ipcm n. 80 | March-April 2023

The smart journal for surface treatments

ipcm digital on

® Special issue EUROPEAN COATINGS SHOW

INTERNATIONAL PAINT&COATING MAGAZINE

Low energy, high performance Interpon Low-E, range of “low bake” powder coatings specially engineered to cut energy consumption or improve productivity.

industrial.interpon.com/it

ISSN 2280-6083

www.myipcm.com 2023

14th Year - Bimonthly N° 80 - MARCH/APRIL

Every degree counts Save energy with UniPrep® D 315 LL – the low-temperature soak cleaner that fits all!

The energy-efficient universal immersion cleaner for steel, cast iron, copper and magnesium offers cleaning properties that contribute significantly to optimizing zinc plating (barrel and rack) and paint pretreatment while reducing energy consumption.

Working at low temperatures UniPrep® D 315 LL is an adjustable, long-life immersion cleaner that quickly penetrates, removes, and emulsifies a wide range of soils. Specially developed additives break down oils and complex organics in the cleaning bath, significantly extending service life.

UniPrep® D 315 LL helps you reduce your environmental footprint and save costs at the same time.

Atotech an MKS Brand info @atotech.com

www.atotech.com

Innovation and Technology for Three Generations

orbita.it

CONTENTS MARCH/APRIL 2023

© Legoland

18

© Dürr

HOW IT’S COATED

30

Graco Equipment Helps to Waterproof Legoland Dubai

ADVANCEMENTS

New Rectifier from Dürr for Cathodic Electrocoating

© SIMPEC

© Isa Sleeve

44

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

From Contract Sleeving to Sublimation through a New Glass Coating Plant: Isa Sleeve’s Production Diversification Strategy

07 EDITOR’S LETTER 08 BRAND NEW 21 BRAND NEW 24 MARKET CLOSE UP

Loaded with Environmentally Friendly Features, Coating Additives Soon to be Deemed as “Elixirs of Tomorrow” for Paint Formulators

50

28 ADVANCEMENTS

AXALTA’s Non-Toxic Wire Enamels Make E-Drives More Sustainable

32 ADVANCEMENTS

Combining AGVs and Software for Greater Paint Shop Efficiency: EcoProFleet Ensures a Digitally Optimised Material Flow

SUCCESS STORIES

A New Zero-Liquid Discharge Waste Water Treatment Plant to Meet Scandinavia’s Strict Environmental Requirements

34 FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

A Top Hand Powder Coating System for a Top Hand Product: Bespoke Windows and Entrance Doors by SMART Systems

52 ADVANCEMENTS High Corrosion Protection, Excellent Edge Coverage: FreiLacke Develops a New Polyester System Based on Primid

A NEW FOCUS ON INNOVATION www.adaptacolor.com

CONTENTS MARCH/APRIL 2023

© DÖRKEN

62

ADVANCEMENTS

© GMP Group

76

The Many Facets of Innovation: News from the Coating of Fasteners

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

GMP Group Confirms its Environmental Vocation with Careful Management of its Alloy Wheel Coating Booths’ Waste Water

© Merck

88

ADVANCEMENTS

Xirallic® NXT Safari: 24 New Colours with Extreme Brilliance and Chromaticity

ON TECHNOLOGY 56 FOCUS Tecnocolor Srls Relies on Pre-Treatment with Nano Mist to Increase its Powder Finishing Quality

ON TECHNOLOGY 66 FOCUS CR COLOR’s Transformation from a Local Craftsman Business to a Well-Structured Industrial Company Through Powder Finishing Automation

© TSP Group

98

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

TSP Group - Trafilerie San Paolo Issues its First Mini-Bond for Growth

JOE POWDER 72 ASK The “Ask an Expert” Column OF THE MONTH 74 HIGHLIGHT Nuova Catena: Versatile Production of Conveyor Chains, Decades of Knowledge, and Italian-Made Quality as the Keys to the Company’s Success

STORIES 84 SUCCESS Painting Over 100 Doors a Day with 10 PowerCarts

94 HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

Reliability, Flexibility, and Customer Satisfaction: Guerra Srl’s Three Pillars

TO 2050 100 ROAD Sustainable Cleaning Solutions for Improved Profitability and Reduced CO2 Footprint

www.infragas.com

INFRARED RADIANT GAS SYSTEMS FOR THERMAL TREATMENTS

CONTENTS MARCH/APRIL 2023

© ECLISSE

104

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

Automating the Resin Coating of Sliding Door Profiles: The Choice of ECLISSE

© ALA Officine

118

© Tecnofirma

130

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

ON TECHNOLOGY 112 FOCUS Saveral: The Italian Powder Coating Pioneer Continues to Innovate Its Plants

STUDY 126 COLOUR The Unbearable Lightness of Blue

136 BRAND NEW

An Electricity-Powered Plant for Coating Oil Hydraulic Components: ALA Officine’s Green Choice

© San Marco Group

160

The History of a Family, the History of a Business: Tecnofirma, Surface Treatment Partner since 1985

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

144 ADVANCEMENTS

Features and Benefits of Thin Organic Coatings (TOC)

148 HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

rEVOlutionary Technology from IM GROUP’s Tecnopails Launches at ECS

MEETING THE INDUSTRY - Covered by ipcm® Sustainable Paint for the Building Industry: San Marco Group’s ReThink Next Generation Coatings Project

152 BRAND NEW 162 MEETING THE INDUSTRY

EDITOR’S LETTER

Richiedi la versione in italiano a info@ipcm.it

Alessia Venturi Editor-in-chief Direttore Responsabile

W

ith spring around the corner, the number of international events, exhibitions, and trade shows is rapidly increasing. For those who, like me, work in both the traditional publishing and digital marketing & communication sectors, this is also a time to stop and reflect. Two years after the pandemic, everything seems to be back to normal except the trade fairs calendar, which is increasingly crowded, with too many overlaps that force every professionals to choose which events to attend (as exhibitors or visitors) sacrificing other equally important ones. Yet, if we look closely at the most current marketing dynamics, we realise that much has changed. Some events have become triennial; some have become hyper-specialised, turning into meeting points for a few visitors but with a high lead-to-customer conversion rate; and others have become hyper-generalist, lumping together under the same umbrella different industries in the supply chain (sometimes too distant from each other to be attractive to professionals on the hunt for concrete solutions).

Exhibition halls have shrunk due to reduced investment budgets (read: stands are smaller) or to changing priorities – trade fair participation is sacrificed to divert investment to digital strategies.

Yes, the new marketplace is digital.

LinkedIn, the most popular business-oriented social network, with an average of 1 in 3 registered professionals worldwide, is much appreciated by the new generation of marketing managers who have decreed an end to large trade fairs and conferences, but often also to company visits, in favour of an increasingly broad, articulate, and constant presence on LinkedIn and the web in general. For example, it has recently become known that a few large multinational chemical companies will not attend the upcoming European Coatings Show 2023 (Nuremberg, 28-30 March), the world’s largest and most important trade fair for paints, coatings, inks, adhesives, and sealants, while others will be exhibiting in a heavily reduced form.

Content marketing on social media seems to be the preferred solution for acquiring new customers today, to the detriment not only of exhibitions but also of traditional contact and advertising channels.

Hostage to the algorithm and at the mercy of ever-changing rules that can halve their content reach and engagement at any time, corporate pages are becoming increasingly crowded with posts, articles, videos, and carousels, some of which actually offer valuable content to a potentially infinite audience.

But do they really convert? How effective are they for actual sales?

While there is no doubt that a presence on social networks is strategic for implementing branding policies, from positioning to brand awareness, for developing a network of useful contacts, and for gaining authoritativeness in one’s sector, thinking of using them as the sole channels for selling and acquiring potential customers is misleading. Companies will always have to develop a strategy to support the acquisition of new customers, avoiding underestimating the importance of personal contact, technical insight, empathy, knowing how to be on the same wavelength as their potential customers in order to acquire and retain them.

On social media, one is hostage to their algorithms and navigates in an aseptic world where image is everything. It takes very little to make an impression and appear to have the same standing as bigger, more solid, more innovative companies. Sometimes, having a good communication agency and a good strategy is already enough.

Let us not give up delving deeper and establishing real relationships with our target group.

Magazines, newspapers, and trade fairs still do make a difference.

international PAINT&COATING magazine - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - N. 80

07

BRAND-NEW

Amended Chrome Alternative from AkzoNobel Saves Bike Manufacturer 40% on Energy Costs A sustainable chrome plating alternative developed from AkzoNobel allowed a Turkish Bike manufacturer to save 40% on energy costs.

A

kzoNobel is supporting the major

40% since making the switch – a reduction

chrome is renowned without compromising

European bike manufacturer BiSAN in

that is not only better for the planet, but also

on the beautiful finish it can offer. In a 1000-

making the switch from chrome plating

supports the company’s profitability and future

hour natural salt spray test, surfaces coated

to a more cost-effective, energy-efficient,

success.

with Interpon Cr evidenced no corrosion,

less labour-intensive and more sustainable

Rabeno Sagman, General Manager of BiSAN

cracking or rust, surpassing the BiSAN team’s

Interpon powder coating. In adopting Interpon

explains how the savings are realized: “Coating

high expectations.

Cr, a chrome effect powder coating with a

our bicycle frames with chrome plating is

Rabeno continues: “We have a customer base

metallic finish, BiSAN is providing customers

a four-part process requiring significant

that spans the globe, so it’s imperative that our

and consumers with bicycle frames and

amounts of heat and each as energy intensive

bicycle frames can handle any environment,

associated products that have all the fabulous

as the last. Using an Interpon Cr powder

from the rain of western Europe to the

appearance and corrosion resistance

coating, however, requires only two processes

intense heat of the Arab desert. The proven

of chrome plating, but with none of the

to create the same stunning metallic finish that

durability and corrosion protection that comes

environmental downsides.

is even more durable. Making the switch was a

with Interpon Cr, means the needs of our

They also consume significantly less energy

simple choice.”

international customers are guaranteed. The

in production: BiSAN estimates it has cut

Crucially, BiSAN required a solution which

Interpon team from AkzoNobel have been the

energy consumption and cost by more than

provided the same level of durability for which

ideal partners in finding the perfect solution, and in training our staff on the new process.”

Testing powder coating innovations has been a key element of BiSAN’s partnership with Interpon, and BiSAN is now exploring further innovations from AkzoNobel, including powder coatings in phosphorescent colors, like Lumiwhite that help bicycles to glow in the dark.

Sanal Limoncuoglu Commerical Director Powder Coatings S&EE, MEA of AkzoNobel’s Powder Coating business says: “We are delighted to help BiSAN realize the advantages of an Interpon Powder Coating to achieve a performance that not only stands up against chrome plating but surpasses it. Through our world class products and proven track record for energy saving, we are proud to continue supporting BiSAN and ensure its resilience for the future.”

For further information:

© AkzoNobel

08

www.interpon.com

N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

BRAND-NEW

Anton Paar Confirmed the Participation at European Coatings Show 2023 Anton Paar will showcase its instruments for quality control and research in the paints and coatings industry at the European Coatings Show, from 28th to 30th March 2023.

A

nton Paar has announced its presence at European Coatings

At the booth 331 in hall 4, Anton Paar will present a comprehensive

Show, the trade fair that will be held from 28th to 30th March 2023

portfolio of instruments for characterising paints and coatings

in Nuremberg (Germany), to showcase its latest innovations for

throughout the complete life cycle from the raw materials to the applied

quality control and research in the paints and coatings industry.

product. Visitors will also be able to attend the product presentation

The instruments of Anton Paar deliver information on the structure,

“Evaluation of coatings by using modern testing and analysis methods

behaviour and consistency of materials.

such as rheology, tribology, particle and powder characterization, gas

Any type of sample – liquid and particulate – can be analysed, from

adsorption, microscopy and robotics” on March 29th at 01:50 pm (Hall

the incoming raw materials to intermediate products and the final

3A, Booth 607).

paints, inks, and coatings (also coated and painted surfaces). All devices are designed to make it easy to characterise samples whether in dry For further information: www.anton-paar.com

particulate form, in liquid or on surfaces.

© eosmarketing

WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANTS FOR METAL FINISHING LINES

Our potential customers

With over 50 ZLD plants installed all over the world, CIE is a leader company in Zero Liquid Discharge for metal finishing industry www.cieeng.com - info@cieeng.com

BRAND-NEW

Eaton Will Exhibit its Filtration Solutions at European Coatings Show The filtration solutions of Eaton are designed to improve performances and sustainability for industrial coatings applications.

T

he Filtration Division of the power management company Eaton

and quick filter bag change-outs and provides optimum sealing of the

has recently announced that it will presents its filtration solutions

filter bag to help prevent product loss.

specifically designed to help to improve performance and

Furthermore, in order to meet the special filtration requirements of

sustainability for coatings and finishes applications at the European

paints, coatings and varnishes in the automotive industry, it can be

Coatings Show, the trade fair dedicated to the international paints and

equipped with high-strength filter bags from the LOFCLEAR™ 100 range.

coatings industry which will be held from 28 to 30 March 2023 in

Another highlight will be placed on the automatic mechanically cleaning

Nuremberg (Germany).

filter range DCF, ideal for highly viscous abrasive or sticky liquids.

Eaton will be in hall 4A at booth 116. Eaton will provide visitors with

The exhibition programme will be rounded off with the Simplex 72X cast

diverse and effective filtration solutions for removing solids and

pipeline strainer range, that provides full bypass-free filtration which

oil from paints, coatings, varnishes, adhesives, sealants, additives

protects process equipment. It is available in six standard sizes and

and printing inks to ensure more efficient production lines, less

conforms to the Pressure Equipment Directive (PED) with sealing and

maintenance downtime and reduced waste.

surface finishing characteristics, CE-marked to PED and compliant with

The company will particularly focus on the TOPLINE™ single bag filter

the EN13445 and AD 2000 pressure vessel codes.

th

th

housing that can either be used as a single housing or connected in a parallel arrangement. It features a side inlet, flow-through top for easy

For further information: www.eaton.com

© Eaton

10

N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

BRAND-NEW

Hooks & CE Hooks

From the in-stock small and thin hook to the special hook Ø30 with EU certification and loading capacity calculation, for both small and heavy parts to be coated.

© Europolveri

© Europolveri

Europolveri Presents Iconic 40, the New Line of Timeless Products On occasion of the important milestone of 40 years of activity, Europolveri has presented its new Iconic 40 products line.

I

conic 40 wants to be

working years to come, exactly as they have been in

a way to remember

the past. Within Iconic 40, a reinterpretation of classic

and celebrate the

and timeless finishes can be found, such as RAL 9006,

good things done in the

RAL 9007, gunmetal and metal black shades. The

past, making the new

choice of developing a matt finish comes from a trend

finishing available to

that has been in vogue for years, especially in some

customers for present

fields, to look for new and endearing finishes either

and future works.

to be offered customers and to facilitate the coaters,

Iconic 40 consists of

offering them products that can hide any substrate

4 products representing the 4 decades of activity

defects to be coated.

and translates into iconic hues the colours that

The choice of offering bonded products aligns with

have marked Europolveri’s history, revisited in a

Europolveri’s wish to present itself as an excellence

modern key. The products belonging to the series

among powder coating manufacturers, providing

are Qualicoat Class 1 certified polyester powders,

a very high-quality product with totally recoverable

studied and formulated according to current trends

powder when in use. All Iconic 40 series’ products s

of architecture and furniture sectors, fields where

are stock powders.

HOOKS & CE HOOKS

it is necessary to obtain the best possible proposal from an aesthetic-qualitative points of view. Iconic 40 consists of 4 smooth, matt and bonded finishes that

For further information:

want to represent a new reference for Europolveri’s

www.europolveri.it/en

COMPLETE SOLUTIONS FOR HANGING AND MASKING

www.rostirolla.it

BRAND-NEW © Evonik

Evonik Launches TEGO® Wet 290 and TEGO® Wet 296 Evonik has expanded the TEGO® Wet family with two new wetting agents: TEGO® Wet 290 and TEGO® Wet 296.

E

and metal surfaces. The new wetting agents improve wetting and anti-

TEGO® Wet 296 suitable for the automotive industry, where the demand

cratering properties and enhance flow and leveling.

for high-gloss coatings with a unique colour impression continues to

The two additives differ mainly in their composition:

grow. TEGO agents are also suitable for the wood industry.

TEGO® Wet 290 consists of 100% polyether-modified siloxane and is

“As a truly global partner to our coating customers, we are constantly

mainly suitable for formulations with requirements of low volatile content.

working to expand our offering, to meet the evolving market and

TEGO® Wet 296 is a 52% solution of a polyether-modified siloxane in

customer needs”, says Maximilian Morin, head of the Industrial &

DPM (dipropyleneglycol-methyl-ether), which works well in low solids

Transportation Coatings market segment. “With our two new wetting

formulations such as waterborne automotive basecoats.

agents, we are trying to help satisfy the appearance requirements for

“TEGO® Wet 296, the diluted version of the additive, is easier to

automotive and wood furniture coatings.”

vonik’s Coating Additives Business Line has recently launched

Stüttgen, Manager Applied Research & Technology Transportation

TEGO® Wet 290 and TEGO® Wet 296 - two new wetting agents

Coatings.

that can be used for different substrates such as wood, plastic,

Their excellent flow and leveling properties make TEGO® Wet 290 and

incorporate into the formulation. Since overdosing can cause craters on the surface, it is less prone to defects. Our customers can also dilute the 100 percent version to the level they need, if necessary”, explains Andreas

12

N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

For further information: www.coating-additives.com

BRAND-NEW

A|U|F and GSB International Agree on Mutual Membership The mutual membership is an important basis for bundling competences in the field of recycling and sustainable construction.

A

IUIF e.V. and the quality association GSB

building sector is fed into a closed material cycle

International have agreed on mutual

through the certificate introduced by AIUIF. Around

membership. “Both organisations are

90 percent of the recycled aluminium used in

committed to the goals of sustainable construction

building products in Germany has passed through

and promote the responsible use of natural

the closed AIUIF materials cycle.

resources,” stated the retiring AIUIF Board Chairman

“The mutual membership of the leading

Walter Lonsinger, explaining the decision.

organisations in their respective fields of activity

Founded in 1976 and based in Düsseldorf, GSB

opens up numerous opportunities for stronger

International is dedicated to quality and quality

cooperation in the field of sustainable construction

related topics in the coating of aluminium and steel.

and the recycling of building products,” declared the

GSB currently has 160 members in 25 countries.

designated AIUIF Chairman Thomas Lauritzen. “We

It cooperates with international partners and

will work together to make it easier for planners,

accredited testing institutes. Within the framework

contractors and the metal industry, as well as the

of a comprehensive ecological responsibility, GSB

demolition and waste management sector, to recycle

sets the highest quality standards for ecological

coated building products in a closed-loop system.”

and healthy processes and products in coating

For the chairmen of the GSB Board, Willem Beljaars

technology, with a focus on sustainable and stable

and Werner Hillebrand, mutual membership is an

surface coatings in the field of architecture. As a

important basis for bundling competences in the

result of this comprehensive commitment, GSB

field of recycling and sustainable construction and

coatings are an integral part of many tenders.

communicating them in an impactful way.

More than 200 companies, planners and architects are currently involved in AIUIF e.V. in order to For further information:

products in the building sector. Currently, around

www.gsb-international.de/en and

two thirds of the aluminium scrap produced in the

https://a-u-f.com/english-summary/

EN 1527

H

el

m

A.

promote the closed-loop recycling of aluminium

Hellas S

.

BRAND-NEW

Huntsman Will Present New Coatings Products at ECS At the European Coatings Show, Huntsman will showcase its latest coating solutions.

T

he Belgian company Huntsman has recently announced that it

Huntsman will also present the new JEFFAMINE® M-3085 mono-

will launch three new products at the European Coatings Show

polyether amine with a higher molecular weight than the commonly

(ECS), the international trade fair dedicated to paints and coatings

employed solutions, so it can be used as a raw material for the synthesis

that will be held from 28 to 30 March 2023 in Nuremberg (Germany).

of pigment dispersants or as a building block in reactive surfactants

Huntsman will be at booth 371 in hall 5.

for the emulsification or dispersion processes of epoxy resins in water.

th

th

Finally, the company will showcase its new POLYRESYST® IC6005 system

The new products set for launch include POLYRESYST® IC6005 polyurethane system, JEFFAMINE M-3085 amine and POLYRESYST

on an I-beam, a cross laminated timber panel and a series of tiles.

IC6005 system. Moreover, the visitors will also have the opportunity

In addition, the visitors of the trade fair ECS will be able to experience

to discover more about the extensive range of polyetheramines of the

two keynote speeches from the coating experts of Huntsman:

company, such as the mono-functional JEFFAMINE M 2070 – which can

‘The use of mono-functional polyetheramines in waterborne epoxy

be used as a reactive dispersant.

resins’ by the application specialist Steven Buvens on Tuesday 28th

®

®

®

POLYRESYST IC6005 is an intumescent coating specifically developed

March 2023 (1:30 to 2:00 p.m. in Session 22 in St. Petersburg Room).

for the construction industry, in order to provide passive fire protection

‘Novel Fast Curing Intumescent Polyurethane Coating System’ by the

performances alongside corrosion protection properties. Suitable

technical manager Stefan Priemen on Wednesday 29th March 2023

for use on a variety of substrates, the polyurethane system can offer

(10:30 to 10:50 a.m. in Hall 5/Booth 243).

®

improved chemical and water resistance, as well as durability. Besides containing no added solvents and low VOC levels, it also cures quickly at any desired thickness.

For further information: www.huntsman.com

© Huntsman

14

N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

BRAND-NEW

KRÜSS to Showcase Generation íí Instruments at ECS Under the heading Generation íí, KRÜSS will be present at the European Coatings Show 2023 with two new measuring instruments.

K

RÜSS has announced that it will take part at the European

components can cover a temperature range between -15 and 300 °C

Coatings Show, the international trade fair that will take place

or expand the possibilities with automated measurements of the critical

in Nuremberg (Germany) from 28 to 30 March 2023. On the

micelle concentration (CMC) as well as wetting analysis of solids.

th

th

occasion, the company will present two new measuring instruments

Ayríís is a ground-breaking solution for wettability checks in QC for

under the heading Generation íí.

coated or pre-treated surfaces. Getting rid of any user intervention

The tensiometer Tensíío from the Hamburg-based solution provider for

and result interpretation whatsoever, Ayríís uses highly innovative 3D

interfacial analysis combines technical innovations with great flexibility in

Contact Angle technology for reliable measurements that require no

individual equipment. Ayríís, the world’s first instrument for measuring

prior knowledge or training. Together with the contact angle result,

the 3D Contact Angle, is a mobile solution for reliable, unambiguous

Ayríís gives a clear passed/failed message based on predefined limits

testing in quality control (QC).

for different sample types without any necessary evaluation by the

With Tensíío, KRÜSS places particular emphasis on individualized

inspector. The stand-alone unit can operate around the clock with

equipment options for the respective needs of the user, in addition to

almost no interruption.

many technical innovations and intuitive operation with an integrated

The visitors of the trade fair will be able to discover Tensíío & Ayríís at

touch display that allows to define custom instrument with exactly

booth 205 in hall 4 and also attend the talk ‘The Novel 3D Contact Angle

the features needed and makes Tensíío a universal tool for surface

Method to Control Pre-treatments’ held by the application scientist

analysis with 15 methods (and growing). For example, a force sensor

Thomas Willers on 28th March at 04:00 pm.

with particularly high resolution is ideal for tasks such as measuring For further information: www.kruss-scientific.com

© KRÜSS

low interfacial tensions or the wetting of single fibres. Other optional

international PAINT&COATING magazine - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - N. 80

15

BRAND-NEW

PPG Presented Steelguard 951 Fire Protection Coating for the Architectural Market The 100% solids epoxy coating Steelguard 951 developed by PPG provides up to three hours of fire protection. © PPG

T

he international coatings manufacturer

12944 C5, without the need for a top coat.

using its patented flexible epoxy technology,

PPG has recently announced that it

In addition, it reaches up to 3,500 microns

which offers durability and edge retention

will launch PPG Steelguard® 951, an

dry film thickness in a single coat and cures

properties that reduce the risk of cracks

innovative epoxy intumescent coating that

rapidly, making it ready to handle the day after

caused during handling and transportation.

has been specifically developed to meet

application.

It is tested in accordance with all recognised

the demands of modern architectural steel,

“Structural steel plays a critical role in modern

national and international fire and corrosion

providing up to three hours of cellulosic fire

architecture by enabling buildings to meet

standards, including EN 13381-8, BS 476, ISO

protection.

specific fire protection and corrosion resistance

12944, GB 51249 and GB14907 (for specified

In the case of a fire, the 100% solids coating

according to their function. PPG Steelguard 951

environments).

expands from a thin and lightweight film into a

coating is unique in combining an aesthetically-

thick foam-like layer that insulates the steel and

pleasing finish with high corrosion protection

For further information:

maintains its structural integrity, providing more

and, most importantly, the ability to maintain

www.ppgpmc.com

time for people to escape and limiting damage

the steel’s stability in the event of a fire,” has

to buildings and assets.

stated Richard Mann, the global passive fire

PPG Steelguard 951 coating also provides

protection product manager for the Protective

effective corrosion protection even in severe

and Marine Coatings division of PPG.

atmospheric environments, up to ISO

PPG has designed the new intumescent coating

16

N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

THE STABLE ONE

DELTA-PROTEKT TC 502 GZ

®

Silver hybrid topcoat

LET‘S MEET AT FASTENER FAIR GLOBAL 2023 HALL 1, BOOTH 1056

  

DELTA-PROTEKT ® TC 502 GZ is a silver hybrid topcoat with excellent friction properties for use on metric components.

Very stable friction properties PTFE-free Strong process stability

www.doerken.com

MORE?

?

HOW IT’S COATED © Legoland

Graco Equipment Helps to Waterproof Legoland Dubai Graco equipment was used to prepare the surface and then spray a number of different coatings on 22,000 m2 of concrete in a new theme park in Dubai.

L

ocated in Dubai Parks and Resorts, LEGOLAND® Dubai and

wind was depositing huge amounts of sand on the work site. On some

LEGOLAND® Water Park provide over forty interactive rides and

mornings, workers had to sweep and vacuum around 200 kg of desert

water slides, as well as mini lands where over 20 million LEGO

before work could commence.

®

bricks have been used to create 15,000 lifelike models. The complex

The vast size and intricacies of the complex meant that some areas

opened on 31st October 2016 and is the seventh LEGOLAND in the

were very difficult to access. Spray equipment could not always be

world and the first in the Middle East.

placed near the areas requiring coatings. Equipment powerful enough

Four years on, visitors are still shooting down the water slides, cooling

to accommodate extra-long fluid hose lengths (94-120 meters) to apply

off in the wave pool and building their own LEGO skylines. It is thus

the sealing primer and polyurea coating became the integral solution for

difficult to imagine what the place looked like just six months prior to

the contractor. The work site was also extremely busy, with various sub-

opening. Then, the whole location was the scene of intense activity as

contractors attempting to complete their own tasks on schedule, which

50,000 kg of durable, watertight and long-lasting waterproofing solution

led to frequent site contamination. Much of the concrete that needed to

was being sprayed on 22,000 square meters of concrete.

be coated was inadequately prepared – or not prepared at all.

Multiple challenges in the desert

As if that wasn’t enough, the waterproof coatings would be exposed to many different operating environments, from salt water to desalinated

This was no ordinary spray application. The environmental conditions

water to potable water. Some environments were exposed to direct

posed unique challenges. Day-time temperatures often peaked at

sunlight, others were in constant submersion, and some would be

52° C. Some substrate temperatures actually reached 68° C. Humidity

exposed to hydraulic forces and abrasion. One area was to hold

levels were as high as 85%. The infamous hot and dry shamal overnight

sensitive marine life. And on top of all these challenges was the ticking

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N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

?

HOW IT’S COATED

© Graco

clock. Just six months to go … and counting down. Stepping into this

used. Its key advantage is the ability to use hose lengths of up to 94

cauldron, having been invited to provide their spraying and coating

meters. This allowed the operators to easily spray in remote or difficult

expertise and products, was local Graco distributor Deltachem.

to access areas of a work site while the mixing unit could remain a

Thankfully, Deltachem was able to offer the right Graco equipment to

distance away. It also meant that large drums of material didn’t need to

get the various preparation and spraying jobs done on time and to an

be constantly manhandled into position close to the operator. Graco’s

excellent quality standard.

XP70 guaranteed that the primer with a 10-minute pot life was applied

Preparing the concrete with Graco EcoQuip vapour abrasive blasting As mentioned, much of the 22,000 square meters of concrete was

on ratio every time. This was a significant cost saving for the asset owner who did not have to incur financial losses due to material curing inside the paint drums.

ill-prepared to be coated. It was being prepared when Deltachem

Polyurea applied with Graco’s reactors

entered the project, but through manual grinding – a process that was

The coating specified for the 22,000 square meters that required

labor-intensive, slow, and was creating clouds of dust that were not

waterproofing was polyurea produced by Voelkel Industrial Products

appreciated by other workers in the vicinity.

(VIP). Following rigorous on-site consultations by Graco’s team,

Vapour blasting in Legoland Dubai

Deltachem was advised to commission Graco’s Reactor2 E-EXP2 units, one Graco XP-70 and one Graco Reactor E10HP. The E10HP’s portability

With a deadline looming, and surface preparation work falling behind,

enabled the operators to move small amounts of polyurea around, and

Deltachem brought along Graco’s EcoQuip vapour blasting unit. Vapour

spray difficult to access areas. The new Graco Reactor2 comes equipped

abrasive blasting generates 92 percent less dust compared to dry

with Graco’s latest innovation; an App (downloadable for free) that gives

blasting, as well as using significantly less water compared to slurry or

a user the freedom to make real-time adjustments directly from their

other wet blasting methods. EcoQuip also uses less media which means

smartphones. The operators at the end of the 120-meter spray hose

less containment and clean-up.

where thus able to turn the machine on or off, turn pumps on or off,

Coating with primer with Graco XP70 plural component airless sprayer To spray the concrete with primer, Graco’s XP70 spraying unit was

and adjust pump settings, such as temperatures and pressure – all without having to return to the machine.

The Reactor App became invaluable for the operators working at LEGOLAND Dubai. They did not waste time walking back and forth to

international PAINT&COATING magazine - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - N. 80

19

?

