ipcm® n. 70 - July/August 2021

The smart journal for surface treatments

®

ISSN 2280-6083

ipcm digital on www.myipcm.com 2021

INTERNATIONAL PAINT&COATING MAGAZINE

Make an impression Ready. Steady. Coat.

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12th Year - Bimonthly N° 70 - JULY/AUGUST

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CONTENTS JULY/AUGUST 2021

© La Rosa

06

ANALYSIS

26

Lighting Up the Darkness of Black

© ipcm

52

05 10 12 16 22

HOW IT’S COATED Mannequins Need Colour Too

© Adobe Stock

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

80

Zimetal: A More Complete and Diversified Service Thanks to the Synergy Between Hot-Dip Galvanising and Powder Coating

EDITOR’S LETTER

30

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

32

SUCCESS STORIES

IPCM IN REVIEW SUSTAINABILITY Ongoing Challenges for Sustainable Water-based Paint in Canada

BRAND NEW HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH Green Chemistry and Customer Service: The Birth of SurTec Italia

34 38

Flat Cutting and 3D Printing: Two New Tools for Euromask®’s Renewed Market Approach

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH Inspiration, Interaction, Information: Merck’s First Virtual Automotive Coatings Show

50

SUCCESS STORIES

62

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

70

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

Turkish Bike Manufacturer Powers to Leading Position in the EU market

BRAND NEW FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY A Coating Plant 4.0 for Sabiana, a Manufacturer of Excellence in the Industrial, Commercial, and Residential Air Conditioning Sector

Unique Façade Design with Brush Finish Powder Coating

Toran 3 One-Stage Pre-Treatment and Powder Coating: The Combination Chosen by Omet to Protect Label and Packaging Printing Machines Against Inks and Solvents

The Advanced Air Treatment System of OMB’s New Paintshop Becomes a Competitive Advantage in the Refuse Collection Vehicles Market

THE INVISIBLE PROTECTION Approved by:

SNCF (Société nationale des chemins de fer français) RATP (Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens) Gütegemeinschaft Anti-Graffiti e. V. London Underground

A NEW FOCUS ON INNOVATION www.adaptacolor.com

CONTENTS JULY/AUGUST 2021

© IM GROUP | Photography Riccardo Cordera

90

© Gema Europe

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH IM GROUP Launches Unique Machine for Automated Application of Ring Latches to Liquid Paint Pail Lids

104

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY hen the Application System’s Revamp W Makes the Difference

© Massimiliano Mandarini

114

86 88 94 96

ART WITHIN SURFACES A Return to Natural Colours, Materials, and Shapes: The New Pillars of Sustainable Architecture

BRAND NEW

98

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH GSB International as a Digital Pioneer-Quality Assurance in Times of the Pandemic

108

SUCCESS STORIES Dürr Supplies 16 Coating Robots to Turkish Aerospace

110

INNOVATIONS: PRESENT&FUTURE Global Wheels: Global Mask for Wheel Coating

112

124

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY The Keys to Colortechnology’s Success: Digitalisation Strategy and Pre-Treatment Results Repeatability

ART WITHIN SURFACES New Graphene-Based Coating Protects Paintings Against Environmental Degradation

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH Aluminium and Plastic Paints: Diverse Industrial Needs, a Single Quality Requirement

BRAND NEW

THE MARKETING CORNER How to Leverage LinkedIn to Market Your Business

118

SPECIALIZED TRAINING

120

SPECIALIZED TRAINING

122

STANDARD & LEGISLATION

132

ZOOM ON EVENTS

Quality Control as the Driver of the ipcm® Academy Courses

University and the Industry Join Forces to Build a Bridge to a Sustainable Future

3D Printing: Opportunity or Threat (Also for the Finishing Industry)

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

EDITOR’S LETTER

Richiedi la versione in italiano a info@ipcm.it

T

he economic situation in Europe is decidedly improving. Businesses and citizens’ confidence is increasing, consumption is picking up again, and this is reflected in significantly improving growth figures and strong exports. Some indicators are pointing to an even stronger recovery at the European level.

The vaccination campaign is helping effectively contain the epidemic. Despite the threat of variants, thanks to the vaccination of a large proportion of the European population the rate of infection and, above all, the rate of hospitalisations and admissions to intensive care is far lower than it was even just six months ago.

Therefore, this summer has started with positive news, which do not mark the end of the pandemic yet, but certainly bring more certainties than one year ago.

On an even more positive note, the industry actually seems to be reflecting the official data from national and European monitoring – which is not always the case, since there is often a mismatch between the forecasts made “in the corridors of power” and production reality. The ipcm® issues published in the first six months of 2021 have been richer in reports about innovation investments than ever and this July-August issue is no different. The many companies reporting on their experiences certainly depict a strong, sound manufacturing industry in numerous sectors. This is especially true when firms are managed by private capital and entrepreneurial families who, unlike investment funds or financial groups, do not look so much at EBITDA and dividends as at the value of their companies as a whole – their staff, skills, and expertise to safeguard.

However, this does not mean that all instability factors have been eliminated.

The scarcity of raw materials is persisting, resulting in exaggerated price increases that are putting a strain on all sectors. Incidentally, the industry finds itself in this condition more for political reasons than for actual manufacturing circumstances. The travel ban imposed by the USA on Schengen countries and a few others (Brazil, India, China, and South Africa, for example) also continues. Whereas the executive orders issued by former President Donald Trump in March 2020 and then confirmed by the Biden administration were intended to contain the spread of COVID-19 and protect the labour market, their motivation is now unclear. We are in a global recovery phase and the rules need to be changed, because there are so many European economic interests in the US. Moreover, the persistent travel ban is also violating the reciprocity clause, as American citizens can come to Europe under the imposed rules (Covid certificate or swab).

Finally, there is the issue of a mandatory “green pass” for access to many public places where it is impossible to maintain social distance, except at the expense of heavy restrictions. For some people, this will do more harm than good to our recovering economies. We at ipcm®, on the other hand, are favourable to it: there is nothing more motivating and positive for productivity than working safely. The possibility of returning to face-to-face events, to personal appointments with clients (already resumed, but still with a certain anxiety), and to a more relaxed and less fearful climate in offices, on public transport, and in restaurants, but above all the chance to consider home working as an option and not an obligation are all ingredients for the new normality.

Alessia Venturi Editor-in-chief Direttore Responsabile

international PAINT&COATING magazine - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - N. 70

05

ANALYSIS

Lighting Up the Darkness of Black Anita Fehr BYK-Gardner GmbH – Geretsried, Germany

anita.fehr@altana.com

The spectro2guide Pro, the latest member of the spectro2guide family, was developed by BYK-Gardner GmbH to accurately measure black and describe its undertones. It is the only spectrophotometer on the market that is capable of measuring colour and gloss as well as predicting the long-term colour stability of a sample.

C

arbon black is a material with a long history whose production dates to the early civilizations of mankind. Initial uses can be traced back to ancient China, the early Egyptians, and India since

the days before Christ. The demand for carbon black was particularly driven by the invention of the printing press in the fifteenth century.

Today carbon black is found in all aspects of modern life. It is used in inkjet printer ink, as reinforcements for natural and synthetic rubber and as the active agent in electrically conductive plastics.

Probably the widest and best-known application is the usage as a pigment in paints, coatings and plastics to impart a deep black colour, because it has higher tinting strength compared to iron black or organic pigments. Means, not all black is the same.

Definition of blackness In general, black is a colour that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. Leading carbon black manufacturers promote carbon black pigments that absorb up to 99.98% of light. The higher the absorption coefficient of a medium, such as a black coating, the higher is the achieved blackness value (My). Deep black coatings can have an undertone – bluish or brownish. A deep black colour with a bluish undertone in the full tone is perceived as richer, darker and more brilliant than with a brownish undertone.

Two samples with the same blackness (My) and different undertone (dM) can be perceived as different blacks, whereas the sample with blue undertone will be perceived as deeper black. For this reason, black with a blue undertone is often preferred in technical applications, such as for the topcoats in the automotive industry. The hue-dependent degree of blackness is referred to as “jetness” (Mc).

The calculation for the blackness value My is based on the tristimulus A detail of the “Olympia” painting (Édouard Manet, 1863). Not all black is the same: in this work the artist succeeded in applying the black tone of the servant and the cat on a black background.

06

N. 70 - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

value Y and a 10° observer: Blackness My My = 100 log (100 / Y) This determines only the lightness of a sample without considering the coloured undertone. As the undertone of a black colour has an impact

ANALYSIS

© BYK-Gardner GmbH

© BYK-Gardner GmbH

Figure 1: dM undertone.

Figure 2: Decreasing remission with increasing My.

on the visual assessment, the hue-dependent degree of blackness is

signal decreases while the thermal noise, which is basically caused

calculated as follows:

by electronic components, remains constant. Measurements of innovative, deepest black coatings with very low reflection takes place

Jetness Mc - Colour depending black value

at a lightness value of L* < 1.

Mc = 100*(log(Xn / X)–log(Zn / Z)+log(Yn / Y))

This is a challenging task for a measurement instrument and pushes the technical performance of a handheld spectrophotometer to the

The black value Mc describes higher jetness, if there is a blue

utmost limit (Fig. 2).

undertone and lower jetness, if the shade is more brownish. The

The latest member of the spectro2guide family, the spectro2guide

difference between the black value Mc and the black value My defines

Pro, was developed to accurately measure black and describe its

the hue of a black colour, the so-called Undertone (dM):

undertones no matter how deep black the colour might be (Fig. 3). Leading carbon black specialists supported us in testing the

Undertone dM - Absolute contribution of hue

performance by challenging the measurement accuracy with ultimate

dM = Mc – My = 100*(log(Xn / X)–log(Zn / Z)

black colours. Basis is the use of high-power LEDs as a light source, which have exceptional short-term as well as long-term stability and

dM describes the amount of blue shade in case of positive values and

ensure extremely homogeneous illumination of the measuring point.

the amount of brown shade in case of negative values (Fig. 1).

To master the “signal to noise ratio”, highest precision electronic

Blackness (My), Jetness (Mc) and Undertone (dM) are specified in

and optical components are combined with a special calibration and

international standards: ISO/DIS 18314-3 and DIN 55979.

operation mode for measurement of black colours: LED lamps are powered with more

© BYK-Gardner GmbH

energy resulting in a higher light intensity and

Challenges in quantification of blackness

the illumination time is extended. In this so called jetness-mode colours with low black

It has always been the greatest challenge for a

values cannot be measured. The user is asked

spectrophotometer to achieve repeatable and

to remeasure the sample in the “regular”

reproducible results on a black colour. While

measurement mode and the so-called

a white sample reflects almost 100 percent of

G-values (grayness values) will be shown in

the light emitted by the spectrophotometer,

lieu of M-values.

the proportion of reflected light becomes

The jetness indices (M-values and G-values)

smaller and smaller with darker colours -

are defined in DIN ISO 18314-3. Thus,

as increasingly larger amounts of light are

on deep blacks with high light absorbing

absorbed by the sample. Consequently, the so-called “signal to noise ratio” changes with dark colours: the measurement

capabilities, the spectro2guide Pro will be able Figure 3: The spectro2guide Pro was developed to accurately measure black and describe its undertones no matter how deep black the colour might be.

to deliver a perfectly stable signal with the highest possible accuracy.

international PAINT&COATING magazine - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - N. 70

07

© BYK-Gardner GmbH

Measuring capability test Samples and sample preparation The spectro2guide Pro was tested on 6 samples “Test 1 – Test 6” with graduated My and dM values. The samples are glass plates painted with high-gloss black. Deep blacks can only be measured on high-gloss and absolutely clean samples. Any contaminants or surface irregularities can have a considerable influence on the measurement results. Due to that, the sample surface must be absolutely free of scratches, fingerprints and dust before measuring. During the test, the sample surface was cleaned with distilled water and lint-free delicate task wipes before the measurement. To guarantee that the sample surface is perfectly prepared, an LED

© BYK-Gardner GmbH

flashlight is included with the spectro2guide Pro. The lamp can be used to assess the quality of the sample surface under strong direct light. A 15 – 45-degree angle has proven to be most effective.

Visual assessment The visual assessment was made in the light booth “byko-spectra pro” under a 45-degree angle. The byko-spectra pro uses a smart combination of filtered tungsten-halogen lamps and LEDs. That makes the highest rendering Class A according CIE 51.2 available.

Due to that, the “byko-spectra pro” is especially suitable for colour critical appraisal of solid colours and guarantees accurate colour matching.

© BYK-Gardner GmbH

From top to bottom: Figure 4: Blackness/jetness test tiles.

Figure 5: My of sample “Test 6 – Ultimate Black”.

Figure 6: Y of sample “Test 6 – Ultimate Black”.

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N. 70 - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

In addition, the measurement accuracy

degree of blackness. The order corresponds to

(repeatability) is of utmost importance. In the

the naming of the samples: Sample “Test 1” is the

following, the results for sample “Test 6” are

sample with the lowest degree of blackness (My),

presented as an example, as this is the ultimate

sample “Test 6” is the sample with the deepest

black being at the upper end of the black scale

black (My). The samples “Test 5” and “Test 6” can

with My max = 400. Sample “Test 6” achieves an

hardly be separated from each other. Regarding the

average black value of 393.56, which corresponds

undertone, sample “Test 5” and “Test 6” are perceived

to a measured Y of 0.0116 on average. Despite

as clearly bluish (dM). Sample “Test 1” appears to

a remission of only 116 parts per million of the

have a yellow undertone (dM). The samples “Test 2”

incident light, the obtained standard deviation

to “Test 4” tend to be classified as colour-neutral, i.e.

of Y is only 0.0002 (Variance ≙ 0,0172) for 50

www.cmautomazione.it

hi-tech

The trained observer can sort the samples by their

conveyors

measurements. Figure 5 shows the achieved

without a clear undertone (dM).

results for Y and figure 6 the results of My. Test conditions and test execution Each sample is measured 50 times in immediate

Conclusion

succession at the same measuring spot. The

The technical performance of the spectro2guide

spectro2guide Pro is directly connected to the

Pro is outstanding even on deep black samples with

smart-lab colour software, this enables a triggered

a My value close to 400.

online measurement via software to minimize user

Furthermore, the spectro2guide family consisting

influence. The measurement data is also analysed in

of spectro2go, spectro2guide and spectro2guide

the smart-lab colour software.

Pro is the only spectrophotometer on the market that is capable of measuring colour and gloss as

Results

well as predicting the long-term colour stability

The goal of any spectrophotometer is to measure

of a sample. The lightfastness is analysed by

what you see. This goal was successfully achieved

the combination of a spectrophotometer with a

during the test. The spectro2guide Pro can sort the

fluorimeter.

samples “Test 1” to “Test 6” in terms of blackness

The spectro2guide Pro opens completely new

level and Undertone according to the visual

perspectives to control colour harmony and

assessment. Figure 4 shows the My and dM value of

guarantee colour stability - no matter what colour

all test tiles.

and how deep the black may be.

References [1] Analytical colorimetry – Part 3: Special indices (ISO 18314-3:2015), German version EN ISO 18314-3:2018 [2] Pigmente – Bestimmung der Schwarzzahl von Pigmentrußen, DIN 55979:2020-12 [3] Schwarz der feine Unterschied, Kai Krauss, Andrea Höpke, Markus Mahn (Orion Engineered Carbons), Farbe und Lack, 2019/01 [4] Measuring Black – but how? Kai Kraus, Andrea Höpke and Markus Mahn (Orion Engineered Carbons), European Coatings Journal, 06-2020 [5] Orion Engineered Carbons GmbH, https://superblackcoatings.com/

CM AUTOMAZIONE srl - FA Ganci

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

IN REVIEW

May and June in review “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step”.

F

or the editors of ipcm®, the month

New strategies and new achievements

of May is always marked by great

on social media

excitement and numerous business

Social media have always been very

trips that will allow to create the reports and

important platforms for ipcm®, in order to

technical articles hosted in the magazines

spread knowledge and innovation in the

released at the end of the month.

surface treatment sector. This month, we

The automotive special included in the issue

surpassed 3,500 followers on LinkedIn’s

no. 69 of ipcm _International Paint & Coating

ipcm® International Paint & Coating Magazine

Magazine (www.myipcm.com) boasts many

company page, on which we publish daily

in-depth articles dedicated to coatings for

news and insights from companies within

the automotive sector, including an extensive

the industry, as well as all the news from the

report on the painting of the latest dream car

ipcm® world.

for all MC20 enthusiasts: the first Maserati

Moreover, our most loyal followers on

100% Made in Modena.

Instagram and Facebook may have noticed a

This rich issue also contains the ICT_Industrial

change of course in the content posted: we

Cleaning Technologies insert, dedicated to

want to pay growing attention to the selection

washing and cleaning components from to

of topics and to the most appropriate format

the automotive world.

(videos, carousels, infographics, stories, etc.)

Finally, we concluded the month with the

to better communicate the industry and

publication of the Spanish and Portuguese

make it accessible also to a less experienced

newspapers ipcm _Ibérica and ipcm _

audience, that is however always curious.

®

®

®

LatinoAmérica. ipcm® at the British Library The first video-interview with Paola

Another important recognition received

Giraldo, co-founder and coordinator of

this month concerns the British Library. The

ipcm Academy

National Library of the United Kingdom, one

On May 25th, Alessia Venturi, editor-in-

of the most prestigious research libraries in

®

the world, has contacted us to inform us that

chief of ipcm® magazines, interviewed Paola Giraldo, co-founder and coordinator of ipcm

all 69 issues of ipcm® are browsable in their

Academy, to retrace the story of how, from a

archive.

®

simple idea born in 2011, the training courses

10

of ipcm® Academy have turned into a very

A new colleague ... a biped one this time!

successful project, which saw the participation

To conclude, if last month we introduced you

of over 130 companies and which, since last

to Falkor, the Miniature Schnauzer puppy

year, has been recognised for training the

who joined the ipcm® family, this month we

new professional figure of Industrial Surface

welcomed a new member of the editorial

Finishing Processes Technician, included in

team: Gabriele.

the QRSP (Regional Framework of Professional

He has already contributed to the latest issue

Standards) of the Italian Lombardy Region and

of ipcm® and is also helping managing our

recognised at national and European level.

social media channels.

N. 70 - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

Barbara Pennati and Ilaria Paolomelo, ipcm

The month of June marked a decisive step forward for EOS Mktg&Communication (www.eosmarketing.it) – the publishing house of the ipcm® magazines as well as marketing and communication agency – which is now officially a member of UNA – Aziende della comunicazione unite (www.unacom.it), an Italian association representing the main players in the marketing and communication sector.

The first session of the Academy courses wrapped up In June, the last lessons of the first session of the ipcm®_Academy course – which aims at training the next technicians of industrial surface finishing processes – took place.This first session, which also counted (at last!) some face-to-face lessons, was a great success: 13 people from 10 different companies took part in the course, which will return for a second session in September.

Trade fairs are back Another sign of a return to normality comes from the trade fair sector, in particular from PaintExpo, the leading trade fair for surface finishing technologies of which EOS is the exclusive agency for Italy, Spain and Portugal. After some postponements and the arrival of a new organizer, PaintExpo will return to liven the halls of Karlsruhe up from 26 to 29 April 2022. To date, there are already over 100 companies registered, including 39 from the countries we represent as an agency. Contact us at info@eosmarketing. it for further information.

The month of Protective Coatings And like it happens every June, the summer issue of ipcm® Protective Coatings – our magazine dedicated to corrosion prevention and control technologies – has been published.

In this June issue you can find an important testimony of the importance of surface preparation as the starting point for guaranteeing its quality and durability.

Ready to travel again Finally, let’s conclude this review of June with a personal but important note for us: all the members of the EOS team have finally obtained at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. The only side effect experienced is the considerable increase in the desire to return to travel around the world as soon as possible to meet the sector in-person once again.

®

SUSTAINABILITY

Ongoing Challenges for Sustainable Water-based Paint in Canada Gary LeRoux President & CEO of CPCA, The Canadian Paint and Coatings Association

gleroux@canpaint.com

In any part of the globe the restrictions on use of biocides in paint and coatings represent a big challenge for our industry. We have decided to publish this message which Gary LeRoux, President & CEO of CPCA, The Canadian Paint and Coatings Association, addressed to our sector. Here he emphasises some globally applicable and important aspects about this issue, that are perhaps underestimated by the regulatory authorities.

T

he issue of biocides in paint, and the

many uses in crop protection, sanitization,

urgent matter.

increasingly tight regulation of them,

etc. It has recently become clear that the

The most recent evidence of those

has been gathering steam in Europe,

more restrictive evaluation of uses for paint

challenges was the ban of a very common

Canada and the United States. It is among

and coatings has not been well understood

biocide for paint and coatings use in Canada

the top issues for the coatings industry. Until

by regulators and thus challenging for the

in 2019, OIT. The ban was reversed a year

now, regulators have long been focused on

paint and coatings industry. CPCA’s extensive

later in 2020. However, it is unclear why

the review and subsequent regulation for

advocacy efforts continue to address this

the same data used to restore both OIT as

© AdobeStock

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N. 70 - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

SUSTAINABILITY

well as use levels for CMIT/MIT in Canada,

consumer choice and ultimately price. Yet,

produced a different decision for both. CPCA

they will still be available to manufacturers

never understood why the ban occurred

and consumers in the United States. It

given the fact there was strong scientific data

is unclear why this re-evaluation - using

provided for the re-evaluation and approval

the exact same science - produces much

of OIT at existing label use rates in Canada.

different results in Canada.

While the ban reversal was positive, it had

Often overlooked by evaluators is the fact

already caused unfortunate disruption for

that biocides used in paint and coatings are

the coatings industry and the formulations

very good examples of how microbial control

for many product lines we see on store

technology is used effectively to preserve a

shelves today.

material itself, stabilizing paint throughout

There is currently a cluster of critical

its production, transportation and storage -

biocides that protect paint products under

before application. It also provides stability

re-evaluation in Canada. Final decisions for

after application by protecting the structures

those biocides are imminent and will have

on which it is applied such as wood coatings.

severe use restrictions imposed on most of

Today there is a growing demand for paint

them including two outright bans. As such,

with lower VOC emissions. This has led to

those critical ingredients will be taken out of

the removal of solvents in architectural or

the mix of options for paint formulation in

decorative paint with very low to near Zero

Canada and will affect product performance,

VOC water-based paint widely used by

© CPCA

Gary LeRoux.

Who is CPCA - Canadian Paint and Coatings Association One of Canada’s oldest not-for-profit industry associations, founded in 1913, the Canadian Paint and Coatings Association is the only trade association representing the specific interests of the coatings industry in Canada. CPCA represents Canada’s leading paint and coatings manufacturers and their industry suppliers in the primary product categories of architectural paints, industrial finishes and automotive coatings. The coatings industry is one of the most heavily regulated sectors in Canada’s economy. CPCA’s core competency focuses not only on high level government policy impacting its members, but provides proactive approaches on legislative and regulatory development on critical issues such as: chemicals management and hazard communication; product stewardship and sustainability; toxics reduction policy; air quality regulations; chemical safety in the workplace; science-based chemical assessment; a level-playing field and regulatory alignment.

Their hands-on advocacy work addresses these issues so that the members can focus on increasing profitability for thousands of products. If there are to be regulations they must be appropriate regulations so as not to stifle investment and job growth in Canada. The industry also seeks greater alignment of regulations between Canada and the United States to facilitate trade flows. Paint and coatings products touch many end-use markets such as construction, automotive, oil & gas, mining, wood furniture, aerospace, machinery, paper, metal containers and general industrial manufacturing industries.

international PAINT&COATING magazine - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - N. 70

13

SUSTAINABILITY

consumers. However, these products also

impressive success in paint recycling across

preservatives, water-based paints would

require more intensive care to protect the

Canada. Last year more than 28 million

very quickly deteriorate in the can. Without

integrity of the waterborne product in its

kilograms of paint were recycled, enough

dry-film preservatives, the paint applied to

final form, which can only be provided by

to paint more than 500,000 homes. More

a surface would lack the ability to protect

biocides in the absence of solvents. In the

than 94 percent of paint litreage sold in

itself and the substrate from attack by fungi,

process this has reduced low-level emissions

Canada is water-based architectural paint

algae and lichens. Latex emulsions and

from coatings substantially! Paint related

with very low or near Zero VOC emissions

aqueous bases used to manufacture latex

emissions in Canada have been greatly

constituting a substantial share of those

paints provide the ideal breeding ground

reduced by more than 41 kilotons over the

sales. The percentage of waterborne paint

for microbial growth. Without microbial

past 15 years. That is the equivalent of taking

used for commercial purposes such as in

control products, paint would completely

3,280,000 cars off the road annually.

automotive refinishing has also improved

break down during storage and would lose

The move to water-based paints, due to

and exceeded more than 30% of total sales

all viscosity, texture and adhesion ability. It is

huge company investments in innovation,

in that segment, with more expected in the

thanks to modern antimicrobial technology

has further contributed to the sustainability

coming years.

paint can now last several years and the

of paint and coatings. Such technology

The fact remains that without the use

finished coatings they produce will last much

advances have led to the paint industry’s

of biocides, also referred to as in-can

longer, greatly extending the lifecycle of

© AdobeStock

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valuable assets. In turn, this extends the time and need to harvest new natural resources thereby reducing the environmental footprint under a more sustainable approach from ‘water-based’ products.

Finally, for any leftover architectural paint products in Canada the manufacturers assume full responsibility for paint recycling under provincial legislation, completing the circle in a circular economy approach to paint waste recovery. Biocides continue to play a critical role in Canada’s sustainability.

With the obvious benefits of biocides in paint and coatings it is becoming increasingly concerning to industry, and ultimately consumers, as to why regulatory authorities are evaluating them harshly and differently from one country to the next. For Canada this means a growing lack of alignment with our largest trading partner, the United States. This will only lead to more outright bans or restrictions in Canada that render such ingredients unusable or ineffective in protecting ‘water-based’ paint.

Ultimately, this could also render the paint products useless for those who rely on their performance to extend the lifecycle of their assets, which help them to also reduce ‘their’ environmental footprint. This is not to suggest that these biocides should not be reviewed and controlled, but that the risk assessment methodology and approval process must be more evidencedbased and must be completed based on consistency with other peer reviewed and expert scientific risk assessments.

Having critical biocides for paint and coatings put through a rigorous evaluation process and approved for use in one country, while in another country restricted for the same use levels or banned outright, based on the same data, raises serious

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questions. This is especially troublesome when a company can use a product in the United States for paint preservation, but not in Canada, where the paint applications are similar. And, when that same company has to either reformulate the product for Canada, or take it off the market altogether in Canada, it negatively impacts all in the value chain.

Persistent challenges on critical biocides used in paint and coatings in this country is simply not good for Canada.

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BRAND-NEW

Adapta Aims to Reach its Carbon Neutrality Target by 2050 Through its new photovoltaic plant, Adapta is making a step forward in its journey to reach carbon neutrality by 2050.

A

dapta has announced the aim to reach its carbon neutrality

have prepared an EPD in relation to our ADAPTA VIVENDI product

target by 2050. As part of this process, the company

lines and ADAPTA VIVENDI SDS,” commented the company.

completed the installation of a new 38.7 kWp photovoltaic

EPDs document information related to the environmental behaviour

plant for self-consumption. Thanks to this new plant, Adapta has now

of a product based on its LCA. This information is divided into several

available 338.7 kWp of power and 1,886 solar panels.

impact categories such as global warming, acidification and ozone

The company has calculated its carbon footprint for the 2020

layer depletion with additional information (emissions produced,

financial year that is going to complement the data that had

waste generated). So, it makes it possible to compare information

been registered in the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the

between products with the same function.

Demographic Challenge for Scopes 1,2 and 3.

