FEBRUARY 2010
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2
TREND SETTING CORROSION PROTECTION PLASMA ALLOWS NANOCOATING OF ALUMINUM UNDER NORMAL PRESSURE
CONTENTS INDUSTRY EVENTS
2
FINISHING TALK AROUND THE WORLD
4
SMF 2010 DATES ANNOUNCED
3
FROM THE FORUMS
8
SURFACE FINISHING IN SOCIAL MEDIA
12
SUR/FIN 2010 AGENDA
13
CO2 CLEANING AT BMW
18
PROCESS OF RECYCLING ALUMINUM
24
THE LAST WORD
27
Also in this issue:
W
hat was until recently only possible in a vacuum can now be achieved in-line under normal atmospheric conditions: a plasma technology by the name of PlasmaPlus offers an abundance of different functionalised coatings for the selective coating of material surfaces. The basis of the process is the Openair atm os ph e r ic -p re ssure plasma technology
(page 8)
“”paint problems on plastic housings”
from the Germany based Plasmatreat GmbH. The plasma-jet technique developed by today’s market leader has been used
throughout the world for over 15 years in the most varied industries.
The zero-potential plasma system is characterised by a threefold action: it activates surfaces by selective oxidation processes, discharges them at the same time and brings about microfine cleaning and high activation of the surfaces of metals, plastics, ceramics and glass. Its intensity is so high that treatment rates of several 100 m/min can be achieved. In addition, the plasma energy of this system is exploited for film formation. Continued on page 6
(page 27)
FINISHING SPOTLIGHT:
“Innovate or Perish”
NASF Washington Forum
FROM THE FORUMS
(page 13)
The Last Word
Page 2
FINISHING TALK
INDUSTRY EVENTS AROUND THE WORLD February 10-12, 2010 The Waterborne Symposium New Orleans, LA www.psrc.usm.edu/waterborne
April 12-15, 2010 American Coatings Show & Conference Charlotte, NC, USA www.american-coatings-show.com
June 26 - 29, 2010 CCAI 2010 Annual Meeting Sarasota, FL www.ccaiweb.com
February 17-18, 2010 MFASC & NC Vendor Showcase San Jose , CA www.mfanc.org
April 13-16, 2010 PaintExpo International Trade Fair Karlsruhe, Germany www.paintexpo.de
July 14-15 Fabtool Expo 2010 Miami Beach, FL www.mattech.us
February 17-18, 2010 ISFA Intro to Anodizing Course San Jose, CA www.surfacefinishingacademy.com
April 19-23, 2010 Hannover Messe 2010 Hannover, Germany www.hannovermesse.de
August 17-18, 2010 ISFA Intro to Anodizing Course San Diego, CA www.surfacefinishingacademy.com
February 17-18, 2010 Advanced Powder Coating Workshop San Jose, CA www.surfacefinishingacademy.com
April 23-26, 2010 NAAMM 2010 Spring Meeting Naples, FL www.naamm.org
August 17-18, 2010 Advanced Powder Coating Workshop San Diego, CA www.surfacefinishingacademy.com
February 23-24, 2010 Radtech Annual Meeting Miami, FL www.radtech.org
April 27-29, 2010 NASF Washington Forum Washington, DC www.nasf.org
September 7-8, 2010 ISFA Intro to Anodizing Course Mystic, CT www.surfacefinishingacademy.com
March 3-5, 2010 5th Annual Metal Matters Lake Buena Vista, FL www.fma.org
May 4-6, 2010 Process Cleaning Expo 2010 Louisville, KY www.processcleaning.com
September 9-10, 2010 Korean Coatings Show 2010 Seoul Exhibition & Convention Center www.coatings-group.com
March 8-10, 2010 17th Aluminum Trends Conference Coral Gables, FL www.naaluminumtrends.com
May 4-6, 2010 Electrocoat 2010 Louisville, KY Convention Center www.electrocoat.org
September 13-15, 2010 IMTS 2010 McCormick Place Chicago, IL www.amtonline.org
March 14-18, 2010 Corrosion 2010 Conference & Expo San Antonio, TX www.nace.org
May 11-12, 2010 ISFA Intro to Anodizing Course Chicago, IL www.surfacefinishingacademy.com
September 29-Oct 1, 2010 Hard Anodizing Assn 14th Symposium Las Vegas, NV - Bally's www.ihanodizing.com
March 16-17, 2010 Electroplating Know How Basics Atlanta, GA www.platingschool.com
June 8-10, 2010 Intl Trade Fair for Surface Treatments Stuttgart, Germany www.cms.messe-stuttgart.de
October 2-6, 2010 WEFTEC 2010 New Orleans, Louisiana U.S.A. http://www.weftec.org/home.htm
March 17-20, 2010 Intnl. Electro-Plating Expo Guangdong, China www.worldtradeexpo.com.hk
June 10-11, 2010 SUR-FAIR Aerospace Finishing Expo Biarritz, France www.surfair-congres.com
March 23-25, 2010 WESTEC Los Angeles Convention Center www.westeconline.com
June 12-15, 2010 34th Conference of Precious Metals Tucson, AZ www.ipmi.org
October 3-6, 2010 Southern Metal Finishing 2010 • Introduction to Anodizing • Advanced Powder Coating Course • Process Cleaning Workshop Charleston, SC www.surfacefinishingacademy.com
March 23-25 , 2010 Shot Peen and Blasting Workshop Houston, TX www.mfn.li
June 15-16, 2010 Sur-Fin 2010 Grand Rapids, MI www.nasf.org
Southern Metal Finishing October 3-5, 2010
V O L U M E 31 , I S S U E 28
Page 3
workshops on Advanced Powder Coating, Industrial Parts Cleaning, Electroplating, and Anodizing.
T
he 2010 Southern Metal Finishing Conference, sponsored by International Surface Finishing Academy, will be held at the Francis Marion Hotel in the historic district of downtown Charleston, SC, October 4-6, 2010. This conference will focus on training in the practical applications of anodizing, advanced powder coating, plating, and waste treatment processes. In addition to these workshops, the conference also features technical sessions on industry hot topics such RoHS, REACh , as well as other helpful presentations designed to help increase sales, and yield a higher ROI with marketing budgets. Creating a well rounded event, leading industry vendors will be on hand to answer specific questions, and to display their new technologies and services at the tabletop exposition.
