Finally, the time has come: Since the beginning of September 2021, Dr.-Ing. Max Schlötter GmbH & Co. KG can also be found on social media. The company has its own account on Facebook, LinkedIn and Xing. "Social media have established themselves as an integral part of corporate communication. Almost half of all German companies use social networks and therefore Schlötter would also like to use this versatile marketing channel to cultivate customer relationships even better" says Julia Krämer, responsible for marketing and communication at Schlötter. In the future, Schlötter's social media team will regularly post news from the company and introduce people who work at Schlötter. Potential applicants who are interested in working for Schlötter will be able to find out more about Schlötter and form their own impression of the company. Schlötter’s social media presence is not only aimed at potential applicants, but also at customers and suppliers. It is also interesting for them to learn about the people behind Schlötter.

new skilled workers generally enjoys a high priority at Schlötter. The company is again offering several apprenticeships for 2022. Applications will be accepted starting from September 2021.

(ZVO) zählen zu den wichtigsten Branchentreffen der Galvanotechnik. Nach der coronabedingten Absage im Jahr 2020 finden die Oberflächentage 2021 nun vom 23./24.09.2021 als Hybrid Edition in Berlin statt. Zugelassen sind insgesamt 500 Präsenzteilnehmer, die Zahl der Online-Teilnehmer ist unbegrenzt. Das Kongressprogramm wird begleitet von einer Industrieausstellung, auf der 41 nationale und internationale Aussteller aus Industrie und Wissenschaft über aktuelle Produkte und Innovationen informieren. Auch die Dr.-Ing. Max Schlötter GmbH & Co. KG ist am Donnerstag, den 23. September, mit zwei Vorträgen im Kongressprogramm vertreten: Dr. Michael Zöllinger, Geschäftsführer von Schlötter, wird über die Energieeffizienz galvanotechnischer Systeme referieren. In seinem Vortrag geht er darauf ein, welche energetischen Einflüsse zu der galvanischen Abscheidung beitragen und wie sich diese Einflüsse bilanzieren lassen. Aus einer ganzheitlichen Betrachtung von Anlagentechnik und den galvanotechnischen Verfahren lassen sich dabei erstaunliche Erkenntnisse zur Einsparung von elektrischer und thermischer Energie ableiten, so dass sich gleichzeitig der CO2-Fußabdruck der galvanischen Beschichtung verringern lässt. Christine Maier, Leiterin des Geschäftsbereichs Anlagentechnik von Schlötter, stellt mit den Smart Services digitale Galvanolösungen vor. In ihrem Vortrag konzentriert sie sich auf Anforderungen der Galvanotechnik und vergleicht diese mit bereits verfügbaren und in Entwicklung befindlichen Ansätzen aus dem Industrie 4.0-Werkzeugkasten. Anhand von Praxisbeispielen digitaler Anwendungen speziell für die Galvanotechnik erläutert sie die Verknüpfung von analoger und digitaler Welt und erklärt die daraus resultierenden Vorteile. Im Vordergrund steht dabei das Monitoring von Verfahrens- und Anlagenwerten mit einem Ausblick auf die laufende Weiterentwicklung der Anlagenfähigkeiten.