In Adapta’s case, AENOR is the entity that has verified the EPD

Carbon footprint is today a very important topic: it is one of the

according to ISO 14025, following the Product Category Rules (PCR)

indicators that can be obtained through the development of the

2014: 05 UN CPC 3511 Paints and varnishes and related products

EPD (Environmental Product Declaration) verified by an independent

(version 1.0 of 17 / 04/2014) prepared by the International EPD

third party and it measures the amount of the greenhouse gases

System.

that are produced. It is then a simplified version of a Life Cycle

The ADAPTA VIVENDI and VIVENDI SDS collections have also been

Assessment (LCA), in which a single category of environmental impact

tested according to the ISO 16000-9: 2006 standard for determining

is considered.

the emission of VOC from construction and furniture products: the

“As set forth in our management policy, we are committed

company has received an A+ score (very low emissions) for its wall,

to providing appropriate environmental information on our

ceiling, window and door products.

products, guided by a clear and transparent strategy to share the environmental profile of our activities. True to this commitment, we

For further information: www.adaptacolor.com © Adapta

16

N. 70 - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

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BRAND-NEW

© AFFIX Labs

Si-Quat by AFFIX Labs to Be Used on Franz Kiel’s Public Transport Interiors AFFIX Labs has closed a deal with seating systems manufacturer for commercial vehicles and public transport Franz Kiel for the use of anti-microbial coating Si-Quat to ensure protection against contagious microbes.

F

ranz Kiel GmbH, manufacturer of seats for buses and trains, will

“We are delighted to be working with AFFIX Labs to roll out Si-Quat

apply Si-Quat, a durable semi-permanent anti-microbial coating

in public transport systems around the world. It’s easy to apply, it

developed by AFFIX Labs to protect public transport interiors

works and we have had great support from the AFFIX Labs team. We

from contagious microbes such as the SARS-COV-2 virus, which can

hope that our partnership can help to re-open countries and boost

survive for up to 3 days on some surfaces, making regularly touched

passengers trust in once again using public transport,” said Daniel

areas in public spaces potential hotspots for cross contamination.

Fräde, Kiel’s Sales Director Bus Division.

Si-Quat is proven to kill 99.9% of bacteria and viruses, including SARS-

“By treating the vast fleets of vehicles that power the mass movement

COV-2, thus helping ensure that public transport is safer as people

of people in countries all over the world, AFFIX and Kiel Seating can

around the world begin getting back onto buses and trains and

create safe transportation interiors which are a key component

preventing cross contamination. The coating creates a durable layer

of national infrastructures. We are proud to be part of the global

of polymerized active ingredient that binds to walls, handles, furniture,

effort to build a more future-proof response to COVID-19, and other

and other key touch points, staying in place for up to 12 months.

contagions that have the potential to cause pandemics” concluded

The coating has been tested and certified to be effective against

Tom Sam, CEO of AFFIX Labs.

bacteria, viruses, and fungi, and has passed the rigorous EN45545-2 HL3 flammability norm for trains and REG118.3 for busses.

18

N. 70 - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

For further information: www.affixlabs.com

BRAND-NEW

Datacolor® Launches Two New Benchtop Spectrophotometer Models Datacolor has widened its series of high efficiency and reliability benchtop spectrophotometers with Spectro 1000X and Spectro 700V.

D

 

atacolor® recently launched Spectro 1000X and Spectro 700V, two new close-tolerance benchtop spectrophotometer models specifically designed for high

efficiency and reliability in colour formulation and quality control.

Spectro 1000X has an upward-facing aperture and it is perfect for liquid, paste, powder and granular samples; while the vertical configuration of the Spectro 700V allows customers to measure a larger variety of samples.

Thanks to the ability to capture the temperature of the samples measured, both models guarantee high safety in colour measurement operations.

This new quality control feature is critically important for those working with materials at high temperature ranges to ensure they measure the colour accurately.

For further information: www.datacolor.com

© Datacolor

Spectro 1000 X.

© Datacolor

Spectro 700 X.





BRAND-NEW

Evonik and SI Coatings Develop Water-based Primer for Polyamide Coatings Evonik Industries and SI Coatings have developed a water-based primer for the pretreatment of steel prior to coating in the fluidized-bed process with VESTOSINT polyamide 12 powder.

E

vonik – manufacturer of polyamide 12 compounds, which are

and can be applied by brushing, spraying, dipping or doctoring and

in high demand in the automotive, oil and gas, medical and

baked at about 300 °C during heating for the fluidized bed process

sports sectors – and SI Coatings – specialist in the production

with VESTOSINT.

of technical, functional and decorative coatings as well as adhesion

One possible application is cardan shafts, which are coated on both

promoters for a wide range of applications – have joined forced to

the outside and the inside.

develop a new water-based primer for the pretreatment of steel prior

“Evonik has firmly anchored the idea of environmental compatibility

to coating in the fluidized-bed process with VESTOSINT® polyamide 12

in its corporate strategy. Therefore, for the processing of VESTOSINT

powder.

we were looking for a partner with whom we could develop a water-

Until recently, large-area steel parts, especially concave surfaces, were

based primer that is precisely matched to our polyamide powder. We

pretreated with solvent-containing primers when exceptional adhesion

found this partner in SI Coatings,” says Dr. Dominic Störkle, head of the

was required, for example, in contact with water.

Additive Manufacturing & Material Solutions product line at Evonik.

The new primer Si Coatings 100011-00L with water hazard class WGK1

“Since we are a globally active company, we can offer the jointly

does not require any special work protection technology such as fume

developed primer to Evonik customers worldwide and also in small

hoods.

quantities,” says Managing Director Andreas Kunz of SI Coatings,

The product is label-free according to the Globally Harmonized System

emphasizing the advantage of the partnership.

of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS). The residual solvent content, reported as volatile organic compounds (VOCs), is less than

For further information: www.evonik.com and

2%. The primer has a shelf life of six months when stored frost-free

www.huehoco.com/en/company/si-coatings

© SI Coatings

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BRAND-NEW

Interpon Has Launched the Précis Ultra Matt Range AkzoNobel introduces the new coating range Interpon D2015 Précis Ultra Matt that allows for the creation of surfaces with ultra-matte finishes that give a glow of brilliance and luminescence to architectural surfaces. © Interpon

I

nterpon Précis Ultra Matt range provides a finer mica effect that

innovating to meet the architectural sector’s ambitions with on-trend

allows an ultra-matte surface to change in appearance depending

colours and finishes and Interpon D2015 Précis Ultra Matt is no

on the way the light reflects on it. In this way architects will be able

exception. We always stay true to our mission of creating the best

to have a finish with excellent aesthetic qualities and super durability.

products on the market from both a durability and sustainability perspective to support the design of Green Buildings”, says Bob Dirks,

In addition, Interpon powder coatings are environmentally friendly

Global Segment Manager Architectural, AkzoNobel Powder Coatings.

because:

“Once again, the Interpon brand is helping its customers to bring

• are free of VOCs and solvents;

their imagination to life: being able to make a building distinct or

• produce less waste than other coatings solutions;

memorable, or even blending it within its specific setting, is key

• produce minimal overspray;

to achieving architectural beauty. Thanks to our commitment to

• are easily recoverable and reusable;

innovation, we are redefining how powder coatings contribute to the

• are not evaporable in the atmosphere.

urban aesthetics of a building with new finishes and textures that enable architects to create truly amazing designs that stand the test

“All shades within the new range provide an astonishing non-reflective

of time”, concludes Daniela Vlad, Business Director of AkzoNobel

surface never seen before with an powder coating. Thanks to the

Powder Coatings.

metallic travel, light is capable of dancing across the surface while keeping its ultra matt appearance. We have a proven track record of

For further information: www.interpon.com

international PAINT&COATING magazine - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - N. 70

21

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

Green Chemistry and Customer Service: The Birth of SurTec Italia Gabriele Lazzari ipcm®, from an interview with Patrizia Angeli and Maurizio Ferrari SurTec Italia, Soliera (Modena) – Italy

© SurTec

Maurizio Ferrari, General Manager – Domestic Sales & Production of SurTec Italia.

the coating pre-treatment sector.

and functional and decorative anodising and

“SurTec grasped our potential in the

galvanising. Maintaining production at the

aluminium sector,” says Maurizio Ferrari, the

Soliera (Modena) plant will also enable the

General Manager of SurTec Italia and former

company to combine the typical flexibility

Technical & Sales Manager of Italtecno. “This is

of small and medium-sized enterprises

why it decided to acquire Italtecno’s chemical

with the advantages of belonging to a large

division.” The acquisition was finalised in April

multinational company. In particular, SurTec

2021, with Italtecno continuing to operate

Italia was established with the aim of providing

completely independently with its plant

high-tech, high-performance products and

engineering division.

assisting customers in their use.

“SurTec Italia’s Modena site will be the Group’s

The foundation of SurTec Italia

global competence centre for research into anodising products. This is an important

SurTec International is a company with around

milestone for Italy and a recognition of the

400 employees and branches in 22 countries,

work done by Italtecno over the past few

part of the Freudenberg Group, which is active

years. Now, with the arrival of SurTec, we will

in 10 different business divisions with over

have more resources for research expenditure

50,000 employees worldwide. The strength

and this will certainly bring interesting results

of the Freudenberg Group lies in the many

for this industry,” notes Ferrari.

different companies it controls, enabling

SurTec Italia Sales Manager Patrizia Angeli

it to differentiate its services. The creation

adds: “We decided to partner with Italtecno

of SurTec Italia, therefore, will now allow it

several years ago to enter the Italian

to expand into a new geographical market

aluminium market and start to make our

with its entire product range: from industrial

brand known. Our new anodising products

cleaning to pre-treatment and galvanising.

will be developed in the SurTec Italia research

SurTec decided to create an Italian subsidiary

centre, while the brands that belonged to

after more than ten years of collaboration

Italtecno (such as Hardwall for cold fixing and

with Italtecno, which has been successfully

Sallox for electrocolouring) will retain their

erman multinational company

marketing its products for the aluminium

trade names under the new management of

SurTec International has finalised the

sector. These include, for instance, the SurTec

SurTec.”

purchase of the chemical branch of

650 passivating agent, a product based on

© ipcm

Patrizia Angeli, Sales Manager of SurTec Italia.

G

cleaning, metal pre-treatment prior to coating,

Italian firm Italtecno, thus strengthening its

zirconium and trivalent chromium, mainly

expertise in the aluminium sector and creating

used as a substitute for hexavalent chromium

Green approach and high quality: the company’s top products

SurTec Italia. With this, it has achieved the

in the passivation of aluminium and its alloys

Initially, SurTec Italia will focus on consolidating

goal of building a solid base within the Italian

in various application fields, such as anodising

Italtecno’s existing market, maintaining its

borders for the commercial and technical

and the aerospace industry. Precisely the

current service level and customer relations.

development of all its products – which are

collaboration with Italtecno made it possible to

Its medium to long-term objectives are

divided into four fields of application: industrial

expand the use of this passivating product to

the expansion of the pre-treatment and

22

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HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

© SurTec

The entrance to the SurTec Italia plant in Soliera (Modena, Italy).

industrial cleaning sectors and the introduction of its

SurTec has also developed excellent hexavalent

innovative functional and decorative electroplating

chromium-free products for other sectors, such as

processes into the Italian market. As was the case

decorative galvanising. SurTec 883 XT stands out

with SurTec 650, the products related to aluminium

among them all, as it allows achieving exactly the

pre-treatment technologies will become greener and

same colours as with conventional chrome plating.

greener with the implementation of other chromium-

The main concerns of customers with regard to the

free solutions. “Although some customers in the

ban on hexavalent chromium are related to the plant

aluminium sector still use hexavalent chromium, its

changes that will be required, as it is not possible

ban, after having been postponed several times, is

to introduce alternative chemicals without making

set for 2024. SurTec, however, wants to act early:

any process changes. Ferrari, however, would like

several customers have already successfully adopted

to reassure them: “We stay by our customers’ side

our new chromium-free products. We believe we

throughout all stages of the conversion process.”

will be able to convince many more of them by next

Angeli notes: “We are aware that the cost of the

year,” states Ferrari.

new process may be significantly higher, but we

The company is also developing a nickel-free

also know that it will be crucial for the future and

cold fixing product. “There is a growing market

that the results will be equivalent, if not better. Our

demand for this, especially in the food, medical, and

trivalent chrome plating products are available in

automotive industries. Italtecno had already reached

all colours, including darker shades, and they have

the pre-approval stage and we will soon be able to

been certified though Kesternich and CASS tests.

present it to the Italian and international markets.”

Our German colleagues are also in the process of

In the coating pre-treatment field, the main

obtaining approvals from several car manufacturers.”

novelties for the Italian market are phosphate-

As for industrial cleaning, one of the SurTec Group’s

free products, used as an alternative to traditional

main areas of activity, R&D is concentrated in the

phosphodegreasers in the general industry sector,

German parent company, which produces high and

and nickel-free tricationic phosphating agents, which

low-salinity water-based degreasing and protective

are still widely used in the automotive sector.

products, all characterised by a high level of quality.

● Conveyors ● Conveyor chains ● Special components ● Automations

Se.Po.

di Pozzi Sergio

Via Concordia 43 23854 Olginate (LC) T.+39 0341605056 info@sepoitalia.it www.sepoitalia.it

“The high-end brands we serve in the automotive sector are our best references: the fact that they have chosen to rely on us testifies to our quality and professionalism. Such companies give us a good corporate image and inspire confidence in future customers,” states Ferrari.

Unchanged technical support “Our chemicals are products of excellence and they must be presented as such; therefore, we will only rely on qualified and experienced technicians for sales and service, so that they can pass on their expertise and show the best possible application methods. Our policy will be helping customers to use our processes in the best possible way and assisting them at every stage,” explains Angeli. Incidentally, the transition from a small firm to a structured multinational company is © SurTec

not a cause for concern for the established customers that are used Some of the instruments used in the laboratories.

to a direct, immediate relationship. Both Angeli and Ferrari confirm so: “SurTec is already well known thanks to the distribution activity carried out by Italtecno: therefore, the quality of our work and our high-end products will be an excellent calling card for entering the Italian market and acquiring new customers. At the same time, our relationships with all existing customers will remain unchanged.”

Differentiating through innovation and customer orientation The objective of newly founded SurTec Italia is to serve all markets with technologies that efficiently replace traditional processes containing hexavalent chromium, phosphates, and nickel by offering innovative solutions that are high performing but at the same time ecological and sustainable. Making innovative, high quality products allows this company to stand out from the competition. Currently, one of the

© SurTec

A SurTec Italia technician working in the laboratory.

main market demands is for solutions that are environmentally friendly and easy to purify. “This is encouraging us to step out of our comfort zone and research new products that meet both customer needs and changing regulations,” states Ferrari.

The next step will be to implement further image policies and marketing strategies aimed at spreading the SurTec Italia name and promote the brand. The company guarantees to both current and future customers a flexible and direct technical support service, typical of small and medium-sized enterprise, combined with a sound multinational network.

The warehouse at the Italian site in Soliera also enables it to supply customers with an immediate response capability. In short, SurTec Italia combines consolidated experience in the fields of metal pre-treatment and anodising with the technological expertise of the German parent company and the added value of Italian-made products.

© SurTec

The warehouse of the SurTec Italia factory.

24

N. 70 - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

Partners for the successful renovation, implementation and commissioning of your coating plant.

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HOW IT’S COATED

© La Rosa

26

N. 70 - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

Mannequins Need Colour Too Interview with Martina Favaro, International Sales and Marketing Manager of La Rosa Srl

Traditionally considered mere inanimate tools for displaying clothes and accessories, mannequins are now being brought to life through colour and a new interpretation of their role thanks to La Rosa Italy – so much so that, in addition to shop windows, they are now also conquering fashion catwalks and becoming part of the marketing strategies of major fashion houses.

La Rosa is a well-established business in the

materials (solid or transparent), fabric coverings

Italian fashion industry, which has made a

(from linen to cotton, from natural fibres to stain-

name for itself internationally with its ability

resistant velvets), special finishes (wood veneer,

to present mannequins in a new light: no

paper, marble, stone), and many more. We are

longer mere inanimate clothes holding tools,

always researching and studying new applications

but actual protagonists of collections and

and coating materials.

P25 column standard or customizable system to hang from the smallest parts to heavy 6-metre long bars

shop windows. Can you explain the main aspects of this evolution process?

Sustainability has always been part of La

In short, in the 1920s, when European fashion

Rosa’s corporate philosophy. How does this

turned its gaze to American cinema stars,

approach integrate into the production

mannequins moved from being purely functional,

process of your mannequins?

aesthetically undervalued objects to taking on

Long before sustainability and recycling became

the appearance of dynamic, independent, and

current issues, La Rosa had already been

avant-garde ladies, in order to fully represent

implementing circular and eco-sustainable

women in society. Realistic mannequins remained

production processes since the 1960s. We

as a constant until the 1980s, when La Rosa

manufacture our mannequins using recycled

began to create and offer to the market more

shockproof plastic from both internal and external

linear mannequins, which drew on abstract body

scraps. This enables us to obtain finished products

concepts and sinuous, slender forms, without overly

that are fully recyclable, sustainable, and very

marked features and with more homogeneous

durable through a ‘zero waste’ approach.

colours, thus acting as a true pioneer of the

At the end of their service life, all La Rosa products

abstract mannequin sector.

can be either returned to our company to be

In the last few years, mannequins have undergone

reused into our manufacturing cycle or disposed

another change and they now tend to be more and

of through separate waste collection, so that they

more customised.

can be recycled. Our production, which takes

Each brand wants to reflect itself in our

place entirely in Varedo, near Milan (Italy), uses

mannequins. Therefore, we design their own

renewable energy and reused water. We have a

special products by following completely or in part

roto-concentrator and an afterburner for solvent

their directions, which, under our guidance, are

and dust abatement. Unlike fibreglass, used by

transformed into distinctive elements of their brand

most of our competitors, the material we employ

identity. Not only shape and poses are subject

is non-toxic. Each mannequin we produce avoids

to customisation: other elements are involved as

the release of 10-15 kg of toxic fibreglass into the

well, including colours (opaque, shiny, iridescent),

environment.

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COMPLETE SOLUTIONS FOR HANGING AND MASKING

www.rostirolla.it

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HOW IT’S COATED

Perfect combination of materials and

How important is coating in your

In the world of fashion, fabric colours

colours is one of your flagships. How do

production and which system do you use?

have always been a key determinant

you balance these two elements when

As well as all other production stages, our in-

of consumer choice. Do you think

creating a mannequin?

house coating process plays a very important

that mannequins’ colours can be as

We believe that simplicity is often the key.

role, because it does not only allow us to

important?

We are inspired by what exists in nature and

be flexible and respond quickly to customer

Absolutely. Each brand tends to opt for

we just add our own touch. If we think about

needs, but it also gives us full control of our

tints and finishes that can characterise it.

the combinations that nature has already

manufacturing flow, while cutting additional

More and more often, we are seeing fashion

created, if we stop and look carefully at the

costs and reducing the environmental impact

brands rethink their strategies and choose to

environment around us, the flora and the

of outsourcing. We have 3 coating booths,

differentiate themselves from one another by

fauna, we can find a myriad of elements of

2 of which are fully robotised. After being

breaking away from standardisation, which

inspiration.

moulded, every La Rosa product is sanded

has been the dominant approach up until

This is how transparent mannequins with

and finished. Then, a base coat is applied to

recently. Nowadays, brands try to imprint their

green and yellow tones, light blue and white

makes its surface more homogeneous and

personality in everything they are involved

shades, and wood, rock, and stone effects

guarantee good adhesion of the top coat.

in and they want to be as recognisable

were born. On the other hand, fashion

The liquid paint, which can be transparent or

as possible – and the visual factor that

trends are the guidelines for these choices,

pigmented, glossy, matte, or even super-matte

determines such differentiation also lies in the

based on which we decide whether to

and soft-touch, is intended to last over time,

colours, materials, and shapes chosen.

intensify a combination or not and opt for

achieving the desired aesthetic effect but also

one material rather than another.

meeting the high quality standards that have

For further information:

always distinguished La Rosa.

www.larosaitaly.com

© La Rosa

28

N. 70 - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

Fully Automated In-Line Equipment

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HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

Flat Cutting and 3D Printing: Two New Tools for Euromask®’s Renewed Market Approach Edited by Finishing Group Srl Lainate (Milan) - Italy

info@euromask.com

The Euromask® brand is consolidating its position on the international market by expanding its range of masking products with two new production processes.

E

uromask® is the well-known international brand of Finishing

diverse requirements. This include anything from simple discs or

Group Srl (Lainate, Milan, Italy), specialising in the production

washers with a 3, 4 or 5 mm thickness to more complex shapes,

and distribution of professional masking systems for all surface

such as, for example, multi-hole gaskets for the treatment of flanges,

treatments, which has recently expanded its business strategy

motors, or coupled mechanical parts made up of several joined

through two new production processes.

bodies. There are also masks with greater thicknesses (8-10 mm) and

Conventional caps, hoods, and stickers are often not sufficient to meet

products in adhesive-coated NBR that are useful for sandblasting.

all masking needs: precisely in order to fill this gap, Euromask® has

Based on the actual workpieces on which the masking devices are

developed new solutions combined with reduced delivery times. The

to be applied, if available, or on their CAD drawings, the Euromask®

company is now able to supply samples in 3-5 working days (instead

technical staff is able to reproduce templates that perfectly meet each

of the 20-30 days usually required) in order to enable a customer to

customer’s needs on silicone, EPDM, NBR, silicone foam, and EPDM

receive a product that is almost identical to the final version and test

foam sheets. Thanks to continuous research and development of new

it directly on its workpieces. This also allows modifications to be made

solutions, the company’s production department is currently able

within a timeframe that is still well below the standard.

to process sheets with thicknesses ranging from 1 mm for magnetic

Flat cutting

silicone up to 20 mm for EPDM foam.

Thanks to the installation of a flat cutting machine, Euromask® can

3D printed silicone samples

produce flat templates in various shapes and sizes to meet the most

The 3D printing technology enables to create complex items with

© Euromask

© Euromask

Thanks to the installation of a flat cutting machine, Euromask® can produce flat templates in various shapes and sizes, like washers.

30

N. 70 - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

A flat disc manufactured with the new flat cutting machine.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

countersinks, holes, cavities, handles, and more. Designed and developed entirely in-house by Euromask®, the system installed uses additive manufacturing to create moulds for producing silicone samples without ABS, PLA, or PA, which make the samples unusable in the test phase due to their different physical and chemical properties compared with the final masking devices.

The products are in fact created with a silicone with a shore A hardness degree, which is only slightly lower than the 55 shore A hardness standard used in production. This negligible difference is the result of a blend of silicones specially created to meet the main requirement of this material when used in coating: the total absence of volatile components that could settle on the painted parts’ surfaces and force production to be stopped in order to clean up the plant.

With a market approach focussed on speed, flexibility, and the utmost professionalism, Euromask® always puts its customers first. This is why it aims at constantly increasing the quality of its

© Euromask

©

Eu

ro

m

as

k

offer.

Some silicone samples manufactured with the 3D printing technology. 3D printing allows to design complex items with countersinks, holes, cavities, handles, and more.

SUCCESS STORIES

Turkish Bike Manufacturer Bisan Powers to Leading Position in the EU market Interpon powder coating experts at AkzoNobel are supporting Bisan, a major European bike manufacturer, with new and bespoke colours to help satisfy a global boom in cycling and the demand for stylish new models.

T

he global boom in cycling, and the demand for stylish new

in Europe to have its own frame-making capability would give it a

models, has reinforced the importance of a supply chain built

competitive advantage, and attract new business from OEMs. He

on strong partnerships, quality products, and a shared passion

spoke to the experts at AkzoNobel Powder Coatings about the benefits

for innovation. So, when Bisan, the first and one of the biggest bicycle

of switching to Interpon powder coatings: “Previously the frames

manufacturers in Turkey, wanted to bring the manufacture of bicycle

would arrive at the BİSAN plant pre-painted. While the colours were

frames in-house and local, rather than relying on stretched global

popular, I recognized that the liquid paints they used came at a cost

supply chains, it turned to Interpon, a leading global brand of powder

to the environment and the finish was not durable enough to meet

coating from AkzoNobel, to help it on its journey.

our high-quality standards. With the support of AkzoNobel Powder

The partnership dates back to 2018 when the General Manager, Ali

Coatings, we made the switch to Interpon which are not only better for

Orçun Bal, recognized that becoming one of the few bike brands

the environment, but also offer much greater protection, being highly © Bisan

32

N. 70 - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

SUCCESS STORIES

resistant to UV, chipping, and scratches”.

direct access to the very best team that

“Best of all,” he continues, “is the range of

delivers the high-quality technical support and

colours and finishes available to us. Both

advice we need as a growing business”.

of our organisations are close followers of

“With the support of AkzoNobel, we will sell

trends and AkzoNobel delivers with the latest

more than 200,000 finished bikes this year

on-trend colours to a quality and consistency

and make another 100,000 frames and forks

second to none. The Interpon technical

for third-party manufacturers. Manufacturers

team also works with us to develop bespoke

are moving away from their reliance on the

colours to support new model launches, as

Far East and looking for partners closer to

well as matching existing colour schemes

home in Europe. The strength, durability and

that gave the look and feel of a fluorescent

colour of our Interpon powder coated frames

liquid paint, but without causing harm to the

are a strong selling point in helping us win

environment.”

To give some idea of how demand for BİSAN’s bikes has increased, and the relationship

© Bisan

Ali Orçun Bal, the General Manager of Bisan.

between the two companies has evolved,

new business.”

Today the ‘local’ manufacturer is a global enterprise, producing 85 models, from children’s tricycles to professional racing

AkzoNobel Powder Coatings created 15

Interpon powder coatings create less waste,

bikes, folding and electric, and exporting to

bespoke colours for BİSAN in 2020, and 17

which reduces Bisan’s production costs,

15 countries. Bisan uses Interpon powder

colours in the 1st Quarter of 2021 alone.

and the lack of any VOC emissions during

coatings in more than 90% of its total

Specifically, many of the coatings are derived

manufacture and lower curing temperatures

production and is actively working with

from AkzoNobel’s Interpon A3280 range and

also help reduce Bisan’s carbon footprint.

AzkoNobel at how it may introduce future

ACE series – which are relied upon by global

“We are committed to reducing our

innovations and processes, including the use

automotive manufacturers to deliver the

environmental impact and AkzoNobel shares

of low-temperature curing which is ideal for

durability, style and performance they need to

these sustainability values which is very

aluminium frames and the ability to coat a

protect their products and their reputations.

important to us,” Ali Orçun Bal adds.

range of heat sensitive substrates.

Bisan is also using Interpon’s Auto wheel

In the three years that Bisan and AkzoNobel

“Working with AkzoNobel Powder Coatings

Vedoc black which gives a brilliant gloss finish.

have been working together, Ali Orçun Bal

and our shared passion for quality, innovation

says the support he has received has been

and the environment makes me very excited

exceptional: “Many Turkish people have

about the future,” Ali Orçun Bal adds. “We very

Working with AkzoNobel is making Bisan

an emotional connection to our company

much look forward to discovering where the

more resilient, both in terms of the product

having learned how to ride on a Bisan, so our

future with Interpon will take us.”

it manufactures and the business as a whole,

reputation and our brand are very important

helping reduce the cost of manufacturing

to us. That means working only with the very

For further information:

while supporting the environment.

best partners, and with AkzoNobel I have

www.interpon.com

Process efficiency

Fabtech Chicago September 13-16, 2021 Booth D 45748

INNOVATIVE FINISHING TECHNOLOGY FOR SOPHISTICATED SURFACES

Venjakob Maschinenbau – more than 50 years of innovation in surface technology made in Germany Surface pretreatment | Coating | Drying technology | Automation | Exhaust air cleaning www.venjakob.com anzeige_IPCM_Q4-2021_214x62.indd 1

01.07.21 15:06

BRAND-NEW

ABB PixelPaint Has Won the lnnovation and Entrepreneurship Award ABB’s PixelPaint robotic painting technology for the automotive industry has won the Innovation and Entrepreneurship Award.

