SW February 2023

MANAGING DIRECTOR & ADVERTISEMENT DIRECTOR

Nigel Bean

t: +44 (0) 1442 826826

e: nigelbean1@aol.com nigelbean@surfaceworld.com

EDITOR & GRAPHIC DESIGNER

Jane Soones

e: janesoones@aol.com janesoones@surfaceworld.com

CIRCULATION & SUBSCRIPTION DEPARTMENT

Sheena Burrus e: sheenaburrus@hillmedia.com

EXHIBITION ORGANISER

Sheena Burrus e: sheenaburrus@hillmedia.com

Hill Media Ltd, Marash House

2-5 Brook Street, Tring, Hertfordshire HP23 5ED, United Kingdom.

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© Hill Media Ltd – 2022 ISSN 1757-367X Specify

Midlands based manufacturer Nova Group make significant investment in new paint finishing facility

Nova group have been producing smartly designed and well-crafted steel fabricated products for over 40 years. Previously known as Fabriweld and based centrally in Nottingham they are easily accessible. Nova Groups products and services support manufactures and OEM across multiple segments.

Group CEO David Ritchie went on to explain ‘At Nova we have a real passion for functional and aesthetically pleasing design. We offer an end-to-end service from design through to production. Our products are beautifully crafted by caring, enthusiastic, experienced and highly skilled individuals and, paired with Global brands that find their way into homes in over 30+ countries. As part of a recent growth strategy Nova has opened up its manufacturing capabilities to the wider market, mobilising their core competences in manufacturing and fabrication to supply products and services to the wider market. In recent years Nova Group have been providing fabricated, coated and assembled products into new sectors including the Digital Signage (Kiosks and Enclosure), EV charging and educational furniture markets

Graham Hannath, CTO of the Nova Group went on to explain ‘As part of a business evaluation project it was clear that we needed to make some strategic investments to support our ambitious long term growth plan, we identified three key focus areas;

1) Increase capacity, supporting a quicker turnaround to meet customer demand.

2) Improve sustainability, reducing the manufacturing carbon footprint and meet our ISO14001 target.

3) Delivering premium finished goods to our client base across the segments we serve.

David went on to explain ‘At Nova we have run a powder coating facility for many years, however it was a labour intensive, created lots of waste due to the traditional coating booth design, quality was down to the operator in terms of the standards produced. Having conducted a detailed market evaluation we identified Gema Europe to supply a highly automated, efficient booth system that would deliver our objectives.’

Pictured right is operator Nicky Walter performing a colour change on the OC06 OptiCentre.

David continued ‘Early indications would suggest that we have reduced the waste to landfill by approximately 80%. The automatic reciprocation system is supporting our desire to achieve consistently high-quality results, the icing on the cake is that we have

trebled our production capacity. The increased work envelope allows us to process larger components with products up to 2500mm long x 800mm wide x 1500mm high.’

The new powder paint system installed includes an automated MagicCompact booth pictured above, this is the latest generation technology from global leading supplier Gema. Nova Groups Paint line manager Nicky Walters explains ‘The booth which is mostly self-cleaning and designed for fast colour changes, allows us to work extremely flexibly between jobs. We have gone from what was an extremely manually intensive operation to one which is over 90% automatic, our main focus now is on productivity and optimizing the loading of the line.

When specifying the equipment we opted for the ultrasonic Sieve, which ensures contamination free powder conditioning, is important for our end users, particularly our premium audio and visual clients as well as our digital displays. The Mono-cyclone and After Filter ensures that the operating environment is always clean and the waste levels are extremely low, ensuring we have high utilization of raw materials, the difference between the new and old systems is night and day.’

The key benefits from the Gema MagicCompact Booth include;

80% reduction in powder waste to landfill

Automated process

Complies with all of the latest ATEX legislation

Cleaner working environment

Trebled production capacity

Significant improvements in yield from powder

Quality improvements

Repeatable process and coating results

Low maintenance requirements

David Ritchie concluded ‘Having visited several installations Gema’s Magic Compact delivered the benefits we were looking to achieve, its robust

quality and more importantly aftersales service provision Gema offer were also key parts of our decision process around this investment. The professionalism and knowledge around their products every step of the journey has been superb, from technical sales, design, installation and commissioning teams it has been a pleasure to deal with Gema and further reinforced that we have made the right decision to select the industry leaders as our partner.’