HOW IT’S COATED

© Graco

the Reactor unit or yelling instructions to someone down the spray

protective lining systems and two topcoats, namely:

line to adjust the unit’s parameters. Everything could be adjusted and

• Substrate preparation: Quick Prime S, Quick Prime SF, Quick Fill ME & NS

controlled in the palm of the operators’ hands via their smartphone.

• Lining systems: Quick Seal MP 250 & PP350, Quick Spray Industrial &

Another feature of the Reactor App, appreciated by the material

Industrial W

supplier, was the ability to view the material drum levels of the units, in

• Flooring systems: Quick Coat PU and Quick Floor 500.

real time from their offices in Germany and Dubai. Monitoring material

Equipment supplier Deltachem provided the following application

consumption and levels ensured a steady stream of supply to the

equipment:

operators on site.

• Graco Reactor2 E-XP2

By replacing a slow manual process with fast vapour blasting, the

• Graco Reactor E10HP

concrete was quickly and efficiently prepared for coating. The mobility

• Graco Fusion Air Purge Gun with 4242 mix chamber and a round tip

of EcoQuip was a further advantage, allowing it to be easily maneuvered

• Graco XP70 plural component airless spray unit

from site to site.

• Graco EcoQuip2 vapour abrasive blasting unit for surface preparation.

Technical specifications

Despite the huge challenges and very tight schedule, all sub-projects were finished on time to the customer’s full satisfaction. LEGOLAND

To best meet the varying requirements of the different substrates and

Dubai actually became a reference project in the Middle East for the use

operating environments in LEGOLAND Dubai, coating materials supplier

of polyurea. Soon after this project was finished, the contractors started

Voelkel Industrial Products (VIP Coatings) applied four joint sealing

working on the Meydan Crystal Lagoon in Dubai, a huge 40,000 square

products, two concrete repair and prepare products, two primers, three

meter lagoon lined with polyurea.

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N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

Europolveri presents

ICONIC the new line of timeless products

On occasion of the important milestone of 40 years of activity, Europolveri has presented its new Iconic 40 products line.

Iconic 40 wants to be a way to remember and celebrate the good things done in the past, making the new finishing available to customers for present and future works.

Iconic 40 consists of 4 products representing the 4 decades of activity and translates into iconic hues the colours that have marked Europolveri’s history, revisited in a modern key.

The products belonging to the series are Qualicoat Class 1 certified polyester powders, studied and formulated according to current trends of architecture and furniture sectors, fields where it is necessary to obtain the best possible proposal from an aesthetic-qualitative points of view.

Zaniolo CdA - 02.23

Powder Coatings series

ICONIC

Iconic products to celebrate the 4 decades of Europolveri

Iconic 40 consists of 4 smooth, matt and bonded finishes that want to represent a new reference for Europolveri’s working years to come, exactly as they have been in the past.

Within Iconic 40, a reinterpretation of classic and timeless finishes can be found, such as RAL 9006, RAL 9007, gunmetal and metal black shades.

The choice of developing a matt finish comes from a trend that has been in vogue for years, especially in some fields, to look for new and endearing finishes either to be offered customers and to facilitate the coaters, offering them products that can hide any substrate defects to be coated.

The choice of offering bonded products aligns with Europolveri's wish to present itself as an excellence among powder coating manufacturers, providing a very high-quality product with totally recoverable powder when in use.

All Iconic 40 series’ products s are stock powders.

For more information on this: vendite@europolveri.it

Europoveri S.p.A. - Ph. +39.(0)444.750643 - Fax +39.(0)444.750653 - www.europolveri.it

BRAND-NEW

IST to Launch Tech Breakthrough at ECS Leading solvent recovery and washing-systems manufacturer IST has announced it is to reveal its latest innovations at the European Coating Show 2023 in Nuremberg.

© IST

S

peaking exclusively to Alessia Venturi, Editor-in-chief of

“all I can say is if there’s one launch that you’ll want to see at ECS it will

ipcm®_International Paint&Coating Magazine, Alessandro

certainly be this one, so mark your diaries for 11 am, 28 March, 1st day

Galli, Product Marketing Manager, IST explained that these

of the ECS at stand 4-242 and join us for The IST Launch. It’s going to be

advancements mark a technological breakthrough for the coating

memorable! See you there.”

industry.

Look out for Alessia Venturi’s exclusive interview scoop with

“On show will be a revolutionary new series of washing machine for

Massimiliano Mingacci, General Sales and Marketing Manager of IST and

process and storage tanks, as well as the evolution of one of our most

his company’s revolutionary machines — exclusively in the May/June

popular machine series; a market-first in gravimetric filling even for

issue of ipcm® magazine.

small sizes and shaftless kettle scrapers. We will also be unveiling a new integrated heating system and microcontroller touch-board system. This is certainly next level where the market is concerned,” concluded Galli,

For further information: www.ist.it

international PAINT&COATING magazine - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - N. 80

21

BRAND-NEW

Penn Color Will Present New High-Performance Dispersions at European Coatings Show Penn Color announced a wide spectrum of water-based, solvent-based and UV dispersions to enhance pigment loading.

P

enn Color Inc. has recently announced that it will launch a brand-

The new water-based dispersions of Penn Color have low-to-no Volatile

new portfolio of high-performance dispersions at the European

Organic Compounds, are both binder and APEO-free and possess a

Coatings Show (ECS), the international trade fair dedicated to

high pigment loading. The solvent-based dispersions developed by

paints and coatings that will be held from 28 to 30 March 2023 in

the company are, on the other hand, broadly compatible acrylic resin

Nuremberg (Germany). The company will be at stand 615 in hall 2.

systems, with high pigment loading and optimal rheological properties.

“Penn Color is thrilled to expand its product offering for coatings and

Finally, the energy curable dispersions are also broadly compatible

paint applications. We are passionate about providing better solutions

systems with 100% solids.

that meet the needs of our clients and the changing demands of the

“Wherever our customers are located or whatever their requirements,

coatings industry,” has stated Phil Adams, the business director of the

our experts are always available to provide technical advice and the

Industrial Coatings division of Penn Color.

necessary support. The new range will be available both as a portfolio of

“That is why we are proud to announce a wide spectrum of water-based,

standard colorants and as proprietary technologies used by Penn Color

solvent-based and UV dispersions which promise enhanced pigment

to formulate custom dispersions on demand,” has concluded Adams.

th

th

loading, higher accuracy in reproducing colour shades and greater versatility across multiple sectors such as automotive, architectural and industrial coatings.”

© Penn Color

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N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

For further information: www.penncolor.com

BRAND-NEW

Gehring-Montgomery to Distribute Kuraray’s MOWITAL® in the U.S.A. Kuraray has signed an agreement that will allow Gehring-Montgomery to distribute MOWITAL® in the United States of America.

T

he global Japanese specialty chemicals manufacturer Kuraray has announced that it has signed a distribution agreement for its range of MOWITAL® PVB resins with

Gehring-Montgomery, the United States subsidiary of the TER Group, which is a global distributor of fine and speciality chemicals headquartered in Hamburg (Germany).

Kuraray will then be able to market its unique range of polyvinyl butyral (PVB) resins under the MOWITAL brand for technical PVB applications – particularly for printing inks, adhesives, paints and coatings – not only in Europe, but also in the United States of America.

For further information: www.kuraray.com

Painting for all industries

© Kuraray

Bringing your surface to perfection.

Dürr offers painting solutions from manual to automatic application, high-quality and easy to integrate. www.verind.it

MARKET CLOSE UP

SPECIAL ISSUE ON ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

Loaded with Environmentally Friendly Features, Coating Additives Soon to be Deemed as “Elixirs of Tomorrow” for Paint Formulators

S

ince time immemorial, paint

functional benefits. At present, the industry

product offerings to generate high shares.

manufacturers have been blending

utilises a wide range of coating additives,

Alongside these improvements, a long line of

additives into their formulations and

and leading manufacturers are constantly

stringent norms has come along as a result of

experimenting with numerous chemicals to

investing in research activities to expand their

consumer and political pressure. These norms

come up with unique and vibrant colours. One

existing portfolios. They are, hence, enabling

aim to prevent harm to the environment and

of the most infamous examples of such an

enhancements such as preventing growth

human beings by compelling manufacturers

experimentation is Scheele’s Green or Schloss

of mildew, quick drying paints and superior

to develop new paints that would contain zero

Green from the Victorian Era. It contained high

adhesion.

volatile organic compounds. Surging desire to

levels of acidic copper arsenite that gradually

Numerous companies are focusing on

upgrade the way paints work and lower their

poisoned occupants of homes that used this

improving the antibacterial properties and

negative influence is expected to pave the way

colour for wallpapers.

smell of coating additives. As the demand

for new coating additives.

Since then, advancements in the paint

for enhanced characteristics such as UV

Fact.MR, a leading market research firm,

additives industry have come a long way.

protection, dispersion of solids, scrub

mentioned that the global coating additives

Latest formulations are mainly designed

resistance, gloss control, wetting, improved

market is estimated to surpass US$ 9.3 billion

to add up new useful characteristics that

levelling, and foam-reduction is skyrocketing,

in 2023 and exhibit considerable growth at a

can provide environmental, decorative and

key companies are striving to refine their

CAGR of 5.0% in the next ten years from 2023 to 2033. Increasing utilisation of innovative coating additives in construction paints to improve the surface effectiveness, as well as viscosity of substrates, is one of the prominent factors propelling sales.

Burgeoning demand for architectural and industrial applications is another vital factor that is estimated to bode well for the coating additive industry. Consumers are expected to choose those exterior coating additives that are highly effective against algae, fungi and bacteria. On the back of changing demand, prominent companies are likely to focus on introducing high-quality coating additives in the foreseeable future.

TEGO Powder Aid D01 from Evonik Industries AG to change the game for powder coating formulators In December 2022, Evonik Industries AG, a

© Evonik

Application of a coating with the TEGO Powder Aid D01 multifunctional polymer additive from Evonik.

24

N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

renowned specialty chemicals manufacturer based in Germany, introduced a new

MARKET CLOSE UP

SPECIAL ISSUE ON ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

multifunctional polymer additive named TEGO Powder Aid D01. It can

surfactant called Reactsurf 2490 in November 2022. It is a cutting-

be used for powder coating formulations and would help to make them

edge emulsifier that can accelerate the performance of coatings and

disperse by effectively reducing melt viscosity, as well as promoting

additives. It was mainly designed to act as a primary emulsifier for

pigment wetting during extrusion.

styrene-acrylic, vinyl-acrylic, and acrylic latex systems.

The newly launched additive can ensure better Distinctness of Image

The new product can boost performance of emulsion to provide

(DOI) and optimise gloss development on the surface of coatings.

superior aesthetic and functional benefits in pressure sensitive

TEGO Powder Aid D01 is also versatile in nature as it can be utilised in

adhesives, as well as exterior coatings. It can perform well even at high

formulations containing both organic pigments such as carbon black

temperatures, unlike conventional surfactants. According to Solvay,

and inorganic pigments & fillers.

Reactsurf 2490 can be utilised in building & construction, paint binders,

As per Evonik Industries AG, its product can generate a significant

paper coatings, nonwoven & textile binders and sealants & adhesive

effect in small amounts and is ideal for those looking for an individual

applications.

multifunctional additive for numerous powder coating systems. The coating is set to be possible with the help of the new product as it does

Clariant unveils ClariCoat, a 24/7 digital tool to help formulators choose the right additive

not contain surface-active wax.

Increasing preference for sustainable formulations and stringent

product can also act as a synergist with a wide range of additives. Over

Solvay ushers in an era of aesthetic emulsion with the launch of the Reactsurf 2490 additive

government norms associated with products that emit volatile organic compounds are encouraging key manufacturers of paints and coatings to launch eco-friendly products. They are also creating awareness either

Solvay, a multinational chemical company headquartered in Belgium,

with the help of social media campaigns or by developing digital tools to

introduced a new alkylphenol ethoxylates (APE)-free1 polymerisable

help consumers get a better understanding of numerous additives.

MARKET CLOSE UP

SPECIAL ISSUE ON ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

© Clariant

© Solvay

Examples of possible use for the Reactsurf 2490 additive of Solvay.

The webapp ClariCoat.

In October 2022, Clariant AG, a multinational specialty chemicals

among others. Expansion of both residential and commercial sectors in

manufacturer based in Switzerland, for instance, unveiled a results-

the USA, China, Germany, Canada, India and Japan is another vital factor

focused web application named ClariCoat for additives. It enables

that would fuel demand for coating additives as they are extensively

customised property selection that covers a wide range of performance

used to protect buildings.

criteria- right from sustainability and workability to liquid paint stability.

In the USA, for instance, around 90% of all architectural coatings sold

Once the user completes criteria selection, the product

are water-based, finds Fact.MR. Increasing demand for these coatings

recommendation engine offers results of suitable additives that would

for the development of a vast network of infrastructure such as electrical

meet the requirements of paint formulators.

grids, ports and bridges is projected to drive sales.

The new digital tool would help address high demand for sustainable

Fact.MR further states that total exports of acrylic polymer from the

coatings and paints. Surging inclination toward water-based paint

USA is anticipated to reach US$ 1490 million by 2023, while imports are

systems is another factor that would push sales of paints and coatings

likely to go up by US$ 1178 million during the same year. Surging use

additives. Hence, Clariant AG aims to provide formulators with proper

of acrylic additives in water-borne coatings for applications in outdoor

guidance through ClariCoat 24/7.

glasing, especially in construction and architecture would accelerate

What does the next decade hold for coating additive manufacturers?

sales of coating additives in the country.

In Canada, on the other hand, investments in non-residential construction were up by 0.2% in November 2022 and reached US$ 5.5

One of the most prominent trends in the coating additive industry that

billion, whereas single-family home construction investments fell by

is anticipated to progress in the next ten years is development of water-

2.0% to nearly US$ 14.9 billion in the same month.

borne formulations. Consumers are set to shift toward powder-based

The aforementioned factors prove that booming building and

and water-borne coating additives from solvent-borne products due to

construction activities, especially in the non-residential and commercial

strict environmental regulations.

sectors would augment demand for superior coating additives for

Demand for fluoropolymer coating additives is further estimated to

protecting the exteriors of structures. Leading companies are predicted

catapult the coating additive industry. These additives deliver excellent

to soon adopt eco-friendly manufacturing processes for keeping up with

protection against corrosion, chemicals, temperature and abrasion,

strict guidelines provided by government bodies worldwide.

26

N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

FASTRIP ISP In-line system for the chemical paint stripping of hooks and frames

DELICATE

MODULAR

TIME-SAVING

POWERFUL

COST-EFFECTIVE

THE ORIGINAL

ALIT Technologies Srl - San Bonifacio, Italy +39 045.245.6638 - info@alit-tech.com

www.alit-tech.com

Fastrip ISP is a stripping machine featuring a horizontal tank above which the rail runs for the in-line handling of hooks and frames intended for electrostatic coating processes. These are immersed and flow into the stripping bath for a variable time of approximately 2 minutes. After leaving the chemical bath while still hanging onto the chain, they result perfectly clean and ready to be used in a new coating cycle. ALIT offers the complete paint stripping solution: tank and chemical paint stripping product with high performance and low environmental impact.

© Adobe Stock

ADVANCEMENTS

AXALTA’s Non-Toxic Wire Enamels Make E-Drives More Sustainable Edited by Axalta Coating Systems Glen Mills - Pennsylvania (USA)

Electrification is one of the most significant strategies in global efforts to limit greenhouse gas emissions across various sectors. Nowhere is this more evident than in the eMobility space where there are considerable efforts in R&D to improve the efficiency of powertrains and energy storage. Axalta has been launching new non-toxic wire enamels providing improved application efficiencies and speed without sacrificing performance.

A

XALTA Coating Systems is focused on enhancing the performance

• Sourcing: Cresol is mainly made of tar coal, a resource of increasingly

of e-drives by developing and producing electrical insulating

limited availability due to CO2 reduction initiatives. Limited quantities

materials – impregnating and casting resins, electrical steel

increase impact on material costs.

coatings and wire enamels – that are essential improvements in the

• Smell: Cresol has a strong and offensive odour which has sparked

performance and sustainability of electrification when compared with

discussions of air pollution among employees in companies working with

current solutions.

wire enamels and in surrounding communities.

Today, 80% of regular wire coatings contain cresol or other phenol

• Toxicity: Cresol is toxic. If not handled properly, cresol can cause

derivatives; solvents that contribute to the essential curing reaction of

serious health effects and increase liability for companies working with it.

wire. Despite significant process and safety improvements in the use

There is a clear dichotomy between the need for evolving mobility

of cresol since its introduction in the mid-20th century, there are three

towards electrification and leveraging substances that represent

challenges impacting the ongoing and wide use of cresylic wire enamels:

environmental and health risks.

28

N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

ADVANCEMENTS

Similar comparisons can be drawn with the discontinuation of rare earth metals by auto manufacturers because of the environmental damage that can occur during production and associated cost risks.

While the toxicity and environmental impact that wire enamels can have may not be as commonly understood, there is a critical need to ensure the overall sustainability of an electric vehicle’s bill of materials and the supply chains that make it possible.

AXALTA has thoroughly considered this issue. By leveraging the company’s strengths in innovating coating solutions with lower environmental impact, Axalta has developed cresol free wire enamels that perform on par or better than previous solutions on the market while being environmentally friendly.

These efforts have culminated in the development of the Voltatex® ECO line whereof Voltatex® 73.. A ECO, a non-toxic THEIC Polyesterimide series meeting IEC 60317 class 200 (and 220 in combination with a top coat) standards. It offers additional advantages of reduced dust residues in coating lines and eliminating odour pollution concerns for employees and neighbouring communities.

The new wire enamel also contributes to minimizing the overall CO2 footprint through a significantly improved ratio of viscosity and

solid content, which results in less transportation and storage space requirements, increased enamelling speeds, and higher machine efficiencies.

Axalta continually looks for ways to improve the performance of the electrification ecosystem to make vehicles drive further, batteries last longer, and power generation more efficient while helping to keep its customers and their end products more sustainable.

© Axalta Coating Systems

Application of VOLTATEX® 73.. A ECO series.

ADVANCEMENTS

New Rectifier from Dürr for Cathodic Electrocoating Philipp Dunkel Dürr Systems AG - Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany

philipp.dunkel@durr.com

The new EcoDC MACS rectifier for cathodic electrocoating from Dürr provides 50% more power with same space requirement.

U

ntil now, the immersion step of cathodic electrocoating could

Another advantage of the division into many small units is that EcoDC

only be split into a few areas when using conventional thyristor

MACS can control small anode groups down to the individual anode.

rectifiers. If a rectifier failed, then a big part of the coating

This allows much more precise voltage regulation in the immersion bath

current was unavailable, resulting in imperfect coating and an unusable

and enables optimized voltage profiles – flexibly designed for many body

body. This risk no longer exists with EcoDC MACS because Dürr split the

models.

previously large thyristor rectifiers into lots of small rectifier modules, each of which supplies voltage to just a small section of the tank. The

Higher efficiency through silicon carbide semiconductors

failure of one rectifier no longer negatively impacts coating quality. Since

Dürr has increased the EcoDC MACS’ efficiency up to 96 percent

the smaller units cost just a fraction by comparison, the investment for

by replacing the conventional IGBT modules (insulated-gate bipolar

replacement units is significantly reduced.

transistor) with modern semiconductors made from silicon carbide

© Dürr

Dürr’s new EcoDC MACS rectifier for cathodic electrocoating provides 50% more power with the same space requirement.

30

N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

ADVANCEMENTS

(SiC). This results in more power with less waste heat and a lower cooling air requirement, translating to energy savings. A sample calculation for a paint shop with 58 bodies per hour proves the difference in effective power because of the SiC semiconductors’ higher operational efficiency is around 45 kW. Assuming 20 hours of production per day, 230 working days per year, and an electricity price of 0.21 euros per kWh, this results in an energy

Azienda leader nella produzione di catene di trasporto Redler, raschianti, stampate ed aeree

cost reduction of more than 43,000 euros per year in addition to savings from improved network quality and minimal reactive power.

Active harmonics compensation Another innovation is the linear current consumption made possible by the integrated Active Front End (AFE) technology. The technology balances harmonic currents, which in the worst case, could result in plant shutdowns and stoppages. AFE does away with the need to invest in another compensation system since the power factor increases to ≈1. In addition, the active harmonic

“L’affidabilità non si compra, oltre 1000 impianti di convogliatori aerei installati lo dimostrano...”

compensation guarantees compliance with the legal limit values for the supply voltage quality.

Simplified troubleshooting Dürr has also optimized data transfer from the rectifier module to the control unit. Data is now transferred via a customary Profinet or Ethernet IP interface instead of through a special ring bus system, simplifying troubleshooting and guaranteeing higher plant availability. A powerful bus system is also an important prerequisite for Industry 4.0 solutions with additional diagnostic options.

Higher voltage for new paints possible With the new SiC rectifier modules, plant operators are optimally prepared for new requirements arising from future paints possibly requiring higher coating currents or voltages. EcoDC MACS is rated for a higher direct current of up to a maximum of 450 V DC

I NOSTRI PRODOTTI

and more current per rectifier mode of up to 120 A DC.

• Catene di trasporto

The new SiC rectifiers were already installed in two plants where

• Componenti per impianti morris e scatolati

they ensure that the plants function at the optimal operating point and produce the best possible coating results. SiC rectifiers replace the IGBT technology on the market for around ten years but can also be retrofitted in place of conventional thyristor

• Gruppi comando a caterpillar e a ruota • Impianti monorotaia, birotaia

• Ingranaggi e pignoni

• Particolari a disegno

+39 02 96780581

info@nuovacatena.it

rectifiers.

Via P.I. Radrizzani 108, 21040 Uboldo (Varese)

ADVANCEMENTS

Combining AGVs and Software for Greater Paint Shop Efficiency: EcoProFleet Ensures a Digitally Optimised Material Flow Philipp Dunkel Dürr Systems AG - Bietigheim-Bissingen, Germany

philipp.dunkel@durr.com

Dürr presented DXQlogistics.control, the new software products for the digital factory that ensure a digitally optimised material flow and a greater paint shop efficiency.

© Dürr

32

N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

ADVANCEMENTS

F

rom compact cars to pick-up trucks, the EcoProFleet driverless transport system developed by Dürr specifically for paint shops transports bodies with great flexibility. The Automated

Guided Vehicle (AGV) comes into its own in combination with the new DXQ software products from Dürr’s Digital Factory. Together, hardware and software enable variable production layouts, optimally controlled material flow and maximum efficiency and scalability in the industrial painting process.

AGVs are key to a smooth transition between work decks and temporary factory storage, covering most of the painting process spectrum. EcoProFleet is designed for this variety. The AGV can pick

INDUSTRIAL COATINGS

Waterborne Solventborne High solid

up any model, from compact cars to SUVs and pick-up trucks to unique shapes like truck cabs, place them down in work decks, or keep them ready during the painting process.

In the paint shops of the future, where modular work boxes replace the old lines with their rigid cycle times, AGVs are on the move up to 24 hours at a time, in the case of the EcoProFleet. It is the only driverless transport system on the market now that can operate around the clock since it does not need to charge its energy stores overnight like other models. Instead, EcoProFleet connects briefly to charging points along its routes. These charging points are where the AGV would be stationary anyway, for example, when transferring a body to a work deck. The short interval is enough to charge the capacitors so that the AGV has enough energy after placing down the body to return immediately to the production area and start the next job.

Flexible route changes DXQlogistics.control is Dürr’s tailored software solution for the driverless transport system’s control logic. It controls the material flow digitally according to work deck utilization, equipment and availability. The software can decide autonomously about the next job step and work deck based on the body type and defined process steps. To optimize logistics, it can also take in destinations outside the route chart, such as outward transfer stations or temporary storage locations. This means it can always respond flexibly, for example, if a malfunction occurs at a work deck or rework to a body surface necessitates changing the original route.

Ultimately, the combination of the EcoProFleet driverless transport system and the DXQlogistics.control software solution results in the optimal utilization of all work decks. Workers no longer need to wait for the next body since the software plans all the tasks ahead and even factors in transport time. Unproductive downtimes and cycle time losses thus become obsolete, replaced by production efficiency.

Since Dürr’s hardware and DXQ software are perfectly coordinated and individually combinable thanks to their modular design, they will play an instrumental role in making the paint shops of the future much more flexible and scalable than was previously possible.

Mirodur S.p.A. Via delle Scienze, 3 - 04011 Aprilia (LT) Tel. +39 06 9281746 Fax +39 06 9280644 www.mirodur.com - info@mirodur.com

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

A Top Hand Powder Coating System for a Top Hand Product: Bespoke Windows and Entrance Doors by SMART Systems Alessia Venturi ipcm®

© Smart Systems Limited

If your core business is to produce custom-made products, with extreme quality and attention to detail, for a premium market segment, you certainly demand the same from your suppliers, especially if multi-million investments are involved. This is what happened at Smart Systems Limited, one of the UK’s market leaders in aluminium systems and bespoke entrance doors, when it chose a supplier for a paint shop upgrade at its production site. The successful partnership created with Cabycal led in fact to the creation and installation of as many as three different powder coating lines in just eighteen months.

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

L

ondon. A mix of modern and antique, skyscrapers, Victorian,

covers windows, sliding and slide folding doors, curtain walls, ground

Georgian, Edwardian, and Art Deco buildings, the elegant modern

floor treatments, conservatory roofing systems, and now also entrance

mansions of Mayfair and the mirrored glass of the City. It is in this

doors,” Daniel Evans, marketing officer at SMART Systems, states.

cosmopolitan and multifaceted city that the real estate dreams of many

“Our profile solutions have been specified on numerous high-profile

lie, especially at the top end of the market.

projects through the UK and are particularly suited to heritage

And it is London that hosts the main user base for a premium product

applications, such as listed building renovations and large-scale

with high quality standards, aimed at satisfying the most demanding

replica-refurbishment projects where planning constraints are to be

consumers (or would-be consumers): the designer entrance doors

considered.”

conceived and manufactured by Smart Systems Limited. Established

With a broad portfolio of architectural aluminium solutions and a

in Yatton, near Bristol (UK) in 1977, over the years this company has

profound knowledge of the extrusion process, implemented in the early

become the leading supplier of aluminium systems for high-end

2000s to mark the transition from a commercial to a manufacturing

architectural projects in the United Kingdom, basing its reputation on

company, Smart has developed into a specialist in powder coating – a

product quality and on its technical, innovative, and design expertise.

fundamental process step, in a vertically integrated production flow that

Door production, on the other hand, is a newer core business for Smart,

focuses on tailor-made quality for each customer. Indeed, the strategic

a project conceived and launched in 2018 to provide the market with

importance of powder finishing was the starting point for an extensive

designer doors that would harmonise perfectly with the multifaceted

investment in innovative equipment, which involved the installation of

architectural styles of British homes, especially in the capital city, from

no less than three new coating lines in eighteen months: a horizontal

traditional Victorian to modern chic.

high-flexibility powder application line for aluminium extrusions, a

“Our product range is extensive and offers solutions for both

complete line for treating and coating aluminium door sheets, and a

commercial and residential projects. The range of solutions available

compact, high-productivity automatic application line for aluminium

© ipcm

© Smart Systems Limited

© ipcm

A product from the Smart Designer Doors series, a bird’s eye view of the Smart Systems headquarters in Yatton (Bristol) and a general view of the complete powder coating line for high-quality aluminium door panels designed by Cabycal.

international PAINT&COATING magazine - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - N. 80

35

© ipcm

© ipcm

accessories. All three lines were supplied by Cabycal (Valencia, Spain), a

houses, be they in the Victorian, Art Deco, or cottage style. In 2018, we

company specialising in the development of bespoke surface treatment

decided to start mass manufacturing these products after developing a

processes active throughout Europe. In fact, “bespoke” is undoubtedly

type of entrance door with an aluminium “skin” on the outside that could

the term that best identifies both the products and services that

be easily customised with finishes and decorations to perfectly match

Smart offers to the world of architecture and construction and the

the aesthetics of each building. Today, thanks to our Door Configurator,

coating lines provided by Cabycal, made from scratch to customer

customers can design their own door by choosing from hundreds of

specifications.

combinations of décors, colours, and finishes.”

“The key year for Smart’s development as a vertically integrated

“Bringing production into a service company was not easy, but we could

company was 2005, when the Corialis Group bought us, investing

not have outsourced even the smallest part of the manufacturing process,

heavily in our transformation,” indicates Evans. “In 2010, we installed

since the quality required was very high. Therefore, we asked Cabycal

our first vertical lines for powder coating profiles and stopped relying

to design a fully automatic coating line with a pressurised, hermetically

on contractors to finish our products. Demands in terms of quality

sealed clean room equipped with air extraction, purification, and

and production volumes further increased in 2018, when the Smart

recirculation technology capable of reducing the scrap rate of our doors

Designer Doors project was born. Until then, our bread and butter had

to zero. This system formed the core of our investment, complemented

been the sale of window frames and interior folding or sliding doors.

by the other two horizontal lines for profiles and accessories,” notes Mike

We may well still be the largest dealer of folding doors in the UK.”

Coles, the maintenance manager of Smart Systems.

“However, exterior doors were our Achilles’ heel: we never had a proposal that integrated really well with our premium product lines and,

About SMART

above all, with the typical exterior aesthetics of British buildings and

“Over the past forty years, Smart has grown to become the UK’s leading

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FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

© ipcm

supplier of aluminium glazing systems and bespoke

1982, we made the decision to focus exclusively on

aluminium extrusions, building a reputation both for the

supplying and supporting our rapidly expanding

quality of our products and for our product innovation,

network of trade customers, while continuing

design, and technical expertise,” Evans continues.

to expand our portfolio of windows, doors, and

“Formed in 1977 by Barry Smart in Yatton, near Bristol,

framing systems. By the turn of the century, we had

Smart was initially established to supply high-quality

become a member of the internationally renowned

windows and doors for the residential market.

Corialis Group, a family of aluminium systems

“After initially manufacturing complete systems, Smart

companies that has a significant investment in

soon moved to also supply extruded aluminium

manufacturing companies in France, China, Poland,

profiles to window fabricators and installers, and by

and the United Kingdom.

From left to right: - The 8-stage pre-treatment tunnel.

- The paint application area, with a Gema automatic booth and powder centre, is housed in a pressurised airtight clean room.

- Dense phase powder application on aluminium sheets.