A

BB’s PixelPaint robotic non-overspray painting solution won the

the masks once the second colour has also been applied. In addition,

2021 edition of the Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Robotics

the process causes significant waste and high costs for the recycling

& Automation (IERA) award for its innovative value and ecological

and purchase of the paint, since it allows only about 75% of the paint to

benefits in the commercialising of innovative robotics and automation

be applied to the surface of the bodywork.

technologies.

PixelPaint offers a faster, more accurate and more sustainable solution

PixelPaint, available from 2020, uses inkjet heads to apply high

for customised painting, thanks to a high DPI inkjet head, two IRB 5500

resolution, two-tone or personalised designs directly to a car body in

painting robot, dosing control package, and RobotStudio® programming

a single pass. This technology allows vehicle manufacturers to meet

software for two tone and decorative painting applications that allows

the growing demand for

you to solve the problems

customised paintings,

listed above.

while eliminating wasteful

The jury, composed by the

overspray.

International Federation

“We are delighted that

of Robotics (IFR) and the

our PixelPaint solution

Institute of Electrical and

has been recognized for

Electronics Engineers (IEEE),

its innovative, sustainable

has therefore decided to

technology that helps

reward the combination

our customers respond

of greater efficiency,

to consumer requests

flexibility and environmental

for more personalized

performance offered by

design. With PixelPaint,

PixelPaint.

100 percent of the paint

“The jury is pleased to

can now be applied in half

honour ABB’s PixelPaint

the time compared to the

technology, with the

previous method used for custom paint jobs, with a

17th IERA Award. The innovative solution for

© ABB

much better finish quality.

automated car painting

For our customers, this provides the triple bonus of saving millions of

combines more flexibility and customization with reduced wasted paint

dollars per year through reduced paint consumption, improved efficiency

for the wellness of the environment,” said Rob Ambrose, Jury Chair.

and improved environmental performance through reduced VOC and

The IERA Award highlights the innovators who generate ideas with

CO2 emissions, while meeting their customer needs,” stated Joerg Reger,

added value and the entrepreneurs who transform them into world-

Managing Director of ABB Robotics Auto OEM Business Line.

class products. IEEE Robotics and Automation Society (IEEE / RAS)

Traditionally, in order to apply a two-tone paint or a custom pattern

and IFR jointly sponsor the award, underlining their commitment

onto a bodywork, it was necessary to put the vehicle through a painting

to fostering greater collaboration between science and industry in

line twice: once for the first layer and then for the second colour, after

robotics.

that the already painted areas had been masked. This masking job usually requires 10 to 20 operators per shift, plus two more to remove

34

N. 70 - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

For further information: https://global.abb/group/en

BRAND-NEW

Stardust Signs an Agreement with HaTwee for the Distribution of its Coatings in the Benelux Area Stardust Powder Coatings has partnered with coatings supplier HaTwee to distribute its range of powder coatings in the Benelux countries.

P

owder coatings supplier HaTwee, based in

customers”, explains Guido Pozzoli, CEO of Stardust

Lichtervelde, Belgium, has started distributing

Powder Coatings. “When we started the current

Stardust Powder Coatings’ wide range of

reorganization process of Stardust, which entails also

indoor and outdoor powder coatings in the Benelux

the expansion of our sales and distribution network,

countries after signing the partnership agreement

we immediately reconnected with them to formalize a

with the Italian paint manufacturer.

distribution agreement for the Benelux area”.

Founded in 2007 by mechanical engineer Hans

“Thanks to our exclusive partnership with companies

Hooyberg and chemical engineer Anne Mie

such as Stardust Powder Coatings, we always have

Scheldeman, HaTwee serves the Benelux area

access to sufficient supply, extra know-how and tight

not only by offering a wide range of powder

delivery deadlines, regardless of whether customer’s

coatings from the best manufacturers in the world,

orders are small or large. Moreover, as a member of

but also by putting at customer’s disposal their

VOM and Qualisteelcoat, we also guarantee up-to-

extensive knowledge and proven methodology to

date knowledge and have all the essential quality

achieve optimal results. For this reason, HaTwee

labels”, explains Barbara Baken, Communication and

will contribute to Stardust’s mission of offering

Project Manager of HaTwee.

its customers in the Benelux area a reliable,

Stardust’s powder coatings are available in a wide

personalized and timely supply of its high-added

range of colour and finishes, and can be chosen

value powder coatings.

by sample or according to the major international

“We met the HaTwee team during a trade fair in

colorimetric systems, such as RAL, PANTONE® or NCS,

Belgium, about four years ago. We appreciated their

of which Stardust is Premium Partner.

great communication technique that appealed to customers by offering a specialized, tailor-made

For further information: www.stardust72.com

service, much like the one we offer to our own

and hatwee.be/nl/home/

© HatWee

BRAND-NEW

Acrythane 4G by HMG Paints Ltd Is Expanding its Uses within New Industries The topcoat Acrythane 4G, originally designed by HMG Paints for commercial vehicles, is expanding its field of action thanks to its properties and the ease of use.

H

MG Paints’ Acrythane 4G is faster and faster

© HMG Paints Ltd

becoming coaters’

conditions it allows us to paint all year round.”

Acrythane 4G is available in a

preferred choice for both OEM

number of colours including

and refinish work. Acrythane

RAL, BS and Commercial Vehicle

4G offers enhanced properties

standards. It is also included

over traditional systems and

in the new HMG ColourBase

accelerates the application

Colour Box, that presents

process, which results in

more than 2400 colour chips

improved efficiencies without

displayed in chromatic order

damaging the quality of the

within 20 fan decks. The

finishing. Martyn Binnington,

ColourBase Colour Box is a

HMG Paints Distribution

multi-function tool: each colour

Manager, explains: “The major

does not only have a chromatic

benefit for applicators is the

code that identifies its position

ease of use of Acrythane

in the colour sequence, but it

4G. Our customers are

also corresponds to a colour

complimenting us on a daily

existing on the market for

basis about how easy Acrythane

reference. Acrythane 4G can be

4G is to use and produce high quality results, especially when

applied by conventional gravity and HVLP spray guns, giving coverage

compared to competitor products.”

of 9.3 square metres per litre at 50 microns film thickness. Surface

In order to meet the strict requirements of the commercial vehicle

preparation is as simple as a solvent wipe or shot blasting.

market, HMG launched this high solids acrylic polyurethane coating in 2019. It was created by the Research and Development division

About HMG Paints Ltd

at HMG, that cooperated with its customers. Initially intended for a

HMG Paints Ltd is a family-owned business situated in Manchester

specific use within the commercial vehicle market, Acrythane 4G is

(UK). Now the UK’s largest independent paint manufacturer, HMG

now being used in several other sectors by users which needs a VOC

works alongside customers to create the best individual service

and REACH compliant topcoat that provides an outstanding gloss,

and tailored solutions for them. Thanks to its broad spectrum of

final appearance and durability. Moreover, thanks to its optimised

knowledge and expertise, HMG has a portfolio that includes wet paint,

balance of early hardness, fast cure and long pot life, Acrythane 4G is

powder coatings and aerosols, covering virtually every type of surface.

especially suited for OEM, repairers and builders. Its ultra-fast air-dry

This is all backed by an extensive 90 years’ experience in developing

properties also allow the end-user to save time, energy and materials.

pioneering coatings for several industries: automotive, commercial

A satisfied customer commented: “The unique properties Acrythane

vehicle, aerospace, wood finish, decorative, marine and rail.

4G offers us easy application, fast drying and a superior finish. With Acrythane 4G being able to be used in cold and warm weather

36

N. 70 - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

For further information: www.hmgpaint.com

© Sabiana

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N. 70 - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

A Coating Plant 4.0 for Sabiana, a Manufacturer of Excellence in the Industrial, Commercial, and Residential Air Conditioning Sector Alessia Venturi ipcm®

Sabiana is an Italian company that invents, designs, manufactures, and sells equipment to air condition the environments in which people live and work: industries, offices, hotels, hospitals, shopping centres, and homes – all of this by using the world’s most natural element: water. It is a major European player in this industry, known throughout the world. Aware of the great importance of coatings for its products’ durability and efficiency, Sabiana chose to install a coating system for its radiant strips and panels that incorporates the best of the technology available on the market for powder coating, naturally with an Industry 4.0-oriented approach. Imel contributed to this ambitious project with its plant engineering activity and its digital management modules, Futura Convogliatori Aerei with a power&free conveyor, and Gema Europe with the paint application booth.

R

adiant strip heating systems transmit

at a height of 42 metres, the Duck Strips

heat mainly by radiation, thanks to

radiate heat downwards without causing

particularly high emission coefficients

the slightest air movement. Each of the 18

resulting from their large exchange surface

variants of the new Duck Strip 4.1 product (its

areas. Radiant strips are particularly efficient

name derives from the production technology

for heating large rooms – especially industrial

used) includes 1 to 6 metre-long elements

ones, which are both very large and high –

with which it is possible to create radiant

whose architectural characteristics often pose

strip systems in any length that is a multiple

design challenges that can only be overcome

of 1 metre and with different internal circuit

thanks to the great flexibility of this type

solutions. In addition, their wide range of

of system. They allow heating in absolute

colours allows for interesting architectural

silence, without any air movement, with great

solutions in perfect harmony with each

efficiency thanks to a limited thermal gradient

building’s design.

(on average, the air temperature varies by

“Our choice to offer a very wide range of

only 0.1 °C per metre of height), and with

tints and finishes for our strips and radiant

maintenance requirements limited only to the

ceiling panels has prompted us to invest in

heat generator (boiler or heat pump) and the

powder coating. This is why we have installed

water circulation pump.

a state-of-the-art, fully automatic, highly

Aircraft construction hangars are among the

digitalised, and highly efficient system by

most challenging buildings in terms of design.

integrating all the best solutions that the

For example, the halls where the Airbus

coating equipment market has to offer,”

A380, the air giant, is assembled in Toulouse

states Sabiana Plants Manager, Vincenzo

(France) are heated with Duck Strip radiant

Denti. “We opened a tender involving four

strips provided by Sabiana (Corbetta, Milan,

leading coating engineering companies and

Italy), a world leader in air conditioning. Placed

Imel’s solution impressed us with its cutting

© ipcm

From right to left: Vincenzo Denti, Alessia Venturi, and Carlo Salvadori.

In the previous page: Radiant strips installed in a large industrial environment.

international PAINT&COATING magazine - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - N. 70

39

© Imel

© Sabiana

The control panel of Imel painting installation displays all process parameters.

edge plant management software. We gave Imel carte blanche and

Sabiana is now one of Arbonia’s many operating divisions worldwide

we appointed it as the prime contractor and works coordinator. This

– its branch of excellence for ventilation, cooling, and heating

proved to be a correct choice, since they then took on board other

systems. Despite the firm’s international focus, however, its roots are

leading companies in their sectors, such as Futura Convogliatori Aerei

still firmly planted in Italy, as everything is always conceived, designed,

and Gema Europe.”

and produced between Corbetta and Magenta, in the province of

Sabiana: air design

Milan.

The company’s three factories are all located in this area.

Two men ahead of their time founded Sabiana in 1929, during

Sabiana 1, a plant with a 30,000 m2-wide covered space, deals with

America’s Great Crisis. In that year, Franco Binaghi and Benvenuto

the transformation processes of raw materials (typically steel coils or

Anatrella met in Milan and they set their sights on a project to

sheets), the laboratory tests, and the production of exhaust pipes.

produce systems for heating work and home environments – a utopia

This site is equipped with press-bending machines, robotic welding

in an era when almost no factories were heated. This is precisely

islands, and automatic deep-drawing systems; around 50% of such

why Franco and Benvenuto believed so much in their dream: they

production machinery is self-built by Sabiana, drawing on its ninety

understood the importance of improving the working conditions and

years of experience. Sabiana 2, with a covered area of 10,000 m2,

the quality of life of people. They thus established Sabiana (Società

is the plant devoted to product assembly, with 12 assembly and

Anonima Binaghi Anatrella).

packaging lines. Sabiana 3 is the logistical unit, with a 13,000 m2-wide

Their idea is now carried on by the third generation of their families,

area for the storage of finished products to be shipped, equipped

leading an all-Italian company within a large international group.

with 40 loading docks available.

In fact, six years ago, Sabiana became part of the AFG Group (now

“Despite our huge production and logistical capacity, which enables

Arbonia AG) in order to expand even more at the international level.

us to build 1,500 fan coils per day, the demand is such that we also

40

N. 70 - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

by MODlFIED ALCOHOL

High performance modified alcohol cleaning machines

High pressure waterjet deburring and cleaning systems

The loading station with a lowerator, provided by Futura Convogliatori Aerei (Robecco Pavese, Pavia), which facilitates loading operations.

rely on numerous external suppliers. Our future plans include the construction of another 4,000 m2 of covered space that will form a connecting area between the units Sabiana 2 and 3, which are adjacent to each other. In September, Sabiana 4, an 8,000 m2-wide facility, will also come into operation: here, we will relocate part

Complete integrated in-house build automation

of our production and storage activities. We currently employ 330 people, plus a sales network and agents, for a total of a thousand people working directly for Sabiana. With a portfolio of 90 products (under both Sabiana’s brand and other brands in the Group), we have a turnover of around 100 million Euros.”

Radiant panels: a vertically integrated production cycle

DIVISIONS:

Sabiana’s deep-drawing plant for the production of its radiant strips and panels is unique in the world: with a length of 60 m, it is the result of a study carried out to obtain perfect coupling

CLEANING

BLASTING

AUTOMATION

between shells and pipes, with tolerances of just a few tenths of a millimetre, in order to achieve the greatest possible heat exchange. “The process starts with a 6 m-wide metal sheet,

Automation!

Tel. +39 02 97289696

info@itfwashers.com www.itf.it

the length of which varies depending on

© Sabiana

the product we want to obtain,” explains Vincenzo Denti. “The machine takes over the panel and it verifies the sheet’s length, thickness, and diagonal line using laser systems. If the result of the check is positive, the sheet is loaded through Venturi-effect suction cups, bent, and deep-drawn, while the handling frame returns to the beginning of the line to pick up the following metal sheet. After deep-drawing, the panel is placed on a motorised roller conveyor that takes it to the next phase, which consists of inserting tubes by pressing them into the cavities created. The process continues with tack welding and robotic welding and it ends with coating.”

Coating radiant panels has never been easier Imel designed, built, and installed a powder coating plant for radiant panels, controlled through the i4paintshop automation system and integrated with software developed

by Sabiana for managing orders. “A serial number is generated upstream of the process by the order management software

© Sabiana

and assigned to each individual panel: this enables us to follow the panel’s progress up to the dispatch and installation phases,” explains Vincenzo Denti. “We decided to also include installation among the traceable parameters because, with our new radiant strip processing technology, the hanging cross beams must be positioned with a pitch with tolerances of a few tenths of a millimetre. Through our technical catalogue, we advise the installers to drill the holes according to these pre-set dimensions, so that it is impossible to make a mistake in fixing the hanging chains.”

When the trolleys with the radiant strips arrive at the loading station of the coating plant, they have a 78° inclination assigned The power&free conveyor designed and built by Futura Convogliatori Aerei and the touchscreen of Imel i4paintshop software.

42

N. 70 - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

to them by the previous machine. This inclination is maintained for all work prior to

Zaniolo CdA-01.21

We are pow er ful

advanced solutions for metal surfaces treatment

Europolveri offers a wide range of Powder Coatings that are available in several different finishings and gloss level. A stock of approximately 1000 different colors, always available, supported by specific products formulated to guarantee architects and designers the highest quality, both in terms of performance and aesthetic value, for the finishing of architectural structures and objects of furniture and design.

Besides the wide offer of Qualicoat products and thanks to the great experience in the architectural sector, Europolveri is a reliable partner in developing and producing tailor-made solutions requiring Sublimation and Powder on Powder products.

Furthermore, Europolveri ensures the development of specific colors and finishings in Qualicoat Class 2.

EUROPOLVERI S.p.A. - Sandrigo (VI) Italy - Ph. +39.0444.750643 - Fax +39.0444.750653 FILIALI/Branch Office: Cernusco sul Naviglio (MI) Ph.+39.02.92148001 - Erbusco (BS) Ph.+39.030.7704158 DEPOSITO/Depot: Iori Colori, Reggio Emilia Ph.+39.0522.327248

info@europolveri.it - www.europolveri.it

P O W D E R C O AT I N G S I N C E 1 9 8 2

© ipcm

The large pre-treatment tunnel.

Radiant plates entering the pre-treatment tunnel.

coating (such as welding the collectors), which require it.

and a final rinse with demineralised water.

The coating line has a production pitch of 2 minutes and 70 seconds,

“After pre-treatment, the parts continue to the drying oven and

with a cycle time of around 40 minutes and a production capacity

then to a natural cooling zone at room temperature. Afterwards,

of 36 m per rack. “During the coating cycle, the parts are handled

they reach the powder application booth for the automatic one-

automatically by the power&free overhead conveyor designed by

coat application of hybrid epoxy-polyester products, followed by a

Futura. Assisted by two synchronised hoists, the operators lift the

manual touch-up phase if necessary. Cross-linking takes place in the

radiant strips and hook them up to form a set, for a total coating

curing oven, where the workpieces remain for 20 minutes at 190 °C.

capacity of 6,000 mm in length, 3,200 mm in height, and 500 mm

From here, they continue through the natural cooling zone to the

in width,” indicates Vincenzo Denti. “After loading, the parts pass

unloading station, where they are automatically transferred from the

through the pre-treatment tunnel, where surface preparation takes

overhead conveyor to the unloading lowerator.”

place. The components are treated in a 5-stage cycle. It starts with

“We can apply the full range of RAL colours to our radiant strips,”

two hot degreasing stages to remove any residue from their surfaces,

adds Vincenzo Denti, “as they are fully customisable in terms of

followed by a cleaning operation with mains water to eliminate

finishing. Actually, 90% of our production is coated in two or three

any alkaline residues left by the degreasing stages and one with

tints. However, despite this, we asked Imel and Futura to set up a

demineralised water to reduce the amount of soluble salts remaining.

system and conveyor to accommodate a second coating booth in

The workpieces are then subjected to nanotechnology conversion

future, which will enable us to apply two colours at the same time

2

44

N. 70 - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

© ipcm

© ipcm

After passing through the drying oven and the cooling area, the parts move on to the powder application booth.

and increase our production capacity, in anticipation of increased

without any encumbrance. In addition, Imel’s synchronised hoists

demand for our innovative radiant heating strips. After coating,

mounted directly on the lowerators further assist the operators in

the large radiant panels are packed and shipped directly from

loading and unloading the radiant strips. This combination produces

Sabiana 1, without passing through the warehouse. They are mostly

an easy and ergonomic loading and unloading movement for the

manufactured to order, so we cannot build up a stock.”

operators, who can carry out their job in total safety. For the rest,

Mechatronics, automation, digitalisation: a cutting edge coating plant

it is a traditional power&free conveyor, with numerous storage buffers along the way and with one branch already prepared to accommodate a second coating booth in future.”

“The overhead conveyor we designed for Sabiana’s plant has a

“Like all the plants built by Imel, the pre-treatment tunnel and ovens

maximum capacity of 500 kg + rack and a line speed of 2.5 m/min.,”

manufactured for Sabiana’s plant are made of steel and then covered

explains Stefano Gerletti, sales manager at Futura Convogliatori

with sandwich panels to guarantee exceptional thermal and, above

Aerei (Robecco Pavese, Pavia, Italy). “The most interesting, as well

all, acoustic insulation,” says Carlo Salvadori, founding member of

as impressive aspect of this conveyor is the technology applied to

Imel. “The plant has a step-by-step movement and it features a curing

its special parallel lowerators with a pantograph movement (QR

oven with a staged feeding process. The most special feature of

code https://we.tl/t-f19wo87jlB) that give complete mobility to the

this system is its interconnection with the line’s logistics. A terminal

operators, who are free to move around the workpiece-holding rack

equipped with a barcode reader registers the racks entering the

international PAINT&COATING magazine - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - N. 70

45

© ipcm

The powder centre provided by Gema Europe.

coating plant and all the components associated with them. The data

“We supplied Sabiana with a complete booth from our MagicCylinder

is saved on Sabiana’s server, which creates a record in the “Oven”

EquiFlow series,” states Mario Ferro, the Managing Director of Gema

table of the SQL Database containing information on everything that

Europe Srl. “This is equipped as follows:

has been hung onto each registered rack, including the loading date

• OptiCenter OC03 powder management unit with OptiSpray AP01.1

and time. The lmel PLC and Sabiana’s server exchange information

pumps featuring the SIT Smart Inline Technology (dense phase)

by writing and reading data in a SQL table that is visible to both

• OptiFlex AS06 automatic application unit with 21 OptiGun GA03-PA

systems. The information contained in the SQL table “Oven” and

guns (20 on reciprocators + 1 manual gun)

recorded during loading is written on the PLC: in this way, the Visual

• MagicControl 4.0 master control module for managing the booth

Management system can display the batches currently being coated

and application system

plus other useful information on the monitor.

• Reciprocators with a horizontal handling system controlled by

“The tracking system maintains the information associated with each

photocell bars for automatic workpiece recognition

rack during the whole treatment cycle, while enriching it with further

• 3D Laser system.

process data. After coating, in the same table, the Imel PLC adds (by

“The latter is one of Gema’s flagships as it allows the guns to deliver

means of software installed on the Sabiana server) all production

the maximum powder amount only when a workpiece is in front

and quality data to the rack’s record, so that Sabiana’s company

of them. Combined with the dense phase feeding technology, the

system can easily read them. This production master data is enriched

3D Laser system provides our customers with maximum coating

with process data from the line PLC and saved on the i4paintshop

efficiency and consistent optimisation of their powder coating

platform.

consumption.”

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FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

FIT FOR WORKERS WHERE DOES IT WORK? WHERE YOU DO.

© ipcm

Powder coating application with dense phase technology.

“Because of the geometrically complex shape of our products, we had several powder penetration issues especially at the deepdrawing bends. Here, a Faraday cage was created that prevented the application of consistent thicknesses and uniform finishes,” confirms Vincenzo Denti. “With our new guns and the dense phase powder management unit, we are now able to achieve perfect coverage by applying a constant average thickness of 80 microns over the whole surfaces of parts.”

i4paintshop: Imel’s management system 4.0 The management system 4.0 installed on Sabiana’s plant is made up of a series of digital modules that not only guarantee complete traceability of parts and the processing of consumption data, but also act as a “brain” capable of guiding the operators in the management and maintenance of the plant, foreseeing even the smallest intervention and preventing almost all possible accidents.

• i4environment: extraction and processing of global consumption data for gas, water, electricity, and compressed air

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• i4production: extraction and processing of production time data (detailed history of the plant’s times: start-up, production, machine stops, end of cycle, etc.), traceability of batches and their actual process data (for each individual rack associated with them), and alarm list related to all the treated racks • i4efficiency: OEE measurement, including all its elements (availability, quality, and performance), as follows: - productivity (loaded/unloaded parts, rejected parts) - plant availability - alarm list for every production day • i4maintenance: self-learning, smart calendar for managing preventive maintenance based on the operating hours of the plant components, extraction of routine maintenance schedules on a daily/ weekly/monthly basis • i4smartdoc: digital management of plant documentation, i.e. it gives access to every component’s documentation via a QR code © ipcm

located on the parts themselves using a browser or smartphone app

The curing oven.

• i4service: direct access system to the Service-Imel structure, organised in reservation order according to various priority levels and enabling the customers to check in real time their requests’ status and their assigned managers.

• i4visual: for visual management in the loading/unloading stations connected to the factory planning system.

© Sabiana

The unloading station with a lowerator.

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N. 70 - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

New 2021 The new frontier for the mass painting

Luca Floreanini designer

The perfect solution For painting and/or coating automatically and quickly small parts (metals and not) in batch, for example: buttons, bolts, screws, springs, O-rings and much more.

The new process An automatic control of air and paint flow allows you to obtain a perfect wettability of the pieces in any cycle phase.

New temperature control Reliable, accurate, economic.

The Data Management The new control SW stores all process data, for a precise consumption and production costs control, and supports you proposing a plan of preventive maintenance operations.

4.0 Rotover MES Easy and interactive production planning system for one or more machines.

A data-base of working cycles accessible from every machine and easy to be updated: 4.0 interconnection.

Multifunctionality Interchangeable drums of various shapes, sizes and geometries, designed for different possible types of items and for different materials.

Customer Service Send a test batch and Imel will prepare for you the optimized cycle for your production.

All machines are connected to Imel Service Center for a real time support On the side of the operator Easy and immediate control software.

New design Ergonomic, user friendly with no exposed cables and pipes.

Find out more, Scan the QR code to add the contact of our product manager to your device.

IMEL SpA – Via Divisione Julia 10 – 33033 Codroipo, UD – Italy – T +39 0432 908578 – info@imelspa.com – www.imelspa.com

SUCCESS STORIES

Unique Façade Design with Brush Finish Powder Coating The cantonal pharmacy in Aarau (Switzerland) is setting new standards of design with its unique brush-finish façade. A great deal of expertise has gone into creating this new powder coating, which is the only one of its kind in the industry.

F

or the redesign of the Aarau cantonal

philosophy was also applied to the façade

over to the development laboratory at KARL

pharmacy in Switzerland, the

design of the pharmacy in Aarau.

BUBENHOFER AG. Although the specialists

architectural firm Steiger Concept AG in

When the architects from Steiger Concept

here have extensive experience of meeting

Zurich developed a monolithic metal façade

approached KARL BUBENHOFER AG with

special requirements and have acquired a

with “plaster and broom finish”.

the request to create a powder coating with

reputation for making everything possible,

This is a method that has never before

a brush finish, even the experienced project

they were at first disconcerted by this

been considered, let alone implemented,

key account manager Mario Füglistaler was

request. But their curiosity and the unique

in architecture. The architects at

surprised. The only information was an

nature of the task inspired them to take on

Steiger Concept AG see themselves as a digital

idea painted on a piece of card with a few

the challenge. The word “can’t” is not in the

workshop and are always on the lookout

basic details of the required gloss level and

vocabulary of the powder coating company

for new ways to design architecture. This

intended visual effects. The task was passed

from Gossau.

The new powder coated façade of the cantonal pharmacy in Aarau with brush-finish.

Manual and customised work is in demand.

Below, a distinctive structure of the broom finish in powder form. © Steiger Concept AG

© Traub AG

© Traub AG

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SUCCESS STORIES

????????? ???????

© Steiger Concept AG

A detail of the monolithic metal façade.

Achieving miracles in the lab

the cantonal pharmacy in Aarau, these take

their idea were a complete success. “Not only

In the lab and the newly installed test facility,

the form of a folded structure. This has a

the colours but also the objects were mixed.

the specialist team spent a long-time mixing,

metal attachment which fits over the fold. As

This is just what we wanted to convey with the

trying out, discarding and recreating powder

a result, the metal façade has a monolithic

façade of the cantonal pharmacy. Our idea of

coatings, until they finally transformed the

concrete-like effect, which is broken up by the

a powder coated façade with a brush finish

unusual request into reality. They had created

metallic surface and the render finish of the

certainly pushed the production technology

the first metallic powder coating with a brush

powder coating.

to its limits, but thanks to KARL BUBENHOFER

finish. They produced A4-sized samples for

Five layers of coating with a textured surface

AG we have a textured powder coating that

the architects, followed by a 1 x 1 metre panel

were applied to the façade elements to

really stands out from the run-of-the-mill,

which was coated in the test facility. Even

produce the delicate brush finish. This gives

large-scale industrial solutions. The result is

at this early stage, the team came up with

each element its own unique character.

exactly as we imagined it.”

useful processing guidelines and tips for the

The result is a coating which meets all the

The courage to venture into unknown

powder coaters to enable them to reproduce

requirements of external façade use. It is

territory, try out new approaches and achieve

the innovative brush finish on a large number

lightfast and weather-resistant, in just the

what seems at first to be impossible has

of components. Only two months after the

same way as “normal” façade coatings, but has

proved to be rewarding for everyone involved.

original request, the powder coating with the

an unusual and appealing design and form.