Leon Hogg, General Manager UK for Gema, explained ‘It was clear during the evaluation stages that the team at Nova Group were keen to invest in the very latest innovations that deliver quality and performance benefits to their existing and future customers. With the high demand for quality, repeatability and efficiency we quickly arrived at the Magic Compact fast colour change booth as the solution. An automated Industry 4.0 based system that provided the perfect strategic fit when it comes to matching the level of performance and efficiency David Ritchie and his team were looking for. This investment in the very latest technology puts Nova Group at the forefront of premium finished products.

Visit: www.gema.com

The Solution for the Automotive Coatings Industry: The Integration of Sagola and Elcometer

Sagola has been manufacturing high performance spray paint guns and spray equipment accessories for the automotive industry for over 65 years. Building a reputation for manufacturing high quality, highly efficient, versatile and reliable spray guns and filters, their equipment allows professionals to quickly and easily achieve the highest levels of finish.

In 2021, Sagola was acquired by Elcometer, a leading manufacturer of inspection equipment for the coatings industry.

The combination of Elcometer’s coatings inspection equipment with Sagola’s spray equipment brings together an ideal and unique solution particularly for those in the automotive and automotive refinishing sectors. Whether you are testing a coating in the paint laboratory, applying a coating on the paint line or respraying vehicles in a bodyshop, the final product needs

inspecting, by adding Elcometer’s comprehensive range of inspection equipment to Sagola’s range of spray technologies, Elcometer can now provide our customers around the world with a total solution.

Physical Testing

Automotive coatings serve a dual purpose in providing both protection and aesthetic appeal. Acting as a barrier to protect the underlying material from various environmental and physical impacts, whilst also giving

an attractive appearance that enhances the visual appeal of the vehicle.

Physical testing in the laboratory is crucial not only in evaluating the quality and durability of a coating, but also to ensure that it can withstand the wear and tear of everyday use.

Through undertaking controlled, repeatable and reproducible impacts, scratches and abrasions on a coating, an evaluation can be made into the performance of a paint in real-world situations.

The results of such tests can then be used to make improvements to the paint during the development process, leading to durable and long-lasting, high quality finishes which also meet industry standards and quality expectations.

Elcometer offers a wide range of physical test equipment ideal for the automotive industry, including:

Bend and Impact Testing

Abrasion and Washability Testing

Hardness and Scratch Resistance Testing

Gloss Measurement

The appearance of a vehicle’s paint, and particularly it’s shine, is a critical factor in the overall quality of the product and customer satisfaction. Automotive and coating manufacturers must therefore ensure that the paint has the desired level of gloss – not only on the body panels, but also on key visual components within the car itself.

A glossmeter works by directing light at a specified angle on to the surface and measuring the amount of light reflected back at the same angle. The amount of light reflected is then used to calculate the gloss value, typically expressed in gloss units (GU). This gloss value provides an independent, objective measure of the paint’s finish, which can be used to determine if the paint meets the manufacturer’s desired specifications, helping to improve the quality of the final product.

In bodyshops, gloss is also critical as it is important to match the finish of the repainted areas of the vehicle to the original paintwork so that the vehicle’s overall appearance can be restored. With its simple one button operation

and a large, clear display, the Elcometer 480 Glossmeter is easy to use. Its portable, lightweight and rugged design makes it suitable for use on the production line or in the bodyshop. The Elcometer 480 is a high precision instrument and has a measurement range of up to 2000GU, an accuracy of ±1GU and can store up to 500 measurement readings.

Coating Thickness Measurement

The coating thickness gauge is a vital piece of equipment in the automotive industry, serving dealerships, bodyshops and insurance companies alike. The coating thickness of a vehicle can be measured for various reasons which include quality assurance, assessing historical damage and ensuring adequate repair has been carried out which all goes to help determine the value of the car. When measuring a vehicle’s coating thickness, inconsistent readings on a body panel can be a strong indicator that rework, has been undertaken. Rework could range from simple scratches to significantly filled body panels. A high reading suggests body filler was used, a

lower reading can suggest a replacement panel was not adequately painted.

This information gives valuable insight to dealerships and insurance companies alike, allowing detailed assessment into a vehicle’s true condition, determining if it has been in an accident or has experienced other types of paint damageultimately giving a more realistic resale value of the vehicle.

