into the model. The ROI calculator is a solid method for making what would otherwise be rather difficult and complex comparisons.
For more information, contact the author at (e-mail) [email protected], mf
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www.metalfinishing.com
~
n an article describing one-step organic phosphating rinsed, and the bath is extremely stable and never published in the February 2006 issue of this maganeeds to be changed out. zine, it was stated that the distributors of the oneThe cost savings associated with these differences in operations are very significant. So how does a step process had developed a computer-based method for comparing the costs of a conventional pretreatment potential user compare conventional p r e t r e a t m e n t wash system with the one-step system. In this article, to the one-step organic phosphating process? we explore that in more detail, since a company considering its p r e t r e a t m e n t choices m u s t make such RETURN ON I N V E S T M E N T CALCULATOR comparisons as part of its decision-making process. The distributor of the one-step process has develCosts, of course, are not the only criteria for the decioped a q u e s t i o n n a i r e designed to accomplish two sion to invest in a one-step system. The ease of use, stapurposes (see Figure 1). Most importantly, of course, bility of the bath, and consistent performance of the is to calculate the customer's true costs associated process, as well as environmental considerations, and with their conventional system and compare these permitting issues are also part of the equation. to the costs associated w i t h the one-step organic Conventional s y s t e m s are phosphate system. But since no set of questions can quite similar to each other in most respects. They all use water, heat, multiple t r e a t m e n t stages, rinse(s), and, perhaps, a separate seal stage. Comparing the differences among t h e m is relatively easy, because there are not very m a n y variables to contend with. Conversely, the one-step process is different from conventional wash systems, so all costs must be considered from scratch. For example, prospective customers tend to assume, based on their experience w i t h conventional p r e t r e a t m e n t wash systems, they will have to cont i n u e to pay the high (and rising) cost of fuel to h e a t w a t e r tanks. These same prospects assume they will have to deal with obtaining and maintaining permits for the dumping of water, oil, sludge, and other wastes. They also a s s u m e t h e i r b a t h s m u s t be c o n s t a n t l y tested because t h e y will be unstable. In m a k i n g these assumptions, t h e y discount the very reasons w h y a one-step process is so attractive. The one-step organic p h o s p h a t i n g process is really different--it operates at room t e m p e r a t u r e , creates Figure 1: ROI questionnaire. no sludge, uses no water, is not June 2006
41
possibly cover everyone's individual situations, the other reason for the questions is to get the u s e r thinking and contributing to the analytical process. The main questions asked are shown in Figure 1. As is evident, these questions are divided into categories for easier analysis. Some discussion of these categories is in order. ANALYSIS G e n e r a l : This section describes the overall operat i o n - - p r o d u c t i o n volume, hours of operation and prices of n a t u r a l gas, electricity, water, chemicals, and labor.
Figure 2: Low-pressure spray w a s h e s oils and fines off the parts, then applies a p h o s p h a t e and a resin.The resin cures during drying.
FINISHING EQUIPMENT SYSTEMS Auto Technology Company acquired IYNIFIED EQUIPMENT SYSTEMS (UES) ibrmerly UDYLITE EQUIPMENT CO. Standard~ custom and "hard to find" parts for all UDYLITE machines are available using the original engineering and design data. The Company will continue to engineer and manufacture the CYCLEMASTER, SENIOR SPLIT-RAIL, C and E OBLIQUE BARREL machines.
AUdiolOgy
= Hoist systems for Barrel, or Rack • Split Rail machine, single or double file • Batch and/or random processing capabilities
Environmental Test Chambers • Cyclic Corrosion Chambers • Salt Fog & Humidity Chambers • Walk-in, Drive-in and Multi Gas test chambers
Centrifugal Dryers • 75 to 800 pound capacity • Choice of six sizes • Heating available fbr fast drying
Auto Technology Company 20026 Progress Drive • Strongsville • Ohio • 44149 Tel: 1-800-433-8336 • Fax (440) 572-7820 www.autotechnology.net • [email protected] Circle 006 on reader information card or go to w w w . m e t a l f i n i s h i n g . c o m / a d v e r t i s e r s •
Discover cost-effective solutions to meet your manufacturing requirements
•
Gain a solid perspective about today's management challenges
•
Update yourself on the latest government regulations impacting our industry
•
Learn about enabling technologies that address environmental standards
•
Reinforce supplier relationships at a two-day exhibition tailored to meet your demanding schedule.