The façade of the cantonal pharmacy in Aarau

unique brush finish was ready for large-scale use.

Render breaks up the monolithic effect Metal façades have joints and, in the case of

has secured the building a special place in

The courage to innovate is rewarded with success

Swiss architectural history.

As the architects from Steiger Concept

For further information:

explained, the cooperation with KARL

www.kabe-farben.ch and

BUBENHOFER AG and the implementation of

www.steigerconcept.ch

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© ipcm

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

Zimetal: A More Complete and Diversified Service Thanks to the Synergy Between Hot-Dip Galvanising and Powder Coating Monica Fumagalli ipcm®

Hot-dip galvanising or coating? Until recently, these two processes seemed irreconcilable within one production environment. Established in 1992 and since then considered one of the most important hot-dip galvanising companies in Italy, Zimetal decided instead to prove that, if well integrated into the production flow, they can actually be combined to deliver higher performance in terms of corrosion resistance and aesthetic quality.

“O

ur strength,” states Ugo Bottanelli, the owner of Zimetal (Solero, Alessandria, Italy), “has always been our ability to quickly understand the technological developments

in the market and adapt our equipment and systems to anticipate the demands of our customers, which mainly operate in the building and architecture, transport, urban equipment, energy, agriculture, animal husbandry, and environment sectors. Such diversification has enabled us to achieve a leading position, to which the uncommon size of our galvanising plant has undoubtedly contributed by guaranteeing significant production capacity and meeting all of the increasingly demanding requirements of our customers.

“In order to respond to these ongoing market developments, it had been our intention for some time to combine galvanising with a coating process. Actually, these have always been considered two synergistic and complementary processes, but they are rarely carried out in the same production environment. This is obviously because they perform two very different surface treatments, which require specific skills and equipment. However, we have always been convinced that offering both processes to our customers would not only give us a competitive

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FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

advantage, but also ensure greater control over our operations and, consequently, faster delivery and improved results. It should also be emphasised that a factory structured in this way guarantees greater penetration into the most varied markets and sectors: that was another objective achieved by Zimetal with this investment.”

In order to realise this project, in the first place, Zimetal had to overcome several difficulties related to planning permission for the construction of a new building. “We did not want to move our headquarters, because it is strategically located with respect to the transport connections of Northwest Italy,” says Bottanelli.

“It is in fact at the centre of the “industrial triangle”

© ipcm

formed by Milan, Turin, and Genoa, in a position that is easily accessible from the motorways that connect these three cities with the rest of Italy and Europe. Here, we have a large area of 190,000 m2 at our disposal, where we chose to also locate our new coating division. We wanted it to have the same size and production capacity as our galvanising plant (11,000 m2) and to be located a short distance from the latter. We imagined that a large portion of production would be dedicated to coating galvanised steel, as well as other materials such as iron and aluminium.

“Some of the most important players in the Italian coating sector worked with us: Silvi Srl (Lesmo, Monza e Brianza) for the system, then integrated with a booth designed and installed by Siver Srl (Taverne di Corciano, Perugia) and completed with the dense

© ipcm

phase powders application technology of Nordson, Futura Convogliatori Aerei Srl (Robecco Pavese, Pavia) for the power&free conveyor, Cogeim Europe Srl (Casorezzo, Milan) for the shot blasting machine, and Italplant Srl (Chiari, Brescia) for the water treatment system. Thanks to them, Zimetal was able to install an advanced coating line designed according to Industry 4.0 parameters, capable of handling 24 tonnes of steel per hour.”

From top to bottom: A bird’s eye view of the coating department, the loading station’s lowerator, and the tunnel shot blaster installed by Cogeim Europe.

In the previous page: One of the large-sized structures that are powder coated by Zimetal.

© ipcm

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53

© ipcm

The outside of the pre-treatment tunnel installed by Silvi.

Reducing environmental impact

to the health crisis. However, it was this last unexpected event that

The aim of the project was not only to finally provide a comprehensive

enabled us to calmly complete the construction of the new coating

service to Zimetal’s customers: one of its main drivers was the will to

plant and take the time to analyse it in detail, including the possible

make the two processes more environmentally friendly. “The issue of

reaction of customers to this important innovation – which would have

sustainable manufacturing has been a priority for us for a long time,”

allowed us to insource such an important production phase, instead of

notes Bottanelli. “However, being a sustainable company sometimes

keeping on outsourcing it with the consequent delivery management

means making compromises in terms of performance. Actually, in this

problems that one can easily imagine.”

case, we were able to design two zero liquid discharge processes while treated surfaces. In 2008, we became the first company in Europe to

Hot-dip galvanising: Zimetal’s long-standing core business

carry out hot-dip galvanising operations with the HAL-GA® technology

Each raw material delivered to the plant is identified, controlled, and

for the control of reactive steels and without the use of lead and

traced from the reception phase throughout the entire processing

maintaining the guarantee of adequate corrosion resistance of the

nickel, now integrated with the ZinCare green galvanising system. We

cycle, up to testing and delivery. “We only use certified raw materials,

wanted our coating plant to reflect the same low environmental impact

high-tech alloys and zinc of Special High Grade (SHG) 99.995%,”

commitment. All waste water is transferred to a closed-circuit ZLD

indicates Bottanelli. “The parts to be galvanised are hooked onto the

evaporation plant that regenerates and recovers the liquid, which is

loading frames and then sent to the various process steps. These

then returned to the treatment cycle.

are largely automated and assisted by a central management system

“The result is one of our main sources of pride and one of the reasons

that guarantees high flexibility and greater punctuality in responding

why we are pleased with our investment in this project, which we

to the needs of an increasingly demanding market, in terms of both

completed at a time when everything seemed to be working against

quality and service. All production phases are constantly monitored

us: it was a time of market contraction, followed by the lockdown due

and recorded by the management system and every variable in the

®

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FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

© ipcm

Parts entering the pre-treatment tunnel.

production cycle is controlled, also through internal and external laboratory analyses.”

Zimetal has a modern galvanising plant that, thanks to its large surface area, can treat components of a considerable size. “The pre-treatment process prior to galvanising is carried out in a segmented tunnel with a fully automatic management system, also recording the parameters applied in the various stages of degreasing, pickling, cleaning, flushing, and pre-heating, which occurs with an automated device for heat build-up up to 110 °C and heat recovery from the galvanising plant’s oven. Galvanising takes place in a tank measuring 14 x 1.8 x 3.3 m, followed by 7 stations for air cooling and 1 tank for water cooling, 1 station for applying the passivating solution, and 5 drying stations with automatic heat build-up at room temperature.” The galvanised materials are finally unloaded and then tested, finished, and packed if the order only includes galvanisation, or taken to our coating department.

Total control of the new coating line This is how Ugo Bottanelli describes the installed coating plant, one of the largest in Italy: “Our new coating line covers an area

© ipcm

The inside of the pre-treatment tunnel.

© ipcm

The power&free conveyor by Futura has a maximum capacity of 3 t per rack.

of 11,000 m2 and it is capable of treating substrates of different

feeding and ZLD waste water treatment, is subject to precise controls

materials, such as iron, zinc, stainless steel, and aluminium. We have

in order to achieve the best possible results.”

selected the best technologies to guarantee the highest quality standards, reduced processing times, and the possibility of monitoring

The search for the perfect pre-treatment process

and recording each step to ensure that the parameters of the pre-set

The integrated shot blasting machine designed and installed by

processing cycles are always respected.” The aim was to achieve high

Cogeim is a rarity in the industry. Fed with slightly angular metal grits,

productivity in all conditions and with all materials. “This is why we first

it is equipped with 16 opposing turbines that allow the treatment of

identified the ideal speed of the power&free conveyor and we then

parts up to the SA 2.5 grade at a speed of 2 m/min while guaranteeing

set the parameters for the other systems based on this. The conveyor

perfect coverage of all types of components, even those with large

installed by Futura Convogliatori Aerei is one of the devices that

dimensions, up to 16 m in length. “On the other hand, the chemical

propel Zimetal into the future.”

treatment,” explains Daniele Fumagalli, the owner of Silvi Srl, which

This moves the parts along the sandblasting and coating lines,

designed and installed the new coating system, “is carried out by

which cover a total of 2 km. “It is equipped with 50 racks, each with

means of spray nozzles in a tunnel made of 304 steel and thermally

a capacity of 3 tonnes and capable of transporting workpieces up to

insulated, equipped with tanks containing around 700 m3 of chemical

10 x 1.2 x 2.5 metres. It is the element that, through a sophisticated

solutions specially designed to clean and prepare all surfaces

management system 4.0, keeps all parts of the plant connected

perfectly. The treatment cycle comprises 12 stages, ending with the

to the company’s central management system, thus enabling it to

final nanotechnology conversion of the metal substrate.”

track and monitor all processing steps, from material preparation,

The water heating system in the pre-treatment tunnel consists of two

automatic in-line low or high-pressure sandblasting, and 12-stage

main heat exchangers and an extra one, used as a replacement in

chemical treatment to drying, dense phase powder application,

the event of maintenance. The heat exchanger’s cleaning operation

curing, packaging, and logistical sorting. Every phase, including powder

to remove any scale is activated automatically via the control PLC, so

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N. 70 - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

FASTRIP AP The complete solution for the offline paint stripping of aluminium profiles.

Fastrip AP is a compact offline system for the paint stripping of aluminium profiles up to 250 Kg and 8 metres long, in an indicative time of 3 hours, depending on the type and the thickness of the paint. It solves the problem of the non-conformities of aluminium profiles with coating defects, restoring badly painted profiles efficiently, cost-effectively, quickly, and without logistics. Our alkaline paint stripper Metalstrip 1333/1, which completes Fastrip AP, ensures effectiveness, long-lasting of the stripping bath and a low environmental impact. The system can also be combined with our filtration system Fastrip FP.

BEFORE

AFTER

Fastrip AP is available to be seen and tested at our headquarters

www.alit-tech.com

STURDY

COMPACT

TIME-SAVING

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

4.0

there is no need for an operator to be present.

After chemical treatment, the parts are fed into a 700 m3 drying oven that recirculates huge volumes of air heated at approximately 160 °C. Fumagalli adds: “Like the powder curing oven located near it, the drying oven feature two heating technologies: air stream and indirect flame. This allows reaching the required temperature in the shortest possible time (about 10 min) with considerable energy savings.”

Coating excellence Coating is carried out in a Silver Booth installed by Siver and equipped with automatic powder recovery and quick colour change systems. “Our Silver Booth © ipcm

for the dense phase application of thermosetting powders,” states Siver CEO Luca Tomassoni, “is equipped with an automatic rack pre-reading system and it features 12 Nordson Encore HD automatic guns and 3 manual guns for pre- and post-retouching.

The special feature of this booth is its Dual automatic system including 2 containers, which guarantees rapid colour change operations with very limited downtime by reducing waiting time for gun cleaning. This guarantees higher performance without line stops.

Another special technical feature is the presence of 2 paint lifts in the post-retouching station, which enable the operator to move from the bottom to the top and vice versa to retouch larger workpieces.”

After passing through the pre-chamber for powder

© ipcm

gelling at 80 °C, the parts enter the 1500-m3 curing oven at 190 °C, fed by air vein and indirect flame burners. “As with the drying oven after pre-treatment,” explains Daniele Fumagalli from Silvi Srl, “this dual technology reduces the time needed to reach the right temperature and, at the same time, it cuts energy consumption. The air vein technology is only used during the start-up phase of the oven, while indirect flame burners are activated during curing.”

© ipcm

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From top to bottom: Some components enter the powder coating booth, the Silver Booth with its pre-retouching station, and the Nordson’s HDLV® pump management system for dense phase powder application.

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

“This alternating system is fundamental to our production,” confirms Bottanelli. “Not only does it save a lot of time and money but, in terms of performance, it avoids any colour changes, even with thicknesses up to 50 mm that must remain in the oven for up to one and a half hours.” The workpieces leaving the oven enter directly into a cooling booth equipped with hot air extractors and a forced fresh air supply unit. Finally, they are unloaded for final testing and verification, before packaging and shipping.

Soon, the system will be improved even further. Bottanelli says: “Finally, together with Futura’s technical staff, we have designed the integration of a conveyor loop that will take the workpieces to a new semi-automatic plant for coating parts up to 15 m long, compared with the current 10 m.”

Zimetal’s custom systems “A further advantage of in-house management of the galvanising and coating processes is the possibility of designing and developing specific treatment cycles for each product we handle. For instance, © ipcm

for outdoor iron structures and parts, Zimetal has developed the VERNIX® system, consisting of 5 phases: hot-dip galvanisation of

The post-retouching phase after automatic powder application.

LEADER IN CHEMICALS

for Wastewater treatment & ZLD Plants

MST CHEMICALS develops a wide range of chemical products and solutions for Waste Water Treatment & Zero Liquid Discharge (Z.L.D.) for METAL FINISHING LINES!

© ipcm

© ipcm

The unloading station’s lowerator.

From left to right: Alessia Venturi from ipcm®, Alessandro Nicolis from Cogeim, Gabriele Brambilla and Luca Tomassoni from Siver, Margherita Rubiolo and Ugo Bottanelli from Zimetal, and Daniele Fumagalli from Silvi.

the substrate with the ZinCare® system and HAL-GA® technology,

divisions, the extreme attention paid to both processes, and, last

fine sandblasting, 12-stage chemical treatment, nanoceramic

but not least, our collaboration with important companies in the

conversion, which completes the chemical treatment of the materials

industrial coating sector,” concludes Bottanelli, “we are now able to

by improving paint adhesion and resistance through the use of

meet our target delivery times of one week even for large batches,

nanotechnology, and coating with Qualicoat approved powders.

to respect the environment and the health of our employees, and to

The integration of a shot blasting plant into the coating line further

achieve the quality and corrosion resistance results required by our

increases the performance of our entire anti-corrosion system by

customers. One of our historic claims defined hot-dip galvanising as

adding to the production line a fifth element aimed at providing a

a bridge to the future, as it is indispensable for creating structures

higher level of protection than conventional powder coating systems.

of various kinds, such as the most futuristic architectural buildings.

This results in the ideal technical combination of the various process

Now, Zimetal’s bridge to the future also includes the powder coating

steps, leading to coatings with superior properties.”

of products made of different materials, with no limit to their size

Zimetal’s bridge to the future “Thanks to perfect coordination between our galvanising and coating

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N. 70 - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

and always with an eye on innovations in the sector: without this, we would never have become a benchmark in the field of innovative and environmentally friendly galvanising and coating.”

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© Omet

An Omet label and packaging printing machine.

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

Toran 3 One-Stage Pre-Treatment and Powder Coating: The Combination Chosen by Omet to Protect Label and Packaging Printing Machines Against Inks and Solvents Gabriele Lazzari ipcm®

Printing labels and packaging is an essential activity for many markets. However, it inevitably causes damage to the coating of the machines used, due to constant exposure to aggressive inks or unsuitable cleaning products.

Omet was able to overcome this problem by using a one-stage cold pre-treatment product and coating its machines with epoxy powders to give them high resistance to inks and solvents.

T

he design and material innovations that have characterised

consumers1. The food, beverage, wine, and pharmaceutical industries

the last few years are also spreading in the label and packaging

in particular require the printing of large volumes of labels and they

market, especially in emerging economies. There is an increase

need machines that perform well even with the large quantities of ink

in the use of chromatic and tactile effects provided by special

and chemicals that are used in the printing processes.

paints, which improve the emotional impact that labels have on end Labels & Labeling, https://www.labelsandlabeling.com/news/industry-updates/ label-and-package-printing-industry-predictions-2020

1

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FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

Omet (Lecco, Italy), a company designing and manufacturing various

They both provide services – cars enable people to get around, our

types of industrial machines, has a business unit entirely devoted

machines enable labels to be printed – but, for both, it is also their

to label printing systems. In order to protect their mechanisms and

visual impact that determines their value. Production departments

maintain their aesthetics for a long time – a factor that is increasingly

are becoming more and more well-kept, clean, bright, and functional

taken into account by companies – it is currently using a powder

environments,” notes Omet production manager, Luca Gattinoni.

coating plant provided by Eurotherm (Volpiano, Turin, Italy) combined Chemtec (Corbetta, Milan, Italy). This employs polymers and special

From beginnings in a garage to a family-owned multinational company

additives dissolved in a mixture of high-boiling organic fluids to

Omet was founded in 1963 by Angelo Bartesaghi, a draughtsman

enable the surface cleaning of workpieces to be carried out quickly

from Lecco who had decided to pursue an entrepreneurial career

and without waste treatment and disposal operations. Whereas it

so that he could develop his own projects independently. Initially,

used liquid coatings in the past, it has recently switched to powder

Bartesaghi was involved in designing special prototypes on request in

coating to give its printing machines’ finishes improved aesthetic

the company’s first location, his own garage. One of the first projects

characteristics, e.g. textured surfaces, which are difficult to obtain

developed was a machine for making paper napkins, a product that

with liquid paints. In fact, the buyers of its label printing presses

was little used at the time but that allowed Omet to expand by mass

are graphic designers and professionals who consider aesthetics

producing this type of system. “Another key project in Omet’s history

paramount. “At Omet, we always compare our machines to cars.

was the production of a label printing machine, which allowed us to

with the one-stage cold pre-treatment product Toran 3, supplied by

© ipcm

Components inside the semi-automatic cleaning station designed by Eurotherm.

international PAINT&COATING magazine - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - N. 70

63

© ipcm

Parts with areas masked by tapes and caps provided by Euromask.

develop further, open new plants, and achieve continuous growth in

managing director, while his son-in-law Marco Calcagni is responsible

terms of both turnover and number of employees,” says Gattinoni.

for implementing marketing strategies and managing the sales

“Moreover, Omet has always had an international focus: as early

network,” indicates Gattinoni.

as the 1960s, we participated in international trade fairs and, over the years, we have increased exports and opened new sales and

Omet’s core business

production branches abroad. Foreign markets now account for

Among Omet’s various activities, its Italian business units focus on the

around 80% of Omet’s turnover.”

design and manufacture of label and packaging printing machines

The Omet group includes some operational headquarters abroad:

and paper napkin machines. “Most of our systems are modular

Chicago (USA), Suzhou (China, 200 km south of Shanghai), New Delhi

and customised according to specific customer requirements. It is

(India), and the sales office in Barcelona (Spain). In addition to the

such diversification, besides the quality of our products, that has

Packaging Printing Machines and the Tissue Converting Machines

enabled us to be successful in the market,” states Gattinoni. Some

business units, Omet has a third division, managed by Omet Systems

machine components are produced by contractors, but others (the

in Motion, that deals with the production of ball bearings, handling

most strategic ones) for confidentiality reasons are made in Omet’s

systems, and components for industrial applications. Another

machining departments, which also handle the assembly and testing

business unit is O-Pac, producing wet wipes both for third parties

phases. In recent years, these printing systems have changed from

and under its own brand name. Omet currently has a global partner

mechanical to mechatronic plants and now Omet also takes care

network, around 400 employees, and a turnover of over 100 million

of the wiring of their electronic elements and the automation.

Euros, but it maintains the structure of an SME. “We are now a small

“Nowadays, automation and digitalisation are a very important

multinational company, but also still a family business. Ten years

element of our brand: we have a technical department specialising

ago, when Bartesaghi passed away, his son Antonio took over as the

in software development. Omet has always invested in research

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FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

© ipcm

Custom-built painting installations Macchine e impianti realizzati su misura

Shot blasting booths Cabine di sabbiatura

Washing tunnels Tunnel di lavaggio

Liquid painting installations

Impianti di verniciatura a liquido

Powder painting booths

Cabine di verniciatura a polvere

and innovation: we have a department constantly work on new projects (both mechanical and electronic), which can also be made available to customers to jointly develop parts of certain machines and software, as well as the development of new machines with

Curing ovens

Forni di cottura

increasingly high performance.”

Aesthetics and performance: the importance of using Toran 3 and suitable paints Once in operation, Omet’s printing machines can be soiled by various types of pollutants, especially inks. Some customers may not clean them thoroughly or use products that are aggressive or unsuitable for the plant’s structure. “UV inks are easier to remove, but water or solvent-based inks are more aggressive and they may

Eurotherm S.p.A. T +39 011 98 23 500 | M info@eurotherm.eu Eurotherm Oberflächentechnik GmbH T +49-7571-92795-10 | M contact@eurotherm.eu

create halos. If the coatings do not bind well to the substrate, some Eurotherm France S.A.S. T +33 (0) 4 90 55 20 75 | M france@eurotherm.eu

www.eurotherm.eu

Made with passion in Italy

The Gema gun for manual coating.

solvents and ethyl acetates can remove them.

It is therefore important to make our finishes resistant to cleaning agents and inks,” says Gattinoni.

Optimum surface pre-treatment of parts is therefore of the essence and Omet has chosen Chemtec as its partner for this processing step. It supplies the company with the one-stage, multi-metal product Toran 3, which is suitable for both iron and aluminium and does not require any changes in the concentration levels. The anhydrous process it creates degreases the surfaces and immediately protects them against oxidation, thus guaranteeing excellent performance of the finishing system. This is therefore a costeffective alternative to phosphodegreasing or phosphating followed by passivation. When the product dries for 8-10 minutes at 130140 °C, the polymers of which it is composed cross-link, thus covering the component with a very thin, continuous, three-dimensional conversion film that favours paint adhesion

© Omet

The manual coating of a component.

and increases the corrosion resistance of the coating system. The organic polymeric film obtained, with a thickness of about 1 micron, has the peculiar characteristic of absorbing the oily contaminants present on the workpiece, up to an overall limit of 1.5 g/ m² of treated metal surface. By absorbing oils and greases and trapping them in the three-dimensional structure of the polymers created on the metal, this does not generate waste, but it rather converts contaminants into an active part of the triggered process.

The product, which therefore never needs to be replaced, gives the system an almost unlimited service life. The only thing that needs to be done is to restore the level of the treatment bath by replenishing the tank with fresh product.

“We also assessed other partners for both the pre-treatment process and the plants, but this combination was the best solution for us: our Eurotherm equipment is particularly

© ipcm

The control panel of the coating plant.

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suited to the spray application of Chemtec’s self-cleaning, one-stage product. As Toran 3

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

consists of polymers and additives dissolved in a mixture of organic fluids, it does not need to be further dissolved in water, which also saves on disposal costs and makes us more eco-friendly,” explains Gattinoni. “We were looking for a flexible solution, which could be effective with all our products, but which was also environmentally friendly, so that we could avoid using solvents, producing sludge, or face disposal costs. Toran 3 ticked all the boxes. Being a one-stage product, it is convenient and easy to use, also in terms of maintenance and disposal: there is no need to clean the tunnel and there are no VOCs, which is also good for our operators’ health.” Finally, this pre-treatment product works at cold temperatures and it can be used as soon as

A printing machine inside Omet’s Molteno plant.

the plant is operating, thus saving energy and shortening process times.

© ipcm

Characteristics of the powder coating plant As mentioned, although some plant components are manufactured by external suppliers, others are produced in-house. As a result, Omet also needed to take care of their coating in-house. “Another reason for choosing to have our own paintshop is related to colours: our machines are normally painted in light grey or white shades and, by combining components from different suppliers, we were often encountering colour matching problems.” Omet uses Pulverit and AkzoNobel epoxy powder coatings in 14 shades (including 4 main colours in the grey range), in their smooth and

Innovation in Thru-Process Automotive Paint Monitoring Safe ATEX Certified Temperature Profiling

textured versions.

The company opted for a manual coating plant because its production is highly variable in terms of both part size and number

Intrinsically Safe

• 20 measurement channels • Paint & Powder coating • Includes Phoenix Factor cure index calculation

of batches. “We paint pre-assembled structures as well as large and small casings. However, we do not have such a continuity of batches and volumes to require an automatic production chain.”

After an analysis and assessment phase, Omet selected Eurotherm as the right plant engineering company for its needs, including the implementation of Industry 4.0 parameters and the interfacing of

New Optic Video Profiling System

the machine with its own management system. “At all times, the system provides information on the part being processed, including

During Production

its code number, its drawing, whether it is still in production, being

• Detect paint runs, drips

and defects • Spot transport problems • Identify oven damage

processed, or already being coated, and if so at what stage.”

Installed at the end of 2020 and commissioned this year, the Eurotherm modular system is equipped with racks that can support up to 2,000 kg each. The parts are taken manually to the

Phoenix Temperature Measurement

pre-treatment booth for the automatic spray cleaning operation,

Tel: +49 (0)5731 30028 0

info@phoenixtm.de

www.phoenixtm.com

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© ipcm

Front view of the processing booths. From left to right: the cleaning booth, the static oven, the powder application booth, and the booth for liquid painting and finishing of non-standard parts.

followed by dripping and blow-off phases. Then the workpieces are

coating plant was moved to the Lecco site, which currently houses

dried in the oven, which has a combustion chamber with a burner

the Tissue division.

and hot air insufflation.

This station actually acts as both the drying and curing oven, with

Know-how on show: the Innovation Park

the possibility of manually adjusting the temperatures according to

In over half a century of activity, Omet has completed more than

the colour and mass of the parts being treated. Most components

2,000 projects and it has consolidated its position in the medium-

undergo a meticulous masking process using caps and tapes

high end of the industrial machinery manufacturing market. In the

provided by Euromask (Lainate, Milan), in order to protect certain

first months of 2021, it has moved its printing machines business

surface areas during coating.

unit to the new Molteno (Lecco, Italy) hub – already including the R&D

In the next station, a quick-colour change, one-coat powder coating

department and the Innovation Park showroom, which will house

process is carried out using a Gema OptiSpray dense phase gun.

a number of Omet machines on permanent display. In conclusion,

“This was chosen after a number of trials, as it guarantees reduced

Gattinoni states: “Our know-how, quality and expertise, that is, the

powder consumption compared with traditional equipment.

ability to design full systems, are the real value of this company. The

The initial costs are higher, but the return on investment in a short

exhibition will enable us to show customers all our skills and the

time convinced us of its effectiveness,” states Gattinoni. The old liquid

results we have achieved over the years.”

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FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

The Advanced Air Treatment System of OMB’s New Paintshop Becomes a Competitive Advantage in the Refuse Collection Vehicles Market Monica Fumagalli ipcm®

In an increasingly competitive market such as that of vehicles for refuse collection, whose management generates a global turnover of almost 200 billion Euros, the complete automation of coating process management systems and in particular of the application stations’ suction and filtration units can provide a competitive advantage. Specialising in the production of waste collection containers and vehicles since 1961, OMB Technology Spa is convinced of this, so much so that it has collaborated with the Rimor Group (which includes the Tekimp company and the Camit brand) to create a brand new coating department 4.0.

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FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

A

ccording to the latest figures presented by the World Bank

from our everyday lives to the agendas of major world summits.

