Surface Treatment Course

Lesson 1 • Material Science Fundamentals

Covers atomic structure, bonding, and surface energy as they relate to treatment adhesion and reactivity. Connects material properties to treatment selection.

Lesson 2 • Surface Defects and Contamination

Identifies common surface defects, contaminants, and their origins in manufacturing. Prepares students to diagnose problems before treatment begins.

Lesson 3 • Introduction to Surface Treatment

Defines surface treatment, its industrial purpose, and scope across manufacturing sectors. Establishes the conceptual framework used throughout the course.

Lesson 1 • Thermal and Ultrasonic Cleaning

Introduces burn-off ovens, flame cleaning, and ultrasonic bath technology for specialised substrates. Highlights temperature control and equipment safety requirements.

Lesson 2 • Chemical Cleaning and Degreasing

Examines solvent degreasing, alkaline cleaning, and acid pickling for contaminant removal. Connects chemical selection to substrate compatibility and environmental compliance.

Lesson 3 • Cleanliness Verification and Testing

Teaches water-break, tape, and UV fluorescence tests to confirm surface cleanliness before coating. Reinforces quality checkpoints as integral to the preparation workflow.

Lesson 1 • Phosphating Processes

Covers iron, zinc, and manganese phosphate chemistries, bath management, and coating weight control. Connects phosphate layer properties to paint adhesion and corrosion protection.

Lesson 2 • Anodising of Aluminium

Details sulphuric, hard, and chromic acid anodising, including electrolyte management and sealing steps. Links oxide layer thickness to wear and corrosion resistance outcomes.

Lesson 3 • Chromate and Trivalent Conversion Coatings

Examines hexavalent and trivalent chromate processes, regulatory restrictions, and performance trade-offs. Prepares students to transition toward compliant alternatives.

Lesson 1 • Rack and Barrel Plating Operations

Compares rack and barrel plating configurations, fixturing, and current distribution strategies. Guides students in selecting the appropriate method for part geometry and volume.

Lesson 2 • Plating Line Troubleshooting

Diagnoses pitting, burning, poor adhesion, and low efficiency using systematic root-cause analysis. Builds problem-solving skills applicable to any plating operation.

Lesson 3 • Electroplating Principles

Explains Faraday's laws, current density, and electrode reactions governing metal deposition. Provides the electrochemical foundation required for all plating operations.

Lesson 4 • Common Plating Metals and Baths

Covers nickel, copper, zinc, chrome, and precious metal plating baths, additives, and operating ranges. Connects bath chemistry to deposit hardness, brightness, and adhesion.

Lesson 1 • Feedstock Materials and Selection

Covers metallic, ceramic, cermet, and polymer feedstocks in wire and powder form. Connects feedstock properties to deposit hardness, porosity, and bond strength.

Lesson 2 • Hot-Dip Galvanising and Aluminising

Details flux preparation, bath temperature control, and withdrawal speed for hot-dip zinc and aluminium coatings. Links coating thickness and alloy layer formation to corrosion life.

Lesson 3 • Coating Integrity Evaluation

Teaches bond strength pull-off tests, cross-section metallography, and porosity measurement for thermal spray deposits. Reinforces quality assurance as a continuous process step.

Lesson 1 • Curing and Drying Processes

Covers air drying, forced-air, infrared, and UV curing mechanisms and their effect on film crosslink density. Connects cure schedule to final coating hardness and chemical resistance.

Lesson 2 • Coating Chemistry and Formulation

Covers resin types, pigments, solvents, and additives that determine coating performance and application properties. Connects formulation choices to corrosion resistance and durability.

Lesson 3 • Film Defect Identification and Correction

Identifies sagging, orange peel, fisheye, and cratering defects and their root causes. Equips students to implement corrective actions during and after application.

Lesson 4 • Powder Coating Application

Details electrostatic spray and fluidised bed powder coating processes, grounding, and Faraday cage effects. Prepares students to optimise transfer efficiency and coverage.

Lesson 1 • Electrochemical Evaluation Methods

Introduces open-circuit potential, polarisation curves, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy for coating assessment. Links electrochemical data to coating barrier and cathodic protection performance.

Lesson 2 • Accelerated Corrosion Testing

Covers salt spray, cyclic corrosion, and humidity testing protocols, specimen preparation, and rating scales. Connects test severity to real-world service environment correlation.

Lesson 3 • Field Exposure and Service Evaluation

Examines outdoor exposure rack testing, in-service inspection, and failure analysis techniques. Prepares students to correlate laboratory results with real-world coating performance.

Lesson 1 • Statistical Process Control Fundamentals

Introduces control charts, capability indices, and sampling plans for monitoring surface treatment parameters. Connects SPC data to early detection of process drift.

Lesson 2 • Control Plans and Work Instructions

Teaches development of process control plans, standard operating procedures, and visual work instructions. Ensures process knowledge is documented and consistently applied by operators.

Lesson 3 • Audit and Certification Readiness

Prepares students for quality management system audits, supplier assessments, and certification requirements. Links internal audit skills to sustained process compliance and customer confidence.

Lesson 4 • Continuous Improvement Methodologies

Applies Lean and PDCA frameworks to reduce waste, cycle time, and defect rates in surface treatment lines. Prepares students to lead improvement projects from data to implementation.