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Expert in Plating and Related Technologies
Available for your Consulting and Expert Witness Needs
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| Summary of Expertise: |
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Primary Expertise Areas:
(links show more experts in each area)
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Expertise Description: |
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aluminum chemical conversion coating material expert
anodizing expert
bright anodizing expert
chromate conversion coating material expert
chromate treatment expert
continuous anodizing expert
copper electroplating process expert
copper plating process expert
decorative coating material expert
electroless nickel plating expert
electroless plating process expert
electroplating process expert
etched printed circuit board expert
gold electroplating process expert
gold plating process expert
integral color anodizing expert
laminate material expert
lithographic printing plate expert
metal etching expert
metal finishing process expert
metal surface evaluation expert
nickel electroplating process expert
nickel plating process expert
oxide coating material expert
phosphate coating material expert
plating process expert
printed circuit board expert
printed circuit board cleaning expert
printed circuit board laminate expert
printed-wiring board fabrication expert
printed-wiring board plating process expert
tin plating process expert
tin-nickel alloy plating process expert
wet chemical etching expert |
PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARD (PCB) AND PRINTED WIRING BOARD (PWB) FABRICATION; PLATING; ELECTROPLATING; WET PROCESSING. Expert has spent much of his past and present career involved in problem solving, R & D, and process development in the area of wet processing. This has included surface cleaning, etching, electroless plating (copper, nickel, tin, gold), and electrolytic plating (copper, nickel, solder, gold). His recent work includes process startup and characterization for a major microwave circuit board manufacturer. LAMINATES. Expert's work with PCBs includes familiarity with the materials aspects of various laminates used in conventional, flex, and microwave circuitry. In addition, he is familiar with various types of copper and other foil claddings. METAL FINISHING; METAL SURFACE EVALUATION; DECORATIVE COATING. Expert is experienced in the area of surface preparation and finishes for decorative and engineering purposes. This includes electroplating with copper, nickel, and gold as well as electroless plating with copper, nickel, tin, gold, and oxides. PLATING TRAINING. Expert has conducted training programs for both electroplating and electroless plating. These were custom tailored to specific groups such as research technicians with non-technical college degrees, mechanical and electrical engineers, and production platers with very little education. BRIGHT AND INTEGRAL ANODIZING PROCESSES; LITHOGRAPHIC PRINTING PLATE. A substantial portion of Expert's career has involved anodizing. This includes bright anodizing for automotive trim, color anodizing, and integral color anodizing for architecture. He has also done considerable work on anodic treatments for aluminum lithographic printing plates, which involved continuous coil anodizing. CONVERSION COATINGS; CHROMATE TREATMENT. Expert has experience in the application of various conversion coatings such as chromates, phosphates, silicates, and oxides. These have been applied to aluminum for corrosion protection and as adhesion enhancement for subsequent organic coatings. He has also worked with copper oxide treatments for PCB inner layer bonding.
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| Show Secondary and Basic Areas of Expertise |
Localities: Expert may consult nationally and internationally, and is also local to the following cities: Boston, Massachusetts; Worcester, Massachusetts; Springfield, Massachusetts; Bridgeport, Connecticut; New Haven, Connecticut; Hartford, Connecticut; Stamford, Connecticut; Waterbury, Connecticut; Manchester, New Hampshire; and Providence, Rhode Island.
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Degree |
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Subject |
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Institution |
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1982
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M.S.
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Materials Science/Polymer Science
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University of Connecticut
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1970
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B.A.
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Chemistry
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Southern Connecticut State College
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| Years |
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Department |
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Title |
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Responsibilities |
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1990 to
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(Undisclosed)
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Independent Consultant
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Expert offers problem-solving, process control, process development, and training services to the metal finishing industry.
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1983 to 1990
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Rogers Corporation
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R&D, Special Projects
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Senior Development Engineer
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He worked on microwave materials/process development on PTFE microwave circuit materials, customer technical assistance in areas of failure analysis, analytical work, and circuit fabrication. Failure analysis and analytical techniques included optical & SEM microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray, thermal analysis, and liquid chromatography. He worked on all aspects of circuit fabrication on PTFE laminates with emphasis on wet processes (etching, electroless & electroplating).