Group, the global organisation working to find sustainable

The separate waste collection sector, which has developed since

solutions to combat poverty in less developed countries, we

the 1990s, has seen an exponential increase in the number

produce around 2 billion tonnes of solid waste per year. Worldwide,

of companies dealing with the refuse collection and transport

the waste produced per person per day is approximately 0.74

processes, now increasingly advanced in terms of technology and

kilograms, ranging from a minimum of 0.11 to a maximum of 4.54

performance.”

kilograms.1. Waste management generated a turnover of around 200

For sixty years, OMB has been producing various types of stationary

billion Euros in 2020 and it is expected to reach around 255 billion

sheet metal containers for this sector, as well as waste collection

Euros by 20272.

vehicles with side, rear, and door-to-door loading systems, including

Starting from these figures, Francesco Garda, COO of OMB

the so-called satellite vehicles, rammers that collect the waste

Technology Spa (Rezzato, Brescia, Italy), a company specialising in

and dump it in the compactor before it is taken to the landfill site.

the production of containers and vehicles for urban waste collection

“Our company is well known in the industry for having designed

since 1961, describes this very dynamic and rapidly expanding

and built the first side-loading refuse collection system with a

market: “Ecology is becoming a more and more prominent topic

one-operator vehicle and a stationary container.” In 2014, the Brescia-based company was acquired by the Busi Group, a leading

1 2

https://datatopics.worldbank.org/what-a-waste/trends_in_solid_waste_management.html https://www.marketreportsworld.com/global-solid-waste-management-market-17765463

Italian manufacturer of products and systems for waste collection, compaction, and transport with distributors all over the world, from

© ipcm

© ipcm

An overview of the cabinets: in the foreground, the sandblasting one.

OMB Technology specialises in the production of refuse collection containers and vehicles.

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© ipcm

Inside the sandblasting cabinet: the area A.

© ipcm

The blow-off station prior to coating.

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EPISTOLIO EPISTOLIO

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

towards the future

South America to the United Arab Emirates and Singapore.

“Offering a complete package worldwide is the trump card of our Group, which is still relatively young but has great

SOLUZIONI ROBOTIZZATE DI ROBOTIC PAINTING SOLUTIONS VERNICIATURA

expectations for the future. We try to keep up with the times and offer technologically advanced products: all our equipment is interconnected and managed by a central computer system that records waste collection data, a function that is particularly appreciated abroad, but that is increasingly being requested in Italy as well. This is the result of the integration of Industry 4.0 parameters in the refuse management sector, which is now also being reflected in our own production processes.” The opportunity to update its equipment according to the most innovative parameters of the fourth industrial revolution came with the company’s move to new premises in Rezzato in 2020.

“As part of this project,” notes Garda, “we decided to revise our outdated paintshop3. We collaborated with Rimor Srl, now owner of the Camit brand and responsible for the management and coordination of Tekimp Srl, all specialising in industrial surface treatment systems, to create a healthier and safer working environment with high performance and low energy consumption levels, fully managed and controlled through advanced computer systems. Rimor supplied us with the sandblasting and coating equipment 4.0 that realised our vision.”

A complete package in the name of ecology As a part of the Busi Group, OMB has joined two other companies that have been operating for years in the refuse collection sector, working in synergy with them to design and market integrated products for private and public companies that deal with the collection and management of waste in two main ways: roadside collection and collection and recycling points. “Each company in the Group, which currently employs around 400 people and which achieved a turnover of more than 100 million Euros in 2020, specialises in the manufacturing of specific products,” indicates Erika Busi from the Busi Group, “so that we can offer our customers a complete range of solutions. In addition to OMB, the Group includes B.T.E. Spa (Paitone, Brescia), which has been producing roll-off compactors and containers and stationary presses since 1991 and which is dedicated to equipping the systems designed and manufactured by the whole Group (roll-off

Epistolio Srl.

containers, tippers, and loaders), and MEC Spa, established in 1966

Via Piemonte 120 21100 Varese (VA) ITALY Ph: +39 0332 212692 Fax: +39 0332 223666 info@epistolio.com www.epistolio.it

in Mondovì (Cuneo, Italy) and specialising in the construction of loaders, sliding and multi-bucket equipment, industrial trailers, and agricultural roll-off trailers.”

https://www.ipcm.it/en/open/ipcm/2010/5/30-36.aspx

Publierre_Milano

3

© ipcm

© ipcm

From left to right: The PLC controls the ventilation system inside the sandblasting cabinet. Thanks to the mobile platforms with foot control, operators can easily treat even the most difficult-to-reach points. The Recube air treatment system developed by Rimor.

“Initially, OMB was mainly devoted to the production of containers

optimise our throughput times, just as is done in the automotive

and vehicles for the collection of urban waste with one-operator

industry for car assembly.”

side-loading compactors,” adds Garda. “However, in order to offer

OMB constantly monitors each stage of the process – now in a more

an even wider range of products and align ourselves with the Busi

simplified way thanks to the IT tools integrated into the company’s

Group’s corporate policy, which aims at maintaining a complete

management system – to offer high quality, operationally reliable

solutions portfolio particularly for the relatively newly formed

products. “Finishing plays a decisive role here: the coating of our

market segment of door-to-door waste collection, we have created

vehicles must be perfect, uniform, and free of orange peel and other

a series of vehicles with rear-mounted compactors and rammers for

common defects, but it must also guarantee durability and prevent

collection in small towns.”

any form of oxidation due to contact with the most aggressive

The Busi Group’s new production vision

substances in the collected waste. The coatings applied to our vehicles must achieve salt spray resistance values of over 750 hours.

OMB’s entry into the Group has led to major changes in the

We follow standard specifications, but we can also meet special

management of its production processes. “Since joining the Busi

requests upon request.”

Group,” the company’s production manager continues, “we have

The manufacturing process starts with the receipt of semi-finished

introduced a lean production system aimed at the continuous

products, made of a carbon steel alloy and outdoor Hardox sheets,

improvement of manufacturing processes and, therefore,

which are loaded onto specially designed trolleys pulled by forklifts.

technologies and times. In particular, one of our bottlenecks was the

“We have designed this manual handling system because it gives us

assembly department, which used to be structured as a series of

the flexibility and speed we need, since we do not always handle the

isolated stations, compared with the current in-line workstations that

same type of products: volumes can range from 10 to 30 m3.”

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FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

© ipcm

The semi-finished parts then undergo manual cleaning, with a

a 200 metre long hall at our disposal and we decided to optimise

high-pressure cleaner and natural detergent to remove any oil

the sandblasting and coating equipment with a compartmentalised

residues and impurities, and then sandblasting, a process previously

structure. The manual sandblasting system, for example, is 23 metre

outsourced and then insourced after the move to the new plant.

long and it features two cabinets that allow two compactors to be

“We have carried out a study with Rimor to identify the best

sandblasted simultaneously with reduced energy consumption.”

filtration system that helps us guarantee the absence of surface

The ventilation system developed by Rimor is based on a vertical

contamination after sandblasting”, says Garda. “We obtain products

flow and downdraft suction concept.

with a roughness grade of 2.5 and, after sandblasting, we only carry

Avonto confirms: “This solution avoids the need to install

out a few operations to perfect the substrate, again borrowed from

intermediate doors to separate the operating chamber. It is

the automotive sector, such as grinding, blowing off, and filling. We

possible to sandblast in the two communicating work area at the

then proceed with coating using a two-coat water-based system

same times without any risk of mutual contamination, because

(primer + top coat) and finally sealing any cracks after curing.”

the vertical flow suction system filters the air in each of the two

Compartmentalised sandblasting and coating plants for maximum production capacity

confined sandblasting areas. The same principle was applied in the 15 metre long spray booth, which is divided into five zones, with reduced energy consumption. The ventilation of each individual

A year passed from the planning phase to the commissioning of the

zone is activated or deactivated by the central management

new paintshop. “One of the most critical aspects of the development

system according to the type of part to be painted – and such

of the two sandblasting and coating plants for OMB was space

flexibility guarantees maximum performance with minimum energy

availability,” says Rimor CEO, Alessandro Avonto. “This department

consumption. The application of fluid dynamic principles in the

treats both containers, which are the largest part of compactors,

oven also makes it possible to introduce the same quantity of

and accessories in different sizes, such as ejector systems. We had

air irrespective of the type of product introduced, thanks to the

international PAINT&COATING magazine - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - N. 70

75

presence of devices that multiply the air produced by the generator.

booth, as follows: “Many companies in a wide range of industries

This guarantees uniform drying over the entire surface of the

have already installed our patented technology. The system

workpiece.”

consists of a one-piece device with a vertical axis motor, in which

Air treatment: the core of OMB’s coating concept

anti-vibration joints, connections, pipes, and, consequently, any dispersion have been eliminated. The compact, fully soundproofed

“We had precise objectives in mind for this new coating concept,”

system offers much better powder insulation and an almost

Garda explains. “In addition to increasing production efficiency, we

unlimited service life. Recube has been conceived to guarantee

have focused on a system that ensures our operators can work

high energy savings by operating at low speeds, without bends in

comfortably and safely, with a low environmental impact and without

its pipes. The internal pressure gauge ensures that powders do not

the risk of affecting other production departments, such as the

escape from the booth and settle on the products in the assembly

assembly one next to the paintshop. We therefore took advantage

area of the hall where the two coating booths are located.”

of the expertise of Rimor’s technical staff in the aeraulic sector,

One of the most innovative aspects of Rimor’s systems is the

combined with Camit and Tekimp’s specialisation in the field of

presence of fluid dynamic simulators with which it is possible

surface treatments. Our winning choice was to rely completely on

to visualise and calculate the flows inside the working chamber

them to manage all the plant’s aeraulic devices, from compressors to

and verify that the operator receives the right amount of air

coating pumps.”

current. “We have also opted for booths with inclined planes to

Avonto describes the Recube air treatment system, developed by

guarantee uniformity and the correct direction of the air flow.” The

Rimor and chosen to regulate the air flows in OMB’s spray paint

plant’s lighting has also been carefully designed to create a more

© ipcm

© Rimor

The ceiling ventilation devices inside the curing oven.

76

The coating booth (left) and the curing oven.

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FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

comfortable working environment.

“We have created an innovative lighting system with natural light specifically designed for the coating department, and controlled by a PLC that can adjust the intensity of the light so that it is not too annoying or too low. This helps improve the work of the operator, whose eyes do not tire and are not tricked into seeing nonexistent shadows or surface halos. In addition, for better comfort, the system is equipped with foot-operated mobile platforms that enable the operator to move around safely and without

GLOBAL SOLUTIONS FOR WATER TREATMENT

interrupting their work.”

OMB’s innovative project “Rimor’s project convinced us because, in a non-traditional factory like ours, they were able to include all the plant technologies we needed to renovate our coating department in a sustainable, healthy way and with excellent quality results, by proving to be flexible and able to meet all our particular requirements.

In one year of operation, no intervention other than standard

with a complete service that includes system design manufacturing installation technical support chemicals 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

© ipcm

One of the filtration units installed at OMB.

Via E. Torricelli, 79 - Z.I. Fossatone 40059 MEDICINA (BO) Tel +39 051 856263 info@hydroitalia.com www.hydroitalia.com

maintenance has been required, thus reducing the system’s running costs to a bare minimum and decreasing the quantity of spare parts to be disposed. Last but not least, we have also improved our production capacity. Whereas a year ago we were producing one compactor with its accessories per day, now, also thanks to an ad hoc analysis of our handling system to optimise the material distribution on the racks, we are producing one compactor and two rammers per day, managing three different types of products – which we intend to enhance even © OMB Technology

further.”

Further automation of production processes is part of OMB’s plans for the future. “We have set up all our systems so that we will be able to automate them quickly, in the not too distant future. Industry 4.0 has brought a wave of innovation to our sector: our upgraded paintshop is the competitive advantage we were looking for, in this increasingly competitive and technologically advanced market.”

© OMB Technology

From top to bottom: - Some coated containers.

- The OMB waste collection vehicles exit the assembly department.

– From left to right: Francesco Garda and Erika Busi from OMB Technology together with Alessandro Avonto from Rimor.

© ipcm

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HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

Inspiration, Interaction, Information: Merck’s First Virtual Automotive Coatings Show Alessia Venturi ipcm®

Colour is an ever-changing element. Pigments create tints, which in turn deeply affect our feelings and moods. Merck, a leading partner for paints and coatings with special-effect pigments and functionals, is well aware of the role that colours play in many industries, especially the automotive one. This is why, in June, it brought together a jam-packed line-up of international speakers in its first virtual Automotive Coatings Show, which offered an in-depth insight into current and long-term colour trends.

W

hat happened in 2020 has forced each of us to rethink

and appointments with customers. There is no doubt that this

the traditional paradigms of our lives and work. Similarly,

has accelerated the digital transformation process by opening up

companies have been forced to invent new ways of

to virtual events, which have the great merit of allowing people to

meeting partners to compensate for the lack of in-person events

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N. 70 - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

connect and information on innovative products and technologies to

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

© Merck

be disseminated even at a distance. Unfortunately, although 2021 started with the best hopes for a return to normal business, there is now once again a question mark over trade fairs and exhibitions, which have not restarted yet, but have rather begun to be cancelled and postponed. These include the European Coatings Show, the major event that brings together the elite of the paint and coating raw materials sector – an unmissable occasion for the global industry, with exhibitors and visitors from six continents.

Due to the ongoing travel restrictions, it will not be possible to organise the ECS this year either.

In the absence of the ECS, which has always been the most important biennial event of the industry, Merck, a German multinational company made up of a vibrant team of global specialists in Healthcare, Life Science and Electronics, who share a love of science and a passion for technology, chose not to waste any more precious time. Therefore, it has embarked on the creation of its first virtual Automotive Coatings Show, the digital twin of the biannual event it has always organised to bring together all major OEMs and showcase the latest innovations and applications of special effects for the whole coatings world, winking to automotive market.

Spoiler alert: this was such a success that Merck chose to double the access period to the digital platform that hosted the live event!

Automotive Coatings Show 2021 “A virtual race through the innovations and applications of Merck’s pigments for the automotive sector,” so the organising company defined this two-part virtual event.

During the exhibition part, which lasted from 1 to 30 June, visitors were able to visit Merck’s five virtual stands – four devoted each to a family of pigments (Iriodin®, Xirallic®, Colorstream®, and specialties) plus an “About Us” institutional one – finding a wide range of information, brochures, videos, and multimedia content for each topic.

During the live part, held from 8 to 10 June, a total of 13 webinars were streamed, repeated twice each (in the morning and afternoon) to cover all time zones. After the welcome address by Dorothea Wenzel (Head of Surface Solution Division at Merck) and the speech of Dominik

The effects achievable with Merck’s new pigment Iriodin® Icy White Lightning and a typical scanning electron microscope image of Iriodin® 96107 SW Icy White Lightning.

Eisend (Senior Manger Creative Design at Merck) acting as the moderator, the three days focused on a number of macro topics presented by 22 prestigious speakers, global

international PAINT&COATING magazine - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - N. 70

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© Merck

experts from both Merck and many other companies. The presentations provided valuable insight into the latest colour trends and technical applications and the speakers shared their knowledge and predictions on trends from around the world, including those for electric vehicles, sustainable materials, and future mobility.

Their speeches dealt with three main themes: • Colour trends around the world, with presentations by six authoritative guests who illustrated the 2022/2023 global colour and surface trends in both the automotive and general industry sectors and explained how tint choices will evolve in the coming post-Covid years.

• Formulations, with essentially technical topics and the presentation of some Merck-branded tools made in the company’s laboratories. In particular, the white effects of the Iriodin® family and the Colorstream® effects, as well as the captivating Living Sparkle® effect from the Xirallic® dynamic pigment series and the Powder Inspiration one for powder coating applications were analysed through product presentations, comparisons, formulations, films, tips, and ideas. This part of the event was particularly useful for technicians in R&D labs, but also for creative people and designers.

• Analyses of the current car market and future prospects related to mobility and electrics, with an eye to the everpresent sustainability issue.

The new white and silver stylistic effects Pure, light but solid bluish-white colours, radiant iridescences with elegant and minimalist effects, sterling silver hues, and pure, charming whites completely free of imperfections are the white-range stylistic effects that are easily achievable with Merck’s new pigments from its Iriodin® family: Iriodin® Icy White Pristine, Iriodin® 103 NXT Rutile, and Iriodin® Icy White Lightning.

The effects achievable with Merck’s new pigment Xirallic® Sunbeam Gold and a typical scanning electron microscope image of Xirallic® T60-20 Sunbeam Gold.

Iriodin® Icy White Pristine is the solution for silky effects that reveal their subtle texture only at a second glance and under natural light.

This pigment enables to create unique white colour effects with a liquid consistency, which give an aura of discreet elegance to any surface. Its integrated SW surface treatment makes it suitable for any outdoor application: its excellent ageing performance guarantees a long-lasting pure white effect in all fields of application and projects.

This product is easy to disperse in both liquid and powder coatings, which makes it very flexible for several industrial applications.

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HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

Iriodin® 103 NXT Rutile is a pearly white pigment that creates a new

crystalline pigment reveals its shimmer.

generation of sterling silver effects, specifically developed for general

The Sunbeam Gold version features a spectrum of golden shades

industrial and architectural outdoor applications. Its innovative

ranging from vivid to warmer tones with a myriad of glitter; the

inherent stabilisation capacity provides it with long-term stability,

resulting gold colour has not an opulent metallic effect, but rather a

without the need for any additional organic surface treatment.

light and luminous one. Xirallic® thus illuminates all colour tones while

Iriodin Icy White Lightning is the right pigment to achieve a glossy

adding a subtle warm note especially to darker tints, giving them

yet elegant effect with excellent outdoor performance.

more depth. Xirallic® Sunbeam Gold has an impressive ability to flood

It is based on a synthetic mica substrate and its composition

different colour styles with light: just add sunlight, and the magic is

guarantees a neutral colour effect with a very slight bluish shade.

done.

®

It is therefore the ideal choice for cool white and blue three-coat effects. This product from the Iriodin® family also integrates the SW

Colorstream®: a journey through colours

surface treatment, which makes it perfect for outdoor applications.

As for the Colorstream® pigment family, the main news presented during the virtual Automotive Coatings Show concerned the

Lightness, brightness, and purity

availability of a second production and product innovation line with

During the three-day live event, Merck’s speakers also presented

automated quality control of these pigments at Merck’s Gernsheim

some important technical reports on the Xirallic Living Sparkle

site in Germany. This investment will help further strengthen the key

pigment family, well-known for its shimmering effect that is easy to

pillars of the company’s philosophy: constant innovation, top quality,

perceive but not to explain. Interestingly, the Xirallic effect is almost

and supply reliability.

invisible in diffuse light, whereas in sunlight it begins to glow and its

Colorstream® is the pigment that enables to create surprising and

®

®

Say goodbye to masking Overspray-free paint application with EcoPaintJet Revolutionary precision in automatic application brings efficiency to product customization.

Dürr’s solution EcoPaintJet applies sharpedged paint lines on surfaces, pushing the limits for efficient and resource-saving coating: No overspray, no more masking of your product. www.verind.it

© Merck

exclusive effects in all colours. It is a silica pigment covered with Merck’s well-known metal oxide technology. The silica flakes are produced using a carpet coating technology modified by Merck: this customised production process is the secret to achieve extraordinary interference colours and shade effects. Colorstream® can add striking effects to façade colours, for example, and it is a standard product for use in architectural colours.

The wide range of effects of the Colorstream® family are Lava Red, with colours ranging from red to orangey red; Viola Fantasy, from purple to silver and up to turquoise; Arctic Fire, with a colour travel from silver to silvery green and from silvery red to silvery yellowish green; Tropic Sunrise, with a shade effect from green to silver to orange; and Lapis Sunlight, with hues ranging from gold to silvery green and up to blue.

An excellent debut The event saw a substantial number of registrations, a sign of great interest. “The Automotive Coatings Show was a great opportunity to exchange information about the most relevant trends in our industry with our customers and partners, as well as a way to present Merck’ latest innovations and new solutions,” said Pilar Fresnillo, Head of Automotive Coatings Franchise Surface Solutions at Merck.

“Thanks to our in-depth knowledge, we were able to include all the important elements of the paints and coatings world, such as colours and surface effects, in this fully virtual event.

It was a milestone in the way we present ourselves to the outside world through digital marketing tools.”

The effects achievable with Merck’s new pigment Colorstream® Lava Red and a typical scanning electron microscope image of Colorstream® F20-51 SW Lava Red.

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Your lasting colours. 3/5

We care.

Paint strippers

dn-chemicals.com

BRAND-NEW

© HangOn

HangOn Launches Flexi-frame HangOn has launched Flexi-frame, a new space saving, divisible frame developed to increase line efficiency during coating operations.

H

angOn announced the release of Flexi-frame, a divisible frame

combination you want”. Although it is possible to make a customized

especially developed for use in the coating process. Its flexible

solution of the product, the divisible frame can be used with already

design and stable construction make Flexi-frame an

existing products.

easy-to-use solution, compatible with already existing hanging

The Flexi-frame is compatible with:

systems. Flexi-frame also helps tackle the problems connected

• H11B

to storage space, costs and flexibility, providing companies the

• H2B

opportnunity to save up to 75% in transport and storage costs.

• HQL

“With this new frame, hanging has never been easier”, says Jakob

• HCL levels

Törefors, in the board of HangOn. “Hanging can be easier in one way,

• HQS can be used directly in the top hanger

since we today have a number of welded frames in stock. It is easy to just buy them, and you do not even have to assemble anything. But

Flexi-frame at a glance:

the Flexi-frame is, if possible, even easier. It takes less space than a

• Space saving on delivery and on-site storage

standard frame, reducing the problems connected to storage during

• Lower transport costs

transport and on-site, and you do not have to decide in advance what

• Easy to handle with existing hanging systems

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BRAND-NEW

• Flexible and stable construction

© HangOn

• Self locking • Opportunity to make a customized solution • A profitable solution.

About HangOn HangOn is a European leader in the production and selling of masks, hooks, and frames for coating.

The entrepreneurial spirit of the Törefors family, which founded the company, dates back to the 16th century. At the beginning of the 19th century, they founded a steel wire company that expanded abroad in the 1930s. The manufacture of the first products for the coating industry started in the mid-1970s. In 1989, the generational shift accelerated the development of the firm, which further specialised in the coating field. New products were launched, new services introduced, and new markets discovered. And above all, a multitude of smart solutions for better and more efficient coating have seen the light of day.

For further information: www.hangon.com/en/

eosmarketing.it

AUT O MO TIV E

cataphoresis and 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

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

GSB International as a Digital Pioneer-Quality Assurance in Times of the Pandemic

© GSB

Edited by GSB International Düsseldorf, Germany1

info@gsb-international.de

First published in Besser lackieren 6/2021

1

A

Werner Mader, Managing Director, GSB International.

quality community lives from its network. This was the case

conferencing for this format. What is particularly appreciated here is

before Corona, this is the case during Corona and this will also

that in some cases very long business trips are no longer necessary.

be the case after Corona.

The member companies can thus actively prevent the shortage of

GSB International is active in the field of quality assurance for the

skilled workers without having to invest valuable time in traveling.

coating of aluminium and steel components. Its quality focus is on

Coincidentally, the publication of the new edition of GSB quality

exterior applications in the fields of architecture and industry.

regulations coincided with the start of the pandemic. These have

The special feature is that GSB monitors the complete supply chain,

been completely restructured in countless hours of work. Important

by assuring the quality of chromium and chromium-VI-free pre-

information can now be found significantly faster. This is ensured not

treatment chemicals, of powder coatings as well as liquid paints, and

least by the fact that the documents have been optimized for use on

of coating companies. At the beginning of the pandemic, the auditing

digital devices. As a result, it is always possible to call up the latest

of the coating companies was a big challenge. Normally, all coating

information directly in the production facility. Furthermore, glossaries

companies that carry one of GSB’s prestigious quality seals are audited

have been included, as they are known from textbooks. This makes it

twice a year, unannounced, by independent testing institutes. In

much easier for trainees and newcomers to get started.

times of Corona, it is of course difficult to carry out on-site inspections

To ensure that all those who work with the GSB quality regulations

while complying with all hygiene regulations. In addition, the member

on a daily basis can immediately familiarize themselves with the new

companies are spread all over Europe. Different regions naturally go

edition, the GSB offered online introductions. These were so popular

hand in hand with different hygiene rules and containment measures.

that it was able to offer additional sessions on several occasions. Over

In awareness of the ongoing pandemic, GSB drew up a concept as

the course of 2020, the association instructed a total of more than 125

quickly as possible. The most important factor in this was the safety

employees of the member companies in its new quality regulations – in

of the employees from the companies and the testing institutes. A

German and English, of course.

pilot test was launched immediately and an audit was conducted via

In order to further expand GSB’s digital leadership, the Board of

video conference. In this type of audit, employees at the sites show the

Directors, the Quality Committees, and the Head Office are working

auditors the relevant areas using a mobile device.

closely together. A collaboration that GSB reliably maintains via

In the meantime, online audits have become part of everyday life. This

video conferencing, even in times of restrictions. Cooperation with

form of testing was used at companies where on-site audits are not

simultaneous interpreters is particularly important at this point since

possible due to the pandemic. In this way, the outstanding quality of

many nationalities are represented in GSB’s team and, in this way,

GSB-compliant coatings can be secured despite the pandemic.

cooperation is possible without a language barrier. The meeting

In addition to testing, training is particularly important for GSB and its

participants select the language in which they want to hear the

members. Employees of the member companies must regularly attend

meeting via a button. But despite GSB’s advanced digital solutions,

GSB training courses. Within the framework of these training courses,

everyone is naturally looking forward to the time after the pandemic,

the GSB association’s team provides knowledge related to quality

when face-to-face meetings and trade shows will be possible again.

assurance in accordance with the quality regulations. In addition, highly

Meanwhile, the member companies are taking the opportunity to

up-to-date topics, such as technical innovations and legal changes,

present themselves and their projects on GSB’s social media pages

are regularly included in the curricula. GSB has also switched to video

and benefit from its big number of followers.

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a brand of The Sherwin-Williams Company

ECHELON HYPER DURABLE POWDER COATINGS Durability and weather resistance are non-negotiable when specifying powder coatings on your metal building products. From commercial to monumental applications, Syntha Pulvin® Echelon range is the best solution for architects to provide the strongest resistance to weathering, chemicals and solvents attacks.

ONE COAT SYSTEM REDUCED MAINTENANCE COSTS SUSTAINABLE SOLUTION Syntha Pulvin® Echelon collection is composed of Hyper durable architectural powder coatings that represent a cost-effective coating alternative for aluminum extrusions and panels.

Echelon is designed to meet AAMA 2605 standard requirements, 10 years Florida test.

Visit: synthapulvin.co.uk | oem.sherwin-williams.com Contact: gi.emeai.marketing@sherwin.com

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

IM GROUP Launches Unique Machine for Automated Application of Ring Latches to Liquid Paint Pail Lids From an interview with Antonio Riggio and Silvio Cimenti IM Group - San Gillio (Turin), Italy

Tecnopails, an IM GROUP brand specialising in the production of automated systems for packaging paint containers, has developed the world’s first automated system for coupling ring latches and lids.

i

pcm® has recently announced the rebranding of Inkmaker1,

IM GROUP’s latest innovation is the result of the know-how of one

which has officially become IM GROUP, an international industrial

of these six brands, Tecnopails. Acquired by the group in December

group of six brands specialising in solutions for the paint and ink

2019 and specialising in the design and manufacture of automated

production chain.

equipment for dosing, sealing, and labelling paint pails and containers, Tecnopails has developed a unique machine capable of automatically

1

https://www.ipcm.it/en/open/ipcm/2021/69/42-46.aspx

applying rigs latches to the lids used to seal paint pails.