Coating thickness gauges, also known as dry film thickness gauges (DFT) are also used in bodyshops to determine the amount of paint needed for repairs and ensure the rework is of a similar thickness to the rest of the vehicle.

The entry level Elcometer 311 Automotive Paint Meter and the more advanced Elcometer 456 Coating Thickness Gauge are versatile and reliable instruments which are both widely used within the automotive industry as they are ideal for measuring the thickness of paint and other coatings on vehicles. With instant material recognition and the ability to switch between steel and aluminium panels, these Elcometer gauges allow users to quickly and easily assess any damage to the vehicle.

Elcometer 3095 Buchholz Hardness Tester

Elcometer 480 Glossmeter

Spraying

Replicating a vehicle’s entire paint finish in an aftermarket paint environment, matching the exact colour, gloss and coating’s uniformity of finish across the whole of the car to as it was when manufactured can only be achieved with high-quality spray guns recognised and approved by the leading automotive paint manufacturers. Sagola by Elcometer is one of the few manufacturers with approval from many of the automotive paint manufacturers around the world. Our spray

guns are widely used in bodyshops providing aftermarket painters with a similar paint finish and appearance uniformity on the vehicle as it was when first manufactured.

Sagola has a gun to suit any application - engineered for both quality and performance. The Sagola 4600 Xtreme is a top-of-the-range gravity-fed spray gun designed for high performance and versatility, featuring a stainless-steel needle and nozzle, which ensures a high-quality finish and increased durability. Its adjustable air and fluid controls allow users to fine-tune their application,

ensuring a consistent and precise finish every time.

Each Sagola spray gun is designed to deliver high performance and a low cost of ownership being easy to maintain. Sagola’s interchangeable aircaps, needles and nozzle kits allow for the customisation of the spray gun’s spray pattern, fluid flow and atomisation, ideal for each specific application or material requirement.

Elcometer’s acquisition of Sagola brings a comprehensive solution to the automotive coatings industry. The combined offering of Sagola and Elcometer ensures that professionals have the necessary tools to inspect, evaluate, repair and respray vehicles to a high standard from one company - Elcometer.

For more information on Elcometer and Sagola, please visit www.elcometer.com

Elcometer 311 Automotive Paint Meter

Sagola 4600 Xtreme

Become an Acknowledged Leader in Surface Engineering and Materials Finishing: Industry Recognised Training Courses from the IMF

Are you involved with the application of coatings to enhance and protect your products? Do you need to meet client specifications to ensure the longevity of your components? Does the complex world of surface engineering and materials finishing cause you headaches?

If so, the courses offered by the Institute of Materials Finishing (IMF) could be your solution!

The IMF have been promoting knowledge in the surface finishing industries, both inorganic surface treatments including plating and the application of organic paints, lacquers and varnishes for many years. Large numbers of engineers and technicians across a multitude of industries have benefitted from the knowledge gained to enhance their careers, their standing within industry and the ability to

problem solve the many challenges they face in their daily working lives!

Starting with the Foundation level course, students gain knowledge on all aspects of materials finishing, specifically aimed at their own industry requirements, but to include sections on Health & Safety, the Environment and Surface Finishing and Corrosion Protection. There is no need for a

science background to be able to successfully complete a foundation course.

The Foundation Course requires study of 15 sections and requires the submission of 2 marked assignments followed by an end examination. The course, conducted by distance learning will take 16 weeks to complete. There are three specific study routes to choose from; electroplating, organic coatings and aerospace finishing. On successful completion, the student is awarded the Foundation Certificate. To follow on, students can then elect to progress to the Technician level modules, which give more in-depth knowledge for key finishing technologies, their application and best practice methods. Again, both inorganic and organic technologies can be studied to match the industry requirements. There is a choice of eight modules, which provide study in applicable areas of surface finishing best matched to your needs.

Like the Foundation course, study is by distance learning, and the student is required to complete four marked assignments and pass an examination. Passing two technician modules leads to the award of Technician Certificate; passing four modules leads to the award of an Advanced Technician Certificate.

If you feel your career could benefit from being a recognised specialist in your particular branch of Surface Engineering or Materials Finishing, then contact the IMF today. Speak with our training manager Karen Yates on +44 (0)121 622 7287 or e-mail at karen@materialsfinishing.org.

Move your career to the next level and join the finishing community and all the benefits that gives through the IMF.