The Southern Metal Finishing Conference is an event dedicated to metal finishing professionals from all over the US, Europe, India, Asia, other countries abroad who choose to attend for the value of the workshops and technical sessions, to increase their technical skills, and to network with fellow metal finishing professionals, in a historic setting. Hosted annually by the ISFA, the event is rapidly being seen around the globe as a rare and unique opportunity for maximizing educational and networking requirements in a changing international industry. Celebrating its 7th year, the conference lineup includes several 2-day intensive classroom training
If you would like to speak with the conference management regarding sponsorships and opportunities to exhibit at this event, please call us at (828) 245-3482
Page 4
FINISHING TALK
FINISHING TALK AROUND THE WORLD Brook Park, OH Greenkote, Plc recently announced that it would provide their zinc Thermal-Diffusion process for selected Daimler automotive parts beginning the first half of 2010. The Thermo-Diffusion coating process meets the European ELV Directive requirements, and has no hazardous materials, air pollutants or industrial wastewater discharge. Washington, DC The EPA announced that it intends to consider initiating rulemaking, under TSCA section 6 to manage long-chain Perfluorinated Chemicals (PFCs), a component in many fume suppressants. This means that a rule addressing the PFAS sub-category could expand the reach of three Significant New Use Rules (SNURs) that the Agency has promulgated over the past decade. An Action Plan has been initiated and can be found on the EPA website. MPI, the North American developer of green coatings performance standards, is adding a rigorous new ‘Extreme Green’ (X-Green) standard to its lineup. X-Green is “the most rigorous environmental standard in the world,” MPI said in a statement. X-Green will complement MPI’s two current Green Performance paint standards, known as GPS-1 and GPS-2. MPI’s GPS-3 is currently under development. PPG and Akzo Nobel will have the first products approved under the Extreme Green standard. Columbus, OH Hexion Specialty Chemicals, Inc., announced it has signed a definitive agreement to sell its Italian solvent-borne alkyd and polyester coating resins business to an affiliate of Tenax group, an Italian-based company that produces similar products. Tenax group plans to continue to operate the Cola di Lazise plant and to offer employment to the 44 people associated with the business. Hexion con-
tinues to fully participate in the waterborne, powder coatings and coating resins markets, both in Europe and globally, and is recognized as a global leader in thermoset resins. Houston, TX NACE International, The Corrosion Society, will deliver a dynamic new forum on powder coatings, free to all attendees of CORROSION 2010. This event will cover an in-depth look at the advanced power of powder coatings over a jam-packed three-hour session. The Powder Coatings Forum will be held at 8:00 AM on Tuesday, March 16, 2010 at the Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, San Antonio, Texas. Entitled "You Want the Truth-or, Can You Handle the Truth?," the Forum will be presented by Steve Houston, executive director of The Powder Coating Institute and several Institute members.
value and cultural fit, and negotiate transactions to successful resolution. Beaver Dam, WI Phoenix Coaters announces plans to construct a new 303,000 sq. ft. building in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin to house a new state of the art E-Coat and Topcoat paint system for the customers of their Phoenix Coaters Division. The paint system will be fully operational by June of 2010 and is a combination cathodic SST electrocoat and topcoat system (liquid and powder) for coating steel and aluminum parts. Fifteen pretreatment stages can be run on the SST electrocoat system in random sequence without any impact on the throughput of the system. The work envelope size through the coating system is 6 feet long by 8 feet high and 14 ½ feet wide and is capable of coating 32 tons of product per hour. At three shifts per day, five days per week Phoenix Coaters will employ 135 people to operate the system.
Horsham, PA Biocoat, Inc., maker of lubricious HYDAK® hydrophilic coatings has completed installation of a new automated dip coating apparatus that allows increased coatings development capacity. Biocoat and DipTech Systems, Inc cooperated over the past year to design and build the new coatings line, dubbed "Big Dipper." This apparatus incorporates a number of advanced design concepts, and is capable of coating a wide range of medical devices, such as catheters, hypotubes, wires, etc. Biocoat intends to use the new line to accommodate growing customer demand for samples and process development.
Arlington, VA Aluminum Association President Steve Larkin has been elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the National Association of Manufacturers Council of Manufacturing Associations. The mission of the 225 member Council is to promote legislative, regulatory and economic policies that enhance manufacturing. The Council also creates educational and professional development opportunities for leaders of the member associations. This will be Larkin’s second tour on the Board. He previously served as Council Chair.
Westlake, OH Nordson Corporation announced the appointment of Anne M. Pombier as the company's director of corporate development. Pombier will be responsible for the identification, evaluation, analysis and completion of merger, acquisition and divestiture opportunities for Nordson on a global basis. She will evaluate the alignment of opportunities to Nordson's strategy, assess their financial
Pittsburgh, PA PPG Industries Inc. reported fourth-quarter 2009 net income of $142 million, a 50% increase from $71 million for the fourth quarter of 2008. Sales for the quarter, however, declined 2%, to $3.1 billion. For 2009 as a whole, net income was $336 million, a 48% decline from 2008 net income of $538 million. Sales for the year fell 23%, to $12.2 billion, from $15.8 billion in 2008.
Page 5
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 Felling, UK International Paint Ltd. part of AkzoNobel-Amsterdam, the has announced a new range of universal primers to meet the productivity, regulatory, performance, and commercial needs of new building shipyards. New Intershield® 300HS offers 78% volume solids, lower VOC, and application direct from the can without thinning, according to the company. It is currently available in EMEA (Europe, Middle East, and Africa), and is expected to be available worldwide in the middle of 2010. Schwalbach, Germany nanopool GmbH has developed an invisible, spray -on glass coating that is anti-microbial, flexible and breathable. The “liquid glass” is about 100 nanometers thick (500 times thinner than a human hair), food safe, environmentally friendly, and can be applied to almost any surface in seconds, says developer nanopool GmbH.The invisible glass coating makes any surface easy to clean and stain resistant. A 30-second application can last for a year or more, the company says. The coating technology involves “SiO2-ultra thin layering,” according to Neil McClelland, UK project manager for nanopool, “In essence, we extract molecules of SiO2 (the primary constituent of glass) from quartz sand, and then we add the molecules to water or ethanol.” The company is testing the coating application in agricultural and medical settings, said McClelland, who describes the results as “stunning.” Abu—Dhabi BASF Coatings' Glasurit paint brand is the supplier for the world's largest Mercedes Benz facility, Emirates Motor Company (EMC), flagship company of Al Fahim Group, in Abu Dhabi. EMC's headquarters, located in the Musaffah District of Abu Dhabi, covers an impressive 93,000-squaremeter area. The service center alone has an area of 21,000 square meters with 250 workbays, 80 of them for body work and refinishing. The showroom, with an area of around 4,400 square meters, houses a very special car, the
visible result of EMC and Glasurit's good cooperation: A Mercedes SLR clad in a coat of Glasurit's exclusive "Arabian Nights" finish attracts the showroom visitors. "Arabian Nights" was developed to commemorate Glasurit's 111th anniversary. It is based on a black basecoat that features glitter effects and eye-catching color travel. SÃO PAULO, Brazil -- Dow was recognized as one of the most innovative companies in Brazil by the National Association of Research and Development of Innovative Companies (ANPEI). The Company's investments in R&D and technology and its focus on innovative solutions led Dow to receive the ANPEI Seal of Innovative Company. The certification aims to identify and recognize corporations with solid investments and efforts in Research and Development and Innovation. The criteria to earn ANPEI's recognition take under consideration information on the structure, businesses and investments of a company in order to promote innovation and technological advancements. Amesterdam AkzoNobel is investing almost €10 million to further boost the innovative power of the UK site where performance coatings which now protect many of the world's iconic structures and ships were first developed. A fire protection testing laboratory and a polymer lab for powder coatings are being added to the existing R&D infrastructure at the company's Felling site in north-east England, which pioneered products used on landmarks such as Sydney Harbor Bridge, the London Eye, the Olympic Water Cube in Beijing and famous vessels including the Queen Mary 2 and the HMS Ark Royal. The investment will help further transform the location into a research hub focused on innovation and the development of new performance coatings technology. Munich, Germany Wacker, the Munichbased chemical company, is boosting delivery capacity for VINNOL® surface coating resins. Starting Q1 2011, the
amount of VINNOL® H 15 available for delivery will rise substantially. Recent developments have led to the consolidation of the binder-market and a scarcity of copolymeric vinyl-chloride binders. By increasing product availability, WACKER is playing a key role in ensuring the availability of raw-materials and meeting its responsibilities as a market leader in packaging coatings. London, UK IRL has announced the availability of a new publication titled, A Profile of the Russian Paint Industry. The study points to Russia having a decorative paint market of 800,000 tonnes and an industrial coatings market of 510,000 tonnes. Future growth in the decorative sector will arise from general economic development and spending power. The industrial coatings sector will be busy recouping lost ground from 2009, which has hit the automotive and powder coatings sectors in particular. It also points out that one of the key long-term drivers for the Russian coatings market will be the arrival of the Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia, in 2014. IRL forecasts that the total Russian paint market should rise from a total of 1,310,000 tonnes in 2009 to 1,687,000 tonnes in 2014. Rome, Italy Approximately 400 Alcoa workers organized a sit-in demonstration in Rome in order to reinforce their feelings about Alcoa’s announcement to mothball two smelters in Italy. Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has written a letter to Alcoa-CEO Klaus Kleinfeld, asking him to continue operations at the two plants and warning of a social crisis that could hurt relations between the company and the Italian government. And on a recent Sunday, the Pope explicitly mentioned the two plants in his weekly Angelus blessing: “The economic crisis is causing the loss of many jobs and this calls for a huge sence of responsibility by everyone: entrepreneurs, workers, governing officials”, the pontifex said. Earlier action by Alcoa workers involved the temporary shut-down of Cagliara airport.