© IM GROUP | Photography Riccardo Cordera

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© IM GROUP | Photography Riccardo Cordera

© IM GROUP | Photography Riccardo Cordera

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

“Tecnopails has always stood out for its ability to create products

have them installed at its premises at the end of July. They are twin

tailored to customer needs. When it was established in 1974, there

machines, symmetrically arranged for reasons of space. Each machine

was no standard available and each customer had different needs.

is equipped with a graphic touch screen to make man-machine

Although we now also offer a line of standard filling products, the

interface easy and intuitive. This system has two storage areas, where

focus on customisation that has always distinguished us continues

the operators can safely load lids and ring latches respectively, even

to be part of our know-how and it is what has enabled us to develop

if the machine is in use. The plant automatically picks up a ring latch

a unique machine, for which there is absolutely no related literature.

and a lid, it couples them, and it arranges them in neat piles. As the

It actually meets the need of one of our customers, active in the

thickness is greater in correspondence with the ring latch handle, it is

production of paint containers, as it enables lids to be applied their

necessary to misalign the handles in order to keep the piles vertical:

corresponding ring latches automatically,” explains Tecnopails

the machine takes care of that as well.

Operations Manager, Antonio Riggio.

“Moreover, when the system picks up the ring latch from the storage

Innovative drive

area, it recognises the orientation of its handle autonomously, so that the ring latches do not need to be arranged with a precise

The need to design such a system arose from the fact that paint

orientation,” adds Riggio. “Our system ultimately enables paint

manufacturers prefer to be supplied with lids having their ring latches

container manufacturers to offer their customers a solution that

already applied: this operation is usually carried out manually by lids

optimises filling operations: their automatic packaging machine will

suppliers. Supplying lids having their ring latches already applied

simply have to place the lid with the ring latch on the container, open

is easier and has a lower cost than supplying lids and ring latches

and close it to seal the pail. Regarding the new machines, what the

separately. The bulk handling of ring latches is highly complex

operator has to do is packaging the ready batches”. However, IM

because they can be fitted one inside the other, and it requires

GROUP’s system has also been designed to be integrated with other

doubled transport volumes.

process plants and to be fully automated based on the Industry 4.0

“The machines we have developed are totally Italian-made prototypes,

principles.

the first in the world, designed in synergy with the customer that will

“The project specifications also included the ability to interface with

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91

the customer’s management system and the possibility of integrating

investment is only justified for large volumes. At the same time, our

and automating other process phases with an Industry 4.0-oriented

customer, a multinational company holding a very large market share,

approach, also opening up to various tax benefits. Our customer

has in fact gained a considerable competitive advantage with it,” notes

intends to automate the transport of the lids to the machine, which

Antonio Riggio.

is currently carried out by operators: automating this step would

“This system is now a flagship of the IM GROUP, as well as a

mean that the machine that prints the lids feeds our machine directly.

technological milestone that allows us to demonstrate the experience

In future, the packaging of the stacks of already-coupled lids and

and design capability behind our brand. It will probably remain a

ring latches could be automated as well. And all this will be made

unique product that will never be manufactured on a large scale, but

possible by the fact that we have designed the entire project for full

it is a perfect example of our technical ability to meet any customer

automation,” says Riggio.

needs or requirements,” confirms Silvio Cimenti, the Global Branding,

The beverage sector as a model applied to the world of paints

Marketing, and Communications Director of the IM GROUP. “We want to position ourselves in the market as a total solution engineering firm, that is, a one-stop supplier able to serve the whole supply

“One of the reasons why we were the first to develop this machine

chain in the paint production sector, from dosing to packaging. The

is because we had forty years’ experience in the industry, giving us

acquisition of Tecnopails is further proof of this, as it specialises

the necessary know-how. Indeed, in the context of other tailor-made

in the final packaging operations, which we were not dealing with

solutions developed in the past, we have started specialising in the

yet. We have completed about 90% of this project with our six

handling of ring latches by developing a machine capable of picking

different brands, now working together while each bringing its own

up a ring from its storage area and putting it on a finished pail. It

specialisation, and we are actively working to add the missing pieces

was intended for paint manufacturers buying pails and ring latches

of the jigsaw to reach our goal of becoming a global supplier for the

separately. However, such need has changed over the years: paint

inks & paints industry.”

manufacturers have begun to demand for pails to be supplied with

“The paint sector is a few steps behind other industries that have

already-coupled ring latches and lids, and this has meant that the

experienced exponential growth, such as the beverage one, where

demand for these machines has diminished. At the same time, this

players are used to approaching the market as sole suppliers. As such,

has led pail producer to require the automation of the coupling

IM GROUP’s supply chain completion project is highly innovative: we

process, in the presence of high enough volumes. Clearly, in terms

want to apply the successful model of the beverage sector to the

of finances, access to this type of automation is limited, as the

world of paints,” concludes Antonio Riggio.

© IM GROUP | Photography Riccardo Cordera

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booths

ovens

cataphoresis

tunnels

complete plants

eosmarketing.it

conveyors

IDEAS NEED TALENT C.M.V. srl - Via dell’industria, 2 - 61036 Tavernelle di Colli al Metauro, PU - Italy - T +39 0721 892274 - info.cmv@cmvimpianti.it - www.cmvimpianti.it

SUCCESS STORIES

© Dürr

Dürr Supplies 16 Coating Robots to Turkish Aerospace As part of a project for automated painting in the aviation industry, 16 robots from Dürr have been installed at Turkish Aerospace’s factory.

S

ixteen EcoRP E133 coating robots from Dürr will paint more

role in aircraft’s brand recognition. So, Dürr enhanced its water-based

than 50 different components in the high-tech production

and solvent-based 2C paints system, previously intended for the

facility of the aerospace company Turkish Aerospace in Ankara.

automotive industry, to meet this new challenge: the system meters

Dürr has developed a solution that enables both water-based and

and mixes the three necessary components, so that the incompatible

solvent-based 2C and 3C paints to be metered and mixed directly in

water-based and solvent-based paints can be processed directly in

the robot in an economical and highly precise way.

the robot without coming into contact with each other.

Although most of the components in the aircraft industry are still

This kind of technology has never been mounted so close to the

coated manually, Turkish Aerospace is planning to manufacture

atomizers before, but it thus minimizes paint and solvent losses when

large numbers of components for Airbus and Boeing that will be

changing colour and saves time.

automatically painted in the two new paint shops.

The system uses EcoGun spray guns, which are highly precise and

Meeting high requirements for aircraft coatings

particularly suitable for painting large components up to 10 meters in length.

Coatings used in the aviation industry need to adhere to high

They also allow faster completion than manual coating and produces

functional and safety requirements, because of the temperatures

less overspray. In addition, recirculated air can be used in the fully

and weather conditions they are exposed to – negative 76 ºF to

automated paint booths in order to save energy.

140 ºF. Moreover, aesthetic and colour scheme play an important

The DXQ3D.onsite software will enable operators to configure the

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SUCCESS STORIES

process parameters and will provide specific consumption data for paints, solvents, energy, and air, in order to allow Turkish Aerospace to match them to the individual components in the future.

The cooperation with VIG Makina VIG Makina is the general contractor for the construction of the two paint shops. The plant manufacturer is specialised in surface treatment and painting systems as well as manufacturing of aluminium production machineries. “We’re very proud to realise this pilot project for the aviation industry with VIG Makina. With our painting robots, application technology and colour supply system, we are significantly advancing automation in the aviation industry,” states Sabine Mewis, Key Account Manager Aviation Industry at Dürr.

For further information: www.durr.com and https://vigmakina.com.tr/

© Turkish Aerospace

Turkish Aerospace earned a spot in the Boeing Premier Bidder Program.

INNOVATIONS: PRESENT&FUTURE

Global Wheels: Global Mask for Wheel Coating Brais Ponte Global Mask International SL, Barcelona – Spain

sales@global-mask.com

Quick and efficient wheel coating process using patented hight temperature resistant rubber masks. A reduced number of rubber masks has been created in order to cover most of wheel sizes in the market, protect bolt holes and back hub from paint and ensure a smooth finishing at once.

G

lobal Mask International has always been focused on

All bolt holes and back hub of the wheel must be perfectly

providing from the simplest standard masking solutions

covered from paint in order to ensure right assembly process and

to the most demanding customized solutions in order to

avoid potential claims from customers. On the other side wheel refurbishment companies are dealing with small quantities but several

allowed the company to successfully provide several industries around

wheel sizes which means it becomes very difficult to choose the right

the world with solutions especially developed to manage masking

mask for each size. Despite there is a wide range of standard silicone

operations, nevertheless there was still a challenge with wheel coating

products and disposable products like green polyester discs there

refurbishment industry.

was no specific standard solution for masking on wheel coating. The

© Global Mask

ensure a smoother and easier coating process. This expertise has

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INNOVATIONS: PRESENT&FUTURE

solution was clear: to create a reduced number of masks to cover

easily apply the mask at the very beginning of the process (primer) and

several wheel sizes, make them high temperature resistant in order to

remove it at the very end (after curing) avoiding time waste.

last from primer to final curing and make them reusable for a long-

• Perfect finishing: when the mask is placed and all sensible parts are

lasting life.

covered, a perfect finishing on bolt holes and back hub of the wheel is

After a long development period working together with some wheel

acquired at the first try avoiding any assembly problems, extra works

refurbishment companies, Global Mask is glad to introduce a new

or customer complains.

patented product branch under the brand Global Wheels to give a

• Cost saving solution: since it is a reusable and multi sizing masks

response to most of the wheel refurbishment industry needs.

a lesser number of masks will be needed while their lifespan will be

A smart patented combination of rubber discs and rubber flanged

a lot longer than usual disposable systems. Therefore, this solution

plugs to cover most of the wheel sizes in the market with a reduced

will drastically reduce masking costs on coating jobs. On the other

number of masks. All plugs are combinable with all discs in order to

side it will also reduce waste on the garbage and help having a more

cover several wheel sizes. Strong attaching of the masks is ensured

sustainable production process.

by pulling flanged plug tail through discs holes. In order to provide an easier identification of the several mask sizes a colour system has been

New developments and challenges are always coming from the wheel

set up: each mask colour belongs to a specific wheel size.

coating industry and especially with wheel refurbishment business

The benefits of using rubber wheel masks are way greater than usual

where we can find many small companies with lots of different ongoing

disposable systems, they can be mentioned in 3 main points:

projects. It is important that big players in the market are taking one

• Quick and efficient coating: wheel coating process will become a lot

step ahead looking at the bigger picture, identifying all small needs and

quicker and efficient due to an easier applying and removing of the

trying to provide a consolidated response freeing the small customer

mask. On top of that the masks are 315 °C resistant so it is possible to

from uncertain investment and risk.

© Global Mask

© Global Mask

Brais Ponte, Sales and Marketing Manager of Global Mask International SL.

Global Mask launched the new brand Global Wheels to give a response to most of the wheel refurbishment industry needs.

A detail of the new multi sizing and reusable mask developed

by Global Mask.

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FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

The Keys to Colortechnology’s Success: Digitalisation Strategy and Pre-Treatment Results Repeatability Monica Fumagalli ipcm®

Digital transformation is one of the most popular current trends in the manufacturing industry.

But what does it actually mean? We visited Colortechnology, a small but innovative company specialising in contract powder coating, which has effectively digitised its pre-treatment and coating processes, thus optimising results and making them repeatable, thanks to a targeted strategy and collaboration with DN Chemicals and Soft Rain.

“S

MEs such as ours should never be taken for granted, as they may always surprise you,” says Colortechnology owner, Maurizio Medeghini, at the end of our visit to this

small, innovative powder coating contractor based in Travagliato (Brescia, Italy). Considered the backbone of the entire production system, SMEs account for 99.91% of all active enterprises in Italy1 and they are actually crucial for the digital transformation of the Italian industry, which is still struggling to take off2. “What many small and medium-sized companies are still lacking is a digitisation strategy,” explains Medeghini.

1 2

© CENTO25

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https://blog.osservatori.net/pmi-significato-numeri-innovazione https://www.econopoly.ilsole24ore.com/2021/04/16/digitalizzazione-pmi

A phase in the preparation of substrates prior to coating: the repeatability of pre-treatment results is one of the keys to Colortechnology Srl’s success.

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

“Digitising one’s own company is not simply a matter of obtaining state funding, such as that offered in Italy by the Industry 4.0 plan, to introduce new machinery and connect it to software or dematerialising documents. It should be rather understood as an opportunity to review the entire organisational system and production process and study how these can be improved and renewed. Only with a decisive change in mentality, starting with a new approach to the concept of ‘enterprise’, can we make the cultural leap that enables firms like ours to grow in terms of digitalisation and become more resilient”.

“We are a young company, which I founded in 2004 on the basis of the skills I have acquired over thirty years of experience in the coating industry, and we now employ 15 people. Over these almost twenty years of continuous growth, we have grasped the importance not only of a reliable service and of high product quality, but also of the skills owned by the entire team, the result of experience, preparation, and

© ipcm

teamwork, and of attention to optimal process management and the environment. Unfortunately, we have also found that it is sometimes difficult for a company of this size to find the right partners to develop new projects: in some cases, multinational suppliers prefer to serve larger companies, perhaps assuming that a small firm does not have great growth prospects. At least in our case, I can say that they are wrong, and the projects that Colortechnology has carried out and is still carrying out to demonstrate the worth of powder coating are a clear proof of this. Luckily, however, we have also found some reliable partners who have been following us for years, carrying out together with our team the necessary tests and research for the continuous improvement of our production phases. These include DN Chemicals, a group specialising in surface pre-treatment, nanotechnology, and water treatment, which has worked with us for two years to find the best pre-treatment solution for our processes, digitalise our workflow, and integrate it with our growth strategy, and FINGENIUM, a company

© Colortechnology

specialising in arranged finance measures, which supported us in conscious use of public funds.”

“A job well done” Colortechnology specialises in the powder coating of parts for a wide range of sectors. Its customer base is mainly located in North and Central Italy, but there are prospects for expansion into other regions as well. “We mainly coat extruded, die-cast, and moulded aluminium, which accounts for about 85% of our work,” states Elena Piccinelli, the company’s sales manager, “for firms in the lighting, furniture, automotive, and ACE sectors, to name but a few. Thanks to our sales network, of which we are very proud because it represents a rarity in the contract coating sector, we are aiming to further expand our target markets.”

The treated parts have a maximum size of 3000x2000x600 mm. After passing through the pre-treatment tunnel, they reach the automatic

© ipcm

From top to bottom: The pre-treatment tunnel, the Soft Rain King plant, and the display on which all process data can be viewed.

international PAINT&COATING magazine - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - N. 70

99

© CENTO25

© CENTO25

The inside of the coating booth.

© ipcm

A post-retouching phase.

powder application booth equipped with 16 guns, performing up to

strong propensity for experimenting with new applications, which is why

5 colour changes per day, and they are then cured in the oven with a

we need trusted partners to collaborate with us not only in terms of

maximum temperature of 210 °C. After unloading, they are subjected to

support, but also and above all in the development of new application

strict quality controls before being packed and shipped to customers.

solutions.” One of these R&D projects concerned the preparation of

“Meeting the demands of our stakeholders is increasingly challenging

substrates prior to coating. “We had to find a solution to keep process

because they are constantly evolving. Lately, for example, we have

parameters constant and ensure the repeatability of results. After a

noticed a new trend: the products coated by Colortechnology are

long period of testing with DN Chemicals’ laboratory, we achieved all

directly put on our customers’ first assembly lines. This is why we have

our objectives.”

developed a company policy that focusses primarily on the quality of firm, and on the quality of our increasingly accurate, high-performance,

A stable pre-treatment process guarantees repeatable results

and environmentally friendly service. This is perfectly summarised in

The previous pre-treatment process involved a 6-stage cycle

one of the phrases that recurs most often in our daily dealings with

including alkaline degreasing, two rinses with mains water, multi-

customers: ‘a job well done’.”

metal passivation, a final rinse with demineralised water, and a final

Colortechnology’s entrepreneurial vision is based on a number of

evaporator to treat the waste water produced by the pre-treatment

essential cornerstones, starting with the quality certification of the

process itself. The cycle that DN Chemicals has developed together

company and its processes. “We have been ISO 9001 and 14001

with the staff of the Brescia-based company, on the other hand, is

certified since 2013 to guarantee maximum process control. Precision,

specifically conceived for the pre-treatment of aluminium. “We have

punctuality, flexibility, and transparency are the other elements that

implemented the use of nanotechnology products to make the process

characterise our work and constitute our added value compared with

as suitable as possible for Colortechnology’s needs,” says Roberto

the offer of our competitors. We also have a close-knit team with a

Rebuffo, Sales Executive at DN Chemicals. “The process now includes

our human resources, whom we support to make them grow within our

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FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

Get more from water Turn key solutions for industrial wastewater treatment Design and manufacturing of plants and chemicals for industrial wastewater treatment Chemical-physical plants Sludge treatment and compactor systems Ion exchange demineralization systems and reverse osmosis systems Oil separators Filtering systems Batch type systems Flotation units Chemicals and spare parts for water treatment Perfect adhesion of the layer of paint applied to the substrate enhances the quality of the finished product.

Technical service, support and maintenance of wastewater treatment plants

alkaline degreasing, two rinses with mains water, deoxidisation with an acid cleaner (particularly suitable for cast aluminium but also effective for extruded aluminium), and three further rinses, i.e. one with mains water, a low-electrical conductivity one (semi-osmosis), and one using osmotic water that is hydraulically atomised inside the pre-treatment tunnel. We have also added a non-chromic nanotechnology conversion stage, performed through atomisation in a new stainless steel unit.”

The management of the pre-treatment process and the design, construction, and installation of the spraying devices were entrusted to Metal Plast Sistemi Srl, the owner of the Soft Rain System brand and a partner of DN Chemicals. “A job well done, in my opinion,” says Metal Plast Sistemi Srl owner, Andrea Paganelli, “had the primary aim of achieving stable performance throughout the plant’s operating hours, in terms of both mechanical adhesion and corrosion resistance.

In order to make this ambitious project possible, we carried out a thorough analytical study of water consumption, energy consumption, and disposal costs. This enabled us to create a process with a clearly defined logic, which had the goal of dramatically reducing the use of the existing demineralisation plant while eliminating the use of the final evaporator. This, in turn, made it possible to lower the energy consumption of the pre-treatment line and its related disposal costs.”

Beware of imitations, buy the original!

info@waterenergy.it

www.waterenergy.it

© ipcm

© CENTO25

The coated products are subjected to strict quality controls using feeler gauges (pictured), gloss meters, and spectrophotometers.

The embossed effect of this powder coating applied by Colortechnology.

Pre-treatment 4.0

Colortechnology’s conscious digitalisation

“The atomisation process,” adds Paganelli, “is therefore performed

“The process developed for Colortechnology,” says André Bernasconi,

according to constant pre-set parameters, which guarantee the

the Sales Director of DN Chemicals, “is widely used in the coil coating

repeatability of the surface degreasing and cleaning results. The

sector, from which we have borrowed and perfected it to adapt it to

combined action of the products used in the previous pre-treatment

the preparation of die-cast aluminium surfaces. We made a very careful

phases and the nanotechnology products is decisive for the

selection of products that could meet the needs of this innovative

effectiveness of the process. Moreover, the Soft Rain King system can be

coating contractor and our choice fell on Qualicoat approved products,

supplied with different auxiliary accessories according to user needs.”

which have the advantage of being immediately ready for use once

“Thanks to this solution, which we have integrated into our company

diluted. We are also developing further nanotechnology conversion

management system to collect all process data on a single display,”

products formulated with special molecules that, when deposited on

emphasises Medeghini, “we can immediately check whether any part

the surface, form a layer having more weight and thus ensure high

has been treated according to the pre-set parameters. However,

long-term performance. Nowadays, the development of these products

we additionally chose to install some pressure sensors on the spray

must take into account that each phase of their use will be monitored

pumps because, by our standards, it is not enough for the parts to be

and integrated into a conscious digitalisation system – exactly what

treated with a good aqueous solution: it is also necessary to control the

is happening at Colortechnology”. “The information we are currently

application method used and have a detailed overview of consumption

gathering thanks to the digital transformation of our company is an

– which in the case of the nanotechnology product currently amounts

invaluable asset, because it gives us a complete picture of our production

to around 0.7 - 1.0 litres per hour. Thanks to our collaboration with DN

process and its possible evolutions, based on which we can assess the

Chemicals, we can now manage one of the most important steps in

next steps to take in order to become even more competitive. That is

our coating process much better and we have raised the bar in terms

why I would like to tell both customers and suppliers that one should

of performance, by improving substrate corrosion resistance and paint

not underestimate the worth of new ideas and projects, regardless of

adhesion. The results of our salt spray tests are in fact over 600 hours,

the size of the company proposing them, and that... SMEs such as ours

but we are aiming to reach a higher value soon.”

should never be taken for granted, as they may always surprise you.”

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When the Application System’s Revamp Makes the Difference Monica Fumagalli ipcm®

Being a coating contractor means making up for any delays in the links that precede this delicate stage in the production chain. Specialising in contract powder coating for almost forty years, VRB chose to make the updating of its production equipment its main trump card, aiming to achieve maximum flexibility and delivery speed. This is why it relied on Gema Europe’s experience and Euroimpianti’s expertise to set itself apart from its competitors.

O

ne of the primary goals of any subcontractor is to replace

Over the last three years, this company based in Verona (Italy) with

its customers in one or more supply chain stages that they

almost forty years’ experience in powder coating has upgraded its two

are not equipped to deal with on their own. This is also and

coating lines with new powder application and process management

especially true for coating. As it is one of the last links in the production

equipment. For this project, it relied on multinational company Gema

chain, in doing so contractors also have to cope with any delays

Europe’s devices and on a new coating plant supplied by Euroimpianti

accumulated in previous stages. This is why rapid execution of orders

(Valeggio sul Mincio, Verona).

and delivery of painted products, always combined with efficiency

“Our factory is equipped with an high production capacity line; its

and high quality levels, have become strategic to maximise customer

two booths were revamped with Gema Europe’s powder feeding and

satisfaction. “We can never stop, and updating our devices is a must in

spraying equipment, respectively for light and dark colours. The second

such a competitive field as ours,” states Nicola Zorzan, the Managing

one is a semi-automatic line designed by Euroimpianti in 2019 for

Director of VRB Srl, a firm specialising in contract powder coating of

powder coating workpieces up to 8 m in length, in which an automatic

parts intended for the most varied industries, from HVACR to curtain

unit of 10 guns with Gema’s Venturi technology has also been installed.”

walls, rail industry, and furniture.

The application system updated by Gema Europe in 2020.

The revamp of the powder application booth included the introduction of 20 automatic and 4 manual guns. © Gema Europe

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© Gema Europe

FOCUS ON TECHNOLOGY

© ipcm

In the foreground, the MagicControl 4.0 system with its innovative interface.

The revamp of the coating booths with Gema technology The application system of the main plant’s booths was updated in 2018. “We installed OptiGun GA03 guns, OptiSpray pumps, and

The ultimate coating solution for large parts

MagicCompact® EquiFlow® XXL

an OptiCenter OC03 powder management unit,” indicates Gema Europe Managing Director, Mario Ferro. “We also integrated the already-installed components with a MagicControl CM30, a device guaranteeing simple but effective control of the entire application process, reducing waste and optimising powder consumption. In 2020, we further revamped this system with Gema’s SIT - Smart Inline Technology. Thanks to accurate planning, in little more than ten days the automatic booth was completely reconditioned and the old equipment was replaced by a new powder centre and a state-ofthe-art application unit featuring 20 automatic and 4 manual guns, 2 horizontal-axis reciprocators, and a dimensional recognition system.

The entire plant, including booth automation, is managed by the control system MagicControl 4.0.”

“We performed this second revamping operation,” notes Zorzan,

- Color change friendly solution for the coating of big parts - Superior EquiFlow technology - Perfect coating conditions inside the booth - Flexible design concept for any customized solution - Perfect integration with 3D Dynamic Contour Detections

“based on the positive results achieved since Gema had upgraded our application equipment two years earlier. Afterwards, our collaboration with the Gema team had become much closer and their expertise and support has been such that my staff have found no difficulty in adapting to the new way of working resulting from this new technology.”

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

The coating plant: a guarantee of efficiency The coating plant built by Euroimpianti is able to treat products with maximum dimensions of 8 x 1.5 x 2 m. The line consists of a spray pre-treatment tunnel, a drying booth at 120 °C, an automatic coating booth with a powder management unit, and a curing oven with forced hot air circulation at 200 °C. “The 32 m-long pre-treatment tunnel,” explains Euroimpianti Srl General Manager, Gianluca Baruffaldi, “includes phases of phosphodegreasing, cleaning, rinsing with demineralised water, and passivation with the Nebula system. Thanks to its integrated control and dosing instrumentation, this device allows customising the use of the nanotechnology product, avoiding waste and ensuring that the part © ipcm

to be treated is sprayed with a solution that constantly maintains the chemical qualities of the product itself. The side walls of the chamber are made of modular panels and constructed using a special manufacturing process that guarantees perfect sealing against sprays and vapours.”

After drying, the parts are taken to the powder coating booth by the two-rail conveyor, designed and installed by Euroimpianti with 22 workpiece-holding bars capable of supporting a maximum weight of 1000 kg each. “The booth consists of an external metal structure with a multi-layered dielectric sandwich lining, which prevents any electrostatic deposit of charged powder on the internal walls while guaranteeing the dissipation of electrical charges to the outside.

This occurs slowly and evenly over the entire surface of the booth to avoid the electric repulsion effect, which is harmful to the coating process.” The Gema Europe team also upgraded this plant’s

© ipcm

application equipment, by installing an automatic unit consisting of 10 guns with Venturi technology controlled by a MagicControl CM 30 control system.

Conclusions “We have improved the quality of our surface coatings,” says Zorzan, “thanks to the new generation of Gema technology implemented and its perfect integration with our already-existing systems, as in the case of the Euroimpianti line. Moreover, we now have the ability to coat multiple batches of products in varying sizes with numerous colour changes and no powder wastage, all of which gives us the flexibility and speed of delivery that are increasingly essential to succeed on the market.”

© ipcm

From top to bottom: - A detail of Euroimpianti’s coating line with the two-rail conveyor and the drying oven (right).

– VRB powder coats products up to 8 metres in length.

– The application booth of the line installed by Euroimpianti.

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Salcomix è il marchio di AkzoNobel per un sistema di prodotti vernicianti industriali dal design modulare, che può essere utilizzato per fornire vernici per una grande varietà di applicazioni per l‘industria leggera, in modo rapido e flessibile. Questo è possibile grazie a un sistema di miscelazione che offre una superiore precisione del colore con la massima varietà di prodotto.

Salcomix is AkzoNobel's brand for a modularly designed industrial coatings system that can be used to provide paints for a variety of small-industry applications, quickly and flexibly. This is possible thanks to a mixing system that offers superior color accuracy with maximum product diversity.

www.akzonobel.com infosalcomix@akzonobel.com

0087–04019

www.salcomix.com

© Unsplash

ART WITHIN SURFACES

New Graphene-Based Coating Protects Paintings Against Environmental Degradation A team of researchers developed a new coating able to create a graphene film that protects artworks against degradation.

A

team of researchers from the Institute of Chemical

by the exposure of colours to ultraviolet (UV) and visible light in the

Engineering Sciences of Foundation for Research and

presence of oxidizing agents, can lead to irreversible alteration of

Technology-Hellas (FORTH/ ICE-HT), the Department of

artworks.

Chemical Engineering of the University of Patras, and the Center

The newly developed graphene-based coating creates a flexible,

for Colloid and Surface Science (CSGI) of the University of Florence,

transparent film, produced by chemical vapour deposition, which is

led by Professor Costas Galiotis, has developed a graphene-based

impermeable to moisture, oxygen and corrosive agents, and can also

coating for the protection of paintings against environmental

absorb a large amount of harmful ultraviolet radiation. Therefore, it

degradation.

has the potential to be used as a transparent layer for the protection

Degradation mechanisms (including fading and yellowing), triggered

of art objects in museums, during storage and transportation.

