As a Finishing Chemical Supplier, What NADCAP Means to Me! And You...

As it seems like every end user and specifier is choosing NADCAP as the quality program of choice, I am seeing more metal finishers implementing the NADCAP system. As a supplier of the processes the finishers use, that typically means great things for me.

The biggest impact on a supplier? NADCAP means that our Technical Data Sheet which has the many variables we use to control the process, has now become a Quality Document that must be followed to the letter of the law.  Auditors will have the TDS in one hand and the Process Sheets in the other as they audit the line. You better have it right!

So, why is this good for me? Because our baths are now being measured twice and used once to borrow an analogy, and are analyzed to a level and frequency that quite often exceeds our recommendations. Our processes now run better and the metal finisher is now more invested in all of this analysis.  With some supplier help of course!

Variables Upon Variables Upon Variables!

What does it take to electroless nickel plate aluminum? A quick estimate? 20 different Quality Checks. What are we looking at? We need to analyze the multiple components that make up each bath and there are required temperature, pH and other checks to be done. Then there are tank and equipment requirements. What does that TDS call out for these? The NADCAP Auditor will be looking at the everything from the quality of the rinses to the equipment used from start to finish further making sure our entire process is being done correctly, effectively and under control. 

And how about the operators? Training is now going to take a giant step forward and suddenly the operators for my tanks will no longer be plating "by rote”. They’ll now need to know what each tank is and how and why we use it far beyond the rudimentary knowledge found in most shops.  This is training the supplier will be happy to give as again, it makes the finisher better and our job easier!

And “water break tests” are now not good practice but a strict requirement. There is no faster way to a NADCAP Major Finding than an operator who forgets to perform or doesn’t know what a water break test is… 

And best of all… For me and maybe not for the shop sending the work to the finisher… We now know everything we need to know about your parts before we stick them in the 1st available tank we can find… The paperwork and purchase orders now need to be much more complete. And when that PO gets to the finisher? Believe it or not, Contract Review may be the hardest change when implementing NADCAP.

Contract Review Now a Must!

No longer will I be confronted with “we didn’t know it was 2024 before we plated them” or my favorite… "I passivated 400 grade stainless and something really bad happened”. No more having to figure out “How can I fix this”. Because we’ll have that info at our finger tips when we do Contract Review. We will right?

We know all of this because there is no way you would send an order to the finisher without a well done PO, the blue print at the right revision, the plating specification and of course… The parts are inspected so we know the quantity and condition is correct. 

To tell a quick story… When I left a NADCAP plater to become a chemical salesman I visited a commercial shop and realized… That shop could actually run a job faster than the NADCAP shop was able to create the job traveler. Imagine that. Longer to create the paperwork! That's the kind of impact NADCAP has on the finisher so if you want your parts run faster, send the right info!

And I won’t get into the #1 cause for defects at most shops… Masking rejects! How that PO and print can help… But that’s a way too long article to be saved for another day! 

So in summary: NADCAP brings with it a huge effort and commitment (read MONEY) that will elevate everyone’s game and instill a discipline that will have great benefits (also read MONEY). You are a better finisher and a better supplier and hopefully a better customer and in the end we all win. Even your friendly neighborhood chemistry supplier.