SAMBIX specializes in plating metal parts used in general industry. We do plating treatments in zinc, nickel, tin as well as chemical conversion treatments.

Measurement of hazardous substance content

In the directive by RoHS and ELV, cadmium, lead, hexavalent chromium (Cr⁶⁺), mercury, etc. were designated as harmful substances, and their use in industrial products was restricted. Although the product developed at out company, Zero Chromium, contains none of these harmful substances in its raw materials, in order to confirm that it contained no harmful substances, we had the levels measured.
As shown in chart 1, Zero Chromium S and Zero Chromium SB contain absolutely no harmful substances.

Chart 1 measured by an external analysis agency (unit:μg/cm²＝10mg/dm²）

Sample	Measuring Agency	Cd	Pb	Cr6+	Hg
Zero Chromium S	Nippon Chemistry Environment Center (Measurement Results Report)	less than 10＊	less than 10＊	less than 10＊	less than 10＊
	Fukushima Prefecture High Tech Plaza (Certificate of Test Results Analysis Chemical Element Analysis)	ー	―	less than 0.1＊	ー
Zero Chromium SB	Fukushima Prefecture High Tech Plaza (Certificate of Test Results Analysis Chemical Element Analysis)	―	―	less than 0.1＊	―

＊Detection limit

Measuring the amount of trivalent chromium

We were notified by the testing site that large quantities of trivalent were found in Zero Chromium in testing performed with the fluorescent x-ray method. Trivalent chromium is not considered a hazardous substance, but the sales point of Zero Chromium S is that it is completely chromium free. In further testing using methods with higher degrees of accuracy (diphenyl carbazide acid and electronic absorptiometric methods), it was proven that absolutely no trivalent chromium was present.The summary is shown below.

• In the case of a SPCC object

Certificate shows the results of the measured amounts of total chromium and trivalent chromium in Zero Chromium S. The total chromium was tested at 600mg/kg, and hexavalent chromium at 1mg/kg. The total chromium is the sum of hexavalent and trivalent chromium. As there was only a trace of hexavalent chromium measured, 600mg/kg of trivalent chromium seemed to be included in Zero Chromium S.
Certificate shows that when just the object, without any plating, was analyzed in the same way, the total chromium detected was 610mg/kg, hexavalent chromium 1mg/kg. Therefore the 610mg/kg of trivalent chromium was contained in the pre-plated object.
Tests showed 600mg/kg of trivalent chromium was detected in Zero Chromium S, but the pre-plated object also contained 610 mg/kg of trivalent chromium. Therefore it was proven that trivalent chromium detected in Zero Chromium S by fluorescent x-ray methods was mistaken for the trivalent chromium in the object.



• In the case of a pure copper (C1220) object

With the purpose of reconfirming the facts cited above, a pure copper object, which contains almost no trivalent chromium, zinc plated with Zero Chromium S was tested. As shown in Measurement Results Report, the amount of total chromium (trivalent chromium) was measured at less than 2mg/kg.
As shown in Measurement Results Report, when just the non-plated base item is analyzed, the amount of total chromium (trivalent chromium) was less than 2mg/kg.
In the case of an object that contains almost no trivalent chromium, trivalent chromium was not detected in either the object nor the plating materials. This reconfirms that the trivalent chromium in the base object was mistaken for the detection in testing Zero Chromium by fluorescent x-ray methods.

※With the fluorescent x-ray analysis method, for chromium analysis, the x-ray penetrates through the plating material to the object, detecting chromium in the object. Therefore, more highly accurate methods for reconfirmation are crucial.