2002 PROJECT SUMMARIES:

• Anderson Development Company, Adrian, Michigan
• Flex-N-Gate Forming Technologies, LLC, Warren, Michigan
• Harbor Steel, Inc.,  Spring Lake, Michigan 
• Howard Plating Industries, Madison Heights, Michigan
• Huron, Inc., Lexington, Michigan
• Ondeo Nalco, Jackson, Michigan
• Lacks Enterprise, Inc., Grand Rapids, Michigan
• Rapid Line, Inc., Grand Rapids, Michigan

2001 PROJECT SUMMARIES:

Summer 2001- DEQ-EAD placed two chemical engineering students from the University of Michigan in metal finishing facilities as part of the Metal Finishing Pollution Prevention Initiative. We purchased a conductivity meter for each facility. The interns facilitated the installation of the conductivity meters and evaluated their performance. The projects are described below.

• Allied Finishing installed a conductivity meter in a rinse tank to reduce fresh water usage. A conductivity meter was used as an indicator to trigger the flow of fresh water to the tank. With the conductivity meter installed continuous fresh water make up was eliminated. Instead water to the tank flows on and off as a function of tank conductivity. Once the conductivity set point is reached, it relays a signal to the solenoid valve to turn on the water until the lower set point is reached. Then the water is shut off only to start the process all over again. The engineering intern evaluated the effectiveness of the meter and determined the water savings.
• ElectroPlating Industries, EPI, also used an intern to install a state-purchased conductivity meter. She conducted the same analysis as the intern at Allied Finishing (see above.)