“2005 was a landmark year in our development, marked by the move

Advanced powder coating specialists

to a brand new, purpose-built site which housed our main offices,

Smart Systems was one of the first to develop aluminium profile with

warehouse, and distribution base. In the subsequent years we have

a full thermal break, initially by using a resin material then introducing

continued to invest in the site, marked by six expansion phases which

the innovative polyamide thermal break technology, which creates

have seen the installation of three modern aluminium extrusion presses,

a barrier between the cold air outside and the warm air inside. The

vertical and horizontal powder coating lines, a comprehensive finishing

Alitherm range of aluminium profiles was born. “From the classic

facility, and a manufacturing unit for our Designer Doors range, the

Alitherm Heritage range (perfect for traditional projects or sensitive

latest project of Smart Systems Ltd.”

refurbishments) to the contemporary looks of our high performance Eco

“Today, we have a 60,000 m² fully vertically integrated manufacturing

Futural system, our window systems have all been developed to deliver

facility and continue to invest in our plant, people, and premises, adding

the perfect combination of stylish looks and outstanding performance,”

products, processes, and services as required,” Daniel Evans ends. “As

says Mike Coles, maintenance manager at Smart Systems. “This type

the only UK manufacturer with this end-to end capability, we are able

of product required a high end powder coating finish to match the

to fully monitor, measure, and control quality at every stage of the

aesthetic of the building, that’s why we soon became advanced powder

production process, from the design of a system and the specification of

coating specialists: we could not let the powder coating be the weak

raw materials, right through to the despatch of each individual order.”

point of our product range!”

© ipcm

© ipcm

Coated sheets pass through the IR oven for rapid powder gelling.

38

The air purification and pressurisation unit in the line is from e2tech, a brand of Cabycal.

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FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

“Today Smart operates two vertical paint lines and one horizontal paint line with a combined production capacity of 800 m² of painted profile per hour. We are able to offer a range of standard and non-standard finishes including RAL and metallic finishes, in addition to our own Naturals, Sensations, Cotswold Creations, and Alchemy ranges, developed in cooperation with major providers of powder coatings products like Axalta, AkzoNobel, and Sherwin Williams,” Mike Coles continues. “In addition, our modern powder coating plant incorporates a number of environmental features, including rain water capture, filtration, and recycling processes that make our finishing process really sustainable.”

Smart Systems manufactures and paints all components in-house, performing all operations of extrusion, machining, panel production, coating of profiles, sheets, and accessories, thermal bridging, assembly, and shipping.

The investment project involving Cabycal arose primarily from the need to improve

© ipcm

the service offered to Smart’s end customers through a horizontal line for profiles capable of coating small and very small batches, down to just 5 bars, with a very high quality degree and with almost 60 colour change operations per shift. The second need was to complete its production cycle with the painting of accessories. The third one was to devote a line to the pre-treatment and finishing of panels for the new Smart Designer Doors project.

“The first line they required from us was the horizontal one for profiles, followed by the one for coating accessories, and finally the one for door panels,” summarises Pedro Delgado, the chief technical officer of Cabycal.

The sheet curing oven and a general view of the high-flexibility horizontal coating line for profiles designed by Cabycal, with a two-rail conveyor and an off-line pre-treatment system.

© ipcm

international PAINT&COATING magazine - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - N. 80

39

© ipcm

© ipcm

Powder is automatically applied on very small batches of extruded profiles using Gema’s dense phase technology.

Powder application on bars.

“Although this project’s timeline coincided with the pandemic period

generated by one direct combustion burner (natural gas) with 90 kW of

and despite all the related travel difficulties and supply chain delays,

total installed power. All the powder application and curing operations

we managed to design, build, and install these three lines in just over

are carried out in a pressurised, hermetically sealed clean room,

eighteen months.”

equipped with an advanced air suction, filtration, and recirculation

The main features of the panels coating line

system supplied by Cabycal.

Pre-treatment consists in a certified Qualimarine/Qualicoat cycle,

This continuous flow line has a speed of 1.5 m/min and a takt time of

including three active stages of cleaning, pickling, and chrome-

15 minutes. The complete cycle lasts from 2.5 to 3 hours. The two-rail

free conversion, two rinses with demineralised water, and a final

conveyor has a capacity of 50 kg/rack. The maximum dimension of

nebulisation phase with demineralised water. The whole cycle is

each rack is 1,250 mm in length, 300 mm in width, and 2,500 mm in

performed by spraying. Cabycal also supplied the demineralised water

height.

production system and the pre-treatment water purification system.

The line has a nominal capacity of 80 panels per hour, which can

“We started with the idea that any imperfection in the paintwork, even

reach over 100. It performs a 8-stage pre-treatment cycle, drying

an infinitesimal one, would entail a reject,” notes Mike Coles. “This

at 100 °C for a maximum of 10 minutes, powder application in an

is why we asked Cabycal for a tailor-made system integrating all the

automatic booth with Gema’s dense-phase feeding system and spray

latest technologies, with a clean room for paint application and an IR

guns, gelling in an infrared oven to avoid colour contamination among

oven to quickly gel the powder, promote film distension, and avoid

products, hot-air oven curing for a maximum of 23 minutes at 180 °C,

cross-contamination. We only apply Qualicoat class 1 and 2 polyester

cooling at room temperature, and manual unloading.

powders. We do not recover the powder applied (with dense phase

All ovens in the line utilise Cabycal’s Energy Recovery® technology: the

technology) to avoid that even the smallest decrease in the quality of

heating of the drying zone is carried out with the energy recovered

the recovered product generates surface imperfections. We perform

from the curing zone (estimated in 100 kW) and with the support of

20 to 25 colour changes per day, with a total plant cleaning time of

52 kW @100 °C & 50 kg/rack (max. 84 kW @ 120 °C & 50 kg/rack),

about 7 minutes. The curing oven is also designed to have a very slow

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FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

hot air speed, because the sheets are thin and light and we want to prevent any undulation.

For the same reason, we also decreased the nozzle pressure in the pre-treatment tunnel.”

The main features of the horizontal coating line for extrusions Out of the entire investment project, this was the most urgent line, because it was to replace an old one. Pre-treatment is performed off-line, in an already existing horizontal immersion plant. This horizontal coating line has a loading bay with 20 spots and an almost column-free layout enabling the bars to be handled very linearly.

“This line has only one purpose: providing Smart’s end customers with excellent service,” Mike Coles adds. “For high productivity, we have our two vertical plants: this one had to be extremely flexible, fast, and above all capable of reaching very high quality levels. Here, we paint the final batches of

© ipcm

our customers’ projects: small or very small lots of bare profiles calling for the highest possible finishing quality. We perform up to 50-60 colour change operations per shift and we do not recover powder, both to keep our tack time high and to prevent the recovered product from lowering the quality of subsequent profiles. Upon request, a finished bar can leave this plant in just 4 hours.”

“We chose an automatic booth with a dense phase feeding system, also supplied by Gema, and a manual pre-finishing station,” says Pedro Delgado from Cabycal. “Due to the significant requirements in terms of limited space available, we also designed a very compact line with a clean layout.”

The ovens of the horizontal profile painting line.

General view of the high-productivity coating line for accessories and small parts.

© ipcm

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© ipcm

© ipcm

This line can paint up to 40,00 parts/day of the same product type and in the same colour.

From left to right: Nicholas David Evans, the consultant who supervised the lines’ project for Smart and Cabycal, Daniel Evans from Smart Systems, Pedro Delgado from Cabycal, Alessia Venturi from ipcm®, Mike Coles from Smart Systems, and Emilio Ferrando from Cabycal.

The main features of the accessories coating line

Coles. “After viewing three different lines built by Cabycal in Europe,

In this case, Smart’s need was for a basic plant for powder application

we opted for their proposal, mainly because it was the only supplier

and curing alone (pre-treatment is carried out off-line) with very high

out of all the ones we approached that listened to us and met our

productivity. “For this line, we supplied a one-rail conveyor with a speed

requirements: all the other potential partners, on the other hand, tried

of 0.41 m/min, an automatic coating booth with a conventional feeding

to impose their own vision on us.”

system with Venturi injectors, and a manual pre-finishing station. The

“I have known Smart for a long time and I knew it was looking for a

frame size is 600 mm in length, 200 mm in width, and 1,100 mm in

turnkey solution. Cabycal acted as the prime contractor for this project,

height,” explains Pedro Delgado from Cabycal.

taking full responsibility for all three lines,” notes Nicholas David Evans.

“The aim of this line is to produce, produce, produce!” states Mike

“Smart independently chose only the supplier of the application system,

Coles from Smart Systems. “The parts reach this plant only for paint

Gema, as they had already successfully worked together in the past. In

application, and we can coat up to 40,000 components per day when

addition, the whole project took place in the pandemic period, between

their colour and type does not change.”

2020 and 2021: this meant managing the entire planning process with

A successful triangulation

daily meetings via Zoom. Cabycal was very patient: things changed almost every week! Finally, another reason for choosing Cabycal was

“We found out about Cabycal through Nicholas David Evans, who is a

the availability of immediate on-site support, which facilitated very rapid

consultant of ours but also a commercial agent for Cabycal,” says Mike

commissioning of all three lines.”

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THE FUTURE OF EVAPORATION

BE WASTEWATER FREE

ZLD SINCE 1984

www.eco-techno.it • sales@eco-techno.it

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

From Contract Sleeving to Sublimation through a New Glass Coating Plant: Isa Sleeve’s Production Diversification Strategy Monica Fumagalli ipcm®

Shrink sleeve application, painting, and sublimation: these are the three pillars of the development project started by Isa Sleeve, a company specialising in the sleeving of glass or plastic products for the beverage, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical sectors among others, which decided to invest in its first glass coating plant to diversify its production, relying on the design and construction experience of M.I. DUE.

E

ye-catching, original packages: this is what you get with sleeving,

The first application of shrink sleeves can be traced back to 1965,

i.e. the application of heat-shrinkable sleeves (tube films) on glass

when Japanese company Fuji Carpentry Shop (now Fuji Seal Company)

or plastic bottles and flacons. Completely wrapping containers by

first used this particular technology to protect sake barrels, in whose

taking their exact shape, these plastic labels allow decorating them with

production it specialised, with a plastic film.

customised graphics and therefore making them more attractive to end

Many years later, one of the first Italian companies to recognise the

consumers.

potential of this decoration technology and apply it in an automated Specialising in sleeve packaging, Isa Sleeve has recently started to coat glass: pictured are some painted bottles.

© Isa Sleeve

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

plant was Isa Sleeve Srl, headquartered in Cirimido, in the province of

ones. When Isa Sleeve decided to invest in this sector, this was not

Como. “In the 1990s, we were among the first to invest in an automatic

well known and fully developed, yet. It purchased an automatic plant,

line for the application of these particular films,” states Michele Bottaro,

with a unique structure and a high level of automation to carry out this

its founder and owner. Since then, Isa Sleeve, now specialising in

process at an industrial level, relying on the recognition and trust that

contract sleeving for the beverage sector and, in particular, for the

some national and international companies placed in Mr. Bottaro, then a

niche field of wine & spirits, has never stopped investing in new,

forward-thinking small entrepreneur.

advanced equipment. It currently owns several medium and high-speed

“Making such a substantial investment meant taking a risk to a certain

automatic lines, equipped with all the technologies available for this

extent, as this decoration technology was so little known. However,

type of process: steam, air, and infrared. “After optimising our sleeving

our company’s philosophy, then and now, is to always identify the best

operations by introducing automatic functions,” explains Bottaro, “last

technical solution to pursue any new project. More recently, we came

year we realised that the winning strategy would be to diversify our

up with the idea of also offering a glass bottle and flacon coating service

production activities by first integrating a coating line and then, in the

using the same approach. We realised this project by installing a new,

very near future, a sublimation plant. In January this year, we started

advanced system that, in turn, is also going to be preparatory for the

up our first plant for coating glass bottles and flacons, designed in

third project with which our services’ diversification will come full circle,

cooperation with M.I. DUE Srl (Besana in Brianza, Monza e Brianza, Italy),

relating to sublimation.”

a long-standing firm in the surface treatment industry specialising in the construction of systems for painting metals, plastics, glass, zamak, and

High daily output

aluminium.”

Developed almost sixty years ago, sleeving now has a wide, wellestablished market, ranging from beverages to cosmetics, from

A customised dress

pharmaceuticals to perfumes and home care products, and so on.

“Shrink sleeves offer endless possibilities in terms of customisation,”

“Generally, glassworks receive orders from our customers, they send

says Marco Balconi, the sales and marketing director of Isa Sleeve, “as

their products to us and, after shrink sleeve application through one

they allow “dressing” containers with even very elaborate, refined, high

of the processes we make available, we deliver them directly to our

impact graphics and making them adhere perfectly to the surfaces of

customers themselves. We handle a large number of products on

bottles and flacons, including the most irregular and complex-shaped

a daily basis, which requires a considerable effort in terms of both

© Isa Sleeve

© Isa Sleeve

The headquarters of Isa Sleeve Srl in Cirimido, in the province of Como.

© Isa Sleeve

Products sleeved with the company’s automatic system.

international PAINT&COATING magazine - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - N. 80

45

© ipcm

and organisation (document and commercial management). However,

A full service for the design and application of shrink sleeves

thanks to our large number of machines, we are able to guarantee a

Isa Sleeve’s staff can support its customers from the initial design and

high productivity rate whatever the volumes our customers ask us to

development phase of sleeves (dimensional and graphic study) through

handle.

to the manufacturing of finished products, thanks to its collaboration

“In the last few years, besides constantly updating its company’s

with several partners specialising in manufacturing these particular

structure, implementing advanced production technologies, and since

labels. Balconi indicates: “For the most demanding customers, we can

this year maintaining a structured sales network, Isa Sleeve has also

make standard or customised samples available within a few days, by

invested in certifications and approvals. We are ISO-9001:2015 and

applying sleeves directly on the containers or bottles supplied by the

HACCP certified and we can handle excisable alcohol products directly

customers themselves to enable immediate assessment of the end

at our plant.”

result.”

logistics management (loading, unloading, identification, and storage)

One of the company’s sleeve application plants, in particular, provides fully automatic process management and operates virtually unmanned.

It independently and automatically performs the depalletisation of bottles, their handling during automatic sleeving and the subsequent steam shrinking phase, and finally their palletising and sealing by covering the pallets with thick heat-shrinkable material.

From the left: One of the automatic sleeving lines.

Diversifying production with glass coating Isa Sleeve approached the world of glass coating with the same philosophy it used to launch its contract sleeving service on the Italian

The system designed and installed by M.I. DUE for the coating of glass bottles.

market. “The particular field in which we operate,” notes Balconi,

The holders on which the bottles are placed.

of debate from an environmental sustainability perspective. With this

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N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

“requires the use of plastic, which however has long been the subject

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

© Isa Sleeve

© ipcm

in mind, we began looking for an alternative that went beyond the replacement of plastics, which is not the subject of this interview, but managed to guarantee the continuity and further development

www.cmautomazione.com

of our business. As a result, we have just started up a new plant that is going to be the core our second line of business in 2023 and, at the same time, will also be preparatory to the installation of a sublimation system this year, with which we are going to use to offer a third service.” For the design and construction of its coating system, Isa Sleeve relied on M.I. DUE. “Our choice fell on a supplier with long experience in the painting industry,” says Bottaro, “as well as significant know-how in the design phase and an uncommon ability to assist its customers at every project stage, from the initial idea to the machine’s installation, leaving nothing to chance. There were many reasons to prefer M.I. DUE’s project over its competitors’ ones, including for example the use of closed chambers and other highly interesting specific concepts.”

The coating process The bottles are loaded onto the line’s transport chain and subjected in sequence to blow-off and dusting with rotating brushes; flame hardening to remove any grease and silicone residues left by the glass moulding operations; preparatory activities to obtain perfect conditions for the coating stage; drying with hot air or infrared; cooling; unloading; and repalletising.

CM AUTOMAZIONE s.r.l.

Via Monte Bianco 20, 20833 Giussano (MB), IT - p.+39.0362.314075 - f.+39.0362.861222 - info@cmautomazione.it

© ipcm

The flame hardening station.

© ipcm

One of two identical coating chambers: pictured is the coloured paint application station.

This cycle takes approximately 40 minutes from the entry into the plant

Isa Sleeve’s vision: 3 services with minimised delivery times

to the exit of a painted bottle. “Within the plant’s layout,” adds Bottaro,

“When it comes to contract sleeving,” concludes Balconi, “we can now

“we asked M.I. DUE to also include an additional chamber for the

share with our customers a wealth of professional experience, gained

drying of UV coatings instead of water-based ones, when required.”

over more than twenty-five years and enabling us to establish ongoing,

Coating in preparation to sublimation

mutually satisfying relationships of cooperation and trust thanks to a perfectly optimised process. We are now focussing on coating to

The coating plant is also going to be used for some of the processes

achieve full control of this technology as well. This is going to enable us

required by sublimation, enabling to offer a high-end service through

to reduce the delivery time of our coated products from the five weeks

this special decoration technique that, unlike sleeving, also enables to

currently guaranteed by the market on average to three weeks. Our main

graphically decorate the bottles’ undersides.

objective is to grow by supplying the market with a better service than

This is an innovative printing technology, sustainable in terms of

our competitors. We believe that a fast processing cycle delivering high

recyclability and of high quality in terms of graphic rendering. Isa

quality products can be the winning choice, including the sublimation

Sleeve aims at achieving a high production capacity to achieve a

service that is going to be added later this year. Choosing partners

greater diffusion of this service/product thanks to a lower industrial

capable of supplying high-performance plants and products, such as

processing cost.

M.I. DUE, is key to become a benchmark company in new markets, as Isa Sleeve has already done in the contract sleeving sector.”

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CHEMICAL MAKING SOLUTIONS

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TRATTAMENTO ACQUE WATER TREATMENTS

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PREVERNICIATURA E NANOTECNOLOGIE COATING PRETREATMENT AND NANOTECHNOLOGIES

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SUCCESS STORIES

A New Zero-Liquid Discharge Waste Water Treatment Plant to Meet Scandinavia’s Strict Environmental Requirements A Danish company specialising in surface treatments for the telecommunications, medical, and electronics industries has chosen SIMPEC’s Italian technology to treat and purify the waste water generated by its galvanic processes.

R

esponding to the needs and continuous demands of the

resource to be protected is undoubtedly water, which needs to be

market, companies whose production cycles include chemical

properly treated and purified in order to be reused within production

and polluting processes are called to comply with increasingly

flows. Surface treatments and galvanic operations, in particular, are

stringent regulations and make significant investments in technologies

industrial electrochemical processes that produce large amounts of

that reduce those operations’ impact and energy consumption, while

water containing a number of pollutants, which must be removed in

at the same time continuing to guarantee high performance. From an

order to purify and reuse the liquid without generating waste. This is

environmental safeguard perspective, the most important and precious

why for the third time in a row Elplatek, a company based in Espergærde

© SIMPEC Srl

Overview of the ZLD water treatment plant supplied by SIMPEC Srl.

50

N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

(Denmark) and specialising in high-quality surface

of 5,000 litres per day,” says Bottini. “The distillate

and galvanic treatments for the telecommunications,

produced is recirculated within the manufacturing

medical, and electronics industries, has relied on the

cycle, while the concentrate leaving the evaporator

technologies of SIMPEC Srl, a waste water treatment

is disposed of externally by an authorised company.

plant manufacturer based in Nova Milanese (Monza

Our system does not generate sludge and, therefore,

e Brianza, Italy). “We have forged a strong and

it cuts disposal costs,” indicates SIMPEC’s export

valuable synergy with Elplatek over the years, which

manager.

has led us to develop and install this third waste water purification and treatment plant at their

The advantages of the ZLD system

site in Horsens (Denmark). The previous two zero-

The Danish company’s main requirement was a

liquid discharge (ZLD) plants date back to 2021 and

water purification plant design that paid special

were installed at their Espergærde headquarters

attention to energy consumption and environmental

and their plant in Lysekil (Sweden), respectively,”

protection issues. “This system, which has been

explains Andrea Bottini, export manager & business

in operation at the Horsens site for three months

development expert at SIMPEC.”

now, but also the two machines supplied to Elplatek

The waste water treatment process

previously comply with the regulations in force in Scandinavia, which are among the strictest in

“The waste water generated by this customer’s

Europe.”

surface treatment and galvanic processes may

“Furthermore, Elplatek’s corporate values expressly

contain various heavy metals and hazardous and

include protecting the environment and caring

polluting chemical compounds, including cyanide,

for and protecting the health of its employees.

which is removed by a chemical process using caustic

Therefore, our customer truly needed a waste water

soda and sodium hypochlorite. After purifying the

treatment and purification technology that would

liquid containing cyanide, as well as acidic and alkaline

produce the cleanest possible discharge liquid,

water, the entire waste water mass is mixed and

consume the least amount of energy possible, and

treated by means of an evaporator with a capacity

minimise waste,” states Andrea Bottini.

© SIMPEC Srl

The resin-based recycling and demineralisation system.

ADVANCEMENTS

High Corrosion Protection, Excellent Edge Coverage: FreiLacke Develops a New Polyester System Based on Primid Oliver Zanner Emil Frei GmbH & Co. KG - Bräunlingen-Döggingen, Germany

o.zanner@freilacke.de

Many ingredients such as TMA or BPA (bisphenol-A) have been criticised in recent years because classified as hazardous. FreiLacke developed new, non-declarable polyester coating systems with the FREIOTHERM powder coating PS3005 and PP3005 series, particularly suitable for industrial applications and for construction and agricultural machinery.

‘P

rimid’ is the trade name of a hardener that belongs to the

The use of Primid hardener and its toxicologically favourable profile

chemical class of β-hydroxyalkylamides and shows its strengths

means FreiLacke’s new polyester system does not require labelling: It is

especially in the cross-linking of powder coatings. In addition

completely free of problematic components.

to very good corrosion protection, the material offers high weather

Compared to epoxy resins, the production of polyester coatings

resistance and excellent colour stability.

requires significantly less energy.

© FreiLacke

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ADVANCEMENTS

Environmental protection is therefore already considered in the formulation of this

© FreiLacke

system. Aside from that, epoxy resins are mainly produced outside Europe whereas the new polyester system makes costly transport by sea unnecessary.

Finally, coaters thereby circumvent the wellknown price volatility of epoxy resins, which continues to fluctuate strongly.

One minor drawback: So far, the new coating system can only be used under standard baking conditions (10 minutes at 180 °C object temperature). A variant for low-temperature applications (10 minutes at 160 °C) for high-quality pre-treatments is already in progress.

The newly developed polyester-based powder coating was designed with the

© FreiLacke

focus on excellent corrosion protection properties. FREIOTHERM powder coatings based on PS3005 and PP3005 can be used as single-layer or two-layer coatings.

“The new two-layer coating system provides corrosion protection that almost reaches the level of a classic epoxy primer,” explains Alexander Schelling, who is responsible for powder coating development at FreiLacke.

“The advantage for the coater is that there is no need for a separate primer and the topcoat is simply applied twice.” When using a topcoat with high pigmentation costs, however, it is still advisable to use a separate primer.

The FREIOTHERM powder coatings PS3005 and PP3005 are available on request in all surface finishes – smooth, fine and coarse structured – as well as in gloss levels from high gloss to silk gloss.

From top to bottom: Edge unfinished, two-layer.

Edge rounded, single layer.

Edge rounded, two-layer.

© FreiLacke

FREIOTHERM PP3005/PS3005

Epoxy

Hybrid

Corrosion protection

+

++

o

Edge coverage

++

++

+

UV stability

+ / ++

-

o

Flexibility

+

+

++

Gas furnace resistance

++

O

+

Resistance to yellowing

++

O

+

Table 1: The properties of the new polyester coating compared to epoxy and water-borne coatings.

Forward-looking development In addition to excellent corrosion protection, the new system also offers very good edge coverage, which virtually eliminates rust damage. “If edges and laser cuts are sufficiently rounded, the polyester coating can also be used in a single layer and, compared to classic industrial/facade powder coatings, brings a clearly noticeable added value in terms of corrosion resistance,” emphasises Jakob Zihsler from FreiLacke’s powder coating development department.

The PS3005 was developed in response to a specific customer request from the agricultural and construction machinery sector.

FREIOTHERM PP3005/PS3005B

Industrial polyester

Facade polyester

Corrosion protection

++

o

+

Edge coverage

++

+

o

UV resistance

+

o

++

Flexibility

+

+

++

Table 2: FREIOTHERM PP3005/PS5205 compared to conventional polyester powder coatings.

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N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

FreiLacke took this as an opportunity to revise the existing corrosion-optimised systems as a whole. “The development took about two years. We started the development proactively because we knew this was coming,” explains Zihsler. The above systems can also be modified according to customer-specific requirements.

In the meantime, more than ten reference customers are already using the new systems in a wide variety of modifications.

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FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

Tecnocolor Srls Relies on Pre-Treatment with Nano Mist to Increase its Powder Finishing Quality Gabriele Lazzari ipcm®

Powder coating contractor Tecnocolor S.r.l.s. incorporated DN Chemicals’ nanotechnology products in conjunction with the Soft Rain mixing and spraying system to improve the corrosion resistance, paint adhesion, and finishing quality degree of cooling unit and industrial refrigerator components, its main specialisation.

F

or components intended for cooling units and industrial refrigerators installed in extreme and highly corrosive environments, corrosion resistance properties play an essential

role. At the same time, the market also demands from them very high aesthetic characteristics.

Tecnocolor S.r.l.s. (Montelabbate, Pesaro e Urbino, Italy) has been in this industry as a specialised powder coating contractor for more than twenty years now. Recently, in order to adapt to and anticipate the quality demands of its customers, it decided to modernise its painting line by integrating a new pre-treatment process specifically developed

by DN Chemicals (Milan, Italy) to meet ever-stricter requirements in terms of strength and durability. In fact, thanks to nanotechnology products and the Soft Rain nebulisation system, the company has been able to make a quantum leap in pre-treatment quality that is also reflected in the final finishing quality of its coated products.

© ipcm

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Tecnocolor specialises in powder coating of cooling units and industrial refrigerators.

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

© ipcm

© ipcm

The pre-treatment tunnel.

The Soft Rain module.

A coating contractor specialising in cooling units

United States, where cooling systems must meet extremely stringent

Tecnocolor S.r.l.s. was founded in 2000 by Claudio Cesari and two other

requirements and have specific certifications,” indicates Cesari.

partners as a contract coater specialising in the application of powder

“Therefore, we had to adapt our powder coating plant to new market

products on multi-metal substrates. Taken over by his son Christian

requirements and improve the finishing quality offered to our customers

Cesari in 2013, over the years it has evolved by revamping its coating

by optimising our pre-treatment phase. Indeed, the sheet metal cutting,

plant and investing in new technologies to optimise its processes and

bending, and welding operations performed on components generate

offer ever-higher quality. It currently specialises in powder coating of

contamination that must be removed from their surfaces in order to

large-sized components for industrial cooling and refrigeration units,

ensure optimal paint adhesion and prevent corrosion.”

such as compressors, power units, open or shrouded condensing units,

The company also aimed at improving its application phase to be able

split systems, mini-refrigeration plants, ventilated condensers, laser

to manage electrostatic charges and, consequently, minimum powder

cooling machines, and static or dual-flow evaporators.

flow rates more precisely. “Our coating plant, installed in 2000, was

“We coat products with very different shapes and sizes, both for SMEs

controlled by a PLC, but we wanted to increase its automation degree

and multinational companies. The components produced by Rivacold

and the traceability of its process parameters, also in order to reduce

S.r.l. (Vallefoglia, Pesaro e Urbino) and other customers of that area,

material and energy consumption. Therefore, we decided to invest in

account for about 75% of our flow, but every month we also treat more

quality and control.”

than 100 evaporators for bar counters manufactured in the Umbria region, as well as carpentry components, panels, finned coils, condenser

The new pre-treatment cycle developed by DN Chemicals

packs, and parts for interior decoration and industrial machinery,” says

The powder coating plant supplied by Euroimpianti SRL (Valeggio

managing director Christian Cesari. “Most substrates we handle are zinc

sul Mincio, Verona, Italy) is fully interconnected in all its phases with

phosphate sheets, but we can coat all types of metal, from carbon steel

Tecnocolor’s management system, so as to guarantee high quality,

to electro-galvanised sheet metal.”

consistency, and reproducibility throughout the entire process.

Growing quality demands

The plant is equipped with a two-rail conveyor supplied by Futura Convogliatori Aerei (Robecco Pavese, Pavia, Italy), taking the load bars

The components coated by the company are therefore intended to be

from the loading and unloading area to the multi-metal chemical spray

installed on systems operating in demanding climatic conditions and

pre-treatment tunnel performing 5 stages: cleaning at 50 °C with

exposed to weathering and highly aggressive maritime environments.

DN Chemicals’ DeNPHOS 183 SC salt-free phosphodegreasing product

“Some of our customers export their products worldwide and are

(avoiding the formation of stains on parts), rinsing with mains water,

currently expanding into the American market, especially in the

rinsing with demineralised water recycled from the previous pre-

international PAINT&COATING magazine - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - N. 80

57

© ipcm

treatment cycle, rinsing with demineralised water produced by the Soft Rain mixing and spraying system itself (preventing oxidation), and nebulisation of the chromefree nanotechnology passivating product DOLLCOAT SA-118.

“This pre-treatment cycle was specifically designed in collaboration with the technicians of Tecnocolor S.r.l.s. and all the other partners involved in the project, in order to adapt it to the characteristics of the components to be treated and the subsequent stages of the coating process. This makes it possible to provide the necessary technical and functional properties while reducing energy and material consumption. This is also why the tunnel constantly monitors all process parameters and suggests the most appropriate

© ipcm

© ipcm

interventions to improve quality results or decrease the amount of water and energy resources used,” explains Andrè Bernasconi from DN Chemicals.

The advantages of combining nebulisation + DOLLCOAT SA-118 “The advanced nebulising system perfectly combines the principles of effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability. It guarantees constant control of the main mixing and concentration parameters, with appreciable effects on product utilisation. And it ensures optimal and uniform application of the pre-treatment product,” says Bernasconi.

