J.G. Kern Enterprises is a world-class CNC machining facility in Sterling, Michigan that manufactures close tolerance components for drivetrain and powertrain assemblies, chassis frames, and other components, starting from developmental prototypes to full production runs.
So when Brian Kern, President of J.G. Kern Enterprises, decided he wanted to better control the finish on slip yokes they were manufacturing for the automotive industry, he decided he wanted to investigate bringing that operation in house.
“We pride ourselves on providing superior quality products that are manufactured with the latest technologies, are competitively priced, and always delivered on time,” Kern says. “Making sure the finish on the slip yokes exceeded the specifications was just another way of delivering a superior product.”
In order to manufacture the slip yokes, raw castings are received from valued suppliers, and CNC turned on J.G. Kern’s state-of-the-art equipment. All parts are produced on one of the several production lines that are dedicated to that product.
Adding Electroless Nickel to Control Quality
John PawlowskiThe company was already performing several operations that could follow the turning and dictated by the individual part requirements, including induction heat treating, broaching, auto gauging, drilling and tapping holes, balancing, and grinding/polishing.
So instead of outsourcing the electroless nickel process, J.G. Kern decided to add that service to the growing list of offerings.
“Our main goal was to vertically integrate to control the quality and lead times by bringing the EN process back in-house," Kern says. "Simply stated, we wanted to better control our rapidly growing slip yoke business that required electroless nickel plating and offer our customers world-class quality.”
To accomplish this, the company brought in three of the industry experts to help them navigate the process of starting Premier Plating, a division of J.G. Kern that would handle their captive work for the slip yokes and other parts if needed.
Palm Technology supplied the equipment line, Kontek Process Water Management handled the waste treatment system, and MacDermid Enthone Industrial Solutions was brought in to supply the chemistry for the new world-class electroless nickel plating line.
Environmentally-Compliant Solutions
The new EN line at J.G. Kern.The system uses MacDermid’s NiKlad ELV electroless nickel chemistry, which are environmentally-compliant solutions formulated specifically for metal finishers and design engineers that must conform to recycling initiatives.
John Pawlowski, Business Development and Product Line Manager for Electroless Nickel – Americas, says their entire NiKlad ELV line eliminates lead and cadmium from being used as stabilizers and brighteners in EN coatings and meets strict ELV (End of Life Vehicle), WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment), and RoHS 3 (Restriction of Hazardous Substances) regulations.
The NiKlad ELV line provides enhanced uniform deposits, predicable plating rates, and exceptional corrosion resistance that covers the conventional range of nickel-phosphorus deposits from 5-9% P. Additionally, Pawlowski says the NiKlad ELV systems run in existing, standard equipment with no loss of performance compared to conventional systems.
"Quality was at the forefront,” Pawlowski says. “And Brian wanted an electroless nickel line that could handle his growing volumes, yet still meet or exceed his and his customer's quality expectations."
Working with Charles Johnson and Chris Finley from Palm, along with Glenn Russell and Mike Strileski from Kontek, the MacDermid Enthone team led by Pawlowski with consultant, Boules Morcos, worked in partnership to make sure both the equipment and waste treatment for the electroless nickel plating line was second to none.
Maximizing Productivity While Enhancing Quality
“Brian engaged all of us, and we meet regularly to take full advantage of having the ability to build the line around his slip yokes,” Pawlowski says. “Every step of the process was mindful of the type of part we were trying to plate. No stone was unturned from equipment design, rack design, minimizing part handling, and optimizing the cleaning process to maximize productivity while keeping quality as the key measurable.”
Kern says his vision of creating Premier Plating was accomplished by his trust in the suppliers he partnered with. It was a true win-win for all parties involved and a remarkable achievement, but the key was having all parties engaged early in the planning process, which resulted in what Pawlowski says is an electroless nickel line that is a benchmark for the industry.
Since the installation in 2016, Premier Plating has electroless nickel plated millions of slip yokes in the MacDermid Enthone mid-phos cadmium and lead-free chemistry using the Palm Equipment with first-time yields of five sigma results, and soon to reach six sigma. The Kontek waste treatment system has kept the plant in compliance, as well.
“It’s a testament that quality does sell,” Pawlowski says.
Visit www.jgkern.com , www.macdermidenthone.com , www.palminc.com , and www.kontekwater.com .
