Historical Articles

May, 1953 issue of Plating

 

A.E.S. FOR ELECTROPLATERS OR METAL FINISHERS?

Leonard Weeg, Superintendent of Finishing Division, National Lock Company, Rockford, IL

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IN 1909 CHARLES PROCTOR and a group of interested men recognized the need for an organization to increase and spread the knowledge of electroplating and other metal finishing operations. From this early group came the American Electroplaters’ Society whose objective is stated clearly in the Constitution, as follows, “The object of the Society shall be the improvement and dissemination of the knowledge of the arts and sciences of electroplating and of finishing of metals and of allied arts, the development of a cooperative spirit of friendship and mutual assistance among its members”.

This objective clearly and precisely sets forth the needs in the metal finishing industry—whether or not the American Electroplaters’ Society will embark upon policies designed to meet these needs is the decision facing the group now. The future status of the Society depends upon this decision.

It is a matter of record that up to the present time the Society has been chiefly concerned with fulfilling only that part of its objective having to do with electroplating. Let one look at the record. The name of its journal is PLATING. Last year, PLATING contained approximately 261 pages of editorial matter. Of this total, 98 pages were concerned either with plating processes or closely allied subjects such as physical properties of deposits, corrosion testing of deposits and testing procedures for solutions. The research program contributed about 140 pages of editorial matter, making a total of 238 pages of editorial matter devoted to plating and closely allied subjects. The remaining 23 pages were distributed as follows: galvanizing 3, barrel finishing 5, sales promotion 1, general finishing stories 8, buffing 3, organic finishing 3.

The Editorial in the November, 1952 issue of PLATING was captioned “For the Advancement of the Science of Electroplating”. This editorial urged “seasoned campaigners along with newcomers to the field, both young and old, to take up their pens and in submitting manuscripts do their bit for the advancement of the science of electroplating”. The Editorial in the February, 1953 issue of PLATING urged all members to do their part to help increase membership and made this comment: “Perhaps you—as a member of the Society—have never thought to ask your electroplater friend to join”.

Thus one sees why the Society clearly deserves the name applied to it countless times—“The Platers’ Society”. It has gained this name because it focused its attention on electroplating. The Society has done a good job “in the improvement and dissemination of the knowledge of the arts and science of electroplating”. The Research Program of the Society is an activity of which it can well be proud. However, it the author’s feeling and the feeling of others, that many of the problems of the A. E. S. can best be solved by a true fulfillment of its stated objective.

Increases in membership, in manuscripts for publication, in support for the Research Program, in advertising, and in participation in the Industrial Finishing Exposition can most easily be achieved by broadening the scope of its interests to include all phases of metal finishing.

“The Iron Age” in its Metal Industry Facts for 1952, set forth these data collected from United States metal working plants employing 20 or more plant workers

Now compare editorial matter appearing in all issues of PLATING for 1952:

Polishing or Buffing 3 Pages
Painting and Lacquering 3 Pages
Electroplating 238 Pages

These data indicate the tremendous possibilities for the Society in the field of metal finishing. The need for the A. E. S. to do the kind of work in polishing and buffing, in painting and lacquering, as it has done in electroplating is obvious to anyone concerned with these operations. The data indicate more people are concerned with these operations than are concerned with electroplating. Will the Society meet their needs?

It is the writer’s belief that the A. E. S. must meet their needs. If it is to continue to sponsor an Industrial Finishing Exposition and to solicit advertising for plating in the general field of metal finishing—and the author believes it should do both—then it must fill the needs of all branches of metal finishing. The American Electroplaters’ Society was founded with that objective. Its policy should provide for achievement of the complete objective!