South Bend, IN—Imagineering Finishing Technologies (IFT), the worldwide KnowledgeSource™ for manufacturers requiring surface finishing and non-destructive testing, recently hosted its second I-Tech at Ivy Tech State College. More than twenty clients, prospective clients, and internal staff attended the day’s sessions coving the features and benefits of passivation and new developments in
electroless nickel (EN).

The morning session covered the features and benefits of passivation, answering questions such as “What is passivation?” and “How can passivation improve your product?” After a catered lunch, the afternoon presentation covered new developments in EN. This session provided a brief history of EN, as well as discussing its properties and applications. The session also went in-depth into issues and trends in EN, including the new industry specifications for the impending End-of-Life (ELV) directive in the automotive industry and issues regarding co-deposition of PTFE and other materials.

IFT’s Proactive Approach to Industry Trends Benefits the Environment

In the face of the new industry specifications, Imagineering has taken a proactive approach in the development of environmentally friendly EN protective coatings for the automotive industry. Patented as UltraCem™, their new EN Boron UltraCem™ technology joins a wide range of leading edge finishing technologies offered by IFT. The new process promises to provide significant changes to the coating industry as an environmentally friendly, yet significantly harder and higher quality replacement to conventional chrome coating. UltraCem™ extends the life and reduces corrosion of critical metal components and acts as a weight reducing technology while maintaining a hard barrier surface on alloys such as aluminum or titanium—eliminating the need for heavier substrate alloys.

I-Tech Seminars Contribute to IFT’s Future Growth

The Summer I-Tech was IFT’s second in a series of educational seminars, the first taking place this past May. “We were very pleased with the level of participation in the Summer I-Tech,” President and CEO F. James Hammer, said. “This I-Tech continued IFT’s tradition of educating internally and externally in order to grow and advance together. Sharing our knowledge base with our customers is part of our vision toward maintaining our status as the industry KnowledgeSource™ for metal finishing solutions. Doing so also gives us first-hand information that allows us to continue providing our customers with an ultra-high level of customer service.”

IFT has taken their tradition of strong internal education and extended it to external associates. “Our growth is dependent on our ability to stay on the cutting edge of finishing technologies,” Randy Miller, Executive Vice President and COO, explained. “And the education of our team, as well as our aligned partner suppliers and customers, is an integral part of that future growth process. We’ve been making ourselves the best, now I-Tech allows us to share that with others.”

Imagineering Finishing Technologies is a provider of metal finishing and other protective coatings and services, as well as a solutions provider for organizations that face wear and corrosion issues. IFT offers a wide range of markets including electroless nickel plating, phosphates, chromate conversion, dry-film lubricants, and specialty paints. They primarily serve the automotive, medical, aerospace, military, heavy equipment, and electronics industries. Their processing facility is certified to world class quality and environmental standards, and they are one of the first metal finishing companies in the world to achieve QS-9000, ISO 9002, AS 9000, and Nadcap quality program accreditations, in addition to attaining the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System certification.

For more information on how your company can attend the next I-Tech or questions about Imagineering Finishing Technologies (IFT), write: Imagineering Finishing Technologies, Sales and Public Relations, 1302 W. Sample St., South Bend, IN 46619; Phone 1-800-207-2516, Fax 574-287-2970; E-mail info@iftworldwide.com, or check out IFT on the web at www.iftworldwide.com.

Press Information
Media Contact: Ron Barger
Phone: (269) 687-9128
E-mail: ronbarger@earthlink.net