Page 6
FINISHING TALK
Continued from page 1‌...
was brought to industrial application by Plasmatreat in 2007 by coating engine pump housings for steering units against bondline corrosion at TRW Automotive.
Cross Section through an approximately 100 nm thick Openair PlasmaPlus layer @ 500x magnification
From the economics point of view the jet systems used can always be integrated in-line by the user, that is to say integrated directly into a new or already existing production line. Scarcely any bounds are set to the versatility of application of the ecofriendly technology. Conventional pretreatment methods such as cleaning using wet chemicals are completely displaced by the high quality plasma process and certain working steps are rendered unnecessary. This gives rise to significant cost savings in production workflows. Until recently plasma coating used to be a process that could only be carried out in vacuum. In close collaboration with the Fraunhofer Institute IFAM in Bremen Plasmatreat developed a new process by the name of PlasmaPlus which for the first time allowed nanoscale thin films to be applied to the surfaces of materials at atmospheric pressure. As a world premiere this plasma polymerization process
PLASMA POLYMERISATION UNDER NORMAL PRESSURE To produce a layer the atmospheric-pressure plasma em-
ployed here is admixed with an organosilicon compound. Due to the high-energy excitation of the plasma this compound is fragmented and is deposited on a surface in the form of a vitreous film. The chemical composition can be varied according to application in order to achieve the best results for the different materials
Page 7
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 involved. To evaluate the thicknesses of the layers SEM (scanning electron microscope) studies were carried out. At 50,000 times magnification scanning electron micrographs of coated sample cross-sections reveal a homogeneous and nonporous layer structure. This is very important in corrosion protection since we are dealing here with a passive layer, which means that attack by corrosive media is prevented due to a barrier effect. The material in the coating itself is not sacrificed during the corrosion process, as would be the case, for example, in a zinc-coated or galvanised steel surface (active corrosion protection). PROTECTING ALUMINIUM AGAINST CORROSION
Apart from its in-line use, the great advantages of ‘PlasmaPlus’ technology compared with other coating techniques lie primarily in the technique of selective coating. The anticorrosive action is particularly effective in aluminium alloys. The coating is able to protect the aluminium for several days against direct salt spray fog (DIN 50021) without the visual appearance of the metal being affected. To demonstrate the mode of action an aluminium plate (Al 99.5) was partially coated, while the remaining area was left in the unprotected initial state. After 96 hours of exposure to the salt spray test the uncoated aluminium surface was highly corroded (matt area) while the coated area still exhibited its
original lustre. The boundary between the corroded and uncorroded areas is clearly discernible in the photomicrograph at 100 times magnification. If plasma coating is used for corrosion protection a thick layer (several hundred nanometres) is advisable since this is more resistant to corrosive media, such as electrolyte solutions, acids and alkalis. When the layer is used as a bonding agent just a few nanometres suffice in principle since this thin film comprises all the important functional groups with which the adhesive can react and undergo strong bonding. Courtesy of: Plasmatreat US LP 2541 Technology Drive, Suite 407 Elgin, IL 60124 Contact: Mr. Nick Rollick nick.rollick@plasmatreat.com
www.plasmatreat.com
Page 8
FINISHING TALK
FROM THE FORUM: PAINT PROBLEMS ON PLASTIC HOUSINGS ~ COULD IT BE CURE?
S
don't know how to protect the paint. ometimes in the Forums a thread may only be between two members. At first glance it may
seem like an insignificant posting, but if you take a minute to follow it you may find an extremely enlightening discussion, as was this months thread. This is the type of thread we are featuring month where member “Challenger150” posts about “Paint Problems on Plastic Housings”, and through a very detailed Q&A discussion with our resident paint expert member “Skip” finds that it may just be a curing issue, and receives a marriage proposal all in the same thread.