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1975 to 1983
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Rogers Corp.
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R&D, Engineering Plastics
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Sr. Development Engineer
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Expert worked on the development of an accelerated heat-aging test for phenolic molding compounds, the characterization of physical and chemical properties of phenolic resins and engineered grade phenolic molding compounds, and worked with the materials/process development of a phenolic/fiber based "matrix" product used in flexographic printing.
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1970 to 1975
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Rogers Corp.
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R&D, Printing Products Development
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Development Engineer
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He worked on coil and sheet anodizing, sealing, conversion coatings, and other aluminum surface passivation treatments for lithographic printing plates.
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1960 to 1970
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Olin Corporation
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Metals Research Lab
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Development Engineer
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Expert worked on anodizing, dyeing, and sealing for automotive trim and decorative / architectural uses. Other areas of work were corrosion resistance studies, basic research into oxide formation and sealing mechanisms (radio tracer studies) of anodized aluminum, development of electrolyte for integral color architectural anodizing, and electroplating on aluminum and copper alloys.
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1959 to 1960
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Litho Chemical & Supply Company
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Research and Development
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Research Chemist
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He worked on passivation treatments, anodizing, and conversion. He also worked on coatings for passivating aluminum surfaces for lithographic printing plates.
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1954 to 1960
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Sylvania Corning Nuclear Corporation
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Process Control Lab
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Laboratory Technician
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Expert worked on nickel plating process control and chemical analysis. He also worked on the development of an electroless nickel on aluminum process.
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1953 to 1954
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Vulcan Rubber Products Company
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Development Lab
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Lab Tech
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He worked on the preparation of
experimental rubber compounds for rubber coated fabrics.
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Associations/Societies
Expert is currently a member of the American Electroplaters & Surface Finishers Society (AESF) and the American Chemical Society (ACS).
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Licenses/Certifications
He is a Certified Electroplater Finisher (CEF) through the AESF.
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| Publications: |
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Publications and Patents Summary
Expert has six publications and one patent.
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Selected Publications and Publishers
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- Annual Technical Meeting of the Society of Plastics Engineers
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- National Meeting of the American Chemical Society (ACS)
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- Presented at the National Association of Corrosion Engineers
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- Plating and Surface Finishing
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| Selected Consulting Examples: |
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Expert was asked to solve an etching and plating problem at a flex circuit manufacturer. The problems were very thin shorts between lines (unetched out copper) and unplated areas on lines in subsequent nickel / gold plating. Many defect parts were examined by microscope.Time was spent going through the manufacturing steps in production. Samples were pulled at each step. Subsequent examination by microscope indicated these problems were caused by residue of unremoved photoresist.The problem was traced to the photoresist stripper which was found to have a faulty filter. It was leaving some tiny fragments of photoresist film in the solution and these would on occasion redeposit on the work.
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Expert was asked to help a microwave circuit board shop that was unable to ship their product for a few weeks due to high rejects from their heavy deposition electroless line. They wanted to change to a low deposition electroless copper followed by electroplated copper. They wanted to do some experimental work first to make sure it would be successful. Expert's work involved setting up the new process in an unused prototype line and running samples for them using the new method. This worked out well and a change over was made on the production line. A subsequent visit was made to define a window of operation using the small experimental line. In this work, the concentration of electroless copper bath components were varied, as well as temperature and time.
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He was asked to help a company that manufactures packaging machinery to evaluate the feasibility of setting up captive anodizing and electroless nickel lines. An onsite visit was made to see the sizes of parts and numbers of parts that had to be processed, as well what sort of production rate would be needed. There was also the question of availability of adequate space, which they happened to have. Information was provided to them explaining each process, what chemicals were involved, and what companies sold them. Equipment was sized based on part size, number, and volume. Both lines were laid out indicating sequence and what equipment was needed for each process tank. Suppliers and prices were supplied. The general environmental regulations were spelled out and the appropriate local agencies and individuals were identified. After doing the above, they were put in touch with an engineering company that would actually do the installation.