election process. On behalf of compamedia, the organiser of the TOP 100 innovation competition, innovation researcher Prof. Dr. Nikolaus Franke and his team examined Schlötter's innovative strength. The researchers used around 120 test criteria from five categories as a basis: Innovation-promoting top management, innovation climate, innovative processes and organisation, external orientation/open innovation and innovation success. Schlötter participated in the innovation competition for the first time and was successful right from the start. Innovation has a long tradition at Schlötter. After all, the company was founded in 1912 as an electrochemical research laboratory. Even today, around 25% of all employees work on the development of new electroplating processes at the headquarters in Geislingen. Schlötter's commitment to research & development can also be measured by the number of patents from the fields of chemistry and plant technology that are filed each year. From 2018 to 2020, for example, 22 national and international patents were filed by Schlötter employees and one national and 9 international patents were granted in the last 2 years, including patent EP 3481976 for the SLOTOLOY ZN VX technology, a particularly resource-efficient process for the deposition of alkaline zinc-nickel, which was awarded the Innovation Prize of the State of Baden-Württemberg in 2018. "We are very pleased to receive this award! After all, it is a visible sign of our successful research and development activities and a very special award for the efforts of our employees. In keeping with the tradition of our company founder Max Schlötter: "Trusting in the old to create the new", we strive every day to make a visible contribution to the technological leadership of our customers. The protection of our natural resources is particularly close to our hearts. For this reason, many of our new projects deal with the challenging issues of data transmission, the mobility of tomorrow, or the closing of material cycles. All of this is only possible with our great team from all areas of the company!", says Dr. Michael Zöllinger, Managing Director of Schlötter. Prof. Dr. Nikolaus Franke, the scientific director of TOP 100, is impressed by the award-winning medium-sized companies. "The TOP 100 companies have consistently oriented themselves towards being as innovative as possible," he states. On 26 November there will be another reason to celebrate: then all the award winners of the current TOP 100 year will come together to receive congratulations from Ranga Yogeshwar at the 7th German SME Summit in Ludwigsburg. The science journalist has been mentoring the innovation competition for ten years. Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Hochstromkontakt entwickelt, für den im Juni 2020 ein Gebrauchsmuster (Nr. 20 2020 103337) erteilt wurde. Der neue Hochstromkontakt zeichnet sich durch eine kompakte Bauform, redundante Isolation und Temperaturüberwachung aus. Die definierte Einfahröffnung in Kombination mit der optionalen Positionierkontrolle gewährleisten, dass die Warenträger positionsgetreu und kontaktiersicher abgelegt werden können. Mit hohem Anpressdruck, Isolation und Temperaturüberwachung bietet der Hochstromkontakt optimalen Brandschutz bei hoher Leistungsübertragung und kompakter Bauform. Dies gilt besonders bei Verwendung der optionalen Wasserkühlung. Der Hochstromkontakt besteht aus Standardbauteilen, kann werkzeuglos gewartet werden und ist durch die kompakte Bauform für viele Einbausituationen geeignet. Ohne Wasserkühlung kann der Hochstromkontakt bis 3500 Ampere, mit Wasserkühlung bis 7000 Ampere eingesetzt werden. Für weitere Informationen wenden Sie sich bitte an: technik@schloetter.de

about new products. During a tour of the virtual exhibition stand visitors could look at various digital exhibits which were just a mouse-click away. The exhibits included Copper SLOTOCOUP PRT 2200, a reverse pulse plating process, which was developed for through-hole plating of printed circuit boards with very high aspect ratios which are used, eg., for manufacturing server boards, Pickle Degreaser SLOTOCLEAN BEF 1790 which reduces the risk of production-related hydrogen embrittlement, and various processes for direct metallisation of plastics. Schlötter’s plant engineering division exhibited a new high-power contact and an optimised zinc dissolving station (also filed for patent). For the first time, Schlötter also presented Schlötter Smart Services, the company’s new digital solution for the Internet of Things (IoT). Schlötter Smart Services consist of two main features: online plant monitoring and process monitoring via a web-based application. In doing this, important parameters such as the plant output or the temperature and pH value of the electrolytes being used can be monitored automatically. The Italian company Italtecno, with whom Schlötter has recently concluded a cooperation agreement, was also present at the virtual trade fair. Thomas Haberfellner, Head of Sales and Service at Schlötter, drew a positive conclusion: “Overall, we were very pleased with the attendance, as we were able to welcome many hundreds of visitors at our booth. Our webinar lectures, which were a first for Schlötter, were particularly popular. The webinars resulted in many interesting discussions and in-depth talks as well as appointments for individual webinars”. Extensive webinar program The virtual trade fair also included several webinars. Following webinars are also availabe in English:

• On the verge of series production– SLOTOSIT KM 3000 – metallisation of special plastics
• 3 in 1 – the solution for MSAP and SAP – SLOTOCOUP SF50
• SLOTOCOUP PRT 2200 – high aspect ratios with the new Reverse Pulse Plating System for VCP and SVP systems
• Pickle degreaser of the next generation – SLOTOCLEAN BEF 1790 – more process safety regarding hydrogen embrittlement during pickling
• Time, energy and resources – Focus on economy and CO2 savings: High-performance plating of zinc-nickel in the alkaline barrel system SLOTOLOY ZN 210 VX
• Boric acid-free acidic high-gloss zinc bath – SLOTANIT BSF 1660
• Time, energy and resources - focus on economy and CO2 savings: KOH-based zinc system ZINCASLOT ZA 2390 - fast and with remarkable metal distribution
• Schlötter Smart Services Digital solutions for electroplating
• Time, energy and resources – focus on economy and CO2 savings: High Temperature Anodising Process. Anodising Additive WM 80 L – energy savings (lower voltage and less cooling)
• Nickel free cold sealing for architectural and decorative applications and Superseal for automotive application

Interested in our webinars?