www.finishingtalklive.com
Challenger150: Paint Problems on plastic housing I understand that FinishingTalk is mostly about metal finishing but maybe, just maybe you guys (man and women) could help me. The thing is that we're currently producing one type of ABS plastic casing which undergoes 4 layers of painting and 2 layers of lacquering, with of course sanding, polishing and so on. Regarding the materials used. PPG paint, 3M polishing/waxing care products and PPG lacquers. And yes, the casings were dried off for at least 3-4 days before packing and sending. The problem is that when these products are finished, they go to packaging and being placed inside container one next to another. 30 days later, when they arrive to their final destination, the paint has markings of foam which was used to protect this casing and the paint itself. We decided that it would be maybe better to use textile because of its softness but the result was that texture of the textile was printed onto the paint. Anyways, I'm loosing my mind since I really
Last idea was to use a EPE foam with film protective foil, just like mobile phones use + the regular foam which we use for the packaging, all inside polyester bag. Skip challenger150 says "the paint has markings of foam which was used to protect this casing and
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 the paint itself." And asks; How can I package the product better? First thing I thought was; Is all the coating atop the ABS plastic not fully cured or finished drying." Do we fail a 100 wipe MEK? Sure that will happen. How do we check for cure on ABS coated substrates having 4 layers of paint, 2 layers of lacquering, with sanding, and polishing between layers? Does not sound like an adhesion problem. So the above may not have much to do with marks in the coating during shipping. I don't think the ABS plastic has much to do with the problem either. Oh Snap! Why not do 4 layers of paint, 2 layers of lacquering, with sanding, and polishing and waxing between layers on a steel, flexible plastics, wood, paper and glass substrates and play with hardness tests, scratch and pull tests, bending, and peel off a couple of square inches and chew it. Really. If it's chewy it's not cured. If it's brittle it's cured. Maybe. Understand what this coating is. You won't die. Lastly go to Radio Shack and purchase a $5 Cat No 63-851 30X Illumnated Microscope and 8x magnifer and look at the coating. What can be seen at the exposed edges? Materials used are PPG paint, 3M polishing/waxing care products and PPG lacquers. Call tech support. Can all these layers be force dried? That would eliminate the soft and hard to protect coating during shipping IMHO. I have to think about that waxing business. I cured the silk screen imprints for H.O. and N gauge Model Rail Road Rolling stock for a fellow. Made an table top electric forced air conveyorized oven. Just thinking out loud. Can another coating be used? Say a no temperature UV light cured coating like on bowling pins? I used this set-up for high end furniture on Italian $15k to $22k dining room tables. This works well if the 'pigments' are not real 'heavy or deep in color'. Think tints. I see deep red colors on this product. I don't know. Bowling pins have red stripes.
Page 9
I need to study up on PPG products and what is in them and how to harden these up. I'm thinking formulas used on automobile finishes. They have hardeners. Looking at the attachments [not the big pics under the post] is this furniture? Big heavy pieces? Begs the question. The part goes out, comes back, and it is 'sanded off and re-sprayed?' Challenger150 Dear skip. Thank you very much for your reply. Really thank you. This is first time that someone for last 2 weeks since this happened someone was not afraid to ask and say what he/ she thinks. Thank you for that. Now, I hope you won't get angry on me but I didn't understood some of the terminology you used. I'm not too professional in this and that is why I didn't understood what you replied. I don't know what means: 100 wipe MEK, IMHO, H.O., chewy, brittle... I'm really sorry but when I was studying English, my main points were business terminology, not technical. Regarding your questions. This is a water purification product sizing 39x24x46 cm (HxWxD). Weighting approximately 18Kg. It was packed in polyester bag and custom molded Styrofoam (by the device shape) was put 1 on bottom 1 on top. Everything is packed inside a carton box. Regarding the representatives contacting, well for now I heard a lot of what to do when this happens and what kind of waxes they have and what kind of new special things they have to solve it but they kind of don't understand that problem is not what happened, I'm solving it by the way with sanding/ polishing (it takes approximately 1-2 hours to remove this). In the meantime no one really told me what to do in order this thing doesn't happen. We don't get the devices back. We send by airplane our technical engineers and they do the job at local warehouses all around Europe. I don't need to say about the costs... Regarding the drying, after all this process is done, painting/lacquering/UV drying/temperature drying, Continued on the next page‌.
Page 10
we leave the device for at least 4 -5 days for additional drying. What I'm doing right now is following: Yesterday I used EPE foam (which is much softer and thinner than styrofoam) and wrapped it around the device, put it inside the polyester bag, then placed styrofoam on top and under the device, packed everything inside the box and placed around 100kg of weight on the box and put it inside the painting oven on 60C for 24hours. Result. Similar to the photos uploaded but the pattern was so small I couldn't make a good photo which could show this. Today, I'm waiting for protective film to come (similar to ones used for cell phones). I want to put it on the dry device, wrap EPE foam around and put the styrofoam on bottom and top of the device, pack it and leave it for 24Hours inside the owen on at least 100Kg pressure on it. I was thinking that protective film should take this impact paint is taking on it so the paint stays normal. I don't know why but I have a feeling that painting is ok, it looks that something is not ok with the packaging. The reason I think so is because I talked with my colleague who works for Hewlett Packard and he told me they had similar problems on laptops. Laptops are also hand painted and placed inside different types of Styrofoam
FINISHING TALK packaging which in some cases he said left the patterns from Styrofoam. He told me they were in some cases solving it with protective film which solved the problems. In other cases it didn't. I realize that he couldn't told me a lot since this is corporate business and they don't like to tell a lot about what problems they have and how do they solve it. They like us to know that they don't have problems :-) I understand. Anyways, what is your opinion about this? Could this solve this kind of problem happening again? Any idea even the craziest one is welcome. More ideas will help me somehow solve this problem. Please help me, I'm desperate. Skip challenger150. Had not expected to hear from you this soon. I assumed that you were an American working within one of our 50 states. I shall redouble my efforts to write in proper English. I shall not be so 'flip' by using phrases like 'IMHO'. Challenger150 says, "I don't know what means: 100 wipe MEK, IMHO, 'H.O', 'N', gauge, chewy, brittle... I'm really sorry but when I was studying English, my main points were business terminology, not technical." Those abbreviations are--> MEK is methyl ethyl ketone. MEK softens and dissolves almost anything. More so if some of the
solvents in the paint have not been driven out during the forced cure in an oven or over time at ambient temperatures through evaporation when the paint/coating is drying. Uncured coating are soft and I was thinking that your packaging was imprinting itself into your uncured, and soft paint. This I think is the problem. Not the packaging. Let me continue... A un-cured coating when wiped with a cotton swab dipped in MEK will deposit the color of the coating onto the cotton swab. If the swab picks-up the color of the coating this is one way to determine if a coating is cured, cured means to have the solvents in the coating have been driven out of the paint and the binder's used in the paint have chemically cross linked. MEK will not pick up color from a cured coating with just 100 double wipes of a cotton tipped swab. And cured coatings will not be imprinted by packaging materials. IMHO is In My Honest Opinion. H.O. is the size gauge of toy model railroads. N is even a smaller size gauge of toy model railroads. [See pictures] Chewy is like bubble gum. Very flexible. Not quite a fully cured coating. Easily imprinted with packaging materials. Brittle is like glass and shatters into many pieces. This would be a fully cured coating, I'm thinking.
Page 11
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 Now!! A fully cured coating CAN have elasticizes in the coating formula that allow 'flexing' on ABS products. I still think that you will not have a packaging problem with a fully cured and hard coating. 1~Devise a test to assure full cure. A bend test, an impact test, a scratch and tape and then pull test. See what coating/paint sticks to the sticky part of the tape. Reverse bend, does the coating/paint come off the ABS? 2~Test the coating and the packaging. [You are doing just that right now with with different packaging materials and stacking with 100 kilo weight] Take two ABS small test pieces and paint them normally. Put one in an oven at the maximum Degree C. temperature that ABS can handle. Over bake it, say 180 minutes? And the other let dry for a few days. Look for differences. Package both normally and press with 100 kilo on both for two days. WHICH ONE SHOWS PACKAGING MARKS? 3~Test to see if the packaging leaves marks or imprints on nonpainted ABS plastic after wrapping, and compressing unpainted substrates of ABS together with 100 kilo. No marks mean the coating is not cured or finished drying. And marks would mean what? That the bare ABS is too soft to not be marked by the packaging. Then and only then would the problem truly be the packaging.