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Expert was asked to help a research organization speed up copper plating in blind vias that were bottomed out on a lower copper layer. This was an array of vias and was taking a very long time to plate (hours). The part was not very large so the concepts used in high-speed strip plating were applied and a demonstration experiment in their laboratory showed how it could be reduced to the order of several minutes. This involved design of a special cell as well.
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Help was requested by a small manufacturer who had a captive nickel plating operation. They had periodic bouts of pitting and blistering. At their site, defects were examined and the day was spent with the production people so the process could be followed. After this, recommendations were made with respect to using adequate rinsing after electrocleaning, better agitation filtering, and temperature control on the nickel bath. Information was provided on some simple chemical analysis kits they could use.
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Recent Client Requests:
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Zinc plating process expert for consulting on circuit board manufacturing issues.
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Expert in titanium anodizing for consulting on anodizing titanium panels (flat or curved) and honeycomb core.
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Expert in anodization of 7075 aluminum alloy for cause analysis of cosmetic color discolorations.
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Galvanic corrosion expert needed for consulting on corrosion inhibitors.
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Refractory metal expert for consulting on refractory metal issues.
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Copper electroplating expert for consulting on copper electro and electroless plating process.
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Expert in phenolic resin for consulting on pultrusion in off shore applications.
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Nickel corrosion expert for consulting on salt spray failure.
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Plating expert for consulting on Discoloration of bright nickel plating on copper.
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Expert in analysis of dye defects for consulting on nylon/polyester fabrics.
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Plating expert for consulting on electroplating tin over copper.
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As a member of the Intota consultant network,
Expert is a specialist who provides technical consulting to corporate, legal and government clients. Expert provides professional consulting as a Plating Consultant and Related Technologies Consultant. Expert may consult as an independent consultant or as a member of a consultancy, consulting company,
or consulting firm. Consultants service will be covered by a consulting contract.
Ask an expert initial screening questions and ask the experts services particulars, by simply submitting
an expert request.
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Expert Witness Experience Summary:
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Expert worked as an expert witness for the U.S. DOJ,Environmental and Natural Resources Div. on a Superfund cleanup case in 2001-2002.
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Intota experts can serve as expert witnesses or litigation consultants offering expert testimony, expert advice, litigation support,
forensic services, and related expert witness services. Expert can serve as an expert witness or litigation consultant in intellectual property (patent, trademark, trade secret, copyright),
product liability, and insurance matters. Expert may provide forensic expert witness testimony, litigation consulting services, forensic investigation,
and forensic testing if appropriate in litigation areas as a Plating Expert Witness and Related Technologies Expert Witness.
Intota provides attorneys and legal professionals the opportunity to ask an expert initial screening questions and
ask the experts services particulars by submitting an expert request.
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| International Experience: |
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| Years |
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Country / Region |
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Summary |
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1993 to 1993
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France/St. Cloud
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Expert was asked to transfer technology that he had worked on subsequent to retiring. This technology had been sold to a French electronics company. The technology concerned a different method of electroless plating on PTFE substrates. This took two weeks at their pilot plant. It involved working with the French engineers and production people and helping them get started while they went through the process and producing samples for evaluations.
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Expert serves as a resource to
Intota Market Research Services
for customized marketing research in industries or areas related to
Plating and Related Technologies.
Experts are an invaluable source of overall industry insight as well as insight into specific companies and firms for
custom business to business (b2b) and industrial market research. Intota uses analyst and
consultant resources from Guideline whose Research Directors manage the research and analysis of the qualitative
and quantitative data as well as report writing for the custom studies. The methods and tools
used by Intota market research combine the insights of technical experts and industry insiders with secondary
research to provide the custom b2b and industrial market research you need.
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| Additional Skills and Services: |
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Training/Seminars
He has given plating training seminars for non-chemical professionals, as well as a simplified version for production workers.
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Supplier and Vendor Location and Selection Expert has experience locating vendors of:
electroplating chemicals and equipment; metal finishing equipment; printed circuit fabrication equipment; waste treatment instrumentation and regulatory information; laboratory equipment and instrumentation; and, analytical laboratories. He has access to the following resources: print materials; a database; and personal contacts.
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Other Skills and Services
He has been teaching chemistry at a local community college. He has experience in applying programs such as Microsoft Excel and Access for quality control and troubleshooting in the metal finishing lab.
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