Historical Articles

September, 1953 issue of Plating

 

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Mail Box

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Subject: Expanding the Scope of the A.E.S.

DEAR SIR:
I was very interested to read the comments of Mr. Leonard Weeg in your May, 1953 issue, and your editorial remarks regarding the need for the extension of the scope of the A. E. S. to include also finishing techniques other than electroplating.

This is a problem which we have had to face in this Institute over the last two years, and it has proved necessary to deal with it by the drastic measure of changing the name of the Electrodepositors’ Technical Society to the Institute of Metal Finishing to meet the full needs of the industry.

The application of organic and related finishes has become a subject all on its own and there has hitherto, in this country at any rate, been no suitable forum for the discussion of the processes concerned. The scientific and technical bodies dealing with paints are principally interested in the manufacturing side of the business and their membership has always consisted largely of people having only a secondary interest in paint application.

As a start we have, therefore, formed in London an Organic Finishing Group, which will have its own programme and which is organizing a series of interesting meetings and conferences. There is- a large amount of available material suitable for papers and discussions, and there will be no difficulty in organizing meetings on the vast range of subjects with which’ metal finishing is concerned quite apart from electroplating. Additionally, the local branches of the Institute are incorporating at least one meeting on organic finishes on their programme for the coming season.

I feel sure that the A. E. S. would do well to broaden its scope on similar lines this would not only meet the real needs of a large number of your members but would introduce a new group of members, both corporate and individual, thus strengthening the Society financially.

In industry today it is necessary for platers to have a wide outlook and to take an interest in every aspect of finishing; organic finishes must be regarded as complementary to, rather than competitive with, electroplating, and there are other processes coming along which they must be familiar with also.

As I have for many years personally taken the keenest interest in the work of the A. E. S. I should very much like to see the Society develop on these lines and would take the opportunity of wishing it every success in the future.

H. SILMAN,
President, Institute of Metal Finishing

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