What else could it be? There is no other answer that I can think of. Anybody else care to join in on solving this problem? Let me know if you are making any good progress. Akzo Nobel BV makes a 'Soft Touch Paint' that is sprayed onto hard plastic automotive dashboard facades that is soft to the human touch and self healing. One can imprint their finger nail into the cured paint and within a few days the finger nail imprint can no longer be seen. I built a paint line for Windsor Plastics Products and they used Akzo Soft Touch on Ford F-Series Pick-up Trucks, Thunderbirds, Mustangs, as an example. Skip Hey Challenger 150 - I'm wondering if you gave up - or fixed the problem? Challenger150 Dear Skip, I really don't know what to say than WOW!!! If I were a girl, I would marry you! I was around several foil manufacturers for past week. I've seen more than 1000 variations of different foil protectors and so on. Regarding what you wrote, I completely agree with you. When the housing dries, its still soft and a package leaves the markings. Maybe that's why those guys from PPG told us its necessary to wait for 1 month to get the paint dry. Your questions and ideas are extremely logical and helpful. I mean, they explain many things in logical
way. Regarding your question No.3, nothing happens with ABS when its not painted. Those casings you saw on photo were designed to hold a weight of 200 Kg and whenever we transport them, we stack them one on another (since we don't have such big mould injection machine, so we rent one) and each casing comes normal before sanding. Regarding the paint, I was also thinking that there is maybe MEK (we call it Nitro, a transparent liquid which practically dissolves everything). Since I have more than 700 such devices now which are painted, we are looking for a solution to ship them as they are and to find the reason why is this happening. What is interesting is that after polishing, when devices come after 30 day transport, those markings don't happen. I will make those tests you told me this week and report to you so you know what is happening. I really hope this could be the solution so I don't need to break my head any more :-)
Episode #9 is now online Check it out today!
www.finishingtalklive.com
Page 12
FINISHING TALK
SURFACE FINISHING IN SOCIAL MEDIA WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE ETHERNET OF THE FINISHING WORLD
L
ast month we showed you where to find us on the social networking scene - and in case you missed it, we are everywhere: LinkedIn, Face Book, Twitter, Spoke, Ning, and more. We’d like to share with some of the interesting things people are talking about on these networks. So here’s a nice little compendium….. Paul Wynne, from the Institute of Metal Finishing, announced via his LinkedIn page that “the economy in the UK grew 0.1 per cent last quarter, but the country seems far away from a recovery”. Rande Hackmann enthusiastically informed us “I am published!” and we talked about the Anodizing Workshop we recently held in Phoenix with the Surface Finishing Academy. Jochen Freund and James Newton joined the LinkedIn group Surface Finishing along with some other LinkedIn Groups that may be of interest to finishers including: Industrial Design, Powder Power, Specialty Chemical Network and Surface Treatment. You can find these groups by clicking on the “Groups” tab on LinkedIn and using the search feature by entering the above group names. While checking out our Face Book connections we just had to laugh when Paul Skelton, from Carolina Process Control and cohost of Finishing Talk Live, posted the following status “You ever just want to have three of yourself? One of you to tell ya how to do it, one of you to do it and one of you to tell ya "good job, job well done” … yes Skelton we feel that way all the time! Trent Roberts got a crash course in speaking “Southern” as witnessed by his status of “In Ruston, LA and I can't understand anyone.” Dozens of finishers became friends of The Powder Coating Finishing Directory, while Julian Bashore of Body-
cote safely arrived in Singapore for the Air show and said "it's really hot and humid here"..... And we’re betting that Fredrik Roos over in Sweden wishes he with Julian because his status read recently that he woke up to a chilly minus 20.5°C Also, don't forget to check out the new French Anodizing group “Traitement de surface par anodisation électrolytique” and the new fan club for the Kushner Electroplating School. On twitter we saw and appreciated @IndTraining’s helpful reminder “Maintenance Tip PM - preventative maintenance stops breakdowns. Keep your eye on the ball, just a reminder. @prattandwhitney Re Tweeted @Av_Maintenance’s tweet of: P&W, Blackhawk Mark Engine Milestone, and @PrecisionParts aka— American Machinist shamelessly plugged their website with the “Welcome to our group > American Machinist / manufacturing & metalworking News > Since 1877- visit www.AmericanMachinist.com” tweet. @partscleaning announced a call for papers for the 12th Annual Symposium on Particles on Surfaces that will be held at PCx in Louisville. @SocMfgEng announced that Additive Manufacturing Professionals Will Introduce Cool Careers to Next Generation at RAPID 2010 And our friends over in the UK @finishingtrader welcomed the following new website patrons: @SteriTouch, @Armourcote, and @Nordson. Over on our own networking pages in the Finishing Talk Forums, here are some post subjects you may want to check out when you have time: Anodize chipping and flaking after pressure tests; Cloudy
Ni Sulfamate Deposit With Pitting; Iron fines and microspalling; Paint Problems on plastic housing; Cut costs of high volume packaging; ECoating and Powder Coating Stripping applications; heatable food safe stainless steel paint; Phoenix Coaters adding 303,000 square feet for a new paintline; California Showcase Week 2010; Polishing Stainless Without the EPA Possible?, Help with coverage issues; and 300 Exhibitors Present Solutions at Paint Expo.
J
obs are a hot topic these days, so we wanted to share the following list of positions found on the social networking scene that may be of interest to finishers: Here are just a few of the many job openings as recently tweeted by @ManufactXing:
•
Manufacturing Maintenance Manager in West Palm Beach, FL
•
Maintenance Manager Colonial Heights, VA
•
Manufacturing Engineering Manager in Kalamazoo, MI
•
CNC Machine Operator position open in Burlington, MA and Anniston, AL
And @GetChemistJobs tweeted about an opening as a Quality Control Chemist I in Hercules, CA Finally, looking though the LinkedIn Jobs we noticed the following opportunities:
•
Fisher Scientific is looking for a Welder/Metal Finisher-2nd Shift, in Asheville, NC;
•
Lineage Power in Plano, TX is looking for a Metals and Interconnect Component/Supplier Quality Engineer
•
Gilbert Tweed in Paris, France is has a new opening for a VP, Head of Quality.
Page 13
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 2010 NASF WASHINGTON FORUM SURFACE FINISHING EXECUTIVES ANNUAL VISIT TO CAPITAL HILL
T
he 2010 NASF Washington Forum is just around the corner! As usual, the program and speakers will be top-notch, and the topics will closely track some of the major issues facing the industry. This year, the program will also feature an industry panel discussion on pending U.S. and Canadian chromium and nickel regulations. Key updates to be discussed: The 2010 Elections How will the parties fare next November, and what will be the impact on manufacturing?
mandates? Environmental Regulation Where will EPA, Canada and other nations move next on rewriting air emission rules for surface coatings? Reforming U.S. Chemicals Policy How tough will Congress get in overhauling existing U.S. chemicals laws under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)?
