Workers of the copper foil electrodeposition division study the equipment in depth
At the Kyshtym Copper Electrolytic Plant, in the first days of September, the workers of the copper foil electrodeposition division under construction, as well as specialists of the technical control department and the Plant Central Laboratory, who are to control the quality of new products, begun their education.
The theoretical classes are taught by Ed Skorupski, a representative of the American company KONTEX INTERNATION Inc., which is responsible for basic design of future foil production and transfer of technology. Ed has twenty years of experience in electrodeposited foil production, he held a position of Production Engineer, Director for technical equipment, Plant Manager and knows very well, down to the smallest detail, the delicacy of the process. For almost three years Skorupski has been in charge of the Kyshtym project, and is willing to guide how to work with exactly the equipment that Russian Foil factory installed.
It was planned that the training will be in-person, but due to the coronavirus restrictions, when it is impossible for Americans neither to travel outside their country, nor to visit Russia, the classes are held in videoconference mode. Virtual lectures are carried out on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at three in the afternoon, Kyshtym time – which is for the United States is an early-early morning. When Ed Skorupski saw his «students» for the first time, the teacher smiled and said: «I never thought that I would be so popular.» Indeed, more than 20 people gathered in the equipped with computers classroom – a full class by the standards of an ordinary regular school.
Together with their mentor, the Kyshtym metallurgists began to study the systems of dissolution, filtration and circulation of electrolyte.
— I didn’t even expect it to be so interesting, — admits one of the listeners, head of the Quality Control Department Lyudmila Chugunova. — Each of us was given a thick paper folder full of printed diagrams, in addition, we could see them on the screen. Ed commented the most difficult moments vividly, simply and clearly, with humor. Everything was easy to remember, and will be useful in the future.
Acquaintance with ED-cells and the principles of their operation is calculated for 10 lessons. Then the «students» will have to study the Treater (foil coating device), Slitter and Sheeter machines.
– We want to train our personnel in all stages of electrodeposited foil production, regardless of the narrow specialization of employees. – says Igor Tarakanov, deputy head of the workshop. – It is important that each of our employees knows the technology from top to bottom, and is able to replace a friend at any time. The team will be small, but, we hope, flexible and highly professional.