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ART WITHIN SURFACES

Tests have shown that a single-layer or multilayer graphene veil

© Silvia Conti Restauratrice

can be deposited over artworks to protect them efficiently against colour fading, with a protection factor of up to 70%.

The graphene film has a monoatomic thickness and can cover any required large surface areas. In contrast to other protective means – which removal requires the use of solvents that can adversely affect the underlying work surface – it is demonstrated that these graphene coatings are easy to remove using a soft rubber eraser without damaging the surface of the artworks.

Researchers have also explored a complementary contactless graphene-based route for colour protection that is based on the deposition of graphene on picture framing glass for use when the direct application of graphene is not feasible due to surface roughness or artwork fragility.

Overall, the results obtained by the team of researchers, published on Nature1, show the potential use of graphene as an effective and removable protective advanced material to prevent colour fading in artworks.

1

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41565-021-00934-z

ai162322881627_Protective Coatings magazine June 2021 - 230 X 140 - Final.pdf 1 09/06/2021 09:53:39

Example of deterioration of a painting: detachment and fall of the pictorial film.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

Aluminium and Plastic Paints: Diverse Industrial Needs, a Single Quality Requirement Edited by Sames Kremlin Pioltello (Milan), Italy

C

marie-anne.guilldou@sames-kremlin.com

ars, motorbikes, bicycles, smartphones,

technique: electrostatic spraying. The principle

Sames Kremlin is deploying solutions for

laptops, coffee machines... So many

is to electrically charge the paint droplets

major global players in the aluminium

products whose aluminium and plastic

or powder grains and direct them towards

wheel industry. If these are painted in a

painted parts present a great diversity of

the part to be treated, which is earthed. The

single coat, powder coating is chosen for its

shapes, sizes, colours, layers to be applied and

paint is deposited in a perfectly uniform layer,

profitability and productivity. “We combine

quantities to be processed. Sames Kremlin

without forming aggregates. It covers the

electrostatic spraying with a bell rotating at

meets these needs with a wide range of

entire part, including the back side and hard-

tens of thousands of revolutions per minute: it

solutions. What they have in common is the

to-reach areas.

improves the dispersion of the powder grains,

quality of the result.

and therefore the quality of application.”

quality, one industrial sector is the most

Avoiding touch-ups, not wasting paint

demanding: the automotive industry. It is with

“The quality of the finish is such that touch-

bell has the same productivity as 2 to 3

this sector that Sames Kremlin has acquired

ups are minor or even unnecessary; the

automatic guns from the competition.

its credentials over the decades by developing

manufacturer saves a lot of time”, explains

a whole range of solutions. They allow the

Marie-Anne Guilldou, EMEA Marketing

application of powder or liquid paints, solvent

Coordinator at Sames Kremlin. “The

Automotive bumpers: the ultimate in high standards

or water-based, for series of all sizes and

proportion of sprayed paint that reaches the

For smaller volumes and/or multi-tone rims,

for all types of parts: aluminium bodies of

part, which we call the transfer rate, rises to

liquid paint is the best choice: it allows much

top-of-the-range models, wheel rims, tailgate

80% for liquid paint compared to 60% for

faster colour changes. Here again, electrostatic

elements, bumpers, interior plastics of the

pneumatic application, while recycling rate

spraying and a rotating bell are combined in

dashboard or the trim, etc.

approaches 100% for powder applications

the Nanobell 803, launched in 2021, which

Aluminium and conductive plastic parts

(and zero VOCs!). The result is product savings

succeeds the famous PPH 308.

are suitable for the ultimate application

that accelerate the return on investment.”

The automotive sector is just as demanding

When it comes to paints and application

© Sames Kremlin

Sames Kremlin is the only player in the market to offer this solution, called Inobell. A rotating

© Sames Kremlin

The automotive industry is one of the sectors that is increasingly demanding application quality.

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HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH

for plastic parts. An extreme case: bumpers,

rims, mudguards, forks, fuel tanks, etc. If the

painted at the manufacturer’s, which must

manufacturer processes large volumes, he can

have exactly the same colour as the bodywork

equip himself with a robotic system and rotating

painted on the manufacturer’s line. The slightest

bells for powder (Inobell) or liquid (Nanobell 803).

deviation in colour is rejected. “We use another

If the parts to be painted are non-conductive,

electrostatic rotating bell, the PPH 707”, says

for example car interiors or the shells of

Marie-Anne Guilldou. “In addition, we offer a

smartphones and laptops, it is necessary to

paint circulation system, PaintCare, which avoids

return to pneumatic spraying. But without

shearing: this could break or destructure the

compromising on the quality of the finish. Sames

pigments, and would alter the colour.” PPH707

Kremlin offers an automatic gun, the A35, and a

bells are also used by manufacturers of plastic

manual one, the FPro. “It is the only one on the

tailgate components. Here too, the quality of the

market with vortex technology that disperses the

automotive finish is required.

paint into finer, more homogeneous droplets.

Motorbikes and bicycles: liquid paint on high-profile parts

© Sames Kremlin

The result is a flawless application...”

Electrostatic spraying is still relevant, however, if the plastic parts have a complex shape that

Sames Kremlin also deploys application

would involve time-consuming and costly rework.

equipment at motorbike and bicycle

After applying a conductive layer, for example

manufacturers. Powder coating is preferred for

with an A35 pneumatic gun, the Nanobell 803

the less visible aluminium parts. Liquid paint,

rotating bell and an automated or even robotic

which is unbeatable in terms of visual results,

system can be used. This is particularly the case

is used for parts that are important to buyers:

for the shells of high-end coffee machines.

A liquid coating application with the Nanobell 803 rotating bell.

BRAND-NEW

© Dörken

New Automatic Spray Gun for Sharp-Edges Coating Without Masking WALTHER Spritz- und Lackiersysteme GmbH and Dörken have developed an optimised process that enables sharp-edges parts to be coated with the greatest accuracy and without masking.

D

uring the partially coating process of components with spray

The new coating process

application, expensive and time-consuming masking is often

The zinc flake material to be applied is transported from a compressed

used. For this reason, WALTHER Spritz- und Lackiersysteme

air-filled pressure container to the spray gun. It is then atomised to the

GmbH (WALTHER PILOT), the equipment manufacturer, and Dörken,

finest particles at approx. 1 bar air pressure, and applied to the part.

the zinc flake materials manufacturer, have joined forces in order to

The material output system is one of the more particular aspects: it has

develop a new application-specific, automatic spray gun. In combination

a pulse control, which allows that only very small quantities are applied,

with a robot, it produces reproducible results and applies highly

whilst still allowing the droplets to flow together to form a very even

focused zinc flake systems almost without nebulization.

film. In addition, a specially developed applicator avoids the risk that the

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Efficient and reliable zinc flake pigments block the automatic spray gun operation, and at the same time provides an even and accurate application onto the various sharp-edges object geometries with a coat thickness of just 10 µm.

“Mission accomplished” by working together The new process is especially well-suited for parts that can only be

solutions for surface coating since 1988.

coated in specific areas, including parts with large surface areas, and rotationally symmetrical parts such as wheel bearings, brake discs or threaded parts. The optimised spray procedure enables components to be coated highly accurately with zinc flake systems and without the need of masking. In order to make the use easier in the customers’ coating facilities, WALTHER PILOT and Dörken provide them with a complete package which includes a suitable supply of paints and its guidance, in addition to the spray gun.

The newly developed, optimized process is already being used successfully by the first customers.

About Dörken Located in Herdecke (Germany), this family enterprise hoards over

electrostatic systems for liquid painting

125 years of experience with innovative products. Many years of know-how and continuous growth have made Dörken what it is today. Dörken Coatings is a specialist for high-quality surface protection in the field of zinc flake coatings, galvanisation systems,

electrostatic systems and spraying booths for powder coating

KTL and special solutions for coil coating. The company offers their microlayer corrosion protection systems for a wide range of application areas. pneumatic systems for high-, medium-, and low-pressure painting

About WALTHER PILOT WALTHER PILOT, headquartered in Wuppertal (Germany), is an international market leader and renowned specialist in equipment and systems used for material conveyance and application. The

IR and UV drying systems

range comprises individual components and complete systems to handle the entire range of liquid and high-viscosity media – including paints, enamels, adhesives, oils, foods and coatings for a variety of industries. Since 2002 WALTHER PILOT is part of the Wagner Group.

robot and reciprocators

For further information: www.doerkencoatings.com and www.walther-pilot.de

CM SPRAY s.r.l. eosmarketing.it

www.cmspray.it

© Massimiliano Mandarini

The use of innovative materials for hybrid spaces, consisting of both natural and artificial elements, will be one of the architectural trends of the future.

ART WITHIN SURFACES

A Return to Natural Colours, Materials, and Shapes: The New Pillars of Sustainable Architecture From an interview with Massimiliano Mandarini Marchingenio and Green Smart Living

massimiliano.mandarini@gmail.com

After sculpture, painting, and photography, architecture becomes the protagonist of our Art Within Surfaces series through this interview with architect and biophilic designer Massimiliano Mandarini.

A

rchitecture has always been considered an art form, developed

smart cities, sustainable architecture, and environmental

around the concepts of beauty and harmony. However, it has

technologies.

an added value compared with other works of art: the need to

“A work of art can take on different aspects through its beauty: it can

and the knowledge of how to educate people about the use of indoor

be an expression of the artist’s condition or of the historical period in

or outdoor spaces.

which it was created. It rarely has an educational function with which

This is what we learn from this interview with Massimiliano Mandarini,

it can steer people’s behaviour – which, on the other hand, is the

an architect, biophilic designer, sustainability expert consultant,

prerogative of architecture. I am not referring to the mere activity of

lecturer, and green building coach, who has been working for several

building, but to a broader project in which beauty, harmony, and the

years on research, resilient innovation, strategic consultancy, and

correct use of space are perfectly balanced: that is the added value of

integrated planning in the fields of design, creativity, sustainability,

this particular art form.”

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ART WITHIN SURFACES

© Massimiliano Mandarini

‘Humanising’ the way we live and our environment means combining beauty, technology, and sustainability in one space.

© Massimiliano Mandarini

The project for urban regeneration of a degraded area of the Orio al Serio (Bergamo) airport hub, which was awarded with the Green Building Italia Awards.

A modern Renaissance

today because it creates a perfectly balanced system in which the

Before the worldwide changes caused by the pandemic, it seemed

artificial elements are fully integrated into the natural surroundings.

that our future was sealed: technology would have eradicated the

Incidentally, the concept of artificial elements should also be

past and invade our lives, enabling us to do and know everything. “The

reconsidered, because aluminium, steel, and other metal alloys are

drive for innovation and digitalisation has been strong in my sector

derived from the Earth’s crust anyway. In fact, we should speak of

as well,” confirms Mandarini. “However, the ongoing global health

metal parts returning to their natural element, as is the case, for

crisis has left us with a lot to think about in this respect, too. If we

example, in Ludwig Mies Van Der Rohe’s Farnsworth House (1951).”

do not behave appropriately and manage our relationship with the

Today’s architectural trends for exteriors and, above all, for interiors

environment around us in a strategic, rational way, we will not be able

increasingly reflect the search for structures that bring back the true

not only to be resilient, but also to simply survive. Innovation must

essence of the material and that are recyclable, with a return to the

go hand in hand with the humanisation of places, which is one of the

1950s’ effects and colours. “This allows enjoying a user experience

building blocks of our DNA. It is no coincidence that the Renaissance,

in which it is the perception of space that makes the environment

which led to a new way of conceiving the world and how humans fit

unique and the experience unrepeatable. This is also the reason

into it, began in Italy.

why we are constantly searching for new materials that have a dual

“Nowadays, the real challenge is the ‘re-naturalisation’ of indoor and

purpose, that is, both aesthetic and functional: they must not only

outdoor environments to put man and his environment at the centre

reflect the beauty of the place or object, but also be useful, as well as

of their related architectural vision, in order to improve the quality of

having zero impact on their surrounding environment.”

life of the inhabitants of urban centres and thus enhance local and global economic systems. The concept of genius loci, born in Roman

New materials for architecture

times to identify a natural and supernatural entity linked to a specific

“One of the latest materials to be developed in this context has

place, in architecture indicates the set of social, cultural, structural,

been transparent aluminium, which is only visible with very high

language, and habitual peculiarities that characterise a place, an

levels of ultraviolet radiation: it is three times harder than steel, four

environment, or a city. It is precisely this genius loci that must be

times harder than fused silica, and almost as hard as a sapphire. It

recovered in order to set up a correct relationship with a territory.”

can be used to create shatterproof and bulletproof glass, infrared

From the roots of sustainable architecture to today

structures, space stations, cockpits, and skyscrapers. Another material as transparent as glass has been obtained from wood processing

This concept began to be explored in the late 1930s. “We can say

and it could become the window and door material of the future:

that Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fallingwater laid the foundation for what

plant-based glass is obtained by soaking very thin panels of low-

is now called ‘sustainable architecture’. His design is still relevant

density balsa wood in a special chlorine bath. Once bleached, the

international PAINT&COATING magazine - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - N. 70

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sheets are filled with a vinyl polymer that gives them strength and

de Paris, consisting of microelements in aluminium sheet creating a

transparency. This new material is lighter but stronger than glass

special lighting effect that makes all outer surfaces appear to vibrate.

and it is five times more efficient in terms of insulating against heat

Another instance is the project for a commercial building developed

and cold. It seems to be the ideal building material and its real

by Lacime Architects in Suzhou (China) and designed to integrate

strength is its sustainability. Conventional glass manufacturing is

perfectly with the natural elements surrounding it.

extremely energy intensive and it causes over 25,000 tonnes of CO2

“The same approach should also be maintained for smaller

to be released into the atmosphere every year. On the contrary,

architectural concepts, such as those commissioned by local

this new polymer is obtained from renewable sources and its

administrations managing the spaces in which we live. My firm has

production is already compatible with existing industrial processes

carried out many such projects, from the construction of a school

and plants. All this goes in the direction of a design activity aimed at

perfectly integrated in the hilly landscape of the Bergamasque Alps’

creating new environments in which the elements that serve people

foothills and with one of the largest vegetable gardens in Italy to the

contribute to creating comfortable and healthy spaces, combining

urban regeneration of a degraded area of an airport hub, for which

the development of new materials with technology as in the case of

we received a prize at the Green Building Italia Awards. In both cases,

anti-seismic wallpaper made of fibreglass, which is a great novelty for

we used technology to eliminate everything that was not renewable

the entire sector.”

and to generate edible products in a natural way: this is what the

A return to natural colours and shapes

circular economy applied to architecture is actually about.

“From the smallest design objects to large building envelopes,

“The surfaces of architectural envelopes are increasingly reminiscent

‘humanising’ the way we live and our environment means combining

of natural colours, effects, and shapes. One example of this is the

beauty, technology, and sustainability in one space: this could be one

façade of the building designed by Jean Nouvel for the Philharmonie

of the architectural trends of the future.”

A

s an architect, biophilic designer, sustainability advisor, and green building coach, Massimiliano Mandarini deals with research, resilient innovation, strategic consultancy,

and integrated planning in the fields of design, creativity, sustainability, circular economy, and smart cities. He is the Chief Creative Officer and Co-Founder of Green Smart Living, an innovative start-up founded in Milan (Italy) to spread the culture of sustainable and digital innovation through products, services, and technologies with a reduced social and environmental impact, which was a Unicredit Start Lab finalist among the top ten 2020 post Covid-19 Italian Clean Tech start-ups and innovations. He is also the President of the Human Living Charity, set up to spread healthy culture, sustainability, and circular economy themes to raise awareness of the importance of respect for the environment and new models of adaptation to climate change. He has been the designer and consultant for numerous projects

in the public and private sector in Italy and abroad. He was a winner at the 2015 World Green Design Awards and at the 2017 Green Building & Leadership Italia Awards and a finalist in the International Green Product Awards among the best Clean Tech 2021 projects. He is a lecturer and researcher in the Environmental Design research group at the Polytechnic University of Milan and he is responsible for the Sustainability topic at the Edme laboratory of the same college. He was nominated Academic by the European Academy for Economic and Cultural Relations (A.E.R.E.C.) and appointed to the Edison Stakeholder Advisory Board as an expert in sustainability, design for smart cities, and circular economy.

For further information: www.massimilianomandarini.it, www.greensmartliving.it, and www.marchingenioworkshop.it

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SPECIALIZED TRAINING

Quality Control as the Driver of the ipcm® Academy Courses Monica Fumagalli ipcm®

Q

uality control is one of the most

to understand the principles behind

approach to provide future technicians with

delicate phases of the coating

the various types of checks and choose

both theoretical and practical foundations

process: checking the suitability of

the right approach to every problem.

and to give them a complete overview of

the substrate, the coating system, and its

Even though I work for a company that

the activities they will be carrying out.

application results is decisive in laying the

produces measuring instruments, I try

As far as my course is concerned, it would

foundations for a successful product that

to be as neutral as possible and avoid

be complicated and possibly unproductive

meets both customer and end user needs.

giving information with even the slightest

to offer only theoretical information without

Indeed, the courses organised by ipcm®

commercial purpose.

giving to the students the opportunity to use some instruments and try them out

Academy were launched in 2011 precisely in order to deal with these themes and

The courses organised by ipcm®

train QC professionals, the lack of whom

Academy have always been “hybrid”,

was a deeply felt issue in our industry back

with both a theoretical part and

How important was your university

then. Subsequently, the Academy’s training

practical tests. The same is true for

education in your personal

programme has expanded to include other

your lessons. Do you think this is the

development? Do you think it is

equally fundamental process steps; however,

ideal approach to train new coating

essential to attend the ipcm® Academy

knowledge of the regulations, the most

technicians?

courses, or can they be easily attended

suitable tools, and the tests to be carried

I certainly consider it the best possible

by both graduates and non-graduates?

directly on samples.

out to check a product’s compliance to

The ipcm® Academy courses are not

specifications remain among the topics that

© ipcm

conceived for university graduates only,

most interest our students. We talked about

but they are rather specially calibrated

why this happens with Pasquale Roberti, an

for an audience with an upper secondary

expert in quality control solutions for the

education.

appearance, colour, and physical properties

Very often, our participants are technicians

of paints and plastics and, since 2016, a

who already work in paintshops and carry

lecturer at ipcm® Academy.

out their tasks on a daily basis according to their established procedures.

You started collaborating with ipcm

Our aim is to qualify these resources, give

®

Academy in 2016, as an expert in

them the opportunity to expand their

quality control solutions. How do you

horizons, and help them look beyond

deal with this topic in a vocational

their everyday lives. Even those who do

training course?

not have a diploma can easily follow the

QC of liquid coatings and dry parts involves

courses because they are comprehensive,

a very wide range of tests and inspections,

well structured, and easy to understand.

from colour and appearance control to

The university background of the lecturers,

the verification of a variety of physical

including myself, is a further benefit that

properties. Therefore, the aim of the

can be useful when there is a need to go

course is to provide basic theoretical and

deeper into topics upon the students’

scientific information to enable participants

request.

Pasquale Roberti.

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SPECIALIZED TRAINING

© ipcm

Students during a session of ipcm® Academy training courses.

Quality control of treated products

What will the official recognition of the

Why it is useful to enrol in the courses

is one of the most delicate phases of

new profession of Industrial Surface

of ipcm® Academy?

the entire coating process. What skills

Finishing Process Technologist entail

We live in a time when the world of work

does it require and how difficult is it to

in terms of training of new coating

needs specialists.

manage in the best possible way?

operators and within production

Unfortunately, we see very often that

We all know that QC requires trained

plants?

the human resources available are not

resources who have a full view of the

The aim of our courses is exactly as

sufficiently trained or, on the contrary,

problems faced on a daily basis in a factory.

described above, that is, to qualify

they are over-specialised, so that firms

In order to know the types of controls and

resources who will be able to manage

have difficulty finding the right people for

methods required, their limitations, the

production and control activities with a

the jobs they need to fill. Enrolling in the

meaning of tolerances, and the reasons

global vision and a modern approach to

ipcm® Academy courses guarantees the

for KO results, but also be able to suggest

problem solving.

opportunity to get qualified for some of the

a corrective or preventive solution and

If we add to this the official certification of

sectors for which Italy has been a leading

sometimes even to have direct contact

the Lombardy Region, this can only be a

player at the European level for decades,

with customers or suppliers, manage

proper recognition for a professional role

such as industrial coating and surface

documentation, and so on, one certainly

that is still considered almost artisan and is

finishing.

has to be a qualified professional aiming for

often still developed within companies.

constant refreshing and training.

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SPECIALIZED TRAINING

University and the Industry Join Forces to Build a Bridge to a Sustainable Future A closer relationship between the industry and academia can help build the foundations for a more sustainable future: an example of this is the seminar held by Alessandro Soba from Verind Spa for the Advanced Organic Coatings course of the Politecnico di Milano.

J

une 2021 saw the end of the second semester at the Politecnico

they asked numerous questions both during and at the end of the

di Milano, Italy’s leading university for technical and scientific

lesson. Some of them even stayed in class after the seminar to learn

education and one of the top twenty universities in the QS World

more about the automatic colour change operations and the transfer

University Rankings, in the Engineering & Technology category .

efficiency achievable with the EcoBell electrostatic technology for the

During this period and despite the pandemic, the students of the

coating of aluminium wheels.

Master Degree course in Materials Engineering and Nanotechnology,

Such collaboration between the academic and industrial worlds was

which aims at training new technicians with a broad spectrum of

made possible by PoliEfun, an association of Politecnico di Milano that

knowledge in the fields of production, processing, and application

promotes business culture in the surface treatment sector2.

of materials and the more innovative nanotechnology, had the

PoliEfun has always encouraged the involvement of professionals with

opportunity to meet some companies from the surface finishing

academia, including through in-person and online master’s courses.

sector. The seminar held in English for the Advanced Organic

Two examples of this are ISM8, the Industrial Short Master now in

Coatings course by Alessandro Soba, manager at Verind S.p.A. (Dürr

its eighth edition, and TST2021, the digital conference that this year

Group), was a concrete example of interaction between students and

covered topics such as the circular economy and the development

enterprises.

of sustainable bio-derived coatings obtained by recycling industrial

Through videos showing surface painting and coating lines and

agricultural waste, including tomato skins. Thanks also to the support

plants for the automotive and general industry sectors and the

of PoliEfun and the School of Industrial and Information Engineering,

presentation of specific equipment for automatic and manual

the Advanced Organic Coatings course will increase the number of

coating, Soba addressed several current issues related to application

hours devoted to workshops already from next year (academic year

eco-technologies with a focus on sustainability, eco-design, and

2021-22), in order to further reinforce the skills and technical-scientific

process digitalisation. Guided by Raffaella Suriano, a lecturer at the

knowledge of future engineers with practical experiences and

Department of Chemistry, Materials, and Chemical Engineering “Giulio

experimental tests.

1

Natta” of Politecnico, the students were particularly engaged and 1

https://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2021

© ipcm

© lorenzo_bigatti and matnano_polimi

Alessandro Soba, manager at Verind S.p.A.

120

Raffaella Suriano, lecturer at the “Giulio Natta” Department.

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2

https://www.poliefun.com/

© Verind

The EcoBell electrostatic technology.

STANDARD & LEGISLATION - UCIF Informs

3D Printing: Opportunity or Threat (Also for the Finishing Industry) Marcello Zinno UCIF – Italian Surface Treatment Equipment Manufacturers’ Association, Milan, Italy

F

info@ucif.net

or several years now, we have been talking about 3D printers

requirements are already taken into account at the design stage, in

and processes aimed at creating objects that are not mass

order to help reduce potential post-processing issues and eliminate

produced, but the result of a printing process and that,

the need for costly in-process design changes. In particular, final

therefore, are often one-offs or part of a small series. At the same time,

finishing is important because the printed parts need to be treated to

these techniques are seen by the industry as a threat to traditional

fit perfectly into the machinery that will house them.

manufacturing, focussing on the disadvantages of this new method

Of course, this is easier if those involved in the additive manufacturing

compared with conventional processes. However, there are actually

phases also have experience with surface treatments. In this way, the

not only threats behind this new production concept.

advantages of 3D printing (reduced weight, easy integration of specific

More and more often, complex systems are characterised by the

functions, rapid production of even the most complex individual

presence and operation of series of small elements that, with the

components without the need for expensive tools, lower scrap rate,

constraints of large-scale production, reach high costs that translate

and reduced time to market) can be combined with the advantages of

into very high prices for their spare parts.

finishing (faster process, increased productivity, possibility of treating

Additive Manufacturing (AM), better known as 3D printing, solves this

even the most fragile parts without the risk of damaging them, and

problem at its root by enabling unique products to be made with

adoption of specific software that guarantees precise and repeatable

a material specifically chosen for the relevant application, flexible

results). The vast and innovative Italian finishing sector already includes

production processes, and limited costs.

several technologies intended for both the creation of 3D products

Achieving these goals is not easy. It requires specific know-how in

and their surface treatment – a sign that the Italian finishing industry

terms not only of design, engineering, and printing, but also of post-

represented by UCIF is a flagship at the international level of which we

processing and surface finishing. Indeed, the printing and finishing

can be proud.

© Adobe Stock

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© Adobe Stock

Under the High Patronage of Mr Emmanuel MACRON, President of the French Republic

TOMORROW ’S INDUSTRY IS BEING SHAPED HERE

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ON GLOBAL-INDUSTRIE.COM

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THE MARKETING CORNER

How to Leverage LinkedIn to Market Your Business Barbara Pennati eos Mktg&Communication Srl

info@eosmarketing.it

LinkedIn is one of the most effective tools to market your business. In fact, thanks to the many options and features available (some of which quite hidden or underestimated), we have the opportunity to promote our business to a highly specialized target not only through paid ads but also organically. In this article, we offer you a complete overview of the major LinkedIn features, strategies and useful tips for implementing an effective personal profile and company page.

L

inkedIn is undoubtedly the number one professional platform in

as a concrete opportunity to reach a highly specialized and potentially

the social media landscape.

interested target.

Launched in 2003 and acquired by Microsoft in 2016, LinkedIn is

LinkedIn, like all other social networks, was created to connect people

mainly used for the creation of professional contacts, the exchange of

and only later as a showcase for companies.

information and content relating to the world of work and job search.

Therefore, before taking any action on behalf of our company, it is good

With over 740 million users1, 40% of whom access the platform on

to have a well-finished personal profile.

a daily basis, LinkedIn is among the essential tools for professional networking, both on a personal and corporate level.

How to create a professional LinkedIn profile

In fact, if it is true that having an up-to-date personal profile on LinkedIn

An up-to-date, professional profile should feature an equally up-to-date

can open us to new career opportunities, it is equally true that a

and professional profile photo. So, forget about photos with sunglasses

company page on LinkedIn represents an important touchpoint, as well

or vacation shots: let’s choose a photo that represents us, without necessarily being serious, but that conveys an image in keeping with the

1

https://kinsta.com/blog/linkedin-statistics/

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world of work.

THE MARKETING CORNER

Another important graphic element is the background image, which is often sadly left blank. Let’s use this image to say something more about us, about our interests, abilities or to promote the company we work for or what we do.

Yet another often overlooked element is the summary, a textual part that is displayed before work experiences. This section allows us to say something more about our skills, work experiences but also aspects of our personality or hobbies (Fig. 1).

Let’s remember, in fact, one important thing: LinkedIn is not a CV and therefore, it should not be treated as such. Make way for professionalism, of course, but also to what distinguishes us and contributes to making us unique individuals. We are still on a social

Figure 1: The summary allows us to say more about our skills, work experiences and personality.

network: let’s leave our mark, exploit the medium and use it to communicate, always under the aegis of professionalism.

In a few words, let’s build a personal brand.