Emerging Technologies and Defense – What’s the status of research and new restrictions on defense surface coatings uses? According to the NASF - The full agenda will be released soon. For questions and additional information contact the National Association of Surface Finishing (NASF) at www.nasf.org or call (202) 4578404
The Economy & Competitiveness What are the bright spots and vulnerabilities for manufacturing as the economic recovery advances, and what can Congress do to help strengthen manufacturing? Energy and Climate Change How is the North American and global marketplace for finishing being driven by energy legislation and the climate change debate? Workplace and Labor Issues Will the labor union agenda on “card check”, ergonomics and criminalizing minor OSHA infractions move in Congress, and how can NASF members have a stronger voice in opposing new
2010 NASF Washington Forum
Page 14
FINISHING TALK
CO2 CLEANING AT BMW
A CASE STUDY OF PRETREATMENT WITH C02 DIOXIDE
C
O2 snow jet cleaning runs in series at the BMW Group in Landshut, Germany
Improved cost-effectiveness, sustainability and quality for painting plastic components Traditionally, plastic components for automobiles are cleaned by a powerwasher using a wet chemical process before they are painted. However, since the beginning of 2009, a dry-cleaning CO2 snow jet system is being used to ensure the required degree of cleanliness before primer is applied at the BMW works in Landshut. The change has not only resulted in improved cost effectiveness, sustainability and higher quality but also in more design freedom. Sufficient reasons for the BMW Group to integrate the efficient dry cleaning process into a topcoat line. The BMW Group is always on the lookout for concepts contributing towards more economical, environmentally-friendly and resourcefriendly coating processes. As a result, the Bavarian automobile manufacturer was one of the first to introduce a water-based paint system for primerless painting in series production, thus reducing both VOC emissions and energy consumption. The company is now pursuing this strategy in the Landshut BMW works with regard to cleaning plastic bodyshell parts prior to painting. Plastic exterior components such as fenders, side and rear panels and rear spoilers are all manufactured for the BMW 3 and BMW 7 series in Landshut. Search for an alternative to wet -chemical cleaning “We were looking for an alternative to the
looking for an alternative to the powerwash system for several reasons. Firstly, cost-effectiveness played an important role. Secondly, we wanted to move away from wet chemical cleaning in order to reduce energy and water consumption as well as the amount of waste water we were generating. Finally, we also wanted to improve component quality”, explained Markus Reimann, manager of the project for the development and introduction of the snow-cleaning process in the BMW works in Landshut. In other words, only a dry-cleaning process capable of ensuring cleaning results at least as good if not better than a powerwasher came into consideration. Other requirements included high reliability and availability as well as low maintenance and repair costs. During their research, Markus Reimann and his project team heard about CO2 snow jet cleaning and got in
touch with several manufacturers, one of which being acp – advanced clean production GmbH. Process technology – the decisive criterion First of all, the systems made by the various manufacturers were closely examined to assess their suitability for cleaning the range of components produced by the BMW Group. “As we have to access extremely delicate cavities in order to clean them, we need an appropriately small cleaning head“, said Markus Reimann. Only the system manufactured by acp fulfilled this criterion, thus causing all other system manufacturers to be eliminated. Its compact construction is due to the patented acp cleaning head designed with a supersonic twocomponent nozzle. This also gives it additional advantages: liquid carbon dioxide expands on exiting the nozzle to form a mixture of snow and
Page 15
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 gas, forming the core jet. Compressed air is then added as a jacketed jet to accelerate the snow crystals to supersonic speed. Compared with single-component nozzle systems, the use of compressed air to accelerate the jet significantly increases cleaning performance and also reduces carbon dioxide consumption. The carbon dioxide required by the cleaning system is obtained from processes used in the manufacture of fertilizers and is therefore environmentally neutral. Comprehensive testing to validate cleaning results After selecting the system, the BMW Group carried out extensive tests in collaboration with acp at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA) at the Department of Coating Technology. Firstly, tests were performed to verify that plastic components could be cleaned with carbon dioxide. Then matrix tests were carried out to evaluate how well contaminants such as separating agents, diesel exhaust particulates, various oils, fingerprints and dust could be removed. CO2 snow is harmless and noncombustible and uses a combination of mechanical, chemical and thermal properties to remove particulate and filmy contamination in a drycleaning process without leaving any residues. On impacting on the surface to be cleaned, the snow crystals turn to liquid and then sublime. The resulting sublimation impulse causes any particulate contamination present to be dissolved and removed. In its liquid state, environmentally-neutral carbon dioxide functions as a solvent and removes filmy layers or contamination. Also, the low degree of hardness of the acp system’s tiny snow crystals en-
cleaning nozzles was realized. Depending on the component to be cleaned, the arrays are turned on and off individually via the robot controls, making the system especially economical to operate. Oilfree compressed air and liquid carbon dioxide stored in tanks are fed to the arrays via an inner hollow supply system located inside the robot arm.
sures that surfaces are not damaged during treatment. A third requirement was to develop an optimized system configuration in order to fulfill the demands of the BMW works in Landshut. Robot system with three nozzle arrays To align the process with the range of parts to be cleaned, a robot system with three nozzle arrays, each containing five
The cleaning system was first integrated into a cabinet (approx. the size of a painting booth) and placed in the primer line between the powerwasher und flame treatment booth. Because test results still needed to be confirmed for series operation, the powerwasher and CO2 snow jet cleaning system ran parallel for a while. “As the parts are made of different plastic materials and have varying geometries, we verified the CO2 cleaning process for each workpiece individually by performing particle measurements, optical comparisons and analyses to detect surface residues and also carried out technological
Page 16
FINISHING TALK
CO 2 CLEA NIN G A T B MW CONTINUED FROM PAGE 15 tests to assess paint adhesion and optical appearance”, stated Markus Reimann. The plastic bodyshell department of the BMW works in Landshut also used the time the systems were running in parallel to develop component-specific cleaning programs for implementation in the robot controls. Smooth operation with numerous advantages The CO2 cleaning system was integrated into the primer line running in two-shift operation at the beginning of 2009. Several thousand components are coated here every day. The painting skids, which are mounted on a turntable, are filled at the loading/ unloading station. Fenders make up a large proportion of the range of parts requiring cleaning and several of these can be placed on the front and reverse sections of a product carrier. Once inside the cleaning cubicle, the robot first cleans the front fenders using the program specifically developed for such parts; then the skid is rotated automatically in order for the fenders located on the reverse to be cleaned. It takes less than two minutes to carry out a cleaning cycle on all components in a product carrier. In a subsequent step, component surfaces are activated in the flame treatment booth and then further processed in the primer booth. After drying, the transport system advances the skids to the offtake station. “With the CO2 system developed by acp, we are able to achieve good cleaning results with much lower investment and operation costs. By removing the powerwasher, we’ve also gained considerable floor space which we can use for storage, production or assembly. In
addition to this, our component construction department now has more design freedom. It doesn’t matter anymore if parts have waterdrawing geometries - even highly delicate cavities can be cleaned reliably”, said the project manager. The increase in available space is also due to the fact that costly and energy-intensive drying systems are no longer required and represents a milestone for the BMW Group with regard to the integration of different fender pre-assemblies.