“DOLLCOAT SA-118, in particular, is a nanotechnology-based, chrome-free liquid passivating product suitable for all metals, perfect for coating contractors as it performs particularly well as a final antioxidant protective layer. Based on synthetic oligomers obtained from silanes, it promotes paint adhesion and increases the resistance against under-corrosion of metal surfaces previously treated with alkaline degreasers and/or zinc phosphate-based crystalline and iron The touch screen control of the pre-treatment tunnel; The osmosis system connected to the Soft Rain module and the Green LEDs that illuminate the nebulising area.

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N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

phosphate-based amorphous conversion products.

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

Moreover, it requires no final rinse with demineralised water. In

distension properties, but we also use epoxy-polyester powders for

brief, the combination of these two technologies provides enhanced

textured finishes.

resistance against surface under-corrosion, up to eight times greater

“Tribo spray guns enable us to achieve a high finishing quality level,

than that provided by the application of the same product in a

because they achieve exceptional penetration by taking advantage of low

traditional tunnel.”

electrostatic charges and perfectly cover edges and complex geometries

Powder application in three booths

without the need for post-finishing operations, as they are specially designed to avoid the Faraday Cage effect. At the same time, we also

After oven drying at 110° C, the conveyor takes the load bars to one of

use other technologies, in order to meet all customer specifications and

three coating booths.

provide a comprehensive service,” notes Claudio Cesari, the founder of

“Customers require us to coat even small batches with very different

Tecnocolor and the father of its current managing director.

part shapes, often within a short time frame. This is why we are equipped with three powder coating booths. The first one, using Tribo

Maximum automation, reproducibility, and traceability

application technology (Nordson), is devoted to all shades of white.

An up-to-date management system has also been integrated into the

The second booth with Corona spray guns (Gema Europe) treats

plant, which allows constant monitoring of all process parameters to

components requiring shades of black and metallic tints. The third

ensure maximum stability and reproducibility of the coating cycle. The

booth is equipped with Tribo spray guns (Zeus Electrostatic System)

system compiles daily reports and, every two hours, it saves parameters

is devoted to all shades of black”, explains Cesari. “The type of paint

such as cleaning values, drying oven temperature, chain speed, and

used also varies depending on the specifications we receive. We mainly

the quantity of batches coated in each booth with their corresponding

apply Qualicoat polyester powders, because they have excellent film

technical specifications.

© ipcm

© ipcm

From left to right: André Bernasconi from DN Chemicals, Christian Cesari with his father Claudio from Tecnocolor, Alessia Venturi from ipcm®, and DN Chemicals sales representative Giacomo Corinaldesi.

Powder application with Nordson’s Tribo technology.

This facilitates more accurate industrial accounting and the comparison

“My father is a chemical expert who has worked in this industry for

of data over longer periods of time.

almost fifty years. He was one of the first people to recommend

“We have achieved a degree of automation close to 100%. Apart from

powder coating as a replacement for aluminium anodising and he

loading and unloading the workpieces from the load bars, our operators

has never stopped keeping abreast of new technologies and market

only have to replace the drum containing DN Chemicals’ nanotechnology

trends. When we realised that we needed to enhance our service,

solution when a notification sound warns them that it is running low. All

he worked with us to find the most suitable solution and chose DN

other operations are carried out by the plant and controlled remotely,”

Chemicals’ products,” states Christian Cesari.

adds Teconocolor’s managing director.

“The new pre-treatment cycle now enables us to meet all our

An ambitious but successful project

customers’ requirements, while improved process control allows us to reduce the resources used.”

Tecnocolor S.r.l.s. begun to consider upgrading and modernising its

“The investment required was significant, but this system’s

powder coating plant already in 2018. After an initial study and market

performance degree and its low maintenance and cleaning

research phase, the company started to develop the new process in

requirements entirely justify it. It became fully operational at the end

close cooperation with DN Chemicals and all other partners involved

of 2022, but the increase in quality and production volumes is already

in the plant’s project. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the

clear. Our project was very ambitious, but it turned out to be very

inauguration had to be postponed.

successful,” concludes Claudio Cesari.

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N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

© DÖRKEN

The new topcoat impresses with its narrow friction coefficient window, its good process stability and the elimination of the use of PTFE.

ADVANCEMENTS

The Many Facets of Innovation: News from the Coating of Fasteners Dörken Coatings Herdecke, Germany

coatings@doerken.de

The new high-performance protective topcoat developed by the coatings manufacturer DÖRKEN to meet the special requirements of components with metric threads has a narrow friction coefficient window, offers good process stability and eliminates the use of PTFE.

N

ovelty from DÖRKEN: With DELTA-PROTEKT® TC 502 GZ, the

window of μtot = 0.10-0.16 (GMW 3359 & Scania 3950) or μtot =

manufacturer of high-performance corrosion protection has

0.11-0.17 (Ford WZ 101). Thanks to this narrow and stable friction

developed a topcoat that impresses with its especially narrow

coefficient window, the topcoat is ideally suited for screws and nuts

friction coefficient window. The product is designed to meet the special

in all application areas. It also ensures a high level of process stability.

requirements of components with metric threads.

This makes sure that processes always run in the same way and that

DELTA-PROTEKT TC 502 GZ convinces with a defined friction coefficient

plannable results at a consistently high-quality standard are achieved.

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N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

ADVANCEMENTS

The topcoat can be applied with good processing properties in spray

Resistance against chemicals or mechanical stresses is also a strength

and dip-spin application.

of the new topcoat. In combination with an attractive, silver finish, the

DELTA-PROTEKT TC 502 GZ is a topcoat that is applied to a basecoat in

latest innovation from DÖRKEN is a well-rounded overall package for the

a zinc flake system. This basecoat is primarily responsible for the high

coating of components with metric threads.

level of cathodic corrosion protection. The contained zinc sacrifices itself for the underlying substrate due to its low electrochemical potential. The

Innovations in a cooperative partnership

topcoat can not only enhance the corrosion protection, but also provide

But DÖRKEN is not only constantly working on new innovations when

additional properties for the coating of a component.

it comes to coating solutions. In a joint project with the fastening

The fact that no polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is used in the production

technology specialist EJOT and the plant manufacturer WMV, DÖRKEN

of the topcoat is also remarkable. DÖRKEN thus takes environmental

was looking for an improved solution for the coating of screws with

aspects into account from the very beginning when introducing a new

internal drives. The manufacturer wanted to establish a new standard

product and underlines its efforts for a more sustainable future. DELTA-

and had set out to find a way to further develop the state of the art

PROTEKT TC 502 GZ also does without heavy metals such as chrome,

– together with DÖRKEN and WMV, which specialises in machines for

lead or cadmium – as is customary from DÖRKEN.

surface treatment.

It is impossible to imagine the automotive and telecommunications

The answer to high customer demands

industry or medical technology without EJOT micro screws. They

Customer requirements are not limited to protection against external

measure only a few millimetres and usually have power internal drives,

influences such as moisture, temperature or UV radiation.

such as TORX® or TORX PLUS®.

EVERYTHING

FROM A SINGLE

SOURCE est.

1987

.com www.emptmeyer

HOOKS & S HANGING SYSTEM

MASKING

RACKS

MENT

UIP ACCESSORIES & EQ © DÖRKEN

New quality standards are being set in the zinc flake coating of small components, thanks to the implementation of state-of-the-art technology.

international PAINT&COATING magazine - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - N. 80

63

© EJOT

Thanks to the new technology, layer accumulations in the internal drives can be avoided, allowing the bits to be inserted safely in the assembly process.

With these drives, the usual coating process often resulted in the

recess or cavities, they are coated evenly, in thin layers and with process

accumulation of layers in the drives, so that bit accessibility was limited.

reliability. The innovation called PULZ® (a planet wheel, roller and coating

This meant that safe insertion of the bits during assembly was not

centrifuge) can also make its contribution in terms of sustainability.

always guaranteed.

The optimised coating process reduces CO2 emissions by about 30%

The project partners worked on a solution for years until finally all

compared to the previously used process.

challenges could be solved.

A challenging and lengthy, but ultimately successful process thus came

The result is a system with which the components can be ideally coated.

to a satisfactory end for all involved. “We have not only developed a

It is the first system in the world that can coat 120 kilograms of material

unique, technological innovation, but also a really good partnership,”

with a simultaneous position shifting at an acceleration of 32 g.

Christos Tselebidis, Vice President Sales at DÖRKEN, draws a positive

Due to the permanent circulation of the components with internal

conclusion.

64

N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

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info@avin.it professionality

know-how

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© ipcm

Coated components.

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

CR COLOR’s Transformation from a Local Craftsman Business to a Well-Structured Industrial Company Through Powder Finishing Automation Gabriele Lazzari ipcm®

Coating contractor CR COLOR initiated a process of growth and expansion supported by recent investment in new automatic application technologies. In order to increase manufacturing speed and improve product quality, it selected a complete package supplied by Gema, including a MagicCompact EquiFlow BA04 coating booth, an OptiCenter OC07 powder centre, and OptiSpray feed pumps with Smart Inline Technology.

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N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

H

istorically, coating contractors have usually been labour

Contract coating for multiple markets and intended uses

providers located close to their customers. However, more and

Founded in 2014 by Gianni Todisco, its current owner and director,

more of them are now equipping themselves with a sales staff

CR COLOR Group SRL is a liquid and powder coating contractor that has

in order to expand outside their local markets. This gradual growth is

quickly differentiated itself from competitors through the quality and

usually supported by multiple investments in technological solutions

thoroughness of its services. Thanks also to the solid experience gained

aimed at increasing productivity and meeting the variety of market

previously in the field of surface cleaning and galvanic treatments, which

demands that such a development entails.

increased its professionalism and attention to detail, it is now positioned

CR COLOR’s recent expansion project is a clear example of this. Its

as a benchmark company in the metal component finishing sector.

transformation from a provincial craftsman business specialising in

In its 1,500 m2 factory in Desio (Monza e Brianza, Italy), CR COLOR

manual applications of the highest quality to a well-structured company

develops and implements different coating solutions for both large and

in constant growth on the national market is taking place through

small batches, always maintaining high quality standards. It mainly coats

investments aimed at automating its coating processes and, therefore,

furniture components and other parts for the furnishing, design, and

increasing productivity and finishing quality consistency. For its most

lighting market, but it also operates in the electro-medical and medium-

recent investment, in particular, it chose Gema Europe SRL as a strategic

light metalwork (maximum 80 kg) sectors.

partner, which supplied a MagicCompact EquiFlow BA04 automatic

“Turning to CR COLOR means being able to count on a reliable, fast,

powder coating booth, an OptiCenter OC07 powder centre with a quick

and punctual technical partner specialising in finishing, which is crucial

colour change system, and OptiSpray feed pumps with Smart Inline

to achieve high quality results,” says Todisco. “We paint both indoor

Technology.

components, which are our core business and which of course call for

© ipcm

Aerial overview of the coating plant of CR COLOR.

international PAINT&COATING magazine - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - N. 80

67

perfect finishes, and products intended for outdoor use such as safety nets and gratings, which additionally require a high degree of corrosion and weathering resistance. This company was founded eight years ago, after more than a decade of experience in liquid paint finishing. Therefore, we possess multiple skills that have allowed us to expand our target markets and the range of components we can handle. CR COLOR currently employs 9 people and operates within a radius of around 100 km, but it is constantly growing thanks to its flexibility, its ability to meet customer requirements, and the possibility to offer complementary services.”

Beyond finishing: a complete service CR COLOR, therefore, paints products with a © ipcm

variety of end uses and different shapes and sizes with Qualicoat epoxy, epoxy-polyester, and polyester powders for outdoor use. At the same time, it has been able to stand out in the contract coating market by offering a comprehensive range of services, including technical and professional consultancy aimed at identifying the best solution to meet each customer’s expectations. Moreover, as Todisco explains, “Our factory is divided into multiple areas, each dedicated to a different service we offer: we have a department devoted to masking the surfaces that do not have to be painted and covering threads, one for post-coating assembly and fitting of accessories, and an area for packing and storing raw and finished material, which must be shipped both in Italy and abroad. This has had the positive consequence of increasing our order volumes and batch dimensions.

As a consequence, we needed to upgrade our powder coating plant so that we could increase production speed while maintaining

© ipcm

Coated parts exiting the MagicCompact EquiFlow BA04 powder coating booth of Gema and the OptiCenter OC07 powder centre with a quick colour change system.

68

N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

a high finishing quality degree. This is why we chose the automatic booth and application technologies presented to us by Gema, a

WN

COOL DO

We have chosen to reduce the amount of printed paper offering the BROCHURE of the COOL POWDER series in digital format.

Use this QR code to leaf through it.

*Compared to the standard 170/180°C. The estimation considers a reduction in energy costs up to 5-10% for each 10°C lowering of the curing temperature, a value influenced by different factors, for example the type of oven that is used.

COOL POWDER powder coatings are coating systems characterized by a reduced curing temperature, starting from 140°C, which allows for the reduction of energy costs up to 20-30% *.

COOL POWDER

Abbiamo scelto di limitare la quantità di carta stampata offrendo la BROCHURE della serie COOL POWDER in formato digitale.

Utilizza questo codice QR per sfogliarla.

COOL POWDER

Le vernici in polvere COOL POWDER sono sistemi vernicianti caratterizzati da una ridotta temperatura di polimerizzazione, a partire da 140°C, che consente la riduzione dei costi energetici fino al 20-30%*.

*Rispetto agli standard 170/180°C. La stima considera una riduzione dei costi energetici fino al 5-10% per ogni abbassamento di 10°C della temperatura di reticolazione, valore influenzato da differenti fattori, per esempio il tipo di forno usato.

ATI

RAFFRESC

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

company with which we had already been working for some time for manual machines.”

Gema’s automatic powder coating equipment “After an initial investment to modernise its pre-treatment phase, which now occurs in a tunnel with a phospho-degreasing spray cycle followed by three rinses, recently we have been able to experiment with special finishes for designer brands thanks to Gema’s new application technologies, which offer perfect paint penetration, greater surface coverage, maximum finishing consistency, and higher impact resistance,” explains Todisco.

At the end of 2022, CR COLOR’s factory saw the installation of a MagicCompact EquiFlow BA04 rectangular booth with a cyclone, an OptiCenter OC07 powder centre with a quick colour change system, OptiSpray feed pumps © ipcm

with Smart Inline Technology, 6 OptiGun GA03 spray guns (three per side), and a MagicControl 4.0 plant control unit with the GemaConnect application for data readout.

The non-conductive plastic structure of the booth, in combination with the EquiFlow extraction technology, prevents powder from accumulating on the bottom and adhering to the walls, while its “H”-shaped design ensures excellent air distribution and balanced suction, as the three slits in the bottom guarantee optimal powder containment and ventilation in the manual application area. This creates a uniform airflow that ensures easy control of the application process and outstanding coating results. The booth is designed for quick colour change operations and automatic cleaning of internal circuits, the float, spray pipes, and spray guns. It is also equipped with an automatic filter emptying function and two manual guns at the ends of the booth for pre and post-finishing operations.

The OptiSpray feed pumps with Smart Inline

© ipcm

Technology use a single-channel circuit that generates a homogeneous powder flow and

The Gema OptiSpray feed pumps with Smart Inline Technology and one of the two manual guns at the ends of the booth for pre and post-finishing operations.

international PAINT&COATING magazine - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - N. 80

69

© ipcm

© ipcm

From the left: the Sales Manager of Gema Marco Peduzzi, Alessia Venturi from ipcm® and Gianni Todisco, founder of CR COLOR.

Coated components entering the curing oven.

The importance of strategic collaboration guarantees improved spray pattern management.

“Our company’s aim was to meet our own internal order and cleanliness

This allows a precise quantity of powder to be dispensed, varying

criteria while increasing production speed and finishing quality. Gema’s

according to application needs, while maintaining a constant flow.

solutions met all these requirements. The automatic powder coating

Optimal pump penetration can also be taken advantage of when the

booth enabled us to treat large quantities of parts with higher and

two manual stations need to be used for touch-ups or painting special

more consistent quality and more homogeneous coating results, while

components, such as in the case of the presence of undercuts.

the pumps improved film uniformity and distension – which are of the

High transfer and penetration efficiency

essence in the furniture and decoration industry – and allowed us to save 15% of powder compared to our previously used technologies.

“CR COLOR is the first company in the Lombardy region and the second

As mentioned, CR COLOR distinguishes itself for its wide range of

in Italy to be supplied with an updated version of our BA04 booth,

services complementing the contract coating one. In fact, we can follow

which has recently undergone a restyling to make it more aesthetically

each component from start to finish: we check it when it is delivered

appealing as well as more functional and ergonomic, thanks to new

to us for scratches or imperfections and, in the end, we perform the

vertical lights and a more convenient and easily accessible stainless

final packaging with the utmost care, even using customers’ packages

steel ladder placed at the front of its entrance and no longer at its side,”

according to each specific need. We are not a simple service provider,

says Marco Peduzzi, area manager at Gema Europe SRL. “These are all

but an all-round partner. And we relied on Gema for our new application

small improvements that we have developed and then implemented

technologies because we were looking for a reliable partner as well,”

thanks to the feedback we have received and the experience we have

notes Todisco. “We had used its equipment before, so we knew its

gained over the last few years. They have certainly improved workplace

merits. We also tested alternative options, but found that Gema offered

healthiness as well as finishing results. CR COLOR, in particular, paints

the best and most reliable performance level on the market. In addition,

workpieces up to 3,000x800 millimetres in size at a line speed of about

their technical service and customer support team has always been at

1.2 - 1.5 metres per minute. We also provided it with an OC07 powder

our disposal, showing the degree of flexibility and professionalism we

centre, OptiSpray pumps, and GA03 guns to guarantee high transfer

look for in all our partners. We have been using their solutions since

efficiency, consistent powder application, and deep penetration with any

mid-January, but the difference in our production is already evident. We

workpiece geometry.”

could not be more satisfied.”

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ASK JOE POWDER

The “Ask an Expert” Column Kevin Biller

kbiller@chemquest.com

I do not like HDG (hot dipped galvanized) because it is variable, it needs degassing and pretreatment can be tricky. A good electrogalvanized surface is a different story, but a job coater like yourself probably does not see electrogalvanizing too often.

As for an article about this, I dunno. I have written about HDG and the challenges it brings but I do not think I’ve compared it to epoxy. Perhaps my next column?

Please let me know if you have any more questions or ideas.

Thanks, Joe Good day Mr. Powder, My name is Alan and I am a production engineer in Columbus, Indiana. I have a few questions regarding the curing process Hello Joe,

with powder coat that I was told you may be able to assist me.

Do you have any articles that talk about the pros or cons of

Currently we are having issues with leaving touch marks on the

powder coating with zinc primer vs galvanizing and then powder

parts from where they contact our cart. It leaves a black line

coating over top? Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge :)

on the part, but we have been able to remove it with rubbing

Sincerely,

alcohol. Our current oven setup is turning parts out of the

Allison Lee

oven at roughly 300-350⁰F (149-177⁰C) with only 3-4 minutes of

Boise, Idaho

cooling before they are placed onto our carts. I believe that our parts have not had the proper amount of time to cool down and

Hi Allison,

harden before they are placed on the carts. Most of our carts are

It is nice to hear from you. This is a great question. Personally, I like

lined with rubber edging, nylon or plastic tubing to keep from

the idea of bare steel (non-galvanized) being thoroughly cleaned and

scratching the metal cart structure.

pretreated followed by a good epoxy primer (does not have to be zinc

My first question is what is the general amount of time a part

rich), then a high-quality polyester topcoat. The most critical step is

should rest before being handled or worked with? Additionally, is

cleaning/pretreating the steel. If it is hot-rolled pickled and oiled (HRPO),

there a material or handling method that you might recommend

then the cleaning/pretreating step is difficult. The challenge here is

for handling them with our current setup.

to completely remove the “oiled” layer. This can sometimes require a

Thank you,

strong acid etch stage in your pretreating scheme.

Alan Young

If it is cold rolled steel, then the pretreatment process is much easier.

Columbus, Indiana

A good alkaline cleaner followed by a rinse and then a chemical conversion like iron phosphate or a zirconate followed by a rinse and

...and Good Day to you, Mr. Young,

perhaps a sealer.

Your observations are good. The powder coating surface may be a

It is a particularly good idea to gel, but not cure, the epoxy primer prior

little too soft to be contacted with the cart liners. Powder coatings,

to applying the topcoat. This enhances inter-coat adhesion by allowing

being thermosetting materials, harden or crosslink, when exposed

the unreacted chemical groups in the epoxy to react with carboxyl

to the proper curing conditions (heat and time). This thermosetting

groups in the polyester.

phenomenon causes the polymer and curing agent to chemically react

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thereby creating a harder, more durable film. The hardness of this film will vary depending upon its temperature. Most thermosetting powder coatings reach a glass transition temperature (aka Tg) of somewhere between 85 and 120⁰ C (185-248⁰F). Tg is the temperature in which the coating goes from a hard, glassy state to a softer rubbery condition.

Therefore, it is important to avoid handling a powder coated

OptiCenter® All-in-One

part if it is above the coating’s Tg. Most polyester and hybrid type powders have post-cure Tg’s in the 85 to 95⁰C range. I suggest that you allow a part to cool to room temperature and see if you still observe marking. If that is the case, then you may need to change the composition of your cart liners. Alternately you can switch to a powder coating that has a higher Tg. One other thing to check is whether the powder is completely cured. Solvent rub testing is a simple means to ascertain degree of cure.

Another option is to request a lower curing powder coating from your supplier. With a lower curing product, you can lower the temperature of your oven and hence the parts will exit at a lower temperature and take less time to cool.

It is critical to accurately measure the temperature of the powder coating surface (you probably have already thought of this). A noncontact IR thermometer is a good way to do this.

I hope that this helps.

Thank you, Mr. Powder

The first powder center combining electrostatics and powder feeding

© Kevin Biller

Adhesion failure of Super durable polyester powder coating over galvanized steel. Galvanizing is sometimes difficult to coat.

The powder center is equipped with OptiStar All-in-One® gun controls, in which the injector technology is directly integrated. This ensures the fastest powder output response times for reliable coating quality. The fully automated application and cleaning process ensures efficient color changes.

Gema Europe Srl | Via Goldoni, 29 20090 Trezzano s/N | Italy T +39 02 48 400 486 F +39 02 48 400 874 gemapowdercoating.com

© Nuova Catena

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

Nuova Catena: Versatile Production of Conveyor Chains, Decades of Knowledge, and Italian-Made Quality as the Keys to the Company’s Success From an interview with Mauro La Guzza production manager at Nuova Catena

Thanks to its seventy years of experience, Nuova Catena has been producing a wide range of conveyor chains and systems for various industries, including coating and sandblasting.

W

hen it comes to optimising one’s industrial coating process

company’s story and explore its range of products available for the

and selecting the best plant, flexibility is often one of the main

surface treatment field.

requirements. In fact, it is a decisive factor in that it guarantees

greater process customisation and enables to meet high quality

What are the cornerstones that distinguish Nuova Catena?

standards.

The history of our company traces its origins to the Italian chain

It is well known that the flexibility of a coating line depends on its

manufacturer “Ditta Catena” established in the mid 1940s, which, after

conveyor, be it an overhead or floor system, and of its component,

successful decades, was hit by the industrial recession in 1982. It was in

including rollers, wheels, and chains. The production of precisely these

this historical context that key employees and workers founded Nuova

components is the core business of Nuova Catena, a company based

Catena, which retains the know-how gained up to that point.

in Uboldo (Varese, Italy) boasting a long-standing successful experience

Today, Nuova Catena is a leading manufacturer of conveyor chains, chain

especially in the manufacture of Morris type chains, which consist of

wheels, conveyors, guidance rollers, and components for coating and

treated forged steel elements suitable for transporting very heavy loads

sandblasting plants. With more than 1,000 systems built and installed,

and which are therefore ideal not only for the coating sector, but also the

Nuova Catena has reached every corner of the globe, first consolidating

heavy industry. ipcm®_International Paint&Coating Magazine interviewed

its presence in the European, Asian, and American markets and eventually

Mauro La Guzza, the production manager of Nuova Catena, to tell this

reaching the Arabian Peninsula.

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HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

Our strong presence over such a wide geographical area is certainly a

control, greater production flexibility, and low costs, which allow us to

testament to our products’ high quality and our technical department’s

be competitive in the market. Moreover, Nuova Catena is able to meet

expertise. In addition to ensuring the highest quality degree, another

any requirement by working in synergy with customers to identify the

aspect to which we pay special attention is customer service, as we

components and/or solutions best suited to their needs (e.g. type of

constantly strive to provide support in a timely and effective manner.

load bar, load, capacity, speed, etc.) and producing fully customised components.

Your products are completely Italian-made. What is their manufacturing cycle?

Your product portfolio is very broad, as is the range of industries

Our entire product range, which includes conveyor chains for Redler,

in which you operate. Which ones are you most active in?

Morris type, sweep, moulded, and overhead conveyor chains, chain

Our products are suitable for various industrial fields and in recent years

wheels, conveyors, guidance rollers, and components for coating and

we have achieved important results not only in the coating sector, but

sandblasting systems, is entirely manufactured in Italy. Compared to

also in the sandblasting, enamelling, automotive, household appliance,

other companies that specialise exclusively in one type of product,

animal feed, and sludge management industries. In the surface treatment

Nuova Catena’s flexibility and multidisciplinary expertise enables it to

sector, we have collaborated with all the major Italian plant engineering

comprehensively produce any type of handling system, including one-rail

companies over the past forty years, always developing the most suitable

and Power&Free conveyors.

solution for every customer’s needs.

Our site in Uboldo (Varese) has a metalwork department and a workshop

We also have a large warehouse in which we store spare parts of even old

equipped with traditional and CNC machine tools and laser cutting and

and obsolete equipment. Finally, we can also serve the surface treatment

machining centres for the manufacture of all our products. Our core

industry by carrying out retrofitting projects to modernise already existing

business is the production of Morris-type chains, whose components are

plants.

very durable and elastic for load adaptation. They are especially used in overhead conveyors, which can handle even very heavy loads.

Producing all components in-house enables us to offer a number of significant advantages to our customers, including high product quality

Get the perfect coating every time Wetting & adhesion Surface quality Formulation stability Foam inhibition Visit us at the European Coatings Show 2023 March 28 - 30, 2023 | Hall 4, Booth 4-205 © Nuova Catena

kruss-scientific.com

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international PAINT&COATING magazine - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - N. 80 kruss-ecs-2023-anzeige-98x130mm.indd 1 01.03.2023 12:02:07

© GMP Group

An alloy wheel with the “Luci di Portofino” finish designed for the 20th anniversary of GMP Group: the orange colour applied to the prominent surface areas recalls the twilights of the Ligurian city.

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

GMP Group Confirms its Environmental Vocation with Careful Management of its Alloy Wheel Coating Booths’ Waste Water Monica Fumagalli ipcm®

Specialising in the production of aluminium alloy wheels for the aftermarket, GMP Group has optimised its process for the total recovery of coating water thanks to the synergy with Chemtec, the supplier of both its plant and its waste water treatment chemicals

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FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

The “Luci di Portofino” finish requires the application of a five-coat system, including the mirror polishing operation. © GMP Group

GMP Group’s headquarters in Albano Sant’Alessandro, Bergamo.

of environmental protection. To do this, we relied on Chemtec Srl (Corbetta, Milan), the company specialising in the formulation of chemicals and the design and installation of plants for waste water pre-treatment and treatment. We were looking for a reliable partner that could understand our need for maximum flexibility in the management of surface treatment cycles and, following the recommendation of the plant’s prime contractor, Tecnofirma (Monza, Italy), we turned to the staff of Chemtec, starting a partnership with them that is still successful today.” © GMP Group

Three departments under one roof Despite the fluctuations of a market that

T

wheel sector, celebrating its 20th anniversary

and other issues, the aftermarket sector

summer since the late 1970s, the rainfall

this year. “We are confronted with increasingly

is currently returning to pre-pandemic

deficit raised the level of drought in many

complex machining processes and painting

production levels. “Our company has now

areas of Europe (and beyond) to an alarming

cycles on a daily basis. Even in our sector, the

reached its maximum production capacity,

degree. Careful management of water

light alloy wheel aftermarket, we are asked to

thanks to an investment policy aimed first at

resources involving not only individual citizens,

apply coating systems consisting of three to

building a new facility and then at increasing

but also the entire manufacturing sector has

five layers, as is the case in the OEM industry.

the automation of our systems for casting,

therefore become increasingly necessary.

