Technical Delivery Conditions (TLC)

1. Condition of the Base Material
The goods must be delivered in a galvanizing-suitable condition. The raw parts must be free from:

• Soldering residues

• Welding residues

• Scale/ Oil carbon

• Burnt-in oils and fats

• Molding sand/ Casting skin

• Paint coatings

• Graphite

• Trowal residues

• Chemically non-removable residues

• Halogen- or silicone-containing preservatives

• Strong oiling

• Free from foreign parts such as punching waste/ chips

If, due to the condition of the raw parts, additional pre-treatment is necessary, this will be calculated separately and performed. Base material defects such as pores, cracks, voids, overlaps, etc., as well as corroded material, may lead to defective coating results and thus to exclusions of liability. For hardened and/or tempered parts, the hardening procedure and hardness level must always be specified, as this has a significant impact on the coating process. For electrogalvanizing, the components must be made of steel. If other materials are delivered for coating and unexpected reactions and/or results occur during or after the coating, we reserve the right to charge for any additional costs incurred.

2. Delivery
The goods provided by the customer must meet certain requirements to ensure smooth processing and the health of our employees. Below are the requirements for deliveries:

• Sufficiently labeled with the minimum information about the customer, item, and quantity

• No overfilled containers/ packaging

• No danger posed, e.g., falling parts when opening the container

• Packaging units must be free from damage

• Maximum weight for small containers is 15 kg

• Different coating procedures should, if possible, be delivered separately

• Containers should, if possible, be stackable

• Environmentally friendly packaging materials should be used, if possible

3. Coating Specifications
The goods will be coated according to the details from your order and our offer. The reference for the coating requirements will be the coating standards you have referred to. If no coating standard is provided by you, the generally accepted DIN standards will be applied. If changes occur in series parts, the customer must notify this in writing.

4. Process Stability and Requalification
The coating systems we use are periodically checked by our process monitoring and controlled using control charts. Once a year, a corrosion test is conducted on all the coating variants we offer using test panels. The highest known requirements from the relevant DIN and OEM standards are applied as the corrosion resistance guidelines for the individual coating systems.

5. Coating Thickness
We apply the coating thickness according to the requirements in the order and the applicable standards. If only a minimum coating thickness is specified, the maximum coating thickness is 25 µm. If no coating thickness specifications are provided, we coat in the range of 6 to 25 µm.
Due to the component geometry, there may be a failure to meet the minimum coating thickness or uncoated areas in internal areas, physical shielding areas, recesses, or holes. For threaded and fit dimensions on components, the coating thickness must be considered by the customer during production.
The coating thickness is measured during production at the measuring points specified by the customer in the drawing or order. If no measuring point is specified, the most suitable measuring point for electroplating will be assumed. We recommend reducing the minimum coating thickness to 6 µm for surfaces that will be reshaped after coating to minimize the risk of the coating detaching.

6. Corrosion Resistance
The corrosion resistance of the surface is a combination of the base material and the applied coating. Since not every base material is the same, we cannot provide a blanket confirmation for this entire system. For our coatings, we can guarantee compliance with the corrosion resistance requirements depending on the specific needs.
The testing of corrosion resistance on series parts is not part of our regular service and must be ordered separately. Further processing, such as reshaping the components, reduces the corrosion resistance of the coating, and we cannot guarantee the treated areas.

7. Special Tests

Special tests on components, such as thread tests, are not part of our regular service and must be ordered separately. Any necessary testing equipment for this must be provided and managed by the customer.

8. Optical Appearance

Most surfaces are technical coatings that meet the corrosion resistance requirements. There is no optical expectation in this case.
The passivations we use have an iridescent color, which can be minimized through subsequent sealing. A sealing forms streaks and accumulations of varying intensity depending on the geometry, which cannot be entirely avoided.
Components with a requirement for optical appearance, such as visible parts, must be defined and requested in advance. For decorative surfaces (e.g., nickel chrome), it must be clear from the inquiry whether it is a technical or high-gloss surface. For high-gloss surfaces, a separate pre-treatment through grinding and/or polishing is required.

9. Hydrogen Embrittlement
Unless explicitly stated, our offers do not include additional measures to prevent hydrogen embrittlement. If the tensile strength of the base material is > 1000 N/mm², a note regarding the hardness/strength of the material must be provided in the order/inquiry. In this case, measures to prevent hydrogen embrittlement in the coating process can be jointly determined.
The effectiveness of these measures is usually verified through strain tests of the goods in item-specific testing devices. These tests must be carried out by the customer.

10. Exclusions and Limitations for Rack Coatings
Due to the process, contact points with reduced corrosion resistance and optical impairment cannot be avoided. Acceptable contact points must be defined by the customer before production begins. If parts need to be processed in a closed manner due to geometry or the process, any residues or corrosion products present in the interior cannot be removed. Welded structures made of pipe elements or hollow bodies must be provided with drain holes.
A production defect of up to 1% is process-related and cannot be avoided; the necessary raw parts for this must be provided by the customer free of charge. Claims for damages cannot be acknowledged.

11. Exclusions and Limitations for Drum Coatings
Due to the process, mechanical damage is possible with drum coatings. Parts with flat geometry have a tendency to stick and adhere to the drum wall (perforation spots). Whether the appearance and/or corrosion resistance is affected by this must be tested, if necessary, by a trial. Mixing with foreign parts cannot be ruled out.
A production defect of up to 1% is process-related and cannot be avoided; the necessary raw parts for this must be provided by the customer free of charge. Claims for damages cannot be acknowledged.

12. Use of Sealants
Due to the process, residues from sealants such as accumulations/drip spots, etc., cannot be completely avoided.

13. Reworking
For reworking of components, they are stripped of their coating and re-coated. If this is not possible due to the base material or special requirements for the part, an explicit note from the customer is necessary.

14. Packaging After Coating
The packaging of goods after coating is generally done as they were delivered. If special packaging is required, the customer must inform us of this with a packaging datasheet at the time of the order. For packaging with exact quantities, a deviation of up to 2.5% is possible.

15. REACH
Comte GmbH & Co. KG is a downstream user of chemicals within the meaning of REACH and is therefore not responsible for the registration and approval of the chemicals used. Comte GmbH & Co. KG has obligated its chemical suppliers to comply with REACH regulations.

16. Tools / Galvanic Racks
The calculated prices are based on processing the items on already existing universal racks. If special racks are required due to specific part geometry or other special characteristics and requirements, the rack costs will be provided in the offer process. A lead time of approximately 6 weeks and at least two sample parts are required for the order of special galvanic racks.

Comte Galvanotechnik GmbH & Co. KG - Comte Metallveredelung GmbH & Co. KG

Berliner Str. 60, 27232 Sulingen

January 2022