Specification Plating of Fasteners

For fast turnaround and consistent quality control, the manufacturing process must be controlled. It makes the difference in high-quality, high-volume, "in-spec" fastener plating.

Plating fasteners and metal parts for use in many industries and meeting high quality standards are what Jagemann Plating does well. The Manitowoc, Wisconsin, company plates millions of parts per week for the automotive, commercial, medical, housewares and general consumer industries as well as the Navy. It provides 8,000 to 15,000 lbs of plated fasteners per week. Eight semi-trucks leave the company's plant each day.

Jagemann plates EPI, Inc. copper, MacDermid nickel, bright nickel, hard chrome and chrome, Enthone bright zinc (both cyanide and alkaline), and applies JS500 (MacDermid silica-type sealer) and Alodine chromate coatings from Parker Amchem. It also provides metal finishing services such as polishing, bright dipping, degreasing, lacquering and salt spray testing.

The company is best known for chloride zinc and nickel chrome rack and barrel plating, according to Todd R. Hacker, quality control manager. Parts plated range in size from a washer pin having a 1/8-inch diameter to four-ft by eight-ft steel sheet.

The company started business on December 3, 1945, in a building the size of a two-car garage. Its founder was Joseph C. Jagemann. His philosophy was to give the best quality and service to the customer, while providing a competitive price. This philosophy is still followed fifty years later.

In 1950, the company moved to its present location on South 26th Street in Manitowoc. Over ten expansions have taken place since that move. "Many of the changes have occurred because of government regulations and the technical plating needs of our customers," said Arthur N. Jagemann, who became president of the company in 1976 after his father's death.

Since then, he and his employees have taken Jagemann Plating Company to its present prominent position by tackling new markets and positioning it for the year 2000.

The Jagemann plated fasteners vary by industry and application. For the automotive industry, Jagemann plates ferrules and inserts for hose assemblies; mounting clips and related hardware and fenders as well as brake disks. Also, for the fastener industry a volume of various nuts and bolts are plated. The company also plates fabricated laser assemblies.

For the medical industry, bed frames, platform and related hardware are plated. Also, frameworks, panels and housings are finished.

For the housewares and commercial industries, Jagemann plates everything from flag pole holders to the total internal mechanism for paper dispensers.

For the home, lawn and garden market, its plating includes blades, handles, and fastening caps for scissors, pruners and related products. Bases for saws and rollers for tread mills are also plated at its plant in Manitowoc.

"We have to meet the stringent specifications set by General Motors, Ford and Chrysler, plus Navy specifications. Quality control is based on Mil-Std 45662 and Mil-Std 105D," stated Mr. Hacker.

"Key to our plating volume and high quality is controlling the input into the plating processes and continuous inspection of the plating thickness of the fasteners and parts. Parts are plated on either an eight-bay Jessup automatic barrel line or our 16-bay Jessup automatic rack line," reported Mr. Hacker.

In process, parts from the plating company's load area are processed through a series of cleaner and acid baths prior to going into the plating stage. The fasteners and parts are first tested with a MFX plating thickness tester from CMI International as they emerge from the plating bath and prior to chromating. This helps operators set up the plating process for proper plating time.

The table-top tester combines eddy-current and magnetic induction for checking the plated fasteners and parts. The eddy-current mode provides Jagemann with high accuracy thickness measurements of copper, zinc, and electroplated nickel over ferrous metals. The tester is used primarily on zinc chloride and Watt's nickel plating. The zinc barrel plating consists of 40 to 120 lbs per load. Every five minutes plating operators test samples from each load.

Once the proper plating is determined, the master timer is set to control the plating process. Every barrel of plated parts is again tested before drying.

"Once around to the QC audit area, a visual and plating thickness test is again made. All necessary certification reports are printed and provided to Jagemann's customers. The need for restandardizing different types of plated steel parts has been eliminated. Plating fasteners, as a rule, is specification plating for our company. Customers will not accept any roll-over of fastener threads due to excessive barrel plating. This tester plays an important role when walking this fine line," explained Mr. Hacker.

"Quality Control is not an easy street to walk, but with consistent testing and knowing that the plating thickness readings meet our customers' specifications quality remains top-notch at Jagemann," concluded Mr. Hacker.