We have always been aware of the impact that

machining, and painting AlSi 7 and 10 alloy

“To reduce waste, we need to lower

this type of processes has on the environment

wheels with diameters up to 24 inches. At

consumption and enter the virtuous circle

around us and this is the main reason why our

the same time, we have continued to pay the

of what we now call the circular economy,”

environmental policy has always been one of

utmost attention to the environmental impact

states Giovanni Gervasoni, Head of External

our flagships.

of our production activities. After twenty years

Relations, Security and B.U. Coordination and

“When we built a new coating department in 2017,

in business,” says Gervasoni, “our brand,

long-standing spokesperson of GMP Group

we immediately decided to complement it with a

established in 2003, enjoys an excellent

Srl (Albano Sant’Alessandro, Bergamo, Italy),

zero-liquid discharge water treatment system, so

reputation in the market and it is distributed

a company specialising in the design and

as to recover one of the most important energy

by some of the most renowned retailers and

mass production of high-quality aluminium

resources in terms not only of production, but also

importers globally. One of the keys to our

he summer of 2022 recorded worrying

components for the international automotive

has been affected more than others by the

water crisis-related data. During what

industry and, in particular, for the light alloy

sudden changes due to current economic

has been considered the hottest

international PAINT&COATING magazine - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - N. 80

77

© ipcm

growth was the decision in 2017 to merge our foundry, mechanics,

Environmental management

and logistics departments, previously located in three different areas,

As the Bergamo-based company made the quantum leap in terms of

into one factory and integrate this new hall of around 27,000 m2 with a

production, it also adapted its environmental management policy. “We

coating department, whereas we previously outsourced this operation.”

have recently obtained the Integrated Environmental Authorisation

Indeed, GMP’s period of growth began in that same year, with more

(AIA), one of the strictest environmental authorisations and one of

and more customers recognising its efforts in terms of quality and

which – for this very reason – we are very proud. We do not comply

production speed. “We spent the first few years after the construction

with environmental regulations just because they are imposed on us by

of the new factory trying to meet the demands of our customers in

competent authorities, but first and foremost because we share their

terms of both quality and quantity,” confirms Gervasoni. “In the last

aims: before being part of a company, we are citizens who live in this

two or three years, on the other hand, after having reached maximum

territory and in the environment around us.” Since the construction of

production capacity, we have been focusing on automating all our plants

its new facility, the company has carried out several actions to reduce its

to make them more efficient. We currently produce an average of 1,500

impact. After the roof’s renovation with the removal of asbestos cement,

wheels per day. Our paint shop actually treats almost twice as many,

the construction of a lamination tank of almost 800 m3 designed to

around 2,700-2,800 wheels per day, as the four and five-coat system’s

collect “first rain” water was one of the most important operations. “At

application process combined with the mirror polishing operation

the end of August last year, we also installed a photovoltaic system with

requires two passes into the coating line. Our standard cycle involves

panels covering our entire factory to produce 1.6 MW of electricity and

the application of three coats to obtain a thickness of about 220-250

meet the needs of our factory, operating 24/7.”

microns; in the case of mirror polishing with the application of four or five layers, this reaches 270-280 microns. On the occasion of our 20th

Push for automation

anniversary, we have also designed a special five-coat cycle with a finish

The raw material reaches the Albano Sant’Alessandro plant in the form

called “Luci di Portofino” (i.e. “Lights of Portofino”): instead of the usual

of preformed aluminium alloy ingots and it undergoes casting in the

aluminium-effect mirror polished finish, here the orange colour applied

recently robotised foundry department, mechanical turning and drilling

on the surface reliefs recalls the twilight of the Ligurian city.”

in 5 islands (4 manual and 1 fully automatic), and wheel coating, before

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FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

© ipcm

© ipcm

© ipcm

packaging and final shipment. “Our foundry department,” indicates

In the coating department

Gervasoni, “implements two aluminium casting methods, one by gravity

The coating system installed by Tecnofirma in 2017 was adapted to the

and the other using low pressure. With the former, aluminium is poured

size of the factory. “It was completely tailored to our needs,” says Maurizio

from the highest point with respect to the mould, which is filled by the

Tomasoni, paint shop manager at GMP Group. “Based on what we had

molten metal at 700 °C by gravity. With the second method, aluminium

originally required during the design phase, it was supposed to handle 72

is pushed into the mould with a low pressure: this guarantees a higher

22-inch wheels per hour, but already a few months after commissioning

performance degree than high-pressure casting because the latter

we realised its far greater potential: today, it has grown to a capacity of

pushes the aluminium molecules at such a speed that they are unable

up to 144 24-inch wheels per hour. That is twice the capacity we had set

to bond with each other, compromising the mechanical strength of the

ourselves, and with largest wheels we currently treat.”

metal.”

“We have already automated the foundry’s wheel handling system with 6 automatic lifts. We also automated the one immediately following the cutting of burrs, swarf, and risers after casting by taking advantage of the fact that the robot can handle the wheels while they are still hot, whereas in the past it was necessary to wait for their surfaces to cool

From left to right:

before being approached for manual operations. One of our next tasks

Wheels at the entrance to the pre-treatment tunnel.

will be to replace one of the 4 manual machining islands with another automatic one. In other words, we are gradually improving all our departments though extreme automation.”

The machining department is also equipped with 5 lathes for wheel reworking: after the application of the powder primer, when required, the wheels’ most prominent surfaces are reworked with a diamond tool that mirror polishes them.

The application of the powder primer takes place in an automatic WAGNER booth installed in a clean room within the coating plant, with a horizontal conveyor designed by Tecnofirma (Monza).

Powder primer application.

Application of one of the four liquid coats of the standard system in a water-curtain booth.

international PAINT&COATING magazine - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - N. 80

79

After manual loading, the wheels enter the pre-treatment system

cycle, they enter the first liquid coating booth for the application of the

consisting of 11 tanks. “20-inch or less wheels are loaded by one

pigmented or metallic paint and, after flash-off, the last liquid painting

operator, larger parts by two. The wheels are positioned vertically.

booth for the application of the clear coat, before reaching the drying

The chain can be lowered to achieve the greatest possible ergonomics

oven. After cooling down, the wheels are taken to the unloading area,

during both loading and unloading.” The pre-treatment stages include

equipped with an automatic manipulator that picks them up and puts

pre-degreasing, degreasing, rinses with mains and demineralised

them on the belt for manual 100% inspection, carried out on every

water, deoxidation, further rinses with mains and demineralised water,

single wheel, before moving on to the other hall for packaging – another

fluozirconation, and final rinse in demineralised water. “The wheels

department that will soon be integrated with an automatic line.

then enter the drying and degassing oven to degas the castings. They are then manually unloaded from the vertical ring and loaded onto the

Coating water treatment

horizontal ring for coating. We are currently assessing the possibility of

The water treatment plant installed in this factory is the result of

modifying the layout of the painting plant to automate this operation

a perfect collaboration among the GMP Group, Tecnofirma, and

as well with at least 3 robots.”

Chemtec. “It was thanks to the professionalism of Chemtec’s technical

Alloy wheels then enter the clean room with 2 powder application

staff that we built a ZLD water treatment plant geared towards

booths, recently upgraded with WAGNER devices, the first for applying

maximum efficiency,” notes Gervasoni.

a clear polyester primer and the second a black or grey primer.

“We designed and installed a system tailored to GMP’s needs,”

“Upgrading the powder coating booths with state-of-the-art equipment

says Chemtec technical manager Tommaso Giovenzana, “as well

also helped us reduce waste and, therefore, consumption. In fact,

as providing the most suitable chemicals to operate this entire

WAGNER’s powder centre enables us to recover 98% of overspray,

continuous-flow water treatment plant. A tank of about 8 m3 collects

with only 2% unrecovered powder, compared to 20% with the

waste water from both liquid coating booths, which is sent via a pump

previous system.” The wheels are then taken to the curing oven and

to the sludge separator. A coagulant is introduced here that makes the

the inspection station. Afterwards, in the case of a standard four-coat

paint inert when it comes into contact with water. At this point in the

© ipcm

© ipcm

The sludge separator supplied by Chemtec (Corbetta) collects waste liquid from the two booths’ water curtains

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In addition to the continuous-flow waste water treatment plant, Chemtec supplied the most suitable chemicals for its operation.

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

water purification process, a flocculant is fed through a specially designed coil to allow flocs to form on the surface. After the water settles for a couple of minutes, all the sludge rises to the surface, where a blade collects it and sends it to a big bag. The dry sludge is therefore collected and disposed of, whereas the purified water can be recirculated to the booths. The chemicals used are specially designed to make the sludge as dry as possible: the coagulant and flocculant work perfectly to ensure that it contains as little water as possible and it is therefore less burdensome to dispose of.”

GMP also built a dripping station to drain the big bags as much as possible. “We take each big bag from the Chemtec plant and place it over an external container connected to a tank that collects the drained water and returns it to the plant; in this way, when the big bags (which we replace once a day) are taken to the disposal area,

Filtrazione per impianti di verniciatura

Rotoli, pannelli e celle in fibra di vetro Celle filtranti per alte temperature Rotoli e pannelli in fibra sintetica Accumulatore vernice “Columbus” Filtri “Andreae” Cartucce filtranti Filtri assoluti Applicazioni speciali

filtering for finishing lines

Rolls, panels and cells of glass fiber Filtering cells for high temperatures Rolls and panels of synthetic fiber Paint accumulator “Columbus” “Andreae” filters Filtering cartridges Absolute filters Special application

they are completely dry.”

Tailor-made products “With Chemtec’s technical staff, we found the optimal solution in terms of both plant and chemical products. This was not easy, considering that the coating cycles of aftermarket wheels are much shorter than those of OEM ones and the cycle can change several times a day. This is why it is important to calibrate and optimise

© ipcm

The chemicals supplied by Chemtec are specially designed to make the sludge as dry as possible.

Via Vincenzo Monti 173 20099 Sesto San Giovanni (MI) - ITALY Tel.(+39).02.24.89.583/02.26.224.313 Fax(+39).02.26.21.065 e-mail: info@defil.it www.defil.it

the products used according to different parameters such as paint reaction, water hardness, and so on. It may happen, for example, that we only work with the metallic coating booth while the clear coat one is idle.

Again, together with the Chemtec team we found the perfect solution, managing to also collect and purify water from only one booth and not necessarily both. The critical issue in this case was related to the fact that the percentage of paint collected in the tank is obviously different if one booth or both are in operation, since each coating product has its own chemical and physical characteristics.

In addition to the obvious advantage of recovering 100% of coating water, Chemtec’s sludge separator optimally purifies water in a fully automatic continuous-flow process.

Finally, we are also very satisfied with © GMP Group

Chemtec’s customer assistance, because their Finished wheels coming out of the baking oven of the coating line.

response time never exceeds an hour and, if they are unable to work on site, they support us remotely. In our opinion, this is another of their strengths.”

Conclusions “Today we are reaping the benefits of our consolidated expertise and of a corporate policy that is always focused on meeting customer needs without losing sight of what matters most in our eyes: respect for the environment,” ends Gervasoni. “Considering the complexity of our processes, we are aware that the road to a true circular economy is still a long one, but we believe that we can achieve it, step by step. The automation projects in which we are investing the most will make it easier, whereas careful management of energy resources, including the activities we are carrying out in close collaboration with

© GMP Group

Wheels with the “Luci di Portofino” finish mounted on an AUDI RS6 car.

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N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

Chemtec, are also going to further foster the growth of GMP Group.”

eosmarketing.it

Your partner for green chemical processes Chemtec’s mission is to update tradition.

Our revolutionary chemicals are designed to have a very limited environmental impact, to reduce consumption of resources and for a greater operational simplicity.

With Chemtec technologies you can replace zinc&iron phosphate:

PRONORTEC multi-metal surface treatment

TORAN 3® multi-metal pre-treatment process

WASTE WATER TREATMENT SYSTEMS

www.chemtecitalia.it

SUCCESS STORIES

Painting Over 100 Doors a Day with 10 PowerCarts With the aim of improving production flexibility and optimising its interior door painting process, a coating contractor based in the state of Montana (USA) has recently had Total Finishing Solutions install 10 PowerCart systems at its premises.

© Total Finishing Solutions

© Total Finishing Solutions

Floor track drives PowerCarts (above) and the coating cycle of an interior door.

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C

ompact, space-saving plant solutions

After proper surface preparation, a floor track takes

and equipment guaranteeing maximum

the panel from the PowerCarts to the liquid coating

production flexibility and high finishing

booth, where paint is applied on all sides of the door.

quality are a key to success for any small-size coating

Finally, the panel enters the infrared oven, which

contractor. Looking to meet these requirements, a

takes about 4-6 minutes to dry the finish, depending

company based in the US state of Montana found in

on the type of paint used.

Total Finishing Solutions (Riverside, California, USA) the right partner to improve its entire interior door

A solution meeting all requirements

manufacturing and liquid coating process.

To meet its customer’s needs in terms of flexibility

The package offered by Total Finishing Solutions

and optimisation of spaces and processes, Total

included 10 PowerCart systems, a liquid coating

Finishing Solutions supplied a system including 10

booth, and an infrared drying oven.

self-propelled carts, called PowerCarts, which move

Coating with PowerCarts

at a speed of 0.20 m/s (40 ft/min) and are powered by a 12-volt battery that can recharge itself in-line,

The painting process begins with the operator

using the energy recovered along the floor track that

manually positioning a panel onto the PowerCart’s

drives the PowerCarts themselves.

door-holding support by means of a special loader

This plant solution is ideal when there is a need to

and securing it in the correct place with screws. The

comply with reduced space requirements, while

panel is then rotated vertically so that all sides are

ensuring a high level of product quality. Indeed, both

treated at the same time: the support can rotate

needs were met. In terms of space, the installed

360°, allowing the operator to easily reach any

system’s footprint is minimal and in line with the

surface area to be painted.

customer’s requests.

© Total Finishing Solutions

Total Finishing Solutions’ PowerCarts allow the customer to paint over 100 doors per day.

FORNITURE TECNICHE PER LA VERNICIATURA INDUSTRIALE

Via Fermi, 9 Zelo Buon Persico (LO) Tel. 02 90 66 92 40 r.a.

info@guerrasrl.it www.guerrasrl.it

SUCCESS STORIES

© Total Finishing Solutions

The components enter the infrared oven.

In terms of finishing quality, the system enables the operator to

of the department can be quickly increased by raising the number of

manually stop each individual cart at any point in the line to correct any

carts, expanding the oven, adding another coating booth, or installing an

finishing defects.

additional track in just a few minutes and without structural intervention.

Efficiency, speed, and flexibility

Finally, the PowerCarts are equipped with a wireless communication device and can be controlled and diverted among different tracks

Although small in size, the system had to guarantee maximum

whenever the treated products need to undergo different finishing

production efficiency and speed.

processes.

In fact, the carts supplied by Total Finishing Solutions allow coating the customer’s door panels on all sides in one stage, eliminating the

10 PowerCarts for 100 doors

need to wait for each side to be completely painted and polymerised

The 10 PowerCarts forming the core of the new coating line supplied

and therefore reducing the time and steps required, compared with a

by Total Finishing Solutions now enable the customer to paint over

conventional flatline plant.

100 doors a day, working on one shift with an average of two or three

Moreover, in addition to optimising the coating operations, the installed

operators. This has revolutionised the entire production cycle of this

solution makes the paint shop completely flexible and modifiable

American coating contractor, which is now ready to assess the possibility

according to production needs. If production volumes grow, the size

of integrating some further automation and robotics solutions.

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N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

CLEAN IT. COAT IT. CURE IT. CUSTOM BUILT Engineered finishing systems: Blast, Pretreatment, Conveyors, Booths, applicators, robotics, and ovens.

Total Finishing Systems is a leading designer and integrator of high-quality and complex industrial finishing systems. Whether you need an in-depth process analysis or require finishing equipment and components, our equipment exceeds expectations and our innovation and automation is industry leading.

ADVANCEMENTS

Xirallic® NXT Safari: 24 New Colours with Extreme Brilliance and Chromaticity Stefano Corrado Account Manager Coatings l Electronics l Surface Solutions, Merck Srl stefano.corrado@merckgroup.com

Laura Zanini Account Manager Decoratives&Industrials l Electronics l Surface Solutions, Merck Srl laura.zanini@merckgroup.com

© Merck

The Xirallic® NXT technology gives rise to 24 new high-gloss, deep-colour hues suitable for all coating sectors – including low thickness applications - but also for the printing and plastics industries. Their aluminium oxide base and very low, perfectly controlled particle size enable these four pigments to create innovative, sparkling shades in many colour areas, even in combination with other pigments from different Merck ranges.

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ADVANCEMENTS

M

erck, science and technology company, thanks to its Surface

level of the four new pigments in the best possible way, becoming a

Solutions division, offers an in-depth expertise in decorative

useful source of inspiration for day-to-day work in the research and

and functional surface treatment solutions and as a leading

development of new colours, both for designers and creative people

provider of special effect pigments for liquid and powder coatings,

and for those working in R&D and formulation laboratories.

has launched a new demo tool for its innovative Xirallic® NXT series of

All four Xirallic® NXT pigments are suitable for both liquid and powder

special effect pigments.

coatings.

Integrating the first-generation Xirallic® range, the Xirallic® NXT pigments

Outdoor performance is excellent in terms of both light and weather

stand out thanks to their vigorous and attractive effect.

resistance, making them perfectly suited to the automotive, coil

The new demo tool “Safari. Exploring natural habitats through

coating, powder coating, and liquid painting sectors, which can tap into

intense and elegant effects” takes the form of a box made of natural,

their colour and depth characteristics at best. All four products are

environmentally sustainable materials and is designed to support

united by the same attribute, Living Sparkle®, which reflects their main

designers and formulators along a fascinating virtual journey through

characteristic: the ability to lend living brilliance to the colours in which

the different continents of the Earth, i.e. the habitats of the four splendid

they are integrated. Merck’s Safari colour suggestions are 6 for each

felines that give their names to the Xirallic NXT pigments:

pigment and they are designed to inspire the world of coating in its

• Cougar (Cougar Red);

various applications, including the automotive, architectural buildings,

• Tiger (Tigris Blue);

interior design, household appliances, and industrial ones, but they can

• Lion (Leonis Gold);

also be a source of inspiration and ideas for the printing and plastic

• Leopard (Amur Black).

mass colouring sectors.

®

Indeed, big felines embody the fierceness, brightness, agility, and resistance of the Xirallic® NXT pigments. The colours matched with

Tigris Blue

each of these habitats enable to explore the American continent from

Tigers live in the Indian subcontinent, the Indo-Chinese peninsula,

Canada down to the southern Andes, India down to sub-Saharan Africa,

Sumatra, and the Russian Far East. Tigris Blue is identified through three

and finally the far east of Russia. The hues and plays of light created by

key words that reflect its main features: irresistible strength, purity,

these four pigments with a very low grain size have brought significant

celestial depth. The Tigris Blue colour’s styling shines of a pure and

improvements in terms of brilliance and purity of effect and inspired 24

very deep blue. With highly chromatic blue tones and fluctuations in

new colour suggestions with intense, vigorous, and elegant tints and an

shades and brightness, reflecting the richly contrasting and multifaceted

extreme brilliance degree.

tints typical of the Indian jungle, Merck has created the following six

Their aim is to illustrate and highlight the potential and performance

proposals:

© Merck

© Merck

The Safari tool takes the form of a box made of sustainable material.

The 24 colour suggestions are 6 for each of the 4 Xirallic® NXT pigments, identified by the names of big felines.

international PAINT&COATING magazine - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - N. 80

89

© Merck

The colours made with pigments Cougar Red (left) and Tigris Blue (right).

• Tropical Water Blue, where colour shines in an intense dark blue with

continent: yellows mixed with the tints of dawn and dusk in the vast

glimpses of light and an almost magical brilliance;

spaces of the savannah, shades that seem to have captured the golden

• Eternal Blue, an irresistible pure blue with celestial depths;

sunrays shining through the grass and bushes.

• Blue Lotus, a very bright, almost dazzling, intense blue that radiates

The 6 proposals are as follows:

from all viewing angles;

• Sun Gold, created with the Merck Iriodin® 9307 pigment to emphasise

• Aerobatic Blue, which artfully combines colour flop with petrol and

the improved colour, brilliance, purity, and depth degrees achievable when

silvery blue shades in a finely textured product with tone-on-tone glitter;

using the Xirallic® NXT product to formulate the same colour shade;

• Peacock Blue, which reveals its glow from a brilliant dark blue shade to

• Golden Splendor, which emulates the cold metallic glow of pure gold;

an unexpected bluish glitter;

• Lioness Beige, glowing in a dense, noble beige that sometimes seems to

• Purple Blossom, with bright hues ranging from dark, almost-black

give off golden reflections;

shades to brighter purple, up to an opulent glittery blue shade.

• Backlit Green, a colour tending towards grey-olive green with a golden

Leonis Gold

undertone that turns it into a glitter-rich golden-green; • Bushland Green, which shimmers with an intense, colourful green that

Leonis Gold, the golden pigment, takes us to sub-Saharan Africa. Its

creates a flicker of shimmering, golden green and yellow colours in the

keywords are majestic elegance and fascinating brilliance. Golden

sunlight;

highlights prevail in all colour suggestions. Their styling radiates

• Acadia Brown, dark green tending to brown, with a shimmering metallic

the grand brilliance and intense sparkle typical of the sub-Saharan

green fine texture.

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ADVANCEMENTS

Amur Black With the Amur leopard, we move from the colours of sunny Africa to the

Amur Black is a unique pigment and certainly Merck’s most interesting

play of light and dark and the intense silver tones of the Nordic forest in

innovation, as it creates extremely bright effects on black surfaces,

the Russian Far East.

playing with sparkles and giving rise to multiple shades.

• Meteor Black, which reveals the brilliance provided by Amur Black when integrated into very intense blacks;

Cougar Red

• Ice Black, the exact opposite of the previous colour suggestion, it is

Merck’s journey continues in the Americas, the habitat of pumas, in the

reminiscent of the shimmering freshness of frozen riverbanks, especially

area from Canada to the southern Andes.

thanks to its brightness giving it a silvery glow, rather than a white one;

Cougar Red also gave rise to 6 proposals:

• Blue Dragon, a black hue with a hint of turquoise, which manages to

• Desert Flower Red, which expresses intensity and passion through a

veer towards a violet, conveying a feeling of grandeur and superiority as

neutral red tending to an exciting pure blue;

only a peculiar silvery glow can do;

• Bonfire Red, which lights up the night with its deep dark red hues and

• Amur Barberry, an unusual combination of black tones conveying the

the Living Sparkle typical of the Xirallic® series;

feeling of dark red and with a brightness reminiscent of the tree leaves

• Sunset Kiss, a thrilling red colour recalling the sunset’s colours;

during the autumn season;

• Light Cloud, a red shade with a grey base that lights up as the viewing

• Korean Pine, which recalls that typical forest brightness where a deep

angle changes, ignited by the vital sparks of the pigment;

green note prevails, illuminated and made even brighter and more

• Nightfall Purple, a very intense blue colour lit by the sparks typical of

verdant by the Amur Black pigment;

bonfires;

• Glass Beach Blue, which is reminiscent of the bright blue of the

• Purple Rock, where the intense violet of the night’s light reflecting off

Vladivostok surroundings, an intense yet luminous tone that exudes a

the surrounding rocks is further emphasised and illuminated by the red,

brilliance of its own and adds a special note of lasting silver.

neutral flame of the Cougar Red pigment.

IST_High-RES_IPCM Ad 230x140_Ad_v2.pdf

8

13/03/2023

07:59

© Merck

The colours created with the Leonis Gold pigment.

The four new Xirallic® pigments compared with their predecessors

The Xirallic® NXT pigments complement the first-generation Xirallic®

These pigments are multi-layer products based on aluminium oxide

gloss and chromaticity and perfectly integrate the latter, which already

coated with titanium dioxide and treated to perform well outdoors.

offers proposals in the same colour areas but with a different gloss

In order to make them even better in terms of colour effects, Merck

degree. That is why we chose the attribute Living Sparkle® for them.

worked on their physical parameters, especially on the optimisation of

range, without replacing it. The former provides a much higher level of

their average grain size range, so that they can reflect more light.

Innovation at ECS 2023

The main difference between this and the other Merck pigment ranges

The new Merck ColorStream® Mineral Red, a product in the very neutral,

is the base – aluminium oxide for Xirallic and natural and/or synthetic

intense, high-chromatic red-blue area with a smooth look, will be

mica, silica and borosilicates for all other series. Its added value is the

launched globally at the upcoming 2023 European Coatings Show to be

extreme brilliance degree despite a very fine grain size. This makes

held from 28 to 30 March in Nuremberg (Germany). Yet another way to

these pigments more compatible especially with coating systems

charm customers and help them turn the colours of their dreams into

where low thicknesses are required, e.g. in automotive or coil coating

reality thanks to special effect pigments.

applications.

Merck will be glad to meet you in Hall 4A, booth 121.

®

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MADE TO MOVE

COATINGS FOR UNSTOPPABLE BUSINESSES AND PRODUCTS Remain ahead of the competition with a spectrum of solutions from Sherwin-Williams. Our more than 155 years of color and coatings expertise keep us well-equipped to deliver the products and services your business demands. We are innovators, researchers, chemists and color experts dedicated to pushing industrial manufacturing and performance further.

Learn more at industrial.sherwin.eu or contact gi.emeai.marketing@sherwin.com © 2023 The Sherwin-Williams Company

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

Reliability, Flexibility, and Customer Satisfaction: Guerra Srl’s Three Pillars From an interview with Angelo Guerra, founder of Guerra Srl

In order to meet each and every customer need, Guerra has leveraged its technical knowledge and long-standing experience in the surface treatment industry to position itself as a one-stop supplier of coating equipment, accessories, and systems capable of offering timely and reliable assistance and service.

We retraced the company’s history in this interview that ipcm® conducted with founder Angelo Guerra.

G

uerra Srl was established in 2001 based on an ambitious

create an experienced and skilled technical team capable of advising

project of its founder, Angelo Guerra: to make the most of the

customers on the best coating solutions for their production needs,

experience and know-how acquired working in the industrial

providing assistance and support at every stage of finishing processes,

coating industry for decades and establish a company capable of

from pre-treatment to quality control. In addition, for the past few years,

positioning itself in the Lombardy region’s market as a one-stop supplier

the company has also been producing hooks, load bars, filters, and

of a wide range of equipment and accessories for powder and liquid

masking devices for finishing operations. This choice’s objective sums up

painting operations. Founded as a distributor of these products, Guerra

the company’s mission: to meet customer demands quickly and reliably.

has been able to combine resources and expertise and, over the years,

“Our twenty years of experience as resellers of some of the leading

© Guerra Srl

Guerra manufactures various types of filters for coating booths.

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HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

paint technologies produced by a number of Italian brands has led us to realise how diverse the needs of each individual customer can be and to strive to meet any of their requirements. To this end, our technical staff began working in synergy with our customers to customise products already on the market in order to find the most suitable solutions for their processes. However, when customising what already existed on the market became no longer sufficient, we decided to expand our structure in terms of both human resources and machinery in order to be able to manufacture a wide range of consumables ourselves, including booth filters, masking systems, protection devices, and hooks and load bars for transporting the components to be painted”, says Angelo Guerra, the founder of this firm located in Zelo Buon Persico, in the province of Lodi (Italy).

© Guerra Srl

The production of filters, masking devices, and hooks “Since its foundation, Guerra Srl has provided a wide range of filters for liquid painting operations, from standard products to special sleeves, cells, and many other products tailored to customer needs.

Some years ago, we decided to expand our corporate structure and product portfolio, no longer positioning ourselves solely as a distributor of painting technology, but also as a manufacturer and supplier of accessories and components for finishing processes. Our range of masking products includes tapes, stickers, silicone conical plugs, silicone caps, screw caps, and silicone tubes, but we can also supply masking devices that are tailor-made or made to drawing,” indicates Guerra.

“Finally, in addition to the production of masking systems, a few years ago, we equipped our production site with technologies for manufacturing hooks and load bars for the transport of parts to be painted, in both standard and customised versions,” adds Angelo Guerra.

© Guerra Srl

Overview of Guerra Srl’s headquarters in Zelo Buon Persico and the plotter for producing masking devices.

Ligna Hannover | Germany 15.-19. May 2023 | Hall 16 Booth C22

YOU GET MORE THAN JUST PRODUCTS WITH US. Because we develop well thought-out coating processes.

venjakob.com

© Guerra Srl

© Guerra Srl

© Guerra Srl

© Guerra Srl

From top left clockwise: The filters warehouse; A construction phase of a filter cell; A special machine for hook production; General view of the production site.

Customer needs at the heart of every process

produced in the past whose availability on the market is often scarce

“Our customers are at the core of all our processes and products: this

if not non-existent.”

is our main strength, in addition to the high quality of our solutions. As

“As far as our short to medium-term goals are concerned, we plan

a family-run company with significant, sound know-how in the field of

to expand our warehouse to stock even more products and speed

industrial coating, we are able to provide our customers with reliable,

up our delivery times, as well as expand our business in terms of

high-quality assistance and service, supporting them at every stage of

geographic areas. Finally, our expertise and knowledge of the market

their painting and production processes. Another advantage that sets

is currently leading us to develop an activity in which we strongly

us apart in the market is the speed and flexibility with which we are

believe, namely the planning and design of ideal plant solutions in

able to meet every need: we have a warehouse of around 1,000 m

synergy with customers. Indeed, recently we have developed a few

housing a vast quantity of components, both of our own production

ad hoc coating systems for various industries, with excellent results.

and not, and accessories for plants and booths ready for fast delivery.

Therefore, we are currently expanding our technical department,

This means that any company turning to us has a huge choice of

which will be completely devoted to developing and designing plants

product alternatives and can certainly find what best suits its needs.

and booths to be then built by our external partners,” states the

Furthermore, our stock also includes several spare parts of models

company’s founder.

2

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HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

TSP Group - Trafilerie San Paolo Issues its First Mini-Bond for Growth Alessia Venturi ipcm®

Steel runs in the veins of the Roda family – green steel, since the family at the head of TSP Group - Trafilerie San Paolo (also owning company Orbita Srl, specialising in the production of chains and bearings for industrial conveyors), has just issued it first mini-bond for sustainable development. The resources will enable it to build a new production hub in Molteno (Lecco, Italy) on an area of 40,000 square metres, which will implement technologies aimed at increasing energy efficiency, improving safety at work, and safeguarding the environment.

O

ne of the financial instruments available to companies, even

With the objectives of growing, increasing investment abroad, and

unlisted ones, to support industrial development plans are

improving the energy efficiency of its production facilities, Trafilerie San

mini-bonds, i.e. bonds that can be used to raise debt capital on

Paolo Srl, a company owned by the Roda family to which

the market.

Orbita Srl also belongs, has issued its first 2 million-Euros mini-bond

© TSP Group

Aerial view of the new production hub of TSP Group in Molteno (Lecco, Italy).

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HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

maturing in 2027 and guaranteed by the European Investment

for this firm, now an undisputed leader in Italy in the supply of conveyor

Fund. The bond was underwritten by Mediocredito Trentino Alto-

components to major market players.

Adige, which also acted as the arranger, with the aim of enabling the company to consolidate its leadership position in the cold forging

An increasingly green future

sector and continue with the project to create its new production hub.

Currently, travellers on the Milan-Lecco axis can see the TSP Group’s

A family business

factory from the road. In the near future, production will be completely moved to the new site in Molteno, on an area of 40,000 square metres,

With 7 companies, 130 employees, and a turnover of around 90 million

16,000 of which will be covered, which will be fully operational by the

Euros with the aim of reaching 100 million in 2025, TSP Group has been

end of 2023. This investment will enable the company to optimise many

producing long drawn steel products for the automotive, construction,

activities and significantly reduce costs and it will also have a major

railway, oil & gas, and aeronautics industries for over fifty years.

impact on environmental protection and safety at work.

Family solidity is key to the success of the TSP Group, in which all

Trafilerie San Paolo was among the first to adopt a completely green

second and many third-generation members of the family work in

steel treatment process. The technologies that are going to be used

both management and operational positions while the progenitor and

will further improve the quality of work for employees and respect

founder is also still active. Rino Roda, born in 1929, is still following

the environment. Innovations are going to include, for example,

closely the fortunes of the Group, which is now successfully and

new annealing furnaces that will work at full capacity for a significant

cohesively managed by his children Tiberio, Antonella, Fulvia, Andrea,

reduction in energy consumption and the sandblasting treatment, which

Carlo, Massimo, and Raffaella, who are excelling at keeping the family

will take place with a much shorter processing time. In addition, all

together and safeguarding the interests of the company, with a strong

plants are computerised and robotised to ensure greater safety at work.

propensity for growth.