Second CO2 cleaning system for the topcoat line Meanwhile, the BMW works in Landshut is already planning another project with acp. Due to the good cleaning results, high cost-effectiveness and sustainability as well as other advantages, the BMW Group has now decided to equip a topcoat line with the compact CO2 cleaning system. Author: Doris Schulz Advanced Clean Production GmbH 73730Esslingen Betriebsstätte Wiernsheim
Page 17
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 12TH ANNUAL SYMPOSIUM—CALL FOR PAPERS
SYMPOSIUM ON PARTICLES ON SURFACES: DETECTION, ADHESION & REMOVAL
T
tions, he MST Conferences has announced a call for papers
to be presented at the 12th International
Symposium
on
Particles on Surfaces: Detection, Adhesion, and Removal which will be held in conjunction with the Process Cleaning Expo in Louisville, KY on May 4-6,
optical applications, and
precision tool applications.
Cleaning Magazine to provide a forum where industry profession-
• Thermodynamics of particle removal including interactions with fluids, electrolytes and solvents. • Detection and Removal of bacteria/viruses considered as particles.
als could meet to share information about the advancements in the process of industrial cleaning.
Participants in the Confer-
ence will also receive updates from industry regulators, and those who are new to the science of surface cleaning will
2010.
Dr. K. L. Mittal is the Editor-in-
have the opportunity to learn the
MST is currently accepting ab-
Chief of the Journal of Adhesion
fundamentals
Science and Technology and the
knowledgeable in the world. The
director of MST Conferences,
two events will be held in the
which
and
same location in order to foster
symposia in this field. He has
mutually beneficial interactions
edited over 100 books in the ar-
between those attending the ex-
eas of adhesion and interface
position whose primary interests
science, surface cleaning, parti-
are the practical removal of con-
• Factors that influence particle
cle adhesion and removal, sur-
taminants
adhesion
chemistry,
factants, and high temperature
products.
topography, shape, size, relative
polymers and is internationally
humidity, medium, etc.
recognized as an authority in the
stracts for papers on the following suggested topics: • Detection, identification and characterization of particles on surfaces in Micrometer scale & Nanometer scale. including
• Particle adhesion measurement techniques and forces af-
sponsors
courses
science of surface and interface technology.
fecting adhesion: JKR theory,
Dr. Mittal created the Particles
Hamaker theory.
on Surfaces Symposium Series to
• Techniques for particle removal including the challenge of nano-scale removal and role of fluid dynamics in particle removal. • Implications of particle contamination
in
microelectronic
applications, biomedical applica-
address the vast ramifications of particles on solid surfaces in manufacturing by bringing together specialists in many allied fields to discuss their latest findings and to identify areas for further investigation. The 2010 Process Cleaning Expo (PCx) was created by Process
from
from
the
most
commercial
For more information about paper submissions please contact: Dr. Robert H. Lacombe, Symposium Chairman at (845) 8971654, rhl@mstconf.com, 3 Hammer Drive, Hopewell Junction, NY 12533
Page 22
FINISHING TALK
AUTOMOTIVE ISSUES ON THE SUR/FIN AGENDA THE COUNTDOWN TO SUR/FIN 2010 IN GRAND RAPIDS, MI HAS BEGUN
W
ith Grand Rapids, Mich., serving as the backdrop for SUR/FIN 2010—set to take place June 14–17— it’s only fitting that the conference programming reflect the major issues facing the domestic automotive industry. To that end, the National Association for Surface Finishing (NASF) has tapped the Center for Automotive Research, or CAR, to present a timely panel discussion focused on this key bellwether sector. CAR’s special panel discussion, “What to Expect in the Post-Crisis Automotive Landscape and Beyond,” promises to be highly dynamic and informative while addressing critical questions on finishers’ minds. For instance, how will business and manufacturing strategies from today change in the future and what new ones will emerge? What new materials can we expect in tomorrow’s automobiles? Who will be the market leaders in the next decade?
The automotive industry is confronted with new product and manufacturing challenges like never before. As a result, manufacturers are deploying flexible manufacturing systems to cope with lower volumes and future uncertainty. At the same time, markets are fragmenting, production volumes are cyclical, and demand is shifting away from large vehicles to smaller, lessprofitable ones. Several experts from CAR have been selected to tackle these questions and other topics during the panel discussion. Among them: Jay Baron, Ph.D. president and CEO and director, Manufacturing, Engineering and Technology Group; Brett C. Smith, director, Automotive Analysis Group; and Bernard Swiecki, director, Market Analysis. To encourage mass participation, NASF has made arrangements for the session to be held on the SUR/FIN show floor at Devos Place.
NASF is also working with the United States Council for Automotive Research (USCAR) on another relevant presentation. Additionally, there will be highpowered technical seminars geared toward finishing technologies for automotive parts and accessories. The conference dates for SUR/FIN 2010 are June 14–17, with the show dates set for June 15–16. Please visit www.nasf.org to register online or make your hotel reservations. For more information, or to reserve your booth space, please contact Cheryl Clark, director of events, at cclark@nasf.org, or call (202) 457-8404. For booth space reservations, or for more general information about SUR/FIN 2010, please contact Cheryl Clark, director of events, NASF, at cclark@nasf.org. You may also call the NASF directly at (202) 457-8404.
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2
Page 23
Page 24
FINISHING TALK
New ISFA Workshops for 2010 The Advanced Powder Coating Technology Workshop is a 2-day, intensive seminar consisting of the more intricate issues facing the powder coating user. Topics covered include a thorough explanation of the powder coating chemistries available today and the respective performance features of each technology. We will also delve into the complex mechanisms of gloss control and how to achieve consistent product appearance. A comprehensive discussion of special effect powder technology will give you an understanding of how metallics and pearlescent finishes are created and what to you need to know when applying these specialties. A similarly inclusive presentation will cover the fine details of textures, hammertones, wrinkle and vein effect powder coatings. Insight will be provided for troubleshooting common and more complicated performance issues such as incompatibility, contamination, incomplete cure, corrosion resistance, hardness and solvent resistance. And finally a wide-ranging and interactive discussion of the latest technology trends will round out the program. This course is taught by Kevin Biller, of The Powder Coating Research Group. Workshop Dates and Locations: San Jose, CA San Diego, CA Charleston, SC Mystic, CT
Feb. 17 - Feb. 18 Aug. 17 - Aug. 18 Oct. 4 - Oct. 5 Sep. 7 - Sep. 8
The Introduction to Anodizing Workshop has been designed to increase the knowledge and ability of anyone involved in operating an anodizing line. With an emphasis on quality, the program takes the anodizer though the entire process—beginning with the metallurgical properties of aluminum alloys commonly anodized, and going right through to the final rinse and sealing processes. During the two day seminar, students will be taught the anodizing process from pretreatment to post treatment. The course will cover bath analysis, handling, quality control and various waste treatment options, along with other hot topics for today's professional anodizers. Following this Anodizing Workshop students will have a well rounded understanding of practical anodizing, supported up by an expanded knowledge about the fundamentals of anodizing in sulfuric acid. This course is taught by Dr. Anne Juhl, of Aluconsult Workshop Dates and Locations: San Jose, CA Chicago, IL San Diego, CA Mystic, CT Charleston, SC Jupiter, FL Las Vegas, NV
Feb. 17 - Feb. 18 May. 11 - May. 12 Aug. 17 - Aug. 18 Sep. 7 - Sep. 8 Oct. 4 - Oct. 5 Nov. 16 - Nov. 17 Dec. 7 - Dec. 8
Page 25
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2 FOUND ON THE SURFACE FINISHING BLOGS AN OVERVIEW OF THE PROCESS OF RECYCLING ALUMINUM BY ANODIZEWORLD.COM
A
luminum can either be produced from bauxite, as seen in the drawing or from aluminum scrap. When aluminum is produced from bauxite is it called primary aluminum and from aluminum scrap, secondary aluminum. Refinement of bauxite is sufficiently expensive and uses a lot of energy so that the secondary aluminum production is important in the global sustainable market. About 40% of aluminum in the US is recovered for secondary refining (US EPA).