No question about it, We have your answers-and so much more! Contact us for more information LaurenHeard,SFIC 115SFifteenth Street,NW Suite500 Washington, DC20005 Phone:1-ZOZ-457-8404 Fax:1-202-530~0659 Emall:[email protected]
www.su~fin.net
/FIN September 18-21, 2006 H ~ w e s t Ail~ines Center~ Hilwaukee, W|, USA
42
W a s h e r : This section concerns costs that fall into several categories: • H e a t i n g the t a n k and maintaining it at t e m p e r a t u r e in a conventional system is a source of increasing concern. The onestep organic phosphating system is not heated. In a conventional system, a typical burner m a y be r a t e d at 1,500,000 BTU and operating at 75% efficiency (a conservative assumption). If the b u r n e r operates one eight-hour shift per day and if natural gas prices are $1.20 per therm, that burner is costing about $35,000 per y e a r in n a t u r a l gas costs alone. A 2,500,000-BTU b u r n e r will cost about $58,000 per year u n d e r those same conditions, and, if it operates two shifts, the costs will top $115,000. Heating more t h a n one tank, of course, also adds to the cost. • Electricity is used in the pumps, blow-off fans, and exhaust. These elements exist in both systems. However, in the case of one-step organic phosphating, the pumps and fans are generally less powerful and thus require less electricity b e c a u s e air flow and liquid flow are minimal in that system. A typical conventional installation might cost $4,000 for electricity per year for the washer, and the onestep organic phosphating system would probably cost a b o u t a quarter of that amount. www.metalfinishing.com
• Water: A great deal of water is used in conventional processes, but the one-step process does not use water at all. Although water costs are not a significant factor for some, others are paying ½ to 2/3 of a cent per gallon. One company we know of uses 300 gallons per hour and pays $14,000 a year j u s t to supply the water for its washer. This cost does not include dumping the water, neutralizing it, or paying the municipality to do it. • Labor for maintenance is reduced because parts are fewer and simpler and, importantly, there is no n a t u r a l gas equipment. In addition, the ongoing costs of obtaining water, waste water, and dumping permits and keeping up with reporting and renewals is eliminated. E v a p o r a t o r : If a pretreatment s y s t e m includes an evaporator, the n a t u r a l gas and labor costs will be important there as well. A 1,500,000-BTU burner operating eight hours per day will generate more t h a n $67,000 in n a t u r a l gas costs per year if the gas costs $1 per t h e r m , and over $73,000 at $1.20 per therm. Labor, at just an hour a day, will add up to about $5,000 per year. Of course, if the evaporator operates more t h a n eight hours per day, the costs will be higher. None of these costs apply to the one-step organic phosphating system. Waste collection and disposCircle 021 on reader al q u e s t i o n s c o v e r s e v e r a l elements: • Drums of sludge directly from the tank; • drums of sludge from the evaporator, if there is one; • labor; • and w a t e r to refill the t a n k after it is changed out. Disposal of a d r u m of sludge generally costs at least $500. If a company g e n e r a t e s 20 d r u m s a year of sludge, getting rid of these d r u m s would cost $10,000. One prospect t r e a t i n g 20,000 square feet of metal a day generates 30 d r u m s of sludge and spends about $15,000 a year on hauling. Lost production and quality issues are other areas of costs
o f t e n n o t c o n s i d e r e d . It normally takes about an hour a day to h e a t up a tank, during which time no t r e a t m e n t can be accomplished. At lunchtime, at the end of the day, when changing the types of metals being treated, and sometimes at other times, a conventional system pretreater must leave gaps in the production line. The reason for the gaps is during those periods (assumed to be an hour per day total), no painters would be available to coat parts, and any parts in process that haven't been seal coated or gone through the dry-off oven can flash rust. And finally, most companies report about 40 hours
information card or go to www.metalfinishing.com/advertisers
IIUALITY IS JUST A CLICKAWAY www~hardwoodline.com P~ Complete Product in~rmation
,P~JDownload i
Brochures:
Request a Quote
+r~ Technical Support
Hardwood Line i
Cal!ToilFree800-443-O093 Email~sales hardwoodline.com
Circle 022 on reader information card or go to www.metalfinishing.com/advertisers June 2006
43
,
,~
.......
Figure 3: S m a l l , e f f i c i e n t batch spray washer: parts are pretreated and dripped off on manual or automatic cycle,
per year for maintenance downtime t h a t occurs during the workday. Summing up these lost production costs, a user for whom goods produced are valued at (for example) $200 an hour would be losing more t h a n $100,000 a year in goods not produced. In a one-step organic phosphating system, the t a n k is not heated, so work can start right away. Parts are protected from flash
r
IN JUST SECONDS OFF with the OLD ON with the NEW
DISPOSABLE, SLIP-ON DANGLER HEADS ADVANTAG
ES:
NO LOST PLATING TIME.
u.s. Po,.#,,t 11,781
,
~, ~
~ :
. . . .
rusting for weeks, so line gaps are unnecessary. And m a i n t e n a n c e is much less; you j u s t change filters and clean or replace polyethylene curtains a couple of times each year. In addressing quality, conventional p r e t r e a t m e n t systems are quite erratic because the chemistry is inherently unstable and m u s t be monitored daily or even several times each day. When the chemistry is not balanced, performance and quality suffer. This is a difficult cost to quantify, because finished goods m a y not be defective and continue to be sold and shipped. But the reject rate can be monitored, as can the r e t u r n rate. Moreover, if a customer is dissatisfied, it costs the pretreater/coater goodwill and can compromise sales if the lost client must be replaced. G I V I N G THE P R O S P E C T A N O V E R A L L COMPARATIVE COST As we can see, there are several different high costs associated with conventional phosphating. On the other side, the only major cost in the one-step organic p h o s p h a t i n g process is the chemical itself. The higher the square footage of metal treated, the more significant the chemical costs.