The concept of a united family is also transferred to the management

A company with an industrial vocation

of the personnel, to whom the Roda family is very close, as shown by

Mini-bonds are a very innovative and lean financial instrument that

projects such as the wonderful celebration held last November for the

allows businesses, even family-owned ones with a strong industrial

60 anniversary of Orbita (Cesana Brianza, Lecco), a group company

vocation, to support growth outside traditional banking channels.

also active in the world of paint and coatings with the production of

Furthermore, by providing access to the capital market, they give

chains and bearings for conveyors.

subscribing companies high visibility among customers, suppliers,

The party took place on Lake Pusiano, attended by the entire Roda

competitors, and investors. The natural evolution of a company as

family and dedicated to thanking the employees, in a jovial atmosphere

strongly rooted in its territory but projected towards a future of

of great fun accompanied by good food. It was an important milestone

internationalisation as Trafilerie San Paolo.

th

© TSP Group

The Roda family: from the left Andrea, Tiberio, Carlo, the father Rino, Raffaella, Antonella, Massimo, and Fulvia.

© Orbita

The Roda family with Orbita staff during the celebration for the 60th anniversary of the company.

international PAINT&COATING magazine - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - N. 80

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ROAD TO 2050

Sustainable Cleaning Solutions for Improved Profitability and Reduced CO2 Footprint Brandon Lloyd MKS Instruments, Andover (MA) - U.S.A.

The improper bonding of the paint to the base material compromises quality leading to premature part failure. Recent advancements in cleaning chemistries deliver many benefits to manufacturers compared to conventional processes, most notably the ability to operate at lower temperatures and long-life capabilities.

S

be defined as the removal of contaminants from a substrate

Operating temperature: a critical issue for the cleaning process

surface before subsequent coating steps. It includes the removal

Traditionally cleaning is performed using alkaline-based chemistry. We

urface preparation, in the context of paint applications, can

of organic and inorganic soils coming from forming applications or

consider critical parameters when operating a cleaner – temperature,

those created during welding and joining. Cleaning and degreasing are

time, concentration, and agitation/impingement. Each of them plays

required to achieve the highest finished part quality and first pass yield

an important role in the efficiency of the cleaning application, but the

during production. Poor removal of soils from the fabrication process

temperature may have the largest impact. Increasing the temperature

can lead to a variety of quality issues. The main concerns for final part

of a cleaner also increases the required heating energy. Not only does

quality relate to paint adhesion, corrosion resistance or fluid resistance.

using more heating energy increase a manufacturer’s costs, but it also

Improper bonding of the paint to the base material compromises quality

increases the associated carbon footprint. Recent advancements in

leading to premature part failure. With a lower first pass yield, rework

cleaning chemistries deliver many benefits to manufacturers compared

costs will increase and profitability will decrease. Additionally, a higher

to conventional processes, most notably the ability to operate at lower

defect rate, requiring rework, can generate inefficiencies or bottlenecks

temperatures. It directly supports a reduction in energy demand and

that slow production throughput.

lowers carbon emissions as well.

Figure 1: Life cycle of a conventional cleaner.

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ROAD TO 2050

Figure 2: Life cycle of a next-generation cleaner.

The extended life cycle for wastewater treatment reduction In addition to lower temperatures, next-generation cleaning technologies can operate for a longer period of time. By extending cleaner solution life, manufacturers can increase their productivity, reduce waste and wastewater treatment burden, and even reduce chemical consumption.

In Fig. 1, the typical life cycle of a conventional alkaline cleaner can be seen. As the cleaner is continuously used in production, the amount of oil in the solution rises while the cleaning efficiency gradually decreases.

To limit defects, the cleaner solution must be discarded and made new at regular intervals. When using more recently developed cleaners, the life cycle will more closely mirror that shown in Fig. 2, where there is a slight drop in cleaning efficiency at the beginning of its use before stabilising, creating a much more consistent and reliable performance over time for the manufacturer.

Quantifying cleaning quality and performance A critical question often asked about low-temperature cleaning is whether performance and quality can be replicated. As mentioned earlier, operating temperature is elementary for high-quality cleaning.

However, the savings potentially realized with low-temperature cleaning from reduced energy costs cannot offset lower production yield. To eliminate this risk, various tools can be utilized to quantify cleaning.

Simple methods like water break and white tissue offer a visual representation but are limited in their true ability to quantify cleaning.

international PAINT&COATING magazine - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - N. 80

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ROAD TO 2050

The implementation of a more sophisticated method like surface tension fluids can provide an exact quantification of surface cleanliness.

Fig. 3 demonstrates how surface tension fluid tests are utilised in production for monitoring surface cleanliness against defect rate. This was after implementing low-temperature cleaning. By integrating this cleaning quantification tool, a cleaner life cycle can be established. This helps to ensure that defect rates are maintained within a reasonable, low level and so they do not increase beyond a certain threshold due to insufficient cleaning.

Energy saving and reducing carbon footprint: a problem solved using low-temperature cleaners In recent years, energy prices have seen a considerable increase, creating a substantial impact on production costs (Fig. 4). Due to these increases, manufacturers may be driven Figure 3: Measurement of surface tension (primary y-axis) and defect rate (secondary y-axis) versus solution age.

to raise prices to their end customers to maintain profitability, especially without the appropriate countermeasures to offset higher costs.

To illustrate the economic benefits of innovative new cleaning processes, we consider a spray washing system utilised for cleaning in a pre-paint application. In a conventional process, the cleaner would have to operate at 55 °C to achieve the needed cleaning performance. For a nextgeneration cleaner process, the operating temperature can be reduced, in this case, to 35° C. Reducing the operating temperature by 20° C leads to considerable cost savings.

In addition, the CO2 emissions are also greatly

reduced. Figure 5 summarises these benefits from a theoretical customer application.

Reducing the carbon footprint by 124 tons of CO2 is equivalent to eliminating 27 internal

combustion engine vehicles from use1.

Considering the contribution of sustainable cleaning to reducing carbon emissions, there Figure 4: Natural gas prices worldwide from 2015-2022.

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https://www.epa.gov/greenvehicles/greenhouse-gas-emissions-typical-passenger-vehicle

1

Process

Energy cost

Spent chemical sent to WWT

WWT cost

CO2 emission (from pre treatment)

Conventional degreaser (1) (2) (3)

57,800 USD

50,000 l

13,250 USD

212 t

Next-generation cleaning process (1) (2) (3)

23,900 USD

15,000 l

3,975 USD

88 t

Savings

33,900 USD

35,000 l

9,275 USD

124 t

reductions

59%

70%

70%

58%

Maximum efficiency in powder coating

Table 1: Summary of savings capable with low-temperature cleaner. Assumptions in these calculations include (1) 5,000 l tank volume (2) natural gas boiler system energy source (3) 500,000 m²/month production.

are various benefits achieved from both, the low temperature and long-life capabilities.

The low-temperature operation directly reduces energy consumption and in turn carbon emissions. The contribution of long-life operation is not as obvious since most of those benefits are realized outside of the pre-treatment line. By extending cleaner life the chemical consumption can be reduced by requiring less make-up chemistry, and the subsequent dumping and wastewater treatment, as displayed in Table 1 for “Spent chemical sent to WWT”. The requirement for less make-up chemistry also means there is less freight and production requirement for that chemistry as well, reducing secondary energy requirements.

The perception that a sustainable alternative for a conventional process or system is less economical, no matter the application or industry, is often difficult to overcome. Typically, a new technology comes with a higher price and the challenge of quantifying how that equates to a lower overall running cost. With advancements in cleaning technologies, the two major benefits observed are lower operating temperatures and longer solution life. Their influence on improved economics and lower carbon emissions shows just how

Nordson HDLV dense-phase technology – everything under control The heart of Nordson HDLV ® technology is patented High Density, Low Velocity (HDLV) Encore HD® pumps delivering exceptional powder coating results.

Significant powder savings and productivity gains from: higher application efficiency, uniform coating thickness, faster color change and minimum maintenance downtime.

Explore the unique features of our powder coating systems online or get in contact with us today for more information!

much of an impact the implementation of next-generation cleaning processes can be as the surface finishing industry continues seeking paths to a carbon-neutral future and improving its impact on future generations of the world. www.nordson.com/hdlv

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

Automating the Resin Coating of Sliding Door Profiles: The Choice of ECLISSE Alessia Venturi ipcm®

Precision, stability, and consistency of application. Improving its working conditions and reducing its environmental impact: these were the main results of the investment plan carried out by ECLISSE (Pieve di Soligo, Treviso, Italy) in its resin coating department for aluminium profiles intended for flush pocket door frames and wall niches. This also included automating the application operations with a CMA Robotics robot.

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FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

“E

clisse” in Italian translates into

integration with the wall guaranteed by flush

on whether the counterframe is in a solid or

“eclipse”. To eclipse oneself can mean

pocket doors in particular, without jambs or

stud wall version) along the entire perimeter

to hide, to conceal oneself from view.

frames, allows for elegant and customised

of the doorway is sufficient to finish the door

This is what concealed sliding doors do, solving

interior design in line with modern furnishing

installation, for significantly faster drying and

any home size issue and providing better space

requirements. A key component of a concealed

installation times.

and furniture yield.

sliding door is therefore its aluminium profile,

In order to apply this special resin, exclusively

Whether modern flush pocket doors or

which ensures that the counterframe is fully

formulated by ICA Industria Chimica Adriatica

traditional sliding doors with frames and

integrated into the wall.

in close collaboration with the company’s R&D

jambs, doors meet the needs for both space

The flush-to-wall solutions, namely doors and

department, ECLISSE made a major investment

optimisation and aesthetics, creating custom-

niches, designed, produced, and marketed

in the automation of its resin coating plant.

designed environments as they can be made

by ECLISSE (Pieve di Soligo, Treviso, Italy) have

The installation of a GR 680 articulated robot

in a variety of materials and finishes. The total

special resin-coated aluminium perimeter

supplied by CMA Robotics (Pavia di Udine,

profiles, specially conceived to ensure the

Udine, Italy) has in fact improved the firm’s

perfect adhesion of the structure’s finishing

application quality by ensuring consistent

material and the absolute homogeneity of the

thicknesses, relieved operators from a

wall paint, preventing the risk of it peeling off

demanding manual process due to the length

over time. Introduced in 2020 by ECLISSE, this

of the profiles, which are up to about 7 metres,

innovation is very important for the installation

and speeded up production. This investment

of counterframes: thanks to the new special

in automation was the last step in a more

resin applied to the aluminium profiles, a single

complex journey for ECLISSE, whose ultimate

application of fine plaster or stucco (depending

goal was to reduce harmful emissions, improve

© ECLISSE

© ECLISSE

A cross section of the ECLISSE Syntesis® Line flush-fitting solution (opening photo) and resin coated profiles. The three layers of resin applied to the profile, stucco, and wall paint are clearly visible.

international PAINT&COATING magazine - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - N. 80

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© ipcm

the healthiness of its working environment, enhance product quality, and relieve its staff of burdensome manual operations.

About ECLISSE Founded in 1989 and evolving from a small workshop established in the 1960s, ECLISSE began as a pioneer in the production of counterframes for sliding pocket doors, metal structures that allow any door to slide and disappear inside the wall. By listening to its customers’ needs and requirements, ECLISSE has gradually developed exclusive solutions and patents to offer products that are reliable, easy to install, and capable of facilitating the installers’ work on site.

The great care taken during its solutions’ development phase to guarantee ergonomics, ease of use, and accessibility, with special attention paid to the needs of the elderly and disabled, makes ECLISSE’s products an excellence in the high-end market. The ECLISSE group today consists of 10 subsidiaries located © ipcm

in France, Poland, Austria, the Czech Republic, Spain, Slovakia, Brazil, Germany, Romania, and United Kingdom, plus a network of distributors in Europe and the rest of the world ensuring its presence in over 50 countries.

All counterframe production stages take place in the Italian factory, making it a product that is still 100% made in Italy. “We manufacture all the elements that make up the frames of sliding or hinged doors,” says chief operating officer Luca Padoin while accompanying us on a factory tour. “In the case of flush-towall solutions, the most popular for modern domestic environments, the counterframe can consist in a galvanised sheet metal box that is then plastered, if intended for insertion in brick walls, or in an open galvanised metal sheet with predrilled reinforcing horizontal bars, if intended for insertion in plasterboard walls.

The boxes, in particular, are manufactured from galvanised sheet metal coils that are flattened

General view of ECLISSE’s resin coating department and the CMA Robotics’ 7-axis robot type GR 680 installed at ECLISSE’s factory.

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and profiled. Our company boasts about 900 machines and devices, as well as proprietary

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

moulds for accessories (plastic or metal), with CNC centres and technologies custom-built for ECLISSE, such as for example our profiling machines, which enable us to carry out all the production steps required for our interior solutions in-house, right up to the resin coating department for aluminium profiles. In fact, our counterframes feature vertical and horizontal aluminium profiles with a special resin coating that facilitates finishing, while also playing an important role in terms of aesthetics for perfect results in any home environment.”

Resin coating: a strategic step for the quality of ECLISSE’s solutions “The resin coating department has a static plant with several booths where a one-coat resin layer is applied to aluminium extrusions, in order to promote the adhesion of the stucco or wall paint during installation,” indicates Dario Biasi, the R&D manager of ECLISSE.

© ipcm

From left to right, some members of ECLISSE’s staff: resin coating plant coordinator Sergio Floriani, specialized operator Kristjan Medica, R&D manager Dario Biasi, specialized operator Jaman Sm Kamruj and chief operating officer Luca Padoin.

© ipcm

Application with the pneumatic gun mounted on the robot’s hollow wrist.

“We receive the aluminium extrusions already pre-treated with an open-

applied to the parts of the counterframe intended for grouting or fine

pore anodising layer, which gives us a time window for the application of

mortar finishing, and white to all the finished frames where the wall paint

the resin and, above all, guarantees its long-term stability once applied

is subsequently applied.”

to the profile. This finishing process has been fine-tuned over the years

“Our counterframes can accommodate any standard door on the market.

by ECLISSE to achieve optimal and long-lasting adhesion of stucco on the

However, as the market is increasingly asking for turnkey solutions, more

profiles and prevent flaking of the wall paint applied at the end.”

and more often ECLISSE supplies both counterframes and doors,” notes

“The 7-metre bars are loaded on racks and moved to the application

Fabiana De Luca, marketing & communication manager at ECLISSE.

area: between the load and the coating their position is scanned and the

“The doors can be supplied unfinished, with only the primer applied, or

data sent to the control system of the robot, which knows exactly how

lacquered in white or in one of the finishes included in our catalogue.”

many pieces there are and how they are positioned, thus maximizing the optimization of time and resin consumption,” explains Biasi. “CMA

Fast, precise, and easy to maintain: CMA’s GR 680 robot

Robotics’ 7-axis robot applies a coat of water-based resin along the entire

The CMA Robotics GR 680 articulated coating robot is an electronically

length of the bars, by sliding on the rail representing its seventh axis. The

controlled machine with 6 degrees of freedom, designed to automatically

bars then reach the flash-off station for water evaporation and finally the

perform spraying operations in general, such as liquid or powder painting

baking chamber. The total cycle time is 3 hours. The resin formulated

of metal, wood, and plastic surfaces, but also the glazing of bathroom

exclusively for us by ICA has a specific grain size that is ideal both to

fixtures and the application of resins. Its standard version is suitable for

adhere optimally to our profiles’ porous surfaces and to reproduce

coating workpieces attached to an overhead or floor conveyor system,

as closely as possible the texture of the plaster or wall paint that will

with either continuous or step motion and with the possibility of rotating

be applied over it. Resins come in two colours: grey and white. Grey is

the workpiece while stationary or moving.

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FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

Further flexibility in use is achieved thanks to the special configuration of the robot’s wrist, which, with the rotation of each axis through 360°, makes it easy to reach any point on the workpiece to be painted. A 3D vision system is used for programming, which can recognise the outline and position of profiles along the support frame: it enables the machine to detect the parts and thus self-generate coating trajectories, so that the operator does not need to select any programme or pay attention to the profiles’ arrangement, because the robot has an “eye” that independently recognises what it has to paint. The operator only needs to select the correct batch so that the robot knows which colour to apply. This robot type is characterised by its precision and speed and its 8-kg wrist capacity allows several spray guns to be used simultaneously.

© ipcm

The paint management unit, set up by Wagner, is already prepared for the transition from cans to drums.

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY FOR POWDER COATING

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ECLISSE’s show room where all the conceived and swing door solutions of the Treviso-based company can be seen first-hand.

“We chose CMA as the supplier of this robot, as well as Wagner for

future automation during its design stage, as we had been intending to

the paint management unit, because it was recommended to us by

make this investment for a while. Robotising the application phase has

the plant engineering company as the benchmark supplier in the field

meant to make it more stable and consistent, allowing us to boost our

of coating automation,” says Luca Padoin. “The robot replaced four

final quality results, as well as improve our way of working by increasing

operators who used to apply the resin manually, by taking turns as the

our application speed.”

spraying operation was truly burdensome. Now, the entire resin coating department is managed by two operators and a coordinator, Sergio Floriani, who also takes care of logistics.”

“The inclusion of this robot is only the last step in a process aimed at reducing the environmental impact of our production operations,” adds Fabiana De Luca. “The first step was the formulation of the new water-based resin, along with other improvements in our production environment. The resin coating plant had already been prepared for

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Click or scan the code to watch CMA Robotics GR 680 coating the profiles of flush pocket doors

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FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

Saveral: The Italian Powder Coating Pioneer Continues to Innovate Its Plants Gabriele Lazzari ipcm®

Saveral has been an established player in the Italian automotive part finishing sector for many years, thanks to the flexibility of its coating systems and the high customisation degree it can offer. Increased production volumes and quality requirements, however, led it to further innovate its equipment by installing a new chemical cell pre-treatment tunnel developed and installed by Silvi Srl, which performs three stages followed by nanotechnology nebulisation.

F

ocus on technological innovation and differentiation of

One of its most recent investment concerned a new chemical cell pre-

production processes is one of the main factors that enables a

treatment tunnel with a nanotechnology nebulisation stage developed,

company to position itself as a major player in its target market.

built, and installed by Silvi Srl (Peregallo di Lesmo, Monza e Brianza,

For coating contractors, in particular, it means being able to quickly

Italy), as well as a new powder coating booth and its application

offer tailor-made solutions for every requirement. The history of

technologies supplied by Wagner (which will be covered in detail in our

Saveral Srl is a testament to this. After launching a project to upgrade

next issue).

its systems and their related equipment almost ten years ago, the

The result of these thoughtful choices was a significant increase in

company has never stopped searching for more and more high-

production capacity, enabling Saveral to always meet the diverse

performance solutions.

demands of its international customers.

Two-tone lamps of the interior design brand Hem. © Saveral

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FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

© Saveral

© Saveral

Constantly growing production

uses, such as components for horizontal

Saveral is a coating contractor established

packaging machines, pellet stoves, and high-

by Abele Preda in 1954 and headquartered

end furniture for hotels and cruise ships,

in Almenno San Bartolomeo (Bergamo, Italy).

account for the rest,” says Amos Pesenti, the

Initially active in the galvanic processing

plant manager of Saveral. “In other words, we

sector, it gradually specialised in liquid

coat workpieces with a great variety of sizes,

painting and, later, it was among the first

shapes, and materials. This is why over the

companies in Italy to integrate its offer with

years it has been essential to equip ourselves

powder coating. Today, Saveral occupies

with pre-treatment and coating lines that

an area of 10,000 m , it has more than 50

could lend us greater and greater production

employees, and it counts leading companies

flexibility.”

2

in the automotive, metalwork, architecture, furniture, and electromechanical sectors

Continuously updated systems

among its customers.

Powder coating has been Saveral’s core

Already the subject of an article on ipcm

business for over fifty years. In 2014, the

focusing on its four coating lines and their

company started a process of modernisation

respective application equipment1, this firm

of its systems that continues to this day, in

has always had a vocation for technological

order to achieve maximum quality, flexibility,

innovation, which has enabled it to expand

and production efficiency and thus offer

its customer portfolio, the range of parts it coats, and its target markets. “Saveral has

© Saveral

the best end products, made with the most advanced industrial systems available on

always been an innovative company: we were

From top left clockwise:

among the first in Italy to implement powder

The new pre-treatment plant developed by Silvi Srl.

coating plants, all in line with the Industry 4.0

The loading area with the Power&Free conveyor supplied by Futura Convogliatori Aerei.

apart is its focus on innovation, but also its

Components at the entrance to the first chamber of the pre-treatment tunnel.

fourth coating plant, in particular, is very

coating, which enabled us to expand our production. The automotive market, for which we paint various components such as calipers, brake levers, and wheels, accounts for most of our total volume. Metal parts for various https://www.ipcm.it/en/open/ipcm/2019/56/122128.aspx

1

the market. Its factory is equipped with four approach. “As mentioned, what sets Saveral collaboration with technology partners that can fully accommodate this attitude. Our recent, but its production requirements have been increasing steadily in the last few years,”

international PAINT&COATING magazine - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - N. 80

113

© Saveral

© Saveral

The mobile spray bars inside the first cleaning chamber.

© Saveral

Columns for the production of osmosis water.

The drying oven.

notes Pesenti. “As its old pre-treatment line had reached saturation

and rock wool with a high insulating power in between) where this low-

point, we decided to install a new tunnel provided by Silvi.”

consumption air-stream system dries the components. The pneumatic

Tailor-made pre-treatment cycle

doors combined with the two-rail overhead conveyor reduce heat losses from the oven.

With the exception of the parts painted in the fourth plant, the

“Despite their different intended uses, all the parts we treat require

chemical pre-treatment of components takes place off-line. Saveral’s

an extremely high level of cleanliness. Silvi, therefore, developed a

old system had become obsolete and was no longer able to provide

chemical pre-treatment process tailored to our needs and designed a

efficient cleaning at high production rates.

chemical cell tunnel accordingly,” explains Pesenti.

The pre-treatment cycle developed to replace it consists of three stages, plus a final nanotechnology nebulisation phase. The first is

The pre-treatment tunnel built by Silvi

a cleaning operation carried with the phospho-degreasing product

Saveral’s new chemical cell pre-treatment tunnel features a large

GARDOBOND A 4786 from Chemetall - Surface Treatment Global

loading area followed by a two-rail overhead conveyor with step-by-

Business Unit of BASF Coatings - to remove contamination from the

step motion made by Futura Convogliatori Aerei (Robecco Pavese,

parts to be painted, followed by dripping. In the second and third

Pavia, Italy). Made entirely of 304 stainless steel, the spray tunnel

stages, the components are rinsed first with mains water and then

is configured in cells isolated by separating doors that operate

with demineralised water, with a subsequent dripping step at room

synchronously with the conveyor, thus making the cleaning process

temperature. Afterwards, the workpieces undergo a final stage

more efficient and avoiding contamination among the different baths,

where the Chemetall GARDOLENE D 6870 nanotechnology no-

within which mobile spray ramps are placed.

rinse product is nebulised to give them higher corrosion resistance

A series of sealing brushes were mounted on the ceiling and the

properties. Finally, the conveyor leads the load bars to the drying

longitudinal slot along which the hooks move. Centrifugal fans placed

oven (characterised by a sturdy supporting structure made of electro-

on suction hoods over the hot-operation stations of the tunnel

welded steel profiles, a zinc coated steel sheet interior and exterior,

perform fumes extraction. Each tank is equipped with its own vertical

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FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

centrifugal pump and shut-off and flow-rate control valves with gauge controls, while a series of removable mesh filters protect the pump suction inlets. Each hot-operation tank is properly insulated and heated by means of an immersed tube-bundle heat exchanger complete with a burner and temperature control equipment.

The tunnel is completed by two demineralised water production columns, a burner feeding the air-stream drying oven, a touch screen for the display and management of cleaning parameters, and a control panel for the nebulisation system.

A collaboration that doubled the pre-treatment capacity Our last report described Saveral as a © Saveral

company that never stops. The latest investment further demonstrates its focus on

© Saveral

The burner feeding the air-stream drying oven and the nebulisation system’s control panel.

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technological innovation and collaboration

© Saveral

parameters. We therefore listened to Saveral’s

with reliable and professional suppliers.

needs, found the most suitable solutions,

The recent plant upgrades and the new

and finally jointly selected this chemical pre-

pre-treatment tunnel now ensure higher

treatment cycle with a final nanotechnology

quality and production efficiency, as well as

nebulisation phase, thus building and

a healthier and more comfortable working

installing the system accordingly,” adds

environment. “During the study and design

Daniele Fumagalli, sales manager at Silvi.

phase of this new plant,” says technical

“Our part treatment capacity has doubled.

manager Donatella Rota, “we identified our

As a result, workflow management is more

needs and searched for a flexible supplier

relaxed and everything works smoothly: our

who could meet our requirements, support

customers are satisfied and our operators

us in the system’s development, and realise

are also more serene, as the quality of our

the solution best suited to our needs. Indeed,

workplace has improved as well. Finally,

our collaboration with Silvi has enabled us to

the combination of these technologies is

improve our work in terms of both quantity

guaranteeing top-level results in terms of

and quality.”

corrosion resistance and paint adhesion, as

“Silvi’s goal is to create plants based on highly

well as ensuring a very low environmental

qualified technological processes and tailored

impact and reduced energy consumption,”

to each customer, respecting all imposed

states Pesenti.

From top left clockwise: The touch screen for pre-treatment parameters management; Wagner’s powder centre; from left to right: Saveral’s production manager Marco Rota, plant manager Amos Pesenti, and quality manager Fabrizio Assi.

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FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

An Electricity-Powered Plant for Coating Oil Hydraulic Components: ALA Officine’s Green Choice Ilaria Paolomelo ipcm®

ALA Officine Spa, a leading manufacturer of hydraulic rotary joints for the OEM sector, recently inaugurated a coating line powered by photovoltaic electricity. For this ambitious project, it turned to Trasmetal, a leading Italian company for design and installation of the new coating system, which chose Wagner for the paint application and mixing system and CMA Robotics for the coating application robot. The suppliers of the products are Inver for the water-based paints and Condoroil for the pre-treatment chemicals.

e

cin

A

©

AL

Offi

An example of an oil hydraulic component for the ACE sector produced by ALA Officine.

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FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

W

hen looking at an agricultural vehicle or construction machine, such as a tractor or excavator, our attention is

often focused exclusively on its components’ functions rather than aesthetics. In recent years, however, the ACE sector has been changing and adapting to trends in terms of finishes and appearance just like many other industries, such as the automotive one. Today, therefore, every component included in an agricultural machine no longer only has to resist weathering and pass numerous quality tests, including salt spray corrosion ones, but it must also be “good-looking”.

This is also the philosophy of ALA Officine Spa, a leading Italian manufacturer of high-quality hydraulic rotary joints for the agricultural and earth-moving machinery sector, based in Pozzolengo (Brescia). Established in 1974 by Natale Insegna and Aldo Ruffoni as a company active in the manufacture of moulds for sheet

© ipcm

metal processing and the construction of industrial equipment, over the years it has gradually specialised in the production of oil hydraulic components for the OEM sector.

Almost fifty years after its founding, ALA Officine is now a key player in the European and North American oil hydraulic joint market, supplying major international companies such as Caterpillar, Komatsu, JCB, and Kubota among others.

In order to increase the quality of its products, it has recently integrated its new factory, opened at the beginning of 2023, with a new paint shop equipped with a system powered by the electricity produced exclusively by the photovoltaic panels installed on the production site’s roof.

Overview of ALA Officine’s new hall where the coating system was installed.

Trasmetal supplied a complete coating line for oil hydraulic components for the ACE sector.

© ipcm

international PAINT&COATING magazine - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - N. 80

119

© ipcm

Components entering the pre-treatment tunnel.

© ipcm

© ipcm

The water pumping and circulation system.

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Oil hydraulic components entering the coating booth.

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

The production cycle of hydraulic rotary joints In 1977, ALA Officine began manufacturing hydraulic distributors for agricultural machinery, including rotary joints, which are now its core business. “We produced more than 60,000 of them in 2022 alone,” states production manager Enrico Brambilla.

“We take care of the whole production process: starting with steel bars, we produce both the inner and outer sleeves of each

Efficient and reliable solutions for surface coating since 1988.

oil hydraulic component. Within our machining department, we can perform several mechanical and manual processes,” adds Brambilla. ALA Officine has a large number of machine tools and CNC machines including as follows: • 4-axis CNC machining centres for a part size up to 800 x 600 x 1,100 mm; • CNC lathes for a part diameter up to 1,000 mm and length up to 4,000 mm; • CNC, swivel-head and double-head grinding machines; • ASME-certified MAG and TIG welders, welding robots, and WPS. “After machining, the components undergo an intermediate cleaning phase with a conventional metal cleaning machine to

electrostatic systems for liquid painting

remove the oils and swarf left by the previous steps. Furthermore, most of our products are welded and it is therefore essential that they are completely cleaned before such operation. A grinding phase and a further cleaning cycle are then performed before

electrostatic systems and spraying booths for powder coating

assembly. The process ends with the assembly and testing operations with pressures above 450 bar,” explains the production manager.

Every part produced in ALA Officine’s factory is designed based

pneumatic systems for high-, medium-, and low-pressure painting

on customer specifications in synergy with the in-house technical department, which studies the most suitable solutions and components for each individual requirement.

IR and UV drying systems

The new electricity-powered plant The coating phase plays a fundamental role, because it helps position ALA Officine in the market as a supplier of top-quality oil hydraulic products. The surface preparation phase and the

robot and reciprocators

subsequent application of a cosmetic as well as functional coating are key to comply with the company’s mission to produce parts that are not only useful and perfectly operating, but also aesthetically appealing. For this reason, ALA Officine decided to expand its production facility and install a new coating plant, choosing to rely on Trasmetal (Milan, Italy). “During the design phase of this system, ALA Officine presented us with two major challenges: design the coating system using only the electricity produced by the photovoltaic panel as a power source and to build a very compact Zucchetti, engineer at Trasmetal.

www.cmspray.it

eosmarketing.it

line that would occupy a small area of the new hall,” indicates Carlo

CM SPRAY s.r.l.