The energy used to produce aluminum from aluminum scrap is 5% of the energy used for production of primary aluminum. At the same time recycled aluminum is in no way inferior to the primary aluminum. The composition of a specific alloy is the same regardless of whether it has been produced from primary aluminum or secondary aluminum or a mixture of both. The recycling of aluminum processes different forms of aluminum scrap, new scrap and old scrap.
New scrap (or process scrap) is the term used to describe the aluminum scrap produced during the manufacture and fabrication of aluminum alloys until such a time as the products are sold to the end-user. Old scrap (or used scrap) is recovered from used end-products and aluminum components. The main environmental issue when recycling of aluminum is the air pollution. When remelting used aluminum scrap a flux layer is necessary to cover the aluminum melt from exposure of the oxygen in the air. From EPA news, released date 08/04/2009, the Aluminum Recyclers have agreed to implement new environmental improvements and controls. Aleris International Inc., is one of US largest aluminum recyclers, and 13 of its subsidiaries have committed to implementing environmental improvements and controls projected to cost $4.2 million at 15 plants located in 11 states, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Justice Department announced today. According to the Aleris International Inc. website, “Recycling a single aluminum can will save enough energy to light a light bulb for four hours or to operate a television for three hours. The aluminum scrap has to be sorted into type and size using various techniques (magnetic sorting and eddy current sorting, flotation, testing, etc.). Depending on the quality and the amount of impurities in the form of other materials, such as coatings, paint, oil, etc., coatings are subsequently removed from the
scrap. A so-called two-chamber process is used to remelt lacquered scrap. The lacquer is stripped thermally in the first chamber and the scrap then enters the melting furnace. This is not the case with anodized scrap. The aluminum oxide will be found in the dross, which comprises of the cover flux, impurities and metal oxides and can be recovered from this dross afterwards. Depending on the quality of the molten metal, it may be necessary to carry out an additional step, namely refining. This usually takes place in a holding furnace, in which the melt is cleaned and the desired alloy is achieved by the addition of alloying elements or the removal of impurities. Most scrap is processed to ingots, which are subsequently processed to produce high-quality aluminum castings. As ever-more sophisticated techniques become available, a larger fraction of the scrap is uniform or well sorted. This makes it possible to produce wrought alloys, extrusion ingots and rolling ingots. Some people think that secondary aluminum is more difficult to surface finish but this is absolutely not true. The secondary aluminum with a specific composition of the alloy following the specification for the alloy, is as good as primary aluminum for anodizing and other surface finishes.
This article was written by Dr. Anne Juhl and originally posted on the blog www.anodizingworld.com
Page 26
FINISHING TALK
Page 27
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 2
THE LAST WORD INNOVATE OR PERISH - INTRODUCING THE INNOVATION AWARDS
2
009 was undoubtedly the most financially challenging year of most of our careers. Some of the more established businesses fell by the wayside. Those of us who survived to see the dawn of a new decade did so because we tightened our belts until it hurt. We cut back hours, we reduced or eliminated bonuses, dropped holiday parties and most of us reduced staff. We scrutinized every facet of our operations and business in a quest to squeeze just a little more out of every component of the company’s activities. Last year reminds me of an experience I had early in my career. I started in coatings industry in 1978 as a technician in a powder coating laboratory. My employer was The Glidden Paint Company and it was owned by the SCM Corporation. By the time the 1980’s rolled around, SCM was by far the world leader in typewriter technology. Problem was that the personal computer revolution was gaining traction. SCM thought that they could compete with this young office technology upstart however they were sadly mistaken. They thought PC’s would cost too much. They were too complicated for the average person. So they stubbornly stuck to their guns by improving and innovating the technology they knew. They incorporated word processing software into their mechanical machines. They developed the best ribbon technology. They made typewriters faster, sleeker and lighter. They even moved manufacture from their base in Cortland, NY to Singapore.
In spite of all the development work and innovation SCM poured into their typewriter technology, they could not stem the tide created by personal computers. By 1995 SCM declared bankruptcy. Glidden was spun off from SCM in 1987 and eventually became part of Akzo-Nobel’s coatings group. Akzo continues to innovate in the coatings and other fields of technology. The valuable lesson I learned from SCM’s demise is that you can’t just tinker with what’s right in front of you and expect to survive. Eventually technologies wane and are superseded by an innovation beyond refinement of the status quo. Just as the typewriter became obsolete, so does finishing technology. Alkyd paints and hexavalent chrome plating won’t go on forever. Nudging old technology won’t secure your future in the finishing industry. After such a challenging year as 2009, maybe you feel it’s time to sit back and coast for a while. I suggest a different course of action. Now, more than ever, is the time to innovate. Last year most of us were compelled to reduce our R&D budget. Maintaining existing customers with current technology was tough enough. Whether it is new products or process technology it is time to think outside the box. Toss aside conventional ways of finishing and strive to innovate. Incremental changes in technology won’t be enough to survive in the global playground in which we live. Not only do we have to do it cheaper, faster and better, but we also have to keep it clean and green.
The staff at Finishing Talk feels it is important to recognize the technical achievements that change our industry. Accordingly we have established the FT Innovation Awards. In an industry as diverse as ours we would like to award the innovators in these four key areas: • Metal Finishing (plating, anodizing, mass finishing, etc) material technology • Organic Finishing (industrial paint and powder coatings ) material technology • Metal Finishing process and/or equipment technology • Organic Finishing process and/or equipment technology Technology will be judged based on technical innovation, commercial relevance and environmental friendliness. You can find a submission on the bulletin boards. Please look at what you have done over the past year to advance finishing technology and let us know about it. We will be presenting the awards at the Southern Metal Finishing Conference being held in Charleston, SC on October 3-5, 2010.
Kevin Biller Finishing Talk, Editor
PO Box 349 Rutherfordton, NC 28139
February 2010
Volume 3, Issue 2 Kevin Biller, Editor Phone: (614) 354-1198 kevin@finishingtalk.com Paul Fisher, Publisher Phone: (828)-245-2601 paul@finishingtalk.com
www.FinishingTalk.com