BCF advocates for recruiting apprentices for the next generation of the UK coatings industry

As part of the UK’s National Apprenticeship Week 2023, the British Coatings Federation (BCF) are encouraging coatings employers to take advantage of the wide range of apprenticeships available to help recruit the next generation of talent into a career in the coatings industry.

Tying into this year’s theme for National Apprenticeship Week of ‘Skills for Life’, apprenticeships are a great way of equipping young professionals with the skills to set them up for a career in their chosen industry.

BCF’s Apprenticeship Service can help paints, inks and wallcoverings companies find and hire new apprentices across all disciplines and functions and can also help larger coatings and printing ink companies spend their UK Apprenticeship Levy funds. The service has been purposebuilt for BCF Members by the Apprenticeship Training Agency (ATA). There are around 600 available apprenticeship programmes in England, and with at least 95% of the training costs being funded by the government, apprenticeships are a cost-effective way of developing the knowledge and skills of the workforce.

The ATA can work with employers to put individuals through apprenticeships or whole teams. For any department that they have within your business, there will be a range of relevant apprenticeship programmes at appropriate levels to suit all members of staff, regardless

of experience. Some examples of the departments that businesses may have could include:

Accounts and Finance

HR

Sales, Marketing & Procurement

Administration and Customer Service

IT and Cyber Security

Digital

The services provided by the ATA are available for both small and large organisations, and the service will be tailored to suit the business’s specific needs. Employers will have direct access to a designated account manager who will be able to answer any questions they have and provide support whenever they need it.

Employers can also take advantage of BCF’s agreement with Tiro, a specialist trainer provider for science and technology apprenticeships, which will also give funding for the BCF’s Coatings Training Institute courses.

Tiro’s level 3 Laboratory Technician and Science Manufacturing Technician apprenticeships will both utilise six modules from the Coatings Training

Institute as the knowledge element of the apprenticeship.

Tom Bowtell, CEO of the British Coatings Federation, commented: “BCF actively supports apprenticeship schemes and we hope to see more members taking up opportunities to train employees across the coatings sector in future. We believe we have some great solutions for our members to take advantage of, and apprenticeships are a great way to either upskill existing staff or bring in new recruits. Our team at the BCF Apprenticeship Service are fully committed to helping the coatings industry with this significant challenge faced with recruiting new staff in the current climate. So, check out our Coatings Careers Hub today and find out how you can make a difference.”

To find out more about BCF’s Apprenticeship Service, please visit: https://coatingscareershub.com/ apprenticeship-service/

Corrodere Academy announce new Corrosion Under Insulation course

Corrodere Academy offer globally recognised qualifications in the protective coatings industry including Train the painter, coating inspector and specialist courses. This new addition to the specialist course range is available through their online learning platform and accredited by Lloyd’s Register.

The importance of managing corrosion under insulation

Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI) is defined as corrosion of a steel structure such as pipes, vessels, low alloy, austenitic stainless steel, or tanks fabricated from carbon. CUI occurs underneath

insulation or fireproofing due to the permeation of moisture or water.

CUI is a well known and widespread corrosion phenomenon in the oil & gas and petrochemical industries, because of the use of many insulated structures which are exposed to variable corrosive environments.

Virtually every process plant with insulated or fireproofed structures will have CUI. The extent it will depend

The course will provide students with industry knowledge on CUI and how to manage it with specific inspection and detection methods.

upon the management and inspection control and the repair and rectification process of the plant during operation and shutdown.

CUI is very expensive and it is estimated that between 40-60% of piping maintenance costs are related to CUI. Undetected, it can lead to leaks, potential explosions and serious environmental implications.

This training course has been developed by industry experts and offers an insight into corrosion, corrosion under insulation, fireproofing, inspection and management of assets.

The course will provide students with industry knowledge on CUI and how to manage it with specific inspection and detection methods. It will also provide training on the insulation and coating systems used for the protection of structures and the specific testing of products.

Well established online training company, Corrodere Academy, are launching a brand-new course for 2023 –Corrosion Under Insulation.

Who is this course suitable for?

This course would be hugely beneficial to the following: Corrosion Engineers, Designers of Plant and Equipment, Coatings Inspectors, Insulation Inspectors, Pipeline Inspectors, Asset Integrity Personnel, Painting Contractors, NDE Personnel, Fabric Maintenance Personnel, Plant Maintenance Personnel, Suppliers of Insulation Materials, Suppliers of Coating Materials and personnel who have an interest in CUI.

