Integrated Power Services (IPS) is the USA’s leading independent provider of repair and maintenance services for electric motors, generators and mechanical power transmission components. Covering the whole of North America on a 24/7 basis, IPS integrates and supplies repair services, field services and product sales to thousands of customers working in asset-intensive industries. And for over thirty years, IPS has been using the SIFCO Process® of selective plating to repair and protect critical components such as the bearing fits on shafts, shaft journals and end bell bores.

The SIFCO ASC approach has been shown, over decades, to deliver consistent results in plating a wide range of materials and components. Unlike welding, which can deform the surrounding materials and generate extra work in machining, the SIFCO Process® leaves the surrounding area largely untouched and – as long as the surface is correctly prepared for application – adherence is superb.

At IPS, the SIFCO ASC approach is used to plate nickel to a thickness of up to 0.030” total, or 0.015” on each side of a journal or housing. While it is possible to build thicker layers, this involves stopping and re-starting the process and IPS operatives prefer not to do this. The company uses the SIFCO plating process mainly for small and medium components, but also for some large motor component repairs.

For IPS, the plating solution identified more than 30 years ago is still serving them well today – and long may it continue to do so. Matt Peterson, IPS Machine Shop Supervisor, concludes: “SIFCO ASC has been an integral part of the growth of our repair service division over the past three decades. They have expanded our repair capacity with their products and processes, trained many of our operators to improve their skills and offered continued technical advice in unique repair situations and when troubleshooting of an issue was necessary. I would highly recommend them.”
Read the full article in Products Finishing at PFonline.com.