MIRDC-DOST conducts training on spincasting and electroplating in Eastern Samar

Tuesday, June 11, 2013

Dir. Amosco-of DOST-E. Samar welcomed the speakers
 and participants of the training


The Department of Science and Technology – Metal Industry Research and Development Center (DOST-MIRDC) conducted a training on Spin Casting and Electroplating Processes last June 5-7, 2013 at the Conference Hall of the DOST – Provincial Science and Technology Center, Eastern Samar State University - Main Campus, Borongan City, Eastern Samar. Engr. Wilfredo R. Lim and Engr. Edilbert M. Dela Peña, both Senior Science Research Specialist from MIRDC, served as resource speakers of the said event.

With the concurrence of DOST – Provincial Science and Technology Center (PSTC) - Eastern Samar and PSTC - Biliran, the three-day activity was attended by the owners and workers of Domtusan-an Jewelry and Repair Shop of Borongan City, Eastern Samar and ACAI Goldsmith’s of Naval, Biliran. The said training was conclusively been of interest and success. Engr. Dela Peña conspicuously discussed things about Spin Casting or also known as centrifugal rubber mold casting (CRMC). This is a method of utilizing centrifugal force to produce castings from a rubber mold. Typically, a disc-shaped mold is spun along its central axis at a set speed. The casting material, usually molten metal or liquid thermoset plastic is then poured in through an opening at the top-center of the mold. The filled mold then continues to spin as the metal solidifies or the thermoset plastic sets.

On the other hand, Engr. Lim certainly explains the Electroplating process. This process uses electrical current to reduce dissolved metal cations so that they form a coherent metal coating on an electrode. The term is also used for electrical oxidation of anions onto a solid subtrate, as in the formation silver chloride on silver wire to make silver/silver-chloride electrodes. Electroplating is primarily used to change the surface properties of an object (e.g. abrasion and wear resistance, corrosion protection, lubricity, aesthetic qualities, etc.), but may also be used to build up thickness on undersized parts or to form objects by electroforming. Hence, this focuses on the principles and process of electroplating, decorative chromium, hard chromium, gold/silver and zinc plating.

Both trainers and participants gained knowledge and skills from each other through their hands-on/actual manipulation of equipment/machine and materials on both Spin Casting and Electroplating.

Domtusan-an Jewelry Repair Shop is one of the SETUP assisted project entitled “Innovation Systems Support for Jewelry Production of Domtusan-an Jewelry Repair Shop” and was funded last July 2012 in the total amount of Three Hundred Fifty Nine Thousand Pesos (Php359,000.00). Furthermore, ACAI Goldsmith a SETUP assisted project as well which was entitled “Improvement of ACAI Goldsmithery Production System Through Technology Upgrading” and was funded last April 2013 in the total amount of Four Hundred Sixty Thousand Pesos (Php460,000.00).

Beneficiaries/participants were able to acquire more ideas on how to run their business well and expects to improve their production using proper technology introduced in the said training. Nelly Jane N. Alpez, SRA