The new coating plant has a loading and unloading station served by a two-rail overhead conveyor. The process begins when the components enter the pre-treatment tunnel, where pickling degreasing, cleaning and cleaning with demineralised water are carried out: this cycle was developed by Condoroil Chemical (Casale Litta, Varese, Italy).

It is followed by a blow-off station, necessary to remove the water accumulated inside blind holes, and by a drying oven. “Before coating, the parts undergo a masking phase, which plays a very important role in protecting certain surface areas that must not be painted, such as SAE flanges and fitting connections, in order to prevent any future malfunctioning,” notes Brambilla.

“The plant is equipped with one booth for paint application with a self-learning articulated robot provided by CMA Robotics (Pavia di Udine, Udine, Italy),” says the production manager. There is also an additional station for touch-up or manual © ipcm

painting operations on oversized parts. Then, the components undergo a passivation phase, enter a drying tunnel, and they finally reach a cooling phase.

“99% of our components are coated with water-based paints supplied by Inver (Bologna, Italy). We generally use a few colours, including black, grey, and yellow. The choice of the coating system depends on our customers’ specifications, as some companies require the application of a primer and a top coat and others prefer one-coat systems. We carry out about three colour changes per day and our booth is equipped with an automatic cleaning system that takes about 40-50 seconds to perform this operation. The plant is equipped with 32 hangers with a maximum capacity of 1,000 kg.

Paint application with a self-learning articulated robot. © ipcm

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The robot’s command pulpit.

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 

© ipcm

The edrizzi® paint mist separator inside the coating booth.

“The complete coating cycle takes about 3 hours and we paint an average of 32 load bars per day: 3 medium or large-sized or 9 small-sized components per load bar. We often need to also coat very large and heavy workpieces weighing up to 900-1,000 kg: in these cases, the operator hangs one component per load bar, as the maximum capacity is 1,000 kg.”

The benefits experienced by the user When ALA Officine started looking for the right partner to develop its new coating process, it had very specific requirements: • Having a plant that could cope with higher volumes than the previous one; • Placing the system in a limited space; • Using the energy produced by the solar panels installed on the roof of the factory.

“The system supplied by Trasmetal met all our needs. Our collaboration proved successful because it enabled us not only to increase our output and speed up our production flow, but also to reduce consumption by using only natural energy sources. The new coating line has been running at full capacity since mid-January, but in April we will start working in two shifts to increase our production volumes even further,” says Brambilla.





© ipcm

Enrico Brambilla, ALA Officine’s production manager (on the left), with Carlo Zucchetti, engineer at Trasmetal.

Focus on sustainability

systems, it guarantees continuity of work even when peaks exceed

ALA Officine’s philosophy revolves around reducing energy

the available power. Other tailored solutions have also been

consumption and protecting the health of its employees and the

implemented with the aim of reducing the waste of resources and

environment. This is why it has invested in many projects in the last

making maximum use of natural energy sources: for example,

few years, including the centralised air-conditioning system for its

the tunnel is designed to minimize water consumption; while to

machining department and the 450-kW photovoltaic system installed

minimize thermal consumption, the waste heat is recovered from

on the factory’s roof.

the emissions of other equipment located in the factory. The

Consisting of polycrystalline solar panels and capable of meeting

company’s request for a fully electrical system entirely conditioned

15% of the company’s energy needs, this is the beating heart of the

the plant’s design, development, and fine-tuning in terms of

new coating plant. “When we decided to expand our paint shop,

mechanics, electrics, and software. Now, we can definitely say that

our first requirement was to design a system that could harness the

ALA Officine’s system is the most advanced coating plant powered by

clean energy produced our photovoltaic panels,” explains Brambilla.

electricity produced by voltaic panels ever built in Italy,” states Carlo

“The plant is fully electrical. By means of software and proportionality

Zucchetti.

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COLOUR STUDY

The Unbearable Lightness of Blue Monica Fumagalli ipcm®

Starting with this issue, ipcm® inaugurates a new column dedicated to colours. In fact, what is more important than colour when it comes to finishes and surface treatments? In a series of articles published throughout this year, we will learn about the main – or most curious – colours of the visible spectrum: their origins, history, applications, and fun facts.

F

irst of all, let us start with an explanation as to why we decided

followed in the finishing of products that are ready to be launched on the

to inaugurate a column dedicated to colours, their meaning, and

market and meet (or not) the taste of end users.

characteristics in a technical magazine specialising in surface

We have chosen to inaugurate this new column with a brief analysis

treatments. Because in the industrial coating field, as in many other

of blue, which is one of the three primary colours, i.e. one of the basic

sectors, colour coding is a key tool for the interaction between coaters

colours that combine with the other two, namely red and yellow, to form

and customers in order to define the final appearance of a product, the

all the other colours of the visible spectrum.

one that will determine end users’ purchasing behaviours. Anyone dealing with surface treatments normally uses the most widespread classification

The origin of the word blue

systems, such as RAL, PANTONE, and NCS: the tints and shades included

The word blue1 (in Italian blu, in French bleu, in Spanish and Portuguese

in them form a sort of common language that coaters use on a daily basis

azul, and in German blau) is generally traced back to two ancient words:

to understand and be understood by customers and to properly meet

Proto-Germanic blewaz (which referred to the colours grey, dark blue, and

their aesthetic requirements.

black) and Proto-Indo-European bhle-was, in which the root bhle meant

Colour is also strategic in everyday life: just think of how important it

not only “blue”, but also “the colour of light”, and in turn, referring to the

is in the choice of a common purchase such as a car, or how decisive

concepts of blond and yellow as well, was also the origin of the Latin word

colour trend forecasts are for our sector, but also beyond: there even

flavus, i.e. yellow. The Romans used the term blavus, which came from the

exist numerous experts, study groups, and companies whose daily work consists in monitoring and/or studying the different colour trends to be

1

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7001092899694129152/

© Adobe Stock

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COLOUR STUDY

same root, with the meaning of “faded”, whereas to indicate blue shades

them into a pigment, as reported in an Il Post article two years ago3.

they used the two terms cyaneus and caeruleus. The latter meant “the

Around 2200 BC, however, they invented another type of blue pigment

colour of the sky” (caelum in Latin) and it was sometimes used to refer

from a mixture of limestone, sand, and a copper-containing mineral

to dark green and teal. The former (also the origin of cyan and cyanotic)

(such as azurite or malachite), which they traded with Persians, Etruscans,

derived from the ancient Greek kyanos, which, in turn, originated from the

Greeks, and Romans, thus spreading it. By heating this mixture, they

Proto-Indo-European root kwey, generally referring to white. Germanic

subsequently obtained a matte blue glass to which egg white, gum, or

blao, Norse blar, and Old Provençal blau, all indicating the colour blue,

glue were added to obtain a resistant varnish or ceramic glaze. This

originated from here. The English word blue came from the former two,

Egyptian blue is considered to be the first pigment produced synthetically

whereas it is from the latter that the French term bleu descended, of

by humankind and remained the most widely used blue throughout

which Italian blu was an adaptation.

the Greek-Roman era until at least the 4th century AD, when other hues became more widespread, such as ultramarine blue (Afghanistan, 6th

A brief history of blue

century AD), one of the most valuable and expensive pigments, much

According to a Washington Post article from a few years ago, blue is the

sought after by European painters in the 14th and 15th centuries; Han

favourite colour of most people, regardless of their gender or place of

blue (China), an inorganic pigment made with barium instead of calcium;

origin . It is no coincidence that it was and still is ubiquitous on the web,

and Maya blue (Central America), based on indigo, an organic pigment

probably because of the concepts of trust and reliability associated with it.

obtained from the leaves of certain leguminous plants, mixed with clay

However, this was not always the case, as the first traces of blue pigment

and then heated.

use date back to the Egyptians some 6,000 years ago. Previously, the

These hues remained unchanged until the late 18th to early 19th century,

colour blue was not recognised: there is no trace of it in cave paintings,

when chemistry developments led to the creation of new blue pigments,

just as there is no reference to it in the Bible or in Homeric texts.

from cobalt blue, a cheaper alternative to ultramarine blue, to cerulean

The Egyptians were therefore probably the first to appreciate the

blue, Prussian blue, and the more recent Klein blue4 and YInMn blue5,

peculiarities of this tint found in the lapis lazuli extracted from the mines

the latest discovery in this field.

2

of Badakhshan, in north-eastern Afghanistan, which they set in jewellery or funerary masks. At the same time, they were never able to pulverise https://www.ilpost.it/2021/02/07/storia-colore-blu/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Klein_Blue 5 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YInMn_Blue 3

https://www.washingtonpost.com/can-you-guess-the-website-based-on-theswatch-of-blue/c5c6bd24-2c1a-413a-b77d-d105db2e6a26_quiz.html

2

4

© Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.

© Adobe Stock

international PAINT&COATING magazine - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - N. 80

127

Some applications of blue

Fun facts

From architecture to textiles, blue finds the most diverse applications.

Did you know that before the mid-20th century, blue was a feminine

The colour of sky and water evokes tranquillity and confidence, which is

rather than masculine colour? Associated from Christianity onwards with

perhaps one of the reasons why it is among the most appreciated tints.

the cloak of the Virgin Mary, it was recognised as a feminine tint, whereas

In interior architecture, blue hues are chosen precisely to evoke these

red, recalling the blood of battle, courage, and tenacity, was a purely

feelings of calm and serenity. Especially in marine environments, they

masculine colour. A US marketing strategy in the 1950s designed to sell

integrate perfectly with the context. Blue shades that are reminiscent

more gendered clothes and toys reversed this trend. Since then, the

of water are often matched with the concept of clean energy, at least as

colours blue and pink have taken on the connotations we know today.

much as the much popular (and, to some extent, abused) green ones.

What about night blue? Blue is the colour of the night sky when it is

Blue is the quintessential colour of jeans. The main reason for this is

clear and serene because the gas molecules that make up the earth’s

practical: all synthetic dyes penetrate firmly into the fabric’s fibres once

atmosphere only scatter blue light, which has a shorter wavelength,

heated, whereas indigo has the ability to stick only to the surface. This

whereas longer wavelengths are absorbed.

is why, during washing, some colour molecules escape from the fibres,

And one last oddity: did you know that the sunset on planet Mars is blue?

giving denim the classic “vintage” faded effect that makes it an ever

The “postcard” sent to us by the Curiosity rover’s Mast Camera towards

popular product.

the end of the 956th day (or sol) since its arrival on Mars captures the

“To feel blue” means “to feel sad”: as it evokes feelings of nostalgia and

Martian landscape at sunset, observed from inside Gale Crater. The bluish

melancholy, this colour has even given its name to a whole musical genre,

tint of the sky is due to the particles present in Mars’ atmosphere, which

blues. This seems to be derived from an English expression, “to have the

allow blue light to pass through more easily than others do.

blue devils”, which, according to popular belief, referred to the state of confusion and sadness resulting from abstinence from alcohol. Hence the

French painter Yves Klein, the inventor of Klein Blue (see below), once

name given to a melancholic musical genre such as blues.

stated that “blue has no dimensions, it is beyond dimensions”. It is perhaps because of this elusiveness that blue is and will remain one of the most popular colours ever.

Klein Blue, the colour invented by the French painter Yves Klein.

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MORE innovation performance nano technology R&D ESG technical assistance

dn-chemicals.com

© Tecnofirma

Tecnofirma headquarters in Monza, an historical building designed by architect Angelo Mangiarotti in 1964.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

The History of a Family, the History of a Business: Tecnofirma, Surface Treatment Partner since 1985 Alessia Venturi ipcm®

One of the most well established Italian companies in the field of mechanics and particularly of surface treatments is Tecnofirma (Monza), firmly rooted in its past but completely projected into the future of the industry and its transformations.

T

ecnofirma took up the legacy of a long-standing Italian company,

chlorinated solvents. In the 1970s, at the height of Italy’s industrial

Roto Finish, founded in 1949 with the mission of introducing mass

boom, it conceived a series of new cleaning and surface finishing

deburring and cleaning processes for mechanical components

solutions with one aim: to be at the forefront of the technologies

in the national market. In 1965, Roto Finish developed its first spray

that were appearing on the market at the time and that pursued

degreasing plant for removing cleaning pastes without the use of

environmental friendliness: degreasing with water-based products,

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HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

Increase your productivity WITH SELF-LEARNING ROBOT FOR FINISHING

water-based coating, powder coating. Then, in 1985, Alessandro Goi and Carlo Morone, respectively the general manager and the president of Tecnofinish, Roto Finish’s new company name since 1972, acquired its coating and cleaning division and created Tecnofirma. Carlo Morone left the company at the end of the 1990s, a decade in which Giovanna Goi, now the marketing and communications manager, as well as Head of Quality Management System, and Francesco Goi, now the general manager, also joined the team. Meanwhile, Tecnofirma gradually expanded its presence in the automotive sector, which became inextricably linked to the destiny of this company: in the 2000s, Tecnofirma became in fact an undisputed

SELF-LEARNING ROBOT

leader in the field of complex cleaning and painting systems and equipment, and it also began to develop impregnation plants for the electric motor industry. At the same time, it has always remained at the forefront of environmental protection, safety, and quality, continuing the research path of Tecnofinish.

As Alessandro Goi confirms, “in 1992, we were the first Italian company to obtain the ISO 9001 quality certification. In the 2000s, we definitively conquered the automotive sector, first with the launch of our first flow coating systems for lenses, headlights, and

1 OPERATOR REQUIRED EUROPEAN ASSISTANCE

windscreens, and then with the development of impregnation plants for electric motors, a technology that has given us an undoubted competitive advantage in today’s market, with the current transition

info@Lesta.it

www.Lesta.it

© Tecnofirma

The production department.

to electric mobility. Until a few years ago, the electric motor industry was

seemed possible to follow it all from Italy, but now it is evident that this

concentrated abroad, especially in China. With the transition to electric

is no longer enough and that a presence on the ground is necessary.”

mobility, however, this industry is now having a sudden revival and Tecnofirma has been benefiting from the experience already gained in

An ever-evolving company

this field with its proven, sophisticated impregnation technology.”

With its three divisions – cleaning, coating, and impregnation –

Tecnofirma nowadays

Tecnofirma is perfectly aligned with the transformations happening in the market and consumption behaviours related to mobility. “The

“The impregnation market has helped us compensate for the reduction

automotive sector is undergoing a profound transformation and we

in order volumes for the cleaning of combustion engines and maintain

are adapting to these changes with all of our three operating divisions,”

our growth trend – sustainable growth, in small steps but stable,”

emphasises Francesco Goi. “We are approaching all the new electric

says Francesco Goi. “Over the past ten years, finally, Tecnofirma has

motor manufacturing companies that are present in the market,

expanded worldwide: in 2011, we opened Diamond CO. Ltd. in Beijing

establishing excellent new relationships. At the same time, we are

(China), a sales and production company for the Asian market, 100%

supporting traditional OEMs in their transition to electric mobility. First

owned by Tecnofirma, which is growing with good market results.

of all, we can coat their new lighting systems for electric cars thanks to

In 2019, we established Tecnofirma GmbH in Germany, a sales and

our expertise in the hard coating of lenses, satellite dishes, headlights,

customer service firm, and in 2022 Tecnofirma America Inc., which is

and radars. Secondly, in terms of cleaning, the new products designed

going to become fully operational during 2023. We have chosen to be

for electric vehicles require an extremely high degree of cleanliness:

present in these three countries because they represent the strategic

some examples are battery boxes, which are abnormally large for

markets of our target sector, namely the automotive industry. Once it

conventional cleaning plants, and inverter boxes, which require

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HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

© Tecnofirma

Cleaning system for high-end engines.

a higher cleaning quality than combustion engines to avoid short

of three types, beams, pillars, and roof tiles, which once assembled

circuits in power instruments. Thirdly and finally, electric motors needs

gave rise to a factory hall composed of ten identical sections. This was

impregnation before assembly, namely a resin deposition process that

the first in a series of projects conceived by Mangiarotti to simplify and

makes them more reliable and efficient because it compacts them,

minimise construction to the assembly of essential and elementary

insulates them electrically, and fosters heat dissipation. Our twenty

elements in order to solve the issue of interlocking vertical and

years’ experience in designing impregnation systems, combined with our

horizontal structures. “We are proud to be able to work in a prestigious

extensive portfolio of cleaning solutions, is an undoubted competitive

building that somewhat sums up our relationship with the past, present,

advantage, as it enables us to operate as strategic partners for our

and future. Viale Elvezia 35 featured innovative technical solutions

customers.”

and was projected into the future, whereas its façade was reminiscent

“The combustion engine market still exists, but investment in research

of antique temples; today, it appears as a modern building, not too

and development is very rare, with the exception of supercars,” states

different from avant-garde glass structures,” says Giovanna Goi.

Francesco Goi. “However, modifications, upgrades, and retrofitting of already existing plants are still required.”

Tecnofirma’s headquarters

The assembly and testing workshop Another important milestone in Tecnofirma’s history was 2018, when it brought together the assembly and testing of its systems in one

Tecnofirma does not only stand out in terms of substance but also

6,000-m2 workshop at its Monza site, which also includes a laboratory

of form: its headquarters in Monza is a historical building designed in

for industrial process tests. “By insourcing our assembly and testing

1964 by architect Angelo Mangiarotti. It was completely constructed

processes, we have taken a further step forward in terms of both

with precast structures in prestressed reinforced concrete. These were

product quality and customer service, which increasingly requires

international PAINT&COATING magazine - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - N. 80

133

© ipcm

The Goi family: from the left Alessandro, Francesco and Giovanna.

testing to be carried out at the supplier’s premises,” notes Giovanna

Rooted in the past, projected into the future

Goi. “Our flagship is our in-house laboratory, where we perform tests

With 70 years of experience, more than 1,000 systems installed

on samples to fine-tune the processes to be presented to customers.

worldwide, a production value of 35 million Euros, 120 employees, 3

Research and prototyping are also carried out here, including when

divisions, 4 locations worldwide, and 3 production sites (2 in Italy and

aimed at filling patents.”

1 in China), Tecnofirma is deeply rooted in its territory and its past but

Sustainability in the company

projected into the future and the global market.

As Angelo Mangiarotti pointed out during a conference on architecture

“We have recently tested our new photovoltaic system with 150-

in Chicago: “It is not a matter of using the past as a fetish or as a model,

kW solar panels, another green step towards reducing our energy

but rather as memory and as a structure.”

consumption,” says Giovanna Goi. “Our focus on environmentally

And this is what Tecnofirma is doing: with a solid past, with a method

friendly technologies, which has always been our hallmark, continuing

and a teamwork approach inherited from its history, and with its

Roto Finish’s legacy, is our best calling card when it comes to

constantly evolving technology, it is a protagonist of the present with an

sustainability.”

eye always turned to future.

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N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

Ravarini Castoldi & C. srl ELETTROSPRAY® via E. De Nicola, 18 - I-20090 Cesano Boscone (MI) Italy - tel.+39 0255210608 www.ravarinicastoldi.it - dive@ravarinicastoldi.it

BRAND-NEW

TIGER Drylac® Digital Materials for your CGI Rendering System 1,500 colour and effect files available online for a realistic visualisation of surfaces.

C

omputer Genereted Imagery (CGI) is a technology in the field of 3D computer graphics that is increasingly

used in all visual graphics applications.

Architects, for example, use 3D graphics programmes to create models for their

1.500 color and effect files for realistic visualization of surfaces*

clients. These computer-generated models, which may be more or less accurate, are very realistic and vivid renderings of planned architectural spaces: the available modelling tools allow architects to visualise a space and perform virtual “walk-throughs” in interactive 3D environments at both the urban and building levels.

Tiger Coatings GmbH & Co. KG (Wels, Austria) has recently launched a new section of

TIGER Drylac® Digital Materials **

its website that makes all the colour and special effects-related materials of its metal

for your CGI rendering system

architecture product range available in digital format, to help designers include a more realistic visualisation of surfaces in their

visit & explore www.tiger-coatings.com/shop

select & download your digital materials

use TIGER Drylac® Digital Materials in your CGI system

projects.

Architects and specifiers can select the digital materials they have chosen for their projects from TIGER’s online shop and use them directly in their CGI systems to make renderings even more realistic and accurate, test the different colours, effects, and finishes available, thus defining the most suitable coating even during the beginning phase.

download now

By accessing the TIGER e-shop’s colour

www.tiger-coatings.com/shop

selector section, it is possible to explore all the different tints and special effects of TIGER Drylac® powders for steel, galvanised

* Despite the more realistic representation, the images may still differ from the original color tone/effect - depending on the quality of the reproduction equipment (screen). We therefore still advise you to request an original powder-coated sample to check color and effect. ** Color and effect textures available as .axf (scan file), .exr (image) and .kmp (native KeyShot material), compatible with most popular CGI systems like KeyShot, Cinema 4D, Maya, v-ray, 3DS MAX, unity, UNREAL, MODO, SolidWorks, Maxwell and many more.

© TIGER

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N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

steel, and aluminium available from stock for Europe.

Selecting a colour opens its dedicated page,

GLOBAL SOLUTIONS FOR WATER TREATMENT

with a complete service that includes system design manufacturing, installation, technical support and chemicals

where it is possible to see it from different viewing angles with the help of high-resolution video animations, read about its technical characteristics and recommended applications, request five physical samples on metal sheets, and even download its related digital materials to be used in CGI projects for a more realistic rendering of any surface.

About TIGER Established in 1930 as a small business selling paints and lacquers, TIGER is now an internationally active family enterprise with eight production facilities across the globe, three research & development centres and a sales network covering fifty countries.

TIGER’s high-quality coating solutions – TIGER Drylac® powder coating and TIGITAL® Inks & Tattoo for industrial printing systems – guarantee long-term value retention and can be used in a breathtaking range of applications from façades to car wheel rims, from furniture to fridges and other machinery. TIGER’s TIGITAL® 3D-Set boasts innovative 3D printing equipment based on a thermosetting process, heralding a new era in the field of additive manufacturing.

For further information: https://www.tiger-coatings.com/shop/

SPRAY BOOTHS WATER SLUDGE REMOVAL RESIN DEMINERALIZATION SYSTEMS REMEDIATION OF CONTAMINATED SITES BIOLOGICAL SYSTEMS BATCH TREATMENTS PHYSICAL-CHEMICAL SYSTEMS ADSORPTION FILTRATION REVERSE OSMOSIS MEMBRANE SYSTEMS EVAPORATORS BIOGAS BIOMASS SYSTEMS OIL SEPARATORS DESANDERS DESALINATION SYSTEMS PYROCHAR OTHER SYSTEMS CHEMICALS

srl

© TIGER

Via Torricelli, 79 - Z.I. Fossatone 40059 MEDICINA (BO) - tel. (+39) 051 856263 info@hydroitalia.com - www.hydroitalia.com

BRAND-NEW

SITA Messtechnik GmbH at the European Coatings Show– Laboratory Measuring Devices for Research, Development, and Quality Control From 28 – 30 March SITA Messtechnik GmbH will be exhibiting for the first time at European Coatings Show.

T

he European Coatings Show is one of the largest gatherings

• Foam testing devices for analysing and determining foaming

of the coatings and paint industry in Germany. and presents

characteristics of surfactant containing liquids and the effects of anti-

its innovative laboratory measuring solutions and products for

foaming additives.

research, development, and quality control: • Tensiometer for monitoring the surfactant concentration in process

Competent and individual consultation on site

liquids and for optimising wetting characteristics of surfactant-

Due to the versatile measuring devices and the comprehensive

containing liquids.

application experience, SITA Messtechnik GmbH is the optimal partner

The SITA DynoTester+ and SITA pro line t15 measure the surface tension

for R&D as well as QC in the laboratory regarding surfactant and surface

as well as the surfactant concentration fast and easy and warn in case of

control. The company will exhibit at the European Coatings Show in

crossing upper and lower limit values.

Nuremberg/Germany on booth 4-505 in hall 4, where its innovative

• Mobile and inline measuring devices for pre-treatment control of parts

devices can be experienced live in practice. As a special feature, visitors

surfaces before coating.

can bring their own parts and media samples. They are analysed directly

The SITA CleanoSpector and the SITA SurfaSpector are used to control

with the easy-to-use measuring devices and the SITA experts give

the parts surfaces regarding cleanliness and wettability. Both devices

practical advice for suitable monitoring methods.

measure selectively and precisely on functional surfaces of parts with

138

For further information: https://www.sita-messtechnik.de

© SITA

© SITA

various geometries directly at the process.

N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

BRAND-NEW

AGTOS to Present its Blasting Technologies at GIFA AGTOS announced that it will be among the exhibitors of the GIFA trade fair, during which it will present its blasting technologies for castings.

A

GTOS will attend the GIFA trade fair, which is scheduled from June 12 to June 16, 2023 in Düsseldorf.

Visitors of the trade fair will learn what aspects to take into consideration during the surface processing of castings in order to ensure the best results in terms of appearance, functionality and

durability. In fact, the blasting process removes moulding sand and burrs. Therefore, care and the right blasting concept is a good prerequisite for high-quality products.

The AGTOS team will present practical solutions, the technical features of the machines and will also address the topics of sustainability, energy and cost efficiency. Smart Monitoring, the compact AGTOS system for determining and displaying process data, will also be presented during the five-days event.

At the AGTOS stand (n. 16E10, Hall 16), visitors will also be able to gather further information on the service provided by the company’s service specialists, the stocking and delivery, the installation of spare and wear parts, as well as on maintenance, repair, plant modernisation and performance enhancement. © AGTOS

For further information: www.agtos.com

eosmarketing.it

G EN ER A L IN DU S T RY

liquid or powder spray applications

over 60 years of experience in surface finishing lines

www.trasmetal.net

pre-treatment | spray applications | electroplating | vertical & horizontal plants | enameling | aluminium | white goods | automotive | general industry

BRAND-NEW

Clariant to Showcase Innovative Products at ECS 2023 At ECS 2023, Clariant will exhibit a range of bio-based ingredients, PTFE-free, and label-free solutions to address growing ingredient regulations while maximizing performance.

A

t the European Coatings Show 2023,

solutions labelled as dangerous.

which will take place from 28 to 30

In addition, ECS visitors will be able to

March in Nuremberg (Germany),

explore ClariCoat, Clariant’s ingredient

Clariant will present a series of innovative

selection tool and digital assistant.

ingredients and materials with the aim of

“Following close on the heels of ClariCoat,

developing more sustainable and effective

I’m excited to announce that at ECS 2023

paint, coating and ink formulations.

the team will reveal another new web-based

At Clariant’s booth (no. 322 in hall 3A), visitors

package benefitting the coatings, sector,”

will find:

comments Sebastian Prock, Head of global

• Sustainable materials

Marketing Industrial Applications.

for functional coatings

“It’s another example of our support to ease

Manufacturers can replace “forever chemicals”

ingredient selection, this time with a focus

in printing inks and packaging barrier coatings

on specific regulatory needs.”

with Clariant’s Ceridust additives.

carbon via bioethanol. These new ingredients

“Sustainability in the coatings industry

This PTFE-free solution offer scratch-resistant

are chemically equivalent to their fossil-

spans many aspects. Improving process

protection for packaging barrier coatings with

based analogs and therefore offer the same

efficiency, conserving energy and resources,

good slip-effect and rub-resistant printing

performance and efficiency to formulators

the use of renewable raw materials, finding

inks.

and brand owners.

alternative ingredients to ultimately create

Clariant will display halogen-free, low

As a result, they offer support for increasing

safer products. This leads to effective

dosage flame retardants to advance the fire

the renewable content of end products. In

performance but less of an environmental

protection and safety of intumescent coatings

addition, because only bio-based feedstocks

impact,” comments Martin John, Global Vice

for load-bearing construction applications.

are used, the ingredients have a significantly

President Segment Coatings & Adhesives,

Clariant turns the spotlight on two of its

lower carbon footprint than their fossil-

Clariant. “We see navigating these challenges

®

based counterparts, saving up to 85% in CO2

as a collaborative journey for the value

- Exolit® AP 435, which can extend the shelf

emissions and can help brands reduce their

chain, and we’re working with customers

life of finished products during storage and

footprint Carbon Scope 3.

across the segments, from functional

EcoTain sustainability label innovations: ®

coatings for food packaging to printing inks

transportation; - Exolit® AP 418, which achieves up to 10%

• Label-free light and heat stabilizers

to industrial and architectural coatings,

longer fire-resistant time for a film applied at

Addressing growing regulatory changes in

to connect needs to protect durability or

up to 25% less thickness.

light and heat stabilization for SMP (silyl

advance specific functionality more closely

modified polymer) sealants, Clariant will

to greater sustainability.”

• Bio-based ingredients for different

introduce AddWorks IBC 760 for the first

types of coatings

time at ECS. AddWorks® IBC 760 is a label-free

At ECS 2023, Clariant will also showcase

solution that offers improved performance in

For further information:

VITA products, based on 100% plant-derived

light and heat stability compared to standard

www.clariant.com

140

®

N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

Thank you 29,5

30 29 28 27 26

25,4

25 24

22,4 19,1

20,6

20,2

19,5

18 15,4 14,1 13,1

7,9

5,9 5,8

4,6

M€ 2008

2009

2010

5,6

6,7

9,4

9,8

8,7

9

16,5

17

18,2

17,6

14,2

6,2

Growth Chart 2008-2022 The analysis of the Eurotherm S.p.A. turnover shows a steady positive trend thanks to the growth in recent years. This growth has been supported by the development of international markets, by the creation of a dynamic commercial structure and by significant investments in technologies and machines for the production of coating installations.

4,1

0,3

0,5

0,7

0,8

1

2011

2012

2013

2014

2015

Machinery department

+10% forecast 2023

Job coating

1,2

1,5

2016

2017

2,1

2,6

2,4

2018

2019

2020

2,9

2021

2022

Total M€

60% export share

Eurotherm S.p.A. Volpiano (Torino, Italy) T +39 011 98 23 500 M info@eurotherm.eu

Eurotherm France S.A.S. Lyon (France) T +33 (0) 7 89 37 56 88 M france@eurotherm.eu

Eurotherm Oberflächentechnik GmbH Sigmaringen (Germany) T +49 (0) 7571/92795-10 M germany@eurotherm.eu

Eurotherm Benelux Srl Brussel (Belgium) T +33 (0) 6 47 44 96 27 M dekergorlay@eurotherm.eu

90% internal production

BRAND-NEW

The “Smart Abrasive System” of Walther Trowal Lowers Energy Consumption, Blast Media Usage and Equipment Wear The new continuous flow shot blast machines with adjustable power input of Walther Trowal, that will be showcased at GIFA 2023, minimise the consumption of energy.