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Slip off built-up heads, and slip on fresh, new heads without removing Dangler Assembly from barrel. LONGER CABLE LIFE.
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ing, however, the installations are less expensive in At a certain high production level, the cost of the chemicals will outweigh the other operating beneany case. Installations can be a dip or spray (lowpressure flowcoat) process, and they can be batch, fits. But with the cost of n a t u r a l gas, in particular, indexed, or in-line. These variants affect installation going through the roof, t h a t upper limit has been rising steadily. costs, and the choice of installation type depends on the user's individual needs. Whichever option is choP u t t i n g these costs together is the job of the ROI sen, though, the costs will be significantly less t h a n calculator. A "typical" smaller user t r e a t i n g 8,000 a conventional system because it is a single-stage, square feet of metal per day, heating a single t a n k no-rinse process. There is no n a t u r a l gas equipment eight hours a day, paying $1 per t h e r m for n a t u r a l to install, and only one t r e a t m e n t stage. Moreover, gas, r u n n i n g an evaporator, and creating 12 drums because of the low air and liquid pressure required of sludge a year, could save about $200,000 annually using the one-step process compared to a convenby the process, pumps and fans are smaller and less tional system. If he were paying $1.40 for his natuexpensive. Finally, installation labor costs are lower because of the simplicity of the systems. ral gas (last fall's price), he would be saving about A small user might want a very simple dip t a n k $220,000 a year. holding 100 gallons of t r e a t m e n t chemicals. Such a At a higher production level, a user treating 50,000 t a n k would be made of stainless steel or molded square feet per day, paying $1 per therm for natural polypropylene, with a pump and filter, a cover for use gas, running an evaporator and creating 75 drums of when the t a n k is not in operation, and a very lowsludge per year, could look to save about $13,000. If he was paying $1.40 per therm, his savings would be velocity exhaust system. The cost for such a system is about $39,000 per year. Going to a second shift or very low and the performance is every bit as good as heating a second tank would only increase the costs of the conventional system, compared to the one-step organic phosphating Binks, the single source fc- ~" ...... process. CAPITAL
COSTS
What about capital costs? These are not included in the ROI calculator at this point, but some discussion is in order. Preliminary to any capital cost discussion for a one-step system, a prospect should consider seeking g o v e r n m e n t g r a n t s or lowcost loans for this process t h a t eliminates n a t u r a l gas, w a t e r use, and solid waste. Such financial incentives are available in m a n y jurisdictions. Aside from government financ-
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a larger, in-line flowcoat system. The only difference is the dip tank is designed for batch operation. Another good option is a batch spray washer, which consists of a box dimensioned to the parts (or racks of parts) to be treated, with the chemical reservoir underneath and risers and nozzles lining the inside of the box. The parts rack is placed inside the washer, the door is closed, and parts are flowcoated and dripped off in the chamber. When the process is completed, the exhaust is turned on for a short time, and then parts are ready to be removed. This system can be made completely m a n u a l or may employ timers for the process p h a s e s - - a n d costs will vary accordingly. However, it is a simple and inexpensive way to treat parts in a batch system. The cost for an in-line tunnel is chiefly dependent on the line speed, because the t r e a t m e n t area and drip-off/blow-off area must be longer for a higherspeed system. But a system running at four feet per m i n u t e needs four feet of t r e a t m e n t area and (depending on p a r t s configuration and blow-off) about 25 to 35 feet of drip-off/blow-off a r e a - - p l u s an entry and exit "buffer zone." Only the tank, risers, nozzles, and other elements t h a t come in contact
with the chemicals need to be m a d e of stainless steel, so the drip-off housing area can be polypropylene or galvanized. Moreover, compared to a conventional system, an in-line tunnel only has one t r e a t m e n t stage, so it is a simpler and less expensive unit because most of the length is simply housing.
CONCLUSION The cost comparison program developed by the distributors of the one-step organic p h o s p h a t i n g process contains a great amount of detail for those who want it, and because it is an Excel file, parameters can be changed to reflect the actual user profile. Prospects may find additional items applicable to their p a r t i c u l a r operations; those can also be incorporated into the model. The ROI calculator is a solid method for making what would otherwise be rather difficult and complex comparisons.
For more information, contact the author at (e-mail) [email protected], mf
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