After completing this first introductory part, let’s get to the point by carefully filling out the section dedicated to the professional and academic career. The advice in this case is the same valid for CVs: does it make sense to put a past experience, perhaps from ages ago, that has no bearing on the path we have taken or want to take? Rather, let’s place greater emphasis on the most recent experiences and closest to our field of expertise.

If we have obtained certifications or licenses, we can add them to the profile to make it even more complete. LinkedIn also allows you to list other achievements on your profile, such as publications, patents, awards, as well as our language skills and any volunteer experiences.

Another interesting feature of LinkedIn is the ability to add skills to our profile, which can be endorsed by our contacts.

Our connections will also be able to write a recommendation, which will then be published on our profile (Fig. 2).

Figure 2: LinkedIn allows to add skills to the profile and the connections can write recommendations.

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Figure 3: In the header it is possible to insert a CTA button: Contact us, Learn more, Register, Sign up or Visit website.

Let’s not forget that all our activities, posts, articles as well as the

to actively and successfully promote our business through the various

pages we are following and the groups we have joined will be visible

tools available on LinkedIn.

on our profile.

Now that we have created our profile and a personal brand, we need

2.Create a company page

to network, connect with our colleagues and other professionals in

The second step to take to promote the services of a company and its

our reference sector, and interact with them.

brand is to create a company page.

As anticipated, it is from our personal profile that we will have to take

Like personal profiles, company pages as well will have a header with

the first steps to promote our company – not only because technically

a dedicated space in which to upload the logo and a cover image

we need a personal profile to be able to open a company page, but

for a visual communication of our activities, as well as a specific area

also because everything we say, publish and our attitude will also

for the name and tagline of the company. Let’s take advantage of all

impact our company.

these elements and remember that everything will have to recall the

So, no to censorship but let’s make sure that what we express on

coordinated image and communication strategy we have chosen to

a personal level does not lead to controversial implications for our

present our company.

company and for our own career opportunities.

In addition to the main information on the page, in the header we

But let’s get down to business and see how to exploit the potential

have the ability to also insert a CTA button: Contact us, Learn more,

offered by LinkedIn to promote a company.

Register, Sign up or Visit website (Fig. 3).

Promoting a company on LinkedIn: 5 steps to take

LinkedIn provides a section for a more thorough overview of our company that we will have to fill in with a description of what we do

1.Grow your network

and offer, and information about where we are located, our website,

As already mentioned, organic promotion tactics on LinkedIn (so,

contacts, industry, company size and type.

advertising excluded) depend on networking.

LinkedIn also gives the possibility, through the Community section,

LinkedIn’s goal, in fact, is primarily to connect professionals from

to showcase on the page three hashtags of your choice and some

various sectors.

groups. Obviously, both items should be relevant to our business and

So, let’s create our network of contacts, connect and interact with

are useful for making users understand which hashtags to follow and

them, and share interesting content for our network.

which groups to join to find our updates or to be part of the industry

Only with a network of potentially interested contacts will we be able

community. The advice is also to always showcase a hashtag relating

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THE MARKETING CORNER

Figures 4 and 5: The Netflix’s Instagram and LinkedIn accounts.

to the company, perhaps the name of the company itself.

is LinkedIn. Netflix’s communication strategy is an excellent example

Finally, it is possible to manage our page in multiple languages, adding

of how the company, which stands out for its irony and informal

translations.

language on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook, takes on a more

Through our company page we can also create and publish job offers,

formal tone and content on LinkedIn (Figs. 4 and 5 show the Netflix’s

which can be consulted by anyone who browses the page.

Instagram and LinkedIn accounts).

Now that we’ve created a company page, we need to promote it. Here are some best practices:

Promote employee advocacy As already mentioned, it is important that employees are part of the

Post content regularly

company’s culture. This can lead them to become brand ambassadors

We can spend millions on advertising but if we make our target land

of our company.

on a page with no content or with posts dating back to the Paleolithic

In fact, employee advocacy, that is the personal participation of

era, we can rest assured that we will not leave a good impression nor

employees in the sharing of corporate content, is a fundamental

entice our target to follow us.

element of the promotion strategy on LinkedIn. Therefore, it shouldn’t

Publishing content regularly is the first rule to organically promote our

come as a surprise that the platform allows you to notify employees of

business.

each new update.

Let’s promote not only the services we offer but also the sense of

In addition to this, we can invite employees to include the page

belonging to the corporate culture. Let’s involve our customers and

among their work experiences: not only will their profile be more

leads but also our employees: not only the direct involvement of

complete and visually appealing, but the logo and company name

employees is one of the main marketing trends but it can stimulate

on their profile, as well as the possibility of being able to search for

feedback that will also positively reflect on the brand. The example of

every employee of the company, will contribute to the building of our

the Patagonia employee who publicly (and on LinkedIn!) thanked the

community.

company for its family policies is always fitting. Not to mention that

All this will promote brand awareness, strengthening its perception,

the post went viral and was quoted by several online sources as an

and will give us the opportunity to convey our messages to a wider

exemplary behaviour to safeguard working mothers.

audience.

What matters, and that is valid both on a personal and corporate level,

This does not mean that we must force our employees to become

is to adopt a tone of voice that is suitable for the type of platform that

brand ambassadors and share company posts on their personal

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Figure 6: Single-image advertising.

Figure 7: Carousel image advertising.

profiles. It would be completely counterproductive and far from

not cumulative (so they expire every month even if we don’t use them)

the very idea of employee advocacy, which underlies a completely

and are shared among all the admins of the page.

spontaneous action. Nor can we expect all employees to be suitable or willing to become advocates of our brand.

3. Exploit the groups

Furthermore, to protect the brand and at the same time provide a

Another marketing tool offered by LinkedIn are groups, in which

guideline to our employees, it is good practice to develop a netiquette,

communities can discuss and share posts and articles on a specific

that is a series of good practices and behaviours that explain how and

topic.

what to communicate. As mentioned, it is not a matter of censorship

The groups available are several and we can join them through our

but simply some common-sense rules that avoid misunderstandings,

personal profile.

disputes or taking a stand on behalf of the company that is not

To find the groups that are best suited to our purposes, we just need

actually in line with that of the company.

to search for keywords related to our industry in the LinkedIn search bar and filter the results by selecting Groups in the drop-down menu.

Invite your connections to follow the company page

We can join up to 100 groups.

One of the most useful and effective options that LinkedIn offers us is

Another option is to create a group and build our community. As it

the ability to invite our connections to follow the company page.

happens with the company page, we will be able to spread the word

To do this we must have two basic requirements: permissions as a

about our group by inviting our connections to become a member.

page administrator and a network of potentially interested contacts.

We also have the possibility to appoint other colleagues or

If we have both, we just have to access our company page and select

collaborators as group administrators. In this way they can in turn

the contacts to invite. These contacts will receive a notification in the

invite their connections and support us in moderating the content.

My Network icon, as if it was a connection request, which they can

In fact, it may happen that there are spammers or people who post

then accept or decline.

articles that have nothing to do with our industry. In this case, to offer

Each month we will have 100 credits available to invite our

an optimal experience to group members, it is good to keep the feed

connections to follow the page: for each invitation you need a credit. If

monitored, delete any off-topic content and block spammers.

the invitation is accepted, the credit will be returned to us. Credits are

Furthermore, as administrators, we can increase the visibility of a

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THE MARKETING CORNER

Figure 8: Video advertising.

Figure 9: Text advertising.

content by suggesting a post to group members, who will thus receive

• Lead Generation

a dedicated notification. This feature is available every 7 days.

• Website Conversions

Whatever our choice, through groups we can get in touch with people

• Job Applicants

belonging to our same sector, do lead generation, promote our brand

To achieve the goal of our advertising campaign, we can choose

and our content.

between different types of ads: • Single-image ads: they appear in LinkedIn members’ feed with a

4. Advertise

short text, image, and CTA (Fig. 6).

Like all other social networks, LinkedIn also allows you to advertise.

• Carousel image ads: they allow to display multiple images in

We can manage our advertising campaigns through LinkedIn

succession in a single, carousel-style ad format. They are displayed in

Campaign Manager, a tool that will allow us to create campaigns,

the feed (Fig. 7).

select ad types and evaluate the performance of our sponsorships.

• Video ads: similar to single-image ads but with a video instead. They

Just access the platform through your personal profile and create an

are displayed in the feed (Fig. 8).

account to which you can associate the company page (some types of

• Text ads: consisting of a headline and a brief text, they are placed at

ads will require a company page).

the top of the page or on the right rail of a variety of LinkedIn desktop

LinkedIn Campaign Manager will then guide us in the creation of

pages (i.e. homepage, profile page, search results page, group pages,

our sponsored content, allowing us to choose objectives, audience

inbox…, Fig. 9).

(location, interests, work experience ...), the ad format, budget and

• Message ads: they are displayed in the inbox, as real messages from

scheduling.

another user (Fig. 10).

The LinkedIn advertising goals from which to start to set up our

• Follower ads: dynamic ads to invite LinkedIn members to follow

promotional campaign are:

our company page. The ad is personalized with the name and profile

• Brand Awareness

picture of the person who is seeing the ad (Fig. 11).

• Website Visits

• Spotlight ads: dynamic ads to bring LinkedIn members to your

• Engagement

website or landing page. As with Follower ads, this kind of ad is

• Video Views

personalized with the name and profile photo of the person who is

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Figure 10: Message advertising.

seeing the ad (Fig. 12).

LinkedIn Learning (www.linkedin.com/learning/) is a great tool to

• Job ads: dynamic ads to invite candidates to view job offers (Fig. 13).

brush up on our knowledge and acquire new skills.

Divided into three macro categories (Business, Creative, Technology)

If you have any doubt about which type of advertising format best suits

from which to start and then choose the study method (by subject,

your goal, LinkedIn has provided a short guide to help you choose .

software or educational path), LinkedIn Learning offers thousands

2

of videos and online courses, both free and paid, to be able to 5. Keep learning

investigate the aspects that interest us the most. From SEO for social

You never stop learning, especially in marketing: there are so many

media to time management fundamentals; from neck stretching

practices as well as tools and they evolve so quickly that staying up to

exercises while we are at our desk to interviews with leadership

date on the latest industry novelties is a must to be able to implement

experts – the topics and insights available are many.

effective strategies.

So, log into LinkedIn Learning through your LinkedIn account and start

https://www.linkedin.com/help/lms/answer/a422880/formati-degli-annunci-per-la-pubblicita-basata-sugli-obiettivi-panoramica?lang=en 2

your training course!

Figures 11, 12, and 13 (from left to right): Follower advertising, spotlight advertising, and job advertising.

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P O W D E R C O ATIN G

SUMMIT September 22-23, 2021 Hilton Columbus / Polaris | Columbus, OH

KEYNOTE PRESENTATION

Back to the Future – A Look Back to See Ahead Kevin Hales,

Automotive Market Innovation Manager, Powder Coatings; AkzoNobel Coatings Inc.

Powder Coating is positioned for a resurgence as new application opportunities present themselves in new automotive architectures.

With the focus on growth of electrification, environmental compliance, energy consumption and overall performance, new areas of the vehicle are being considered for powder. As we explore the history of powder coating, we witness some extraordinary successes, so why hasn’t powder experienced the growth or use as a mainstream coating technology as compared to liquid? But more importantly, why is that about to change?

registration is now open!

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The Powder Coating Summit (PCS) takes place September 22-23 at the Hilton Columbus Polaris in Ohio. With the popular PC Kitchen Short Course taking place just before the Summit, on September 20-21.

We are looking forward to safely meeting in person this fall!

Why Attend The Powder Coating Summit: Gain the Competitive Edge Overcome Your Challenges Network and Gain Leads

WWW.POWDERSUMMIT.COM

ZOOM ON EVENTS

DeburringEXPO: Hands-On Presentation of Solutions for Burr-Free, Clean, High-Precision Surfaces 4th leading trade fair for deburring technology and precision surface finishing will take place from 12 to 14 October 2021 in Karlsruhe (Germany).

P

reparations are running at full bore for DeburringEXPO as a live event at the Karlsruhe Exhibition Centre (Germany) from the 12th through the 14th of

October, 2021. The booking status also promises a successful 4th Leading

Trade Fair for Deburring Technology and Precision Surface Finishing, where exhibitors and visitors will once again be able to exchange ideas at face-to-face meetings. Emphasis will be focused on solutions and information that make it possible for companies to effectively and efficiently fulfil stricter as well as changing requirements for deburring and surface finishing quality.

The capital goods industry needs on-site events like DeburringEXPO where products, solutions and innovations can be experienced with all five senses and are presented in a convincing manner. This greatly facilitates the initiation of business with existing, and especially with new customers. Personal contact at trade fairs is unsurpassed as a means of building trust for long-term business relations and collaborations.

And thus DeburringEXPO’s exhibitors are already eagerly awaiting opening day at the leading trade fair for deburring technology and precision surface finishing ... with good reason, because roughly 94% of the expert visitors are involved in operational investment decisions. And with a rising ifo Business Climate Index which climbed to 99.2 points in May 2021 – the highest level since May 2019 – investments are picking up again in industrial sectors such as automotive, machinery manufacturing, sensor technology, medical and pharmaceuticals technology, tool and mould making, metalworking and aerospace, as well as environmental and energy technology.

Changing requirements necessitate adaptive solutions Attention is being focussed on solutions with which companies can meet stricter, as well as new requirements for deburring and surface finishing quality. “Amongst other factors, this requirement arises from stricter specifications for products and their surface finishing, for example due to downstream processes such as joining, coating, sealing and assembly. Changing production technologies and materials, such as workpieces made of material combinations, also necessitate optimised

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© fairXperts

solutions for deburring, rounding and the production of precision surface finishes, as well as the cleaning of components after these processing steps,” reports Hartmut Herdin, managing director of fairXperts GmbH & Co. KG, organisers of DeburringEXPO. Increasing use of additive manufacturing (AM) in series production is also impacting surface finishing processes. The removal of residual powder from supporting structures, as well as the rough and porous surfaces of additively manufactured components, are challenging. Further increases in efficiency by means of process optimisation, automation and digitalisation are presenting companies with additional challenges as well.

The exhibitors at the 4th leading trade fair for deburring technology and precision surface finishing will showcase appropriate solutions for these tasks. These broadbased offerings will be rounded out with theme parks for “Automated Deburring with Industrial Robots”, “AM Parts Finishing” and “Cleaning After Deburring”.

The Expert Forum: knowledge transfer at its best The integrated 3-day expert forum is an established supplement to the exhibition programme at DeburringEXPO for the promotion of knowledge transfer.

Simultaneously interpreted presentations (German <> English) will provide information concerning solutions to current problems covering all exhibition segments. The trade fair programme is thus enhanced with the quality of a further training event which enables visitors to expand their know-how in the fields of deburring, rounding and the production of precision surface finishes, as well as component cleaning. Beyond this, examples based on actual practice and benchmark solutions provide ideas and stimulation for the optimisation of processes at one’s own company.

Rösler Oberflächentechnik

Collaboration with GrindTec Thanks to the new collaboration between fairXperts and AFAG – promoters of GrindTec – the exhibition portfolio at DeburringEXPO 2021 will be extended for the first time to cover the issue of “grinding technology” at a collective booth. This expansion of the spectrum of offerings will make it possible for visitors to gather information more effectively covering the entire process sequence for surface treatment. DeburringEXPO will also be represented with a collective booth for “deburring technologies” at the next GrindTec, which will take place in Augsburg from the 15th through the 18th of March, 2022.

For further information: www.deburring-expo.de

international PAINT&COATING magazine - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - N. 70

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ZOOM ON EVENTS

Great Response from the Industry for PaintExpo 2022 - Registration for Exhibitors is Now Open World’s Leading Trade Fair for Industrial Coating Technology PaintExpo will take place from 26 to 29 April 2022.

P

reparations are in full swing for the next edition of PaintExpo,

Once again PaintExpo will offer a global showcase for the industrial

the world’s leading trade fair for industrial coating technology,

coating industry from 26 to 29 April 2022: “At next year’s PaintExpo,

which was unable to take place in 2020 due to the corona

the Who’s Who of the industry will present itself with numerous

pandemic. Leipziger Messe, which took over PaintExpo from FairFair

market and technology leaders in three exhibition halls to exchange

GmbH as of 1 December 2020, is planning PaintExpo as a face-to-

information about the latest applications, future technologies and

face trade fair in Karlsruhe from 26 to 29 April 2022.

trends in the field of industrial coating. It will cover the entire range of

Registration for exhibitors is open and receiving a great response

international products and services in the supply chain for industrial

from the industry.

coating technology. PaintExpo serves as the trend indicator for

In 2018 PaintExpo firmly established itself as the world’s leading

visitors both from Germany and from abroad - and is thus once again

trade fair for industrial coating technology, with 537 exhibitors from

a must-attend event for the industry,” says Markus Geisenberger,

29 countries and 11,790 trade visitors from 88 countries. One in

Chief Executive Officer of Leipziger Messe.

three exhibitors came from abroad. In addition to German exhibitors, Italy, Switzerland, France, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Turkey,

Registration Open for Exhibitors

Poland, Great Britain and Denmark were all well represented.

Registration for PaintExpo 2022 has begun: “We are excited by

© image & art

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ZOOM ON EVENTS

the level of interest from our

© image & art

have so sorely missed”, explains

exhibitors. We were able

Sandra Dostert, Marketing

to welcome the first 100

Manager for the DACH region

companies as exhibitors shortly

at SAMES KREMLIN. Visitors

after registration opened. The

can look forward to new

industry is eager to get together

technologies at their stand,

again”, reports Ivonne Simons,

including a new range of

PaintExpo’s newly appointed

powder applications, innovative

Project Director. Ivonne Simons

applicators and the PaintSave

has worked for Leipziger Messe

System, which helps avoid

for more than 20 years and

wasting materials in colour

managed several B2B trade

changes.

fairs similar to PaintExpo, target group and a tailor-made

New digital tools on show for participants

concept.

On top of being able to

Registration forms for

experience numerous new

exhibitors can be downloaded

products and advancements

from the PaintExpo website.

from exhibitors in the coating

The registration deadline is 30

technology industry live at

featuring a clearly defined

November 2021.

Anticipation among exhibitors - Numerous new products on show

the trade fair, participants can also expect additional new features.

Finding contacts within in the industry will be easier and more actively promoted: In the run-up to the trade fair, visitors and exhibitors can arrange meetings online using a new planning tool, thus facilitating

In addition to innovative SMEs, next year’s leading trade fair for

even more targeted discussions at PaintExpo. Furthermore, a new

industrial coating technology will once again feature market and

digital exhibitor and product directory will be published on the

technology leaders as well as global players in the industry - these

PaintExpo website in advance of the trade fair next year, featuring

include exhibitors J. Wagner and FreiLacke, to name but a few.

company information as well as introducing exhibitors’ products.

Gema Switzerland, a leading international supplier in the field of electrostatic powder coatings, has also already booked its stand space

About PaintExpo

for PaintExpo 2022: according to Gema, the world’s leading trade

At PaintExpo in 2018, more than 500 exhibitors from roughly 30

fair for industrial coating technology is one of the most important

countries presented their products, and more than 11,000 trade

opportunities to make new contacts and get involved in inspirational

visitors from almost 90 countries were in attendance.

expert discussions. The company will be showcasing numerous new

The next edition of PaintExpo will be taking place in Karlsruhe from

developments and innovative products to touch and feel on-site. Gema

26 to 29 April 2022. The world’s leading trade fair for industrial coating

state that they are especially looking forward to face-to-face contact to

technology is part of the Leipziger Messe portfolio and offers a

visitors at the trade fair.

showcase for innovation, applications, future technologies and trends

SAMES KREMLIN, developer and manufacturer of coating, powdering

in all areas of the coating business. The PaintExpo will cover the entire

and bonding equipment, will also be at the leading international trade

range of international products and services in the supply chain for

fair in April 2022 in Karlsruhe. “As a meeting place for everyone working

industrial coating technology. This concentrated meeting for companies

in industrial coating and surfacing technology, PaintExpo has been an

from the industry is unparalleled worldwide, making it highly attractive

absolute must right from the beginning.

for coating service providers and in-house coating companies around

The format offers us regular exchange with our partners, the

the world.

opportunity to showcase innovative products and technologies, as well as to sound out potential new possibilities for development. We are glad to once again be able to benefit from the personal contact we

For further information: www.paintexpo.de/en

international PAINT&COATING magazine - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - N. 70

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ZOOM ON EVENTS

The Middle East Coatings Show Returns Live and In-Person The next edition of the Middle East Coatings Show international trade fair will be held in Dubai from September 27 to 29. © dmg events

© dmg events

T

he Middle East Coatings Show will take place at the Dubai

been that while business has tried to continue as usual, personal

World Trade Centre on September 27-29, safely welcoming

connections, the ability to collaborate and first-hand understanding

visitors from around the world. The largest gathering for the

of products and technologies have inevitably suffered. The Middle

coatings community in the Middle East, the event will provide one

East Coatings Show will be the perfect event at which to reconnect

of the only opportunities for the coatings industry to gather live and

with the industry and get back up to date with all the latest

in-person this year.

happenings and developments.

Held in accordance with strict health and safety guidelines, the

With exhibitions already safely up and running in Dubai, the

exhibition will showcase the full spectrum of coatings technology,

Coatings Group will be following all the health and safety guidelines

from raw materials to equipment manufacturers. The event will

implemented by the dmg events ‘All Secure’ policy, as well as advice

provide a forum for reconnecting with existing customers in person,

from the Public Health Authorities. With an emphasis on returning to

while also establishing new, face-to-face relationships with future

business safely, the exhibition will be a secure environment in which

clients.

to meet and do business live and in-person.

Connecting the coatings industry in the Middle East, the event will be

The Middle East Coatings Show brings together leading

a hub for the latest products, technologies and developments from

manufacturers and raw material suppliers who cater to all sectors of

across the world. More than 150 local and international brands will

the coatings industry under one roof for three days.

be taking part, including BASF, IMCD, Covestro, BYK Chemie, Tasnee and Sipchem, amongst others.

For further information:

One of the many negatives from the COVID-19 pandemic has

www.middleeastcoatingsshow.com

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N. 70 - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - international PAINT&COATING magazine

27 - 29 SEPTEMBER 2021 DWTC | ZA’ABEEL HALLS 5 & 6

YOUR GATEWAY TO THE COATINGS INDUSTRY IN THE MIDDLE EAST Meet global buyers and suppliers in the Middle East’s only trade event for the coatings industry

5,000+ 10,000+ attendees

Sqm

TO BOOK A STAND, CONTACT US: www.coatings-group.com

#COATINGSGROUP

250+ exhibiting brands

24

exhibiting countries

Andy Gathercole, Senior Sales Manager T: +971 4 445 3712 | M: +971 56 990 7089 E: andrewgathercole@dmgevents.com

Organised by

ZOOM ON EVENTS

FABTECH 2021: Together Again in Chicago FABTECH 2021 will take place in Chicago (IL) from September 13-16 at McCormick Place.

F

ABTECH returns to McCormick Place in Chicago, IL, from September 13-16 with a one-stop-shop where you can meet suppliers, see the latest technologies, learn how to increase profits, and discover

tools to improve productivity while networking with industry peers. The finishing industry and the manufacturing community are eager to get back together and get back to business.

The FABTECH team is working closely with McCormick Place, the City of Chicago and its vendor partners to welcome everyone back safely.

Protocols are in place to ensure the health and safety of all attendees and exhibitors. Information is ever-changing so you can check the FABTECH website frequently for the most recent updates and safety commitment (www.fabtechexpo.com/safetyfirst).

Training and education have always been at the forefront of CCAI’s mission. The conference program (www.fabtechexpo.com/education) at FABTECH is the perfect platform for CCAI to showcase this, featuring 21 sessions encompassing a wide range of technical presentations, from basic to advanced, addressing topics of interest for everyone involved in finishing technologies.

New this year, CCAI has added two outstanding workshops to the Finishing conference program. The CCAI Industrial Finishing Safety Workshop,

© CCAI

developed by CCAI members who are experts in safety for industrial finishing processes, features critical information to safely operate an industrial finishing line, focusing primarily on NFPA 33. And for Spanishspeaking attendees, the Powder Coating 101 Workshop in Spanish provides intensive instruction on the basics of the powder coating technology and the processes involved. Both workshops will be held over 1 ½ days and include workshop materials and lunch on the first day.

As excitement builds for this year’s event, exhibitors, presenters and attendees alike are ready to make connections in person at FABTECH 2021.

About the Chemical Coaters Association International Chemical Coaters Association International (CCAI) is a technical and professional organization that provides information and training on surface coating technologies. CCAI works to raise the standards of finishing operations through educational meetings and seminars, training manuals, educational videos, and outreach programs with schools, colleges and universities.

For further information: www.fabtechexpo.com and www.ccaiweb.com

© CCAI

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ZOOM ON EVENTS

ALUMINIUM Trade Fair Will Be Back in 2022 ALUMINIUM Trade Fair has been postponed: it will take place from 27 to 29 September 2022 in Düsseldorf (Germany).

I

restrictions impacting a number of exhibitors, sponsors and

ALUMINIUM Business Summit as an industry meeting place

speakers, organiser RX (Reed Exhibitions) have made the difficult

Together with the GDA and the CRU Group, organiser RX will bring the

n the context of the current situation and with the current travel

but appropriate decision to postpone ALUMINIUM 2021 to next

industry together for the ALUMINIUM Business Summit from 28 to 29

year. ALUMINIUM trade fair has been replaced with a congress: The

September; to discuss the most important topics of the industry in

ALUMINIUM Business Summit which will take place in Düsseldorf from

Düsseldorf.

28 to 29 September.

“With the Summit, we are creating a framework for the industry and

It should have been the long-awaited restart event for the aluminium

the participants to meet in person and, with the top-class lecture

industry. But due to the after-effects of the Corona pandemic, the

programme, and in so doing we are continuing to pursue the path

ALUMINIUM trade fair in Düsseldorf cannot take place as planned

started with the ALUMINIUM Digital Talk”, said Leithner.

from 28 to 30 September 2021. Instead, organiser RX and the German

A comprehensive hygiene concept will ensure that participants can

Aluminium Association (Gesamtverband der

move around and © Behrendt & Rausch

exchange ideas safely

Aluminiumindustrie,

on site. However, the

GDA), together with

number of participants

the CRU Group, are

will be limited. The

planning a two-day hybrid

content of the summit

congress format. On 28

will also be made

and 29 September the

available online.

ALUMINIUM Business

“The aim of the

Summit will bring experts

ALUMINIUM

together live and digitally

Business Summit

for an exchange of ideas.

is to accompany

Trade fair back on track in 2022

our industry, to constructively tackle the challenges of new

“Despite numerous

mobility, digitalisation,

relaxations, many

sustainability and

companies of the global

international market

aluminium industry still

development and to

feel uncertainties and

shape the industry’s

are affected by travel

transformation,” says

restrictions. An international event like ALUMINIUM is not feasible

Marius Baader, Managing Director of the GDA. The programme is

under these circumstances. The expectations that our exhibitors,

being produced in cooperation with the CRU Group and the European

visitors, partners and we have of a world-leading trade fair for this

industry association European Aluminium will also be involved in the

sector cannot be met this year under these conditions,” said Barbara

event. The next edition of the world trade fair ALUMINIUM will take

Leithner, COO of the organiser RX. “Together with our partners and

place as planned from 27 - 29 September 2022.

the industry, we have therefore decided to launch the fair again in autumn 2022.”

For further information: www.aluminium-exhibition.com

international PAINT&COATING magazine - JULY/AUGUST 2021 - N. 70

139

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The Powder Coating Research Group

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Material Engineering and Industrial Technologies, University of Trento - Product Design

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Department of Chemistry, Material and Chemical Engineering, Politecnico of Milan – Chemical Engineering Section

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