Why study with the Corrodere Academy?

Convenient. Distance learning allows you to learn from home, work, or on the road.

Immediate. Online training enables you to start the course when it is most convenient to you.

Affordable. Studying online means no venue or travel costs, saving an average of 50% compared to classroom learning.

Flexible. You decide when it is convenient to study and can make your own schedule to suit your job and lifestyle.

Course structure

This distance learning course will take 16-24 hours to complete and once all modules are completed, students will receive a certificate of achievement accredited by Lloyd’s Register. Students are granted access to the course training platform for 12 months from initial sign up.

The course material was created by industry experts including Brendan Fitzsimons and Trevor Parry who between them have 70+ years’ experience in protective coatings.

If you’re interested and want to find out more visit corrodere.com/ specialist-coating-courses/ or contact the team on 01252 732233 or info@corrodere.com.

HMG celebrates apprentices during National Apprenticeship Week 2023

HMG Paints have marked National Apprenticeship Week 2023 with a celebration of a number of colleagues at various stages of their Apprenticeship journeys. The Manchester based manufacturer has been a long-term advocate of apprenticeships and developing its own staff and allowing them to develop careers within HMG. This is highlighted with current Chief Operating Office Steve Crossman, who joined HMG as an 18-yearold apprentice himself.

The business employs a number of apprentices across the business in roles ranging from paint production, laboratory and logistics to officebased roles. One of the newer apprentices just starting her journey is Gabby Parfitt who joined HMG in 2021 as a member of the Print Room. Gaby is undertaking a level 3 apprenticeship. The 16-month course will provide her with a Level 3 business administrator qualification.

“I like doing my course at HMG because it gives me further education while working. HMG also provides time and a quiet space to do my apprenticeship work and participate in online lessons” said Gabby “My apprenticeship has taught me how to manage my time and set priorities for tasks that are urgent and non-urgent and helping create healthy habits. The 4D’s (delete, defer, delegate and do it) helped me with this.”

At the other end of the journey is Shannon Williams, who completed her Degree Level Apprenticeship in Business Management (Chartered Manager) in 2022 and achieved an Upper Second-Class Honours and

has since been promoted to Product Manager.

On her apprenticeship journey Shannon commented “The Degree Apprenticeship helped to develop my skills and knowledge of business through a wide range of subjects and management processes. These skills have helped with my new role as Product Manager. HMG provided me with the support and time needed throughout to enable me to complete the degree”.

HMG Paints COO Steve Crossman, is proud of the ongoing success of the apprenticeship scheme “We’re pleased to support our staff in developing themselves professionally and personally, and the apprenticeships are the perfect way to gain academic knowledge and real-life experience. We have a number of staff who have been here for decades with a wealth of knowledge and we’ve found combining that with the learning providers is a perfect way to bring numerous advantages to HMG.”

Shannon Williams

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One of the common misconceptions of apprenticeships is that they are for early career journeys, however HMG also employ apprentices who are undertaking Level 7 qualifications. Once such employee is Lewis Whalen who is currently studying for his CIMA Level 7 Professional Accounting Technician qualification. Once Lewis completes his three-year apprenticeship course, he will be a qualified Management Accountant – ACMA (Associate of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants). “Completing my CIMA qualification whilst at HMG means I can apply some of my learning in the workplace and I have a better understanding of some modules due to the exposure and experience I have within HMG. It is an ideal way to combine practical experience with theoretical knowledge” Lewis added.

As a Made in Britain accredited manufacture HMG offer a number of colour career choices. The nature and variety of HMG’s customer base & product portfolio means that there is a

broad range of roles and opportunities within the company from apprentice and graduate opportunities in production and operations to roles for experienced chemists within the Laboratory. These roles include technical positions such as paint technologists, research & development chemists and colour specialists with one eye on a sustainable, net zero future. Believe it or not the company even have roles that require watching paint dry. Visit: www.hmgpaint.com

Lewis Whalen

VERTIK-AL - Man, and Boy

Surface World chats with Richard Gibbs from powder coating specialist, Vertik-Al, about his 30 years with the company, what’s changed in that time, and most important, how does he stay motivated…

“I was still in sixth form at the time,” comments Richard Gibbs, now operations director for Vertik-Al.

“I had a Saturday job in a butcher’s shop, but I needed a full-time wage. The Job Centre was advertising an office junior role for a powder coating firm in Shard End, Birmingham [where the business still operates today].

