Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Polychrome Plate History by Mr. Robert Gumbinner.....B machine


This is the continuing history note from Mr. Gumbinner and the history of the B machine built in the Ashburton Ave. factory and probably the machine which made smooth anodized presensitized plate called LS 100
A little later based on work done in an aluminum anodizing shop in Mount Vernon, a second line the B line for treating the aluminum in rolls up to 60 inches wide was ordered from Century. A hot tape splicing section and later a two station unwind stand was ordered from Deprieux in Germany. The anodizing section was two four foot diameter rubber covered drums in a tank with walls line for with lead water cooled pipes for cathodes. Because of leak problems by difference of weight of drums when in an empty tank and 16% sulfuric acid there were leak problems. So the tanks were used half full. This was followed by a series of tanks for rinsing and applying either a hot sodium silicate solution or a potassium zirconium fluoride solution. This was followed by a washing solution; then a deionized water rinse; then a drier. After this the aluminum was coated either with squeeze rollers or a photo sensitive solution made with the diazo precipitated with MS-40 combined with polyvinyl formaldehyde and epoxy resin such as epon 1004 or epon 1008.