EDITOR’S LETTER
Hey Siri! Who were the first men on the Moon? Richiedi la versione in italiano a info@ipcm.it
H
ow many times have we heard people around us speaking to Siri (or to Alexa, Cortana, or the more impersonal Google Now) as if it were an assistant in flesh and bones but able to answer any question? Voice assistants are inanimate, but smart objects (generally our phones) that simplify our everyday lives, especially when we need to do or know something while driving. Since 2010, when Apple’s Siri was created, billions of dollars have been invested in the development of voice assistants with an incredible potential. Now, the coating industry has its own virtual assistant, too, thanks to the R&D efforts and investments of a leading company in the field of raw materials for paints. We previewed it in action at the European Coatings Show in Nuremberg in March and we deepened its technology through an exclusive interview with its developers, but we have been able to maintain secrecy until today. In this issue, you will find an in-depth description of COATINO™, the first digital voice control laboratory assistant for the coating industry, an advanced tool that will enable formulators to optimise their time. And that is not all. This summer issue of ipcm® lifts the veil on the future of the car industry and its paintshops. Thanks to our media partnership with the Surcar exhibition, started at the beginning of our activity, also this year we were able to attend numerous high-technical level presentations on innovations in this industry, which, as is well known, will be gradually implemented in all other sectors for which finishing is a fundamental process step. We also interviewed six VIP speakers from as many manufacturing companies, who told us their opinion on the subject of coatings, materials, and the impact of the future of mobility on them. In our previous issue, we presented an innovation that is going to revolutionise the car coating sector: a technique to apply paint with no overspray, developed by the market leader in the design and construction of automotive paintshops. In the next pages, you will find a long report about the Open House that revealed this and many other technological innovations in terms of digitisation, smart production, automation, and finish customisation. Finally, we have decided to add a feature story about the coating of materials such as plastics, glass, and MDF, with which we deal only occasionally, but which entail very high technology, quality, and innovation degrees. It contains a series of reports about companies that have specialised in plastic and glass coating processes, conquering very promising niche markets thanks to their excellent skills.
Alessia Venturi Editor-in-chief Direttore Responsabile
July is also our tenth birthday month. This is a first important milestone for us, because the success of our ambitious idea to create an international editorial product was not to be taken for granted. We celebrated it in a big way, through a special event that combined art, nature, and the surface treatment industry in an exceptional venue, with all those who have supported us in these years and have chosen to devote an entire day to our party. You will find photos and reports of this evening on the next issue of ipcm®. In the meantime, let us enjoy a well-deserved rest and a moment of happiness for our achievement.
international PAINT&COATING magazine - JULY/AUGUST 2019 - N. 58
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