If you have missed one of the webinars, please contact us at messe@schloetter.de. We are happy to schedule an individual appointment for you.  

"Method for the galvanic deposition of zinf and zinc alloy layers from an alkaline coating bath with reduced degradation of organic bath additives" - this is the title of European patent EP 3481976, which was granted to Dr.-Ing. Max Schlötter GmbH & Co. KG on 15 April 2020.This somewhat lengthy title refers to Schlötter's SLOTOLOY ZN VX technology, which was awarded the Innovation Prize of the state of Baden-Württemberg in 2018. The SLOTOLOY ZN VX technology is the basis for two zinc-nickel alloy baths SLOTOLOY ZN 80 VX (for rack applications) and SLOTOLOY ZN 210 VX (for barrel applications). Both electrolytes feature a significantly reduced formation of cyanides and a lower consumption of organic additives compared to conventional alkaline zinc-nickel electrolytes. At the same time, the bath voltage is significantly reduced and energy efficiency is significantly increased. The VX systems offer  following advantages:

• Efficient use of resources: The overall consumption of chemicals is lower, since significantly less organics are degraded. Due to the lower cyanide content of the electrolyte, a lower nickel concentraction is required. Less raw materials are required to operate the electrolyte, which has a positive effect on consumption costs. Due to the lower bath voltage and less needs forcooling, the overall power consumption is reduced by up to 30%.
• Higher productivity: The current efficiency increases by 5-10% for barrel applications and by approx. 5-7% fro rack applications. Due to the higher current yield, the deposition rate is simultaneously increased by approx. 5-20%, thus the output of electroplating plants can be increased by up to 30% (for barrel applications).
• Strengthening of environmental and climate protection: The significant energy savings in plating, the faster deposition rate and the savings in organic additives not only lead to an increase in productivity, but also to a significant reduction in cyanide and wastewater volume per plated parts and a reduction in energy and chemical consumption in wastewater treatment. The new process thus represents an active contribution to environmental and climate protection.

Meanwhile, both SLOTOLOY ZN VX 80 and SLOTOLOY ZN VX 210 have performed tremendously well in practice for about three years and are in use worldwide.

Interested in our webinar?

If you want to learn more about Schlötter's SLOTOLOY ZN VX technology, you can register for our webinar "„Wirtschaftlichkeit und CO2-Einsparung im Fokus. Hochleistungsabscheidung von Zink-Nickel im alkalischen Trommelsystem SLOTOLOY ZN 210 VX“.  We are happy to schedule an individual webinar for you. Please contact us at messe@schloetter.de

In the future, Schlötter will cooperate with the Italian specialist Italtecno srl. in Modena in the field of surface treatment of aluminium and thus expand its competence in the field of surface treatment.

Italtecno was founded in 1974 and specialises in the research and development of surface treatment technologies for aluminium and its alloys. In the early 1980s Italtecno expanded its market for chemical products, machinery and systems outside Europe and in many different sectors (aluminium for use in the building and construction, automotive and aerospace industries, and for decorative, mechanical and other industrial purposes) and in 1983 sold an important licence for special anodising technologies to Lockheed, thus making its debut on the American market. Italtecno then opened subsidiaries in Brazil, India and the Far East, as well as offices for agencies, sales and technical service in 25 different countries worldwide. With internationally recognized experts and researchers, Italtecno is one of the key partners for all users in the industry. Italtecno, based in northern Italy, works in close contact with customers to develop tailor-made technological solutions and provide post-sales technical support wherever an Italtecno customer is located in the world. This philosophy perfectly matches the product and service philosophy of Schlötter and forms the basis for a good future partnership.

Schlötter will expand its portfolio of galvanic specialty chemicals by the anodising portfolio and the know-how of Italtecno and thus offer sales and service for processes for aluminium surface treatment in the future. Due to a very close cooperation also in the development area, tailor-made customer solutions for aluminium surface treatment can be offered in this way, as known from Schlötter's electroplating area.

At the virtual trade fair, which took place in June, attendees got a comprehensive picture of the new product portfolio on the special galvanic processes of Schlötter and the new processes for aluminium surface treatment of Italtecno. During this period, our sales teams from the fields of technology and electroplating chemistry, as well as the specialists from the Research & Development department, were on hand to discuss and explain the various processes. We welcome your questions and suggestions.

 

Your Schlötter Team – Solutions for electroplating

 

www.schloetter.de messe@schloetter.de