A

t GIFA 2023 Walther Trowal introduces the “Smart Abrasive”

To eliminate this waste of energy, Walther Trowal developed the “Smart

option in its THM troughed belt continuous flow shot blast

Abrasives” option for its THM 700 and 900 shot blast machines, which

machines. The “intelligent” control of the media flow drastically

are equipped with up to four turbines. It adjusts the media flow rate in the entire media recycling system to the blast cleaning requirements

life of the blast media as well as of the entire shot blast machine.

as well as the shape and size of the work pieces. If a particular blast

To ensure perfect blast cleaning results on all work pieces large

cleaning process requires a lower blast performance, the system

continuous flow shot blast machines normally work with a surplus of

reduces the media flow through the turbines and the RPM of the augers.

blast media. This results in higher energy consumption.

This innovative control system saves not only energy.

© Walther Trowal

reduces the energy consumption and significantly extends the usable

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BRAND-NEW

Since less media is passing through the shot blast machine, it also

their drivetrain, the components must be more resistant against

reduces the media consumption. In addition, the overall uptime of the

tensile and bending stress. For these applications the THM shot blast

shot blast machine is increased, and the amount of required work for

machines with the “Smart Abrasives” control system represent a highly

maintenance is decreased.

economical solution.”

With suitable processing trials, the optimal shot blasting parameters, individual work piece type. Based on these data, processing programs

The THM troughed belt continuous flow shot blast machines

are created and then stored in the PLC of the machine controls.

The THM shot blast machine can handle high volumes of bulk goods as

Typical applications for the THM machines are automotive

well as large and delicate components with complex shapes. Especially

components, for example chassis parts made from aluminium like

for processing delicate work pieces the THM continuous flow machines

transverse links, swivel bearings or steering knuckles. For the surface

offer numerous advantages: the work pieces are evenly spaced across

refinement of these light-weight work pieces, the manufacturers are

the entire length of the troughed belt. For this reason, they are not

increasingly using aluminium blast media. It allows to make the entire

colliding but may simply touch each other. Moreover, they are not

blast cleaning process particularly gentle.

falling on top of each other but gently tumble over the polyurethane

Meik Seidler, sales manager for mass finishing and shot blasting at

coating of the transport rods.

such as turbine RPM, media flow rate, etc., are defined for each

Walther Trowal, expects a growing demand for shot blast machinery

The innovative troughed belt transport system ensures that the

that can handle the high work piece volumes typical for the automobile

finished work pieces are discharged from the machine without any

industry: “With the increased production of hybrid and electrical

nicking or scratching.

cars more high-strength chassis components will be required. Since For further information: www.walthertrowal.com

© Walther Trowal

such vehicles have a higher weight and require a higher torque in

© Walther Trowal

© Walther Trowal

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ADVANCEMENTS

Features and Benefits of Thin Organic Coatings (TOC) Emanuele Magistrelli CONDOROIL CHEMICAL Srl, Casale Litta – Varese (Italy)

e.magistrelli@condoroil.com

A bit of history

What are TOCs?

In the early 1980s, when the Galvalume substrate was developed in

TOCs, better known as “thin organic coatings”, are special formulations

Australia by BHP, it soon became clear that the standard passivation

based on polymers, additives, and inhibitors that, when applied to

process, widely used for HDG, was not suitable. At that time, a simple

metal surfaces, create a thin protective layer with an organic matrix.

Cr6+ passivation layer was applied to the substrate and then a layer of

Their main function is to make surfaces anti-fingerprint. They are an

lubricating oil was added to enable the coil to be profiled, only to be

ideal alternative in applications using traditional passivated or oiled

removed before assembly.

galvanised materials and an excellent solution for both indoor and

BHP developed a new process in-house: after passivation, a specially

outdoor applications. Long-term corrosion protection of zinc surfaces, in

developed polymer layer was applied, which, after drying, improved

particular, is achieved through both the thickness of the TOC layer and

metal formability and corrosion protection. A few chemical companies

the corrosion inhibitors (Cr3+, Ti) that it contains. A TOC applied to a zinc

then developed a one-step technology. The resulting film layer

surface offers corrosion protection properties that are up to three or

guarantees better performance with less overhead costs: TOCs had

four times better than conventional passivation, significantly extending

been created.

the service life of the product.

© CONDOROIL CHEMICAL

Thin Organic Coating (TOC) formulations are used, for example, in the treatment of hot galvanised coils.

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ADVANCEMENTS

Generally, TOCs are acid formulations containing as follows: • one or more water-based resins; • functional additives such as wetting agents, defoamers, and waxes; • an acidic inorganic component containing metals.

Applications In the steel industry, TOCs are applied to hot-metallised coils, hot-dip galvanised, electro-galvanised, or aluminised steel, and Galvalume by a chemical coater. As this is a no-rinse technology, after application the material has to be dried by means of hot air convection, IR, NIR, or induction ovens. Depending on the type of resin used in the formulation, the drying temperature may vary, but a minimum PMT of around 70 °C must be achieved. The temperature at which the coil must be rewound, below 40 °C, is also very important. © CONDOROIL CHEMICAL

The main characteristics of TOCs The fundamental characteristics that are guaranteed by the use of TOCs are:

SALT SPRAY TEST

• high corrosion resistance; • anti-fingerprint properties; • transparency of the applied layer; • foamability; • overcoatability; • resistance to high temperatures; • resistance to chemicals; • high lubricity; • aesthetic features (available in different colours).

Case studies

HDG

HDG with TOC after SST

HDG after SST

HDG with PASSIVATION after SST

Production of household appliances and equipment in general The use of TOC-coated coils enables manufacturers of household appliances, equipment, and structural components not subjected to strong deformations to treat metal sheets without lubricants and, therefore, to coat them without any prior pre-treatment cycle.

At the same time, TOC-coated parts can be used in hidden areas of appliances (e.g. washing machine backside) because they have much higher corrosion resistance than traditional HDG coated parts and a much lower cost per unit compared to pre-painted components. Depending on the type of product, the coatings can also be required to have particularly high lubrication, corrosion resistance, or overcoatability properties.

© CONDOROIL CHEMICAL

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145

Sandwich panel production

the characteristics of a pre-treatment product and a primer in one

Thin organic coatings are a viable alternative to back coatings in the

formulation, also belong to the large TOC family. There are many

production of sandwich panels. Also in this case, the lubrication and

ongoing research projects for the industrialisation of pre-treatment

corrosion resistance properties are important, as well as the presence

primers, and a few low-productivity lines are already using them.

of a foamable deposit.

Cosmetic effects Coil coating

The cosmetic effects that can be achieved with the use of TOCs include

Although generally classified as passivating or pre-treatment products,

wrinkled finishes, which emphasise the metallic effect, the so-called

no-rinse paints applied with a chemical coater in surface preparation

“textured” finishes recalling natural elements, and the Condorboard

operations prior to coating belong to the general TOC category.

series creating a chalkboard effect. In addition, the entire range of TOC

In this case, corrosion resistance and overcoatability are the most

products can be supplemented with special pigments in order to obtain

sought-after features. The so-called pre-treatment primers, combining

semi-transparent coloured surfaces.

© CONDOROIL CHEMICAL

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HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

rEVOlutionary Technology from IM GROUP’s Tecnopails Launches at ECS Silvio Cimenti Global Director of Branding and Marcom, IM GROUP scimenti@inkmaker.com

Technological transformations have in all industries powered notable progress, leading to exponential growth for both sector and companies, all whilst in pursuit of satisfying market demands. On rare occasions these have given rise to industry game changers. One such revolutionary example, in the packaging industry of recent times, is the “LINEA EVO”—an evolution of the LINEA range of packaging machines by IM GROUP’s filling division, Tecnopails, that will premiere at the European Coatings Show in Nuremberg, Germany.

LINEA EVO Packaging System Named the “LINEA EVO”, in honour of the successful advantages it inherits from the Tecnopails LINEA automatic-packaging machines, this completely new line maintains its key characteristics of flexibility and configurability; acknowledging market trends and sector demands and once again positioning itself as a benchmark for the industry.

Thanks to its aluminium frame, the LINEA EVO is equipped with a COP (clean out place) washing system, which can be used both at the end of production – for complete washing of the machine – and during production without stopping the machine for surface flushing of work. As a matter of course, the machine is designed to be complemented with an automatic © IM GROUP

CIP (clean in place) system for the whole product circuit; with the option of including any dispersers and mills, produced by IM GROUP’s mixing and grinding division, IEC+, so as to fully complete the line.

From top, clockwise: - LINEA EVO full view.

- Lids distribution, lid closing unit, control closing unit. © IM GROUP

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© IM GROUP

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- Dosing valve unit : n. 2 electronic valves installed on slide.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

The LINEA EVO’s reliable feed-advancement system was designed with a brushless motor, enabling it to optimise speed profiles and to automatically change format. Furthermore, in search of enhanced productivity, Tecnopails developed the DMM (Dual Mode Motion); allowing the machine to process large formats in a single track and small formats in a double track – doubling productivity of the latter – at the same cycle per minute. Additionally, roof and the drip trays complete the perimeter casings, ensuring a controlled environment inside the machine, to guarantee the quality of

BASIC top view

the packaged products. The electrical cabinet integrated on the machine (for non-ATEX versions only) allows a quick start-up without the need for specialised technicians and a new user-friendly GUI (graphical user interface) allows the machine to be accessible even to inexperienced operators.

The LINEA EVO is designed to integrate with numerous functional groups, for example the tinting units to carry out in-can tinting or printers and encoders for product tracking.

THE BASIC 2023 customisable manual-packaging machine

BASIC front view

Another technological innovation by Tecnopails to be featured at the European Coatings Show

BASIC full view

is the BASIC 2023 —a manual-packaging

© IM GROUP

machine configurable as desired by composing the machine according to a customer’s needs, even after several years of use.

hundreds of variants, however standard.

• Roller shelves to effortlessly move buckets

With a standard chassis, enabling all possible

Being separate plug-ins, each group can be

from one position to another, with the option

filling and closing variants typically demanded

purchased separately at a later stage, in the

to add the semi-automatic group-moving unit

by the packaging sector, the “BASIC 2023” is

event that a need has been overlooked.

for machine-aided assistance;

the synthesis of all manual fillers and packers

Putting ergonomics and ease of use as its

• Raised feet to permit the elevation of a work

developed in TECNOPAILS’ long history.

central focus, the BASIC 2023 ensures it is

surface, to an optimal height, to process small

Large or small formats, wide or narrow

user friendly. Equipped with wheels and

formats on the same machine;

mouth containers, traditional or bottom

handle, the filler offers the flexibility of being

• Rotatable roller surface for perfectly smooth

filling, everything is possible by configuring

easily movable to where needed most. It also

sliding surfaces.

the new BASIC 2023 with the optional plug-

offers the following additional benefits:

With a solution even for foamy products’ filling

ins designed especially for this series. The

• Low machine for working heavy formats;

under an inert gas hood, the Basic 2023 by

manual-packaging machine comes especially

• Balancer for placing heavy formats

Tecnopails, promises to be the new way of

equipped with 13 functional groups to create

effortlessly on pallets;

interpreting manual packaging machines.

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149

© IM GROUP

PLUSMILL full view.

© IM GROUP

Grinding chamber.

© IM GROUP

Automatic-washing trolley.

PLUSMILL and TROLLEY

The two trolleys available will be the “powder-feeding trolley” used under

Also, on display at IM GROUP’s booth will be the new PLUSMILL and

vacuum and the “automatic-washing trolley”, capable of washing a mill

two new TROLLEYS by IEC+. Ideal for small batches and frequent colour

head automatically within five minutes.

change, the revolutionary basket mill for viscous products offers three

The “automatic-washing trolley”, is equipped with a series of nozzles,

different types of basket heads, that are easily mountable on the same

pneumatic pumps and two tanks: one for fresh solvent (or water) and

mill, within a 5-minute change over.

one for dirty solvent (or water). An automatic sequence cleans with 3

• HEAD 1: saves time by approximately 60% and electricity by

different phases (trimming, recirculation, and final flushing with fresh

approximately 50% for new formulations, with the possibility of also

solvent (or water). All are ATEX certified. The trolleys can then be

working as a disperser.

connected to a distiller, for example those produce by IST (who will be

• HEAD 2: works existing formulations for customers with traditional

sharing a stand with IM GROUP), to recover the solvent and eliminate

mills.

the waste.

• HEAD 3: works viscous products that were previously unworkable with

To view the new LINEA EVO and BASIC by Tecnopails and the Plusmill by

basket mills.

IEC+ visit IM GROUP’s booth 4-242 at the European Coating Show.

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Protection upgraded

Specialità chimiche per il trattamento delle superfici Lavaggio Industriale

Pretrattamento metalli alla verniciatura

Lavaggio di precisione

Processi di conversione esenti

Sgrassanti interoperazionali

Cromo e Fosfati

Miscele di tensioattivi

Fosfatanti a bassa temperatura

Protezione temporanea

Passivanti per acciaio zincato a caldo Passivazione conduttiva su Alluminio TCP

Galvanica Funzionale

Galvanica Decorativa

Zinco e leghe di zinco

Rame, Nichel e Cromo

Passivanti e Sigillanti

Deposizione su plastica (POP)

Rivestimenti resistenti all'usura

Stagno e leghe di Stagno

Pretrattamento

Pretrattamento

SurTec Italia Sas di Externa Holding Srl Via Boito, 251 Tel.: +39 059 8579901 41019 Soliera (MO) E-Mail: info-it@surtec.com Italia Web: www.SurTec.com

BRAND-NEW

Imel Takes a Step Forward in Plant Management and Integration with Factory Logistics Following the successful release of its i4paintshop® platform, Imel now offers the innovative i4pMES system for coating plant management integrated with factory logistics.

E

ntirely developed by Imel’s R&D centre, i4pMES is the result

i4pMES is the latest generation solution for automating industrial coating

of a complex refactoring process of PLC automation software

processes in a simple and intuitive way.

(ImelSw4.0=>>4.1) combined with SCADA, ImelScadaU1.0, and

With its user-friendly user interface and being fully integrated with

i4Paintshop 4.0 management software. The main objectives achieved

ImelSw4.1 (the new plant automation software package), i4pMES

with the development of i4pMES were as follows:

offers a wide range of advanced functions, including production batch

• adapting hardware and software architecture to the latest products

management, real-time monitoring of individual coating processes,

available on the market;

advanced diagnostics, individual batch production data control, system

• meeting the requirements of digitalization, scalability, and

performance optimisation, and customised report generation.

verticalisation of control systems to and from field devices;

Its core is a Microsoft SQL Server relational database that forms the

• standardising the communication interface with the different factory

interface to Imel automation software, including i4paintshop®, ImelSw4.1,

logistics (ERP) systems used by customers.

and ImelScadaU1.0, with real-time access via API or SQLQuery calls.

®

© Imel

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BRAND-NEW

© Imel

ImelSw4.1

Imel decided to anticipate the market by immediately adopting the

Imel decided to continue using Siemens automation and control

new Siemens WinCC Unified software package to replace WinCC

products while adopting new technologies and dedicated hardware.

Advanced Runtime.

Specifically, the use of Siemens S7-1500 PLCs was confirmed, but with

It has also adopted the new SCADA/HMI WinCC Unified systems,

the latest firmware and hardware versions, whereas for the SCADA/HMI

which integrate seamlessly with ImelSw4.1 to offer an unprecedented

solution it was decided to invest in the new WinCC Unified System.

automation experience. The new ImelScadaU1.0 software package

ImelSw4.1 is the plant control software package developed for Siemens

offers a wide range of advanced functions for even more precise

PLCs. In the switch from ImelSw4.0 to ImelSw4.1, through refactoring

and comprehensive management of industrial processes. Key

and software optimisation, a significant step was taken towards

features include an improved user interface with a more user-friendly

improved performance and increased efficiency, with the aim of

graphical display of production operations, alarm management, data

minimising downtime and maximising productivity.

analysis, and IoT connectivity.

Our software package enables customers to keep production processes

Alarm management, in particular, allows any problems in the

under control at all times, guaranteeing quality and precision in the

production process to be quickly identified and resolved, reducing

management of industrial activities. It is also extremely reliable and

downtime. IoT connectivity, on the other hand, allows monitoring

ensures secure data management and protection.

all phases remotely, thus ensuring all-round and secure production

ImelScadaU1.0

management from anywhere.

ImelScadaU1.0 is the new innovative SCADA software solution for human-machine interfaces (HMI) and production process control.

For further information: www.imelspa.com

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BRAND-NEW

Beckers Developed Sustainable Paint Formulations for Dual UV and EB Curing in Coil Coating Beckers pioneered together with its customers a sustainable ultraviolet and electron-beam technology for coil coating.

B

eckers has recently

technology in the coil coating

announced that it has

industry and developing the

successfully developed

necessary paint formulations

commercial paint formulations

since 2005. Beckers has a UV/

suitable for dual ultraviolet (UV)

EB coil coating development

and electron-beam (EB) curing

lab at its largest site in

of coil coatings, that will allow

Montbrison (France) and

to significantly reduce Volatile

it is also currently working

Organic Compounds and CO2

with customers that are fully

emissions as well as enhance

replacing their conventional

efficiency by providing up to

coil coating lines or retrofitting

twice the surface coverage per

existing ones.

kilogram of paint.

Furthermore, Beckers is

These curing processes have

constructing a new two-story

a significant potential to

purpose-built Sustainable

reduce the CO2 footprint of coil

Innovation Centre in Liverpool

coating, because they require

(United Kingdom), which will

much less paint and energy. In

have a significant focus on developing the next generation

addition, solid solvent-free UV/ EB paint formulations are more sustainable, as around half the volume

of UV/EB solutions. “UV/EB curing can be easily adapted to the

of paint is needed and they significantly reduce VOCs.

customer’s existing lines and their particular requirements as it requires

“UV/EB curing allows us to use up to 100% solid solvent-free

a much smaller equipment footprint compared with conventional curing.

formulations that are more efficient and provide up to twice the surface

In this way, the technology can simplify coating lines and even has the

coverage per kilogram of paint,” has declared Gavin Bown, the Chief

potential to develop new products, such as more durable products with

Technology Officer at Beckers. “Compared with conventional gas-fired

an additional protective layer,” has added Bown. “UV/EB curing has the

curing, the UV/EB cold curing process also uses much less energy,

potential to fully replace conventional coil coating with a much more

facilitates the transition from natural gas to renewable electricity, avoids

sustainable process technology – to fundamentally disrupt and radically

the use of expensive gas and does not require water for cooling.”

change the coil coating industry for the better Our new innovation lab in

“Additional benefits of UV/EB curing include a lower transportation

Liverpool will help us to develop the next generation of UV/EB solutions

carbon footprint as around 50 percent less paint is required per m2

for our customers around the world.”

surface coverage, and the instantaneous curing process offers the

“Our team in Montbrison has done a fantastic job in creating a

potential for coating lines to run at higher speeds. UV/EB coil coating

knowledge hub to support our customers to develop their UV/EB lines,

lines can also be much shorter as they avoid the need for multiple ovens

but we now need additional capabilities to unlock the full potential

on conventional lines that can each be up to 40 m long,” has explained

of these solutions in the coil coating industry,” has also commented

Eric Fouissac, the president for Southern Europe & Africa at Beckers.

Fouissac.

Continuous development The company has been involved in adapting the use of UV/EB curing

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For further information: www.beckers-group.com

Future-proof and reliable overhead

and floor MONORAIL and P+F CONVEYOR systems that can be perfectly integrated into your production processes.

We take care of all your requirements and create a tailor-made and cost-optimized concept for you.

BRAND-NEW

The Sames Cyclomix® Evo for Precision and Paint Savings Sames replaces its range of dosing/mixing machines with a unique reference, the Cyclomix® Evo. Protected by two patents, it is distinguished by its precision and productivity. Beta tests have also shown up to 10% paint savings.

S

ames previously had three 2K and 3K dosing/mixing references,

Fewer lost volumes during colour changes

the Cyclomix Micro, Multi and Expert. They have been replaced

Another advantage, confirmed by some 20 beta tests, is that paint

by a single machine, the Cyclomix® Evo. The user specifies the

savings are on target, reaching up to 10% for frequent colour changes.

®

basic module: number of paint circuits, colour changer blocks, flow

These savings result from the reduction of interior volumes and the

meters, regulators, etc. Simply add modules to increase capacity.

elimination of retention zones. But also from the addition of a “paint

Perfect dosing and mixing, no untimely stops A simplified range, therefore, but optimized: Sames has taken particular care with its basic functions. The dosing is perfect whatever the flow

optimization” function that reduces the volumes lost during colour changes. Finally, for 3K paints, a patented potlife management system divides by five the volume lost in case of production stoppage.

rate thanks to a new patented injection system. The mixing is done with

Automated management of production waste

vortex technology, which ensures a homogeneous distribution of the

For waste management, an additional module automatically collects and

catalyst. The user can work without being interrupted by alarms due to

separates paint mixtures, reusable solvents, and soiled solvents. The

incorrect dosing and does not have to rework parts that would present

associated taxes and reprocessing costs are reduced accordingly.

an aspect defect. This guarantees high productivity, especially since the control interface is simple: it only takes two minutes to learn how to use it.

© SAMES

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For further information: https://bit.ly/42f11sx

© SAMES

BRAND-NEW © PPG

PPG Introduces PPG ENVIROCRON Primeron Powder Primer Series for High-performance Corrosion Protection PPG announced the launch of the PPG ENVIROCRON® Primeron primer powder portfolio, designed to provide high corrosion resistance for metal substrates including steel, hot-dip-galvanized steel, metalized steel and aluminium.

“P

rotective primers are the first line of defence to protect metal

good mechanical performance with a well-balanced property profile.

surfaces from corrosion, the most significant challenge in the

• PPG Envirocron Primeron EDGE coating offers best-in-class corrosion

metal coatings industry,” said Lorenzo Soldavini, PPG technical

protection for substrates with sharp edges. It is optimized for degassing

manager powder, EMEA, Industrial Coatings. “Use of PPG Envirocron

substrates.

Primeron primer in a multi-layer system offers optimal corrosion

• PPG Envirocron Primeron FLEX coating provides very good corrosion

protection and is key to extending a product’s lifespan and preserving its

protection for multiple substrates including aluminium and different pre-

structural integrity.”

treatment methods.

The PPG Envirocron Primeron primer powder portfolio has been tested according to the corrosivity categories and approved by the

“At PPG, we focus on differentiated innovation and sustainability to

QUALISTEELCOAT international quality label for coated steel. The series

create value for our customers,” said Anne Banuls, PPG powder coatings

covers a wide range of requirements depending on end use, operating

business manager, EMEA, Industrial Coatings. “The PPG Envirocron

environment and the substrate used:

Primeron powder primer series expands our offering of designed

• PPG Envirocron Primeron ZINC coating is a zinc-rich primer offering

solutions for durable protection against corrosion for metal substrates.”

strong corrosion protection.

• PPG Envirocron Primeron PRO coating is a solid basic primer for strong corrosion protection regardless of the pre-treatment method. It offers

For further information: www.ppgindustrialcoatings.com

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BILBAO SPAIN

2023

6-8 JUNE

INTERNATIONAL FAIR OF MANUFACTURING PROCESSES AND EQUIPMENT

Collaborator:

Organised by:

MEETING THE INDUSTRY

COVERED BY ipcm®

© San Marco Group

Sustainable Paint for the Building Industry: San Marco Group’s ReThink Next Generation Coatings Project On 28 February 2023, an awards ceremony was held for the winners of San Marco Group’s ReThink Next Generation Coatings project, aimed at identifying the most advanced coating solutions for the architectural and construction sector.

S

an Marco Group, an international leader in the production and

especially in the field of materials. It saw the participation of over 40

marketing of paint products for the building and architecture

companies, organisations, and start-ups from 7 different countries.

industry, launched the ReThink Next Generation Coatings

sustainable solutions for reducing the environmental impact of building

The contest in detail: Ready-made Solutions and Emerging Solutions

products, with a particular focus on coatings. The project was carried

ReThink Next Generation Coatings was created with the aim of studying

out in cooperation with Materially, a consultancy company specialising

innovative solutions, materials, and technologies that reduce the

in the development and dissemination of innovation and sustainability

environmental impact of paint products. San Marco Group’s contest was

project in September 2022 with the aim of identifying innovative and

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MEETING THE INDUSTRY

COVERED BY ipcm®

open to two categories: Emerging Solutions

global leader in sustainable PVB products,

Emerging Solutions category:

and Ready-made Solutions. The Emerging

which developed PVB Dispersion, a new

• Eni, an integrated energy company, with a

Solutions one was aimed at start-ups,

binder based on recycled polyvinyl butyral, a

solution to capture and utilise carbon dioxide

university spin-offs, and research centres with

polymer obtained entirely from recovered car

gas through mineralisation;

solutions with a technology readiness level

windshields. It is an alternative to traditional

• Impossible Materials GmbH, a Swiss start-up,

(TRL) of at least 6 (technology demonstrated

binders, considering that an rPVB-based

which developed Cellulose white pigments, an

in an industrially relevant environment). The

formulation has a carbon footprint up to 10

innovative raw material created from cellulose

Ready-made Solutions category, on the other

times lower than traditional paints.

by replacing titanium dioxide.

hand, was for companies producing solutions

• Evonik Operations GmbH, a German

“Attention to the environment, the level of

already available on the market.

chemical company, which presented its

product and technology innovation, and

“This call for solutions stemmed from our

Spherilex additives range based on spherical

ease of implementation were the jury’s

belief that innovation should not be based

silica, which increases the anti-abrasive

first evaluation criteria. We also took into

only on internal ideas and resources, but

properties of coatings while reducing the use

consideration the availability of the material,

also on tools and skills from external entities

of polymers and at the same time ensuring the

the commercial impact, and the economic

with which we can establish exchange and

same durability;

investment required,” indicated Silvano Storer,

synergy relationships. We therefore would

• Heubach Colorants, an international pigment

the jury coordinator and a board member in a

like open innovation to be one of the new

manufacturer, which has developed its Next

few ESG companies.

beacons in the development of our group, as a

Generation Pigments with the aim of speeding

valuable tool to strengthen our long-standing

up the dispersion process and therefore

commitment to environmental protection,”

reducing energy consumption.

For further information:

says Pietro Geremia, the president and

The following awards were presented in the

https://sanmarcogroup.com/

managing director of San Marco Group.

Research and development manager Giovanni Marsili points out that “the choice of the winning companies is only a starting point.

We would like to combine our expertise to initiate joint research, so that our laboratories become an ever more vibrant hotbed of innovation and sustainability. Raw material tests will continue in the coming months to allow for an in-depth analysis of the opportunities created by the contest, with the aim of further reducing the environmental impact of our products.”

Contest winners ipcm_International Paint&Coating Magazine was invited to the contest’s prize-giving event, held at Magna Pars L’Hotel à Parfum in Milan on 28 February 2023.

Consisting of an external coordinator, the San Marco Group technical team, and professionals from Materially, the jury proclaimed the following winners in the Readymade Solutions category: • Shark Solutions, a Danish company and

international PAINT&COATING magazine - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - N. 80

161

MEETING THE INDUSTRY

Industrial Spring Expo Promises to be Spectacular The industry-specific STOM exhibitions cycle, along with accompanying events, is held in the first quarter of the year in Kielce (Poland). This time, however, exhibitors and their guests are offered a four-day expo instead of the regular three-day event.

T

he Industrial Spring is the stage for hundreds of machines working

the list is long, this are just a fraction of what in the pipeline, the Kielce

live, more than 150 3D printers on display and put on display in

exhibition and congress centre’s expo halls will be a busy place.

all 7 halls of the Kielce exhibition and congress centre by over

A rich and diversified exhibition, dynamic show presentations are

500 exhibitors. Targi Kielce’s 2023’s Industrial Spring promises to be

perfectly complemented with problem-focused and knowledge-packed

spectacular. Apart from business talks, what can the STOM guests

meetings with professionals. These sessions come in a plethora at the

expect? The Exhibition of Metal Processing Technologies is famous

upcoming show.

for its dynamic presentation. This year’s expo will be no different:

Industrial Spring will take place from 28 to 31 March 2023 in Kielce

presentations of cutting-edge CNC machines, machine tools and milling

(Poland).

machines, complemented with presentations of sheet metal forming and processing equipment, metal cutting, lasers and laser technology

For further information:

shows, welding and industrial robot shows, 3D printer shows. Although

www.targikielce.pl/en/industrial-spring

© Targi Kielce

162

N. 80 - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

MEETING THE INDUSTRY

Double Appointment for SURCAR 2023 In 2023, SURCAR is back with its its 32nd European and 6th American congresses: see you in Cannes, France, on 15 and 16 June, and in Detroit, MI, USA, on 21 and 22 June.

C

reated in 1964, Surcar has evolved from

© Surcar

a two days Congress held every 2 years in the South of France to a worldwide brand

dedicated to the automotive body and paint finishing industries with an event portfolio all over the world, a true point of reference for OEMs and suppliers specialised in surface treatment.

After the success of the European editions, SURCAR launched in 2014 SURCAR Asia, in Shanghai (China), and in 2018 SURCAR America, in Detroit (MI, USA).

SURCAR Community’s overall purpose is to leverage the dynamic experience of the Community Members to provide insights, share ideas and best practice on Surface Finishing.

This year, all the major actors of surface treatment will gather on 15 and 16 June in Cannes and on 21 and 22 June in Detroit, to discuss the themes impacting the future of the industry: material and paint equipment innovations, new sustainable technologies, simulation and digitalisation, and the most recent measures undertaken to answer the environmental challenges.

© Surcar

OEMs and Suppliers, more than 300 stakeholders of the automotive sector are expected, with the following common goals: • Exchange in all the fields of surface treatment; • Understand how to reach the trend to zero emission; • Anticipate future technologies in the paint department.

A Technical Committee – made of the truly high-level actors – guarantees the quality of the programme and of the presentations. OEMs or Suppliers?

Does your company provide an expertise in the automotive surface treatment? Register now!

For further information: www.surcar-europe.com and www.surcar-northamerica.com

international PAINT&COATING magazine - MARCH/APRIL 2023 - N. 80

163

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