When the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) implemented stringent permissible exposure limits for hexavalent chromium in early 2006, the goals seemed impossible. Achieving the same or higher levels of performance with chrome-free technologies, particularly in the aerospace industry, simply didn’t appear feasible. The hurdles were too great. The costs were too high. The finishing industry collectively groaned, “We can’t.” OSHA set the bar and said, “Try it.” And guess what - we’ve come a long way.

“Can’t” has become a new four-letter-word around our house lately, thanks to my enterprising two-year-old. He’s a determined kid, who refuses to take no for an answer, even when something seems physically impossible.

“Touch the ceiling, Mama,” he’ll say, when clearly it’s out of my reach. Or, after he’s done numerous somersaults in our living room, he’ll turn to me and say, “You do it.” Never mind that it’s been decades since I last attempted a somersault, and even then I was no good at it.

Telling him “I can’t” always elicits the same response. My son tilts his head to the side, narrows his eyes in a defiant challenge and commands, “Try it.”

Wait a minute. Aren’t I supposed to be the one challenging him?

When the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) implemented stringent permissible exposure limits for hexavalent chromium in early 2006, the goals seemed impossible. Achieving the same or higher levels of performance with chrome-free technologies, particularly in the aerospace industry, simply didn’t appear feasible. The hurdles were too great. The costs were too high. The finishing industry collectively groaned, “We can’t.”

OSHA set the bar and said, “Try it.”

And guess what - we’ve come a long way. Technologies such as high-velocity oxygen-fuel (HVOF) thermal spray have replaced engineered hard chrome (EHC) in many aerospace applications and have even exhibited benefits over conventional chromium coatings. (See the article "Chrome-Free Aircraft Finishing" in this issue.) Likewise, a new cryogenic nitrogen vapor cooling process for HVOF coatings has been shown to improve productivity significantly over traditional air-cooled processes, while also reducing the spraying time and the amount of powder and process gases consumed.

And such success stories aren’t limited to the aerospace industry. For example, while many U.S. manufacturing plants and finishing firms are struggling to stay in business, Architectural & Industrial Metal Finishing Co. in Vermillion, OH, is experiencing rapid growth. Faced with the challenge of increasing costs, the company could have thrown in the towel. Instead, it invested in a new spray booth that has increased its powder coating efficiency and optimized color changes, which ultimately has made the company more profitable. And when Hollman, Inc., of Irving, TX, challenged its suppliers to provide environmentally friendly wood finishing products, the result was a stunning new line of high-end “green” kitchen cabinetry.

Faced with a seemingly insurmountable obstacle, it’s easy to become discouraged and say, “I can’t.” But applying yourself to the challenge can bring substantial rewards.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a somersault to try.


“Whether you think that you can, or that you can’t, you are usually right.” -Henry Ford