Abstract: A method and apparatus for subjecting articles to surface treatment of a sequence of solutions utilizing a plurality of process tanks and a plurality of supply tanks, each supply tank containing one of the solutions utilized in the process. The process tanks and supply tanks are interconnected by conduit means which include a series of valves which may be activated and deactivated for routing the solution to and from any of the selected tanks. The valves are automatically activated and deactivated by a programmable control which allows for articles introduced into each of the process tanks to be subjected to each of the solutions in a programmed sequence.