Aurolia Success Stories
Improved occupational safety
with a positive side effect
Process optimization makes hydrofluoric acid unnecessary
Sometimes, on the path to a solution, one finds much more than expected. This was the case in a collaboration with one of our customers. They produce covers for connectors in electric vehicles using aluminum die casting. To remove the residues typical in this process, the components were previously pickled with concentrated hydrofluoric acid.
No hydrofluoric acid on
the Aurolia premises.
This hydrofluoric acid is an extremely dangerous substance. Upon contact with the skin, it not only immediately causes corrosion but also requires immediate injection of calcium gluconate – failure to do so can be fatal even with a small amount. Naturally, we wanted to support our customers in this task, but for safety reasons, working with concentrated hydrofluoric acid was out of the question for us.
Reach your goal on new paths
To be able to conduct the necessary experiments, we received the corresponding test components on the same day. The idea was to use sulfuric acid as a carrier substance in combination with a washing-active substance to remove the contaminants just as effectively. While the remaining components and nine employees of the customer were on their way to us, we set to work on further developing the hazardous pickling process. With success!
Not only safer,
but also better.
During the relocation of the production site, a process was developed within just two days that rendered the use of dangerous hydrofluoric acid unnecessary. While safety was paramount in the research process, we discovered much more than we had anticipated. The acid specifically designed for this process not only achieved better cleaning results but also imparted a higher gloss level to the component, resulting in a more appealing appearance. Thus, we were able to achieve better quality with significantly reduced occupational risks, hopefully preventing many future workplace accidents involving hydrofluoric acid among surface coaters worldwide.