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Technology & Innovation
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BEYOND SURFACES
Spring
16
Everything that sparkles, glitters and
shines attracts the attention of us
humans. Not for nothing are products
containing attractive metal-look com-
ponents in vogue, and often perceived
to be of high quality. Cars and electrical
devices, the kitchen and the bathroom
all contain fine chrome-look plastic
parts. The commonest chrome plating
methods however pose hazards to the
environment and people, especially the
chromium (VI) compounds used in gal-
vanic coatings. From 2017, the Europe-
an Union REACH regulation shall
prohibit the use of chromium (VI) com-
pounds. Oerlikon Balzer’s new ePD
technology metallizes plastic parts in an
environmentally and health-friendly way.