I had no knowledge of the industry, but I was keen to learn.

Early Days

“Vertik-Al was the ideal place to cut my teeth in those formative years. The business was frenetic, with lorries coming in and out, dropping and collecting work. In time, I worked right across the company, learning all different aspects of business.

“We had a small workforce working a day shift back in 1992,” continues,

Richard. “Since then, I have witnessed tremendous growth. We now employ over 60 people on our night shift and 110 during our day shift. Investment has been key to this expansion.

Development and Investment

“Our plant and equipment are unrecognisable in comparison to when I joined the company. The basic principles of powder coating have remained constant, it’s the development of new colours, textures and powder quality where I have seen the biggest difference. They are now available in abundance but more important is their increased durability and performance.

“The development of Class 2 – also known as super durable powders – has not only enabled us to expand our range and the potential for coating aluminium architectural products, but to also offer extended warranties. This is a real game-changer for British architecture and is a big motivator for me and the team. Powder coating is still a very exciting market to be a part of.”

Operations Director

“Vertik-Al has always offered one of the fastest turnaround services, with great quality at a competitive price. This is what we have built the business on, offering all our customers, regardless of size, a single source for their coating needs. As operations director, it is my responsibility to ensure that we deliver on this, every day.

“Each 24-hour period we receive or collect around 10- to 15,000 items for powder coating. Every item needs to be planned in, sequenced, programmed, pre-treated, coated, rolled, quality control checked, packed, and dispatched, every day, on-time and in full. It’s that easy!”

All Aboard

“I was especially proud to be invited to join the Vertik-Al board of directors in April 2006. More recently, following an acquisition in 2017, I was once again invited onto the board, post-sale.

“The levels of investment since the acquisition have been truly phenomenal. With new plant and equipment, we are considered a market leader, a fact of which I am immensely proud. As a board, we are buzzing with plans for the next phase of the company.”

Telephone: 0121 608 7171

Email: info@vertik-al.com

Visit: www.vertik-al.com

Twitter: vertikalltd

LinkedIn: vertik-al

Vertik-Al has always offered one of the fastest turnaround services, with great quality at a competitive price.

Richard Gibbs in the 1990s

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Surface World 2023Bringing over 20 years of service to your industry

Trade shows, exhibitions and other events can be an excellent way to showcase your products and services. They give you the opportunity to increase awareness of your business, launch new products and services, network with industry members, explore partnership opportunities, see what competitors are offering, generate new business leads, attract and convert customers.

What is a Trade Show?

A trade show is a platform where businesses (exhibitors), professionals and business representatives (visitors) come together under one roof to exchange knowledge and make connections with other like-minded professionals.

Exhibitors book a stand and use this space to connect and engage with visitors to the event. Ideally, the event is used to generate leads, network, promote products and services, and hopefully close a few sales in an organic setting that’s tailored to them and their audience.

How can you benefit from exhibiting at a Trade Show?

There are many reasons why you would choose to exhibit at a trade show, which include:

Make sales – the golden ticket to trade show success, hitting a quota or making direct sales is the ultimate definition of winning.

Capture leads – without leads salespeople have nobody to convert, so generating enough leads for your marketing funnel is a must.

Analysing the competition – what technology are they using, what marketing angle are they taking? It’s good to know what the competition is up to.

Engage with existing customers –existing customers are more likely to invest in new products and services, so you can keep building relations and offering them more benefits. Introduce new products/ services – new and old customers could benefit from your new product.

Account-based marketing – go into a trade show with an idea of who you’d like to speak with, so you can create a strategy that’s more likely to convert them.

Gather feedback – feedback is how you improve services and sales and marketing; you could receive advice that revolutionises how you do things.

Spot trends – spotting trends is vital if you want to stay relevant or avoid something that’s a flash in the pan.

What should you look at when selecting a trade show?

The best success can be gained from participating at an event that has a well-established history. These events usually draw the best reward. The event organiser should have proven methods in place to market the event to the right audience. They will have a database they have accrued over many years of business. The venue should be easily accessed by road or public transport and have plenty of parking. A venue with excellent nearby facilities, hotels, restaurants, entertainment, can also be a bonus if the event is held over more than one day.

Can You Make Money at a Trade Show?

Keeping costs down is a benefit when deciding which trade show to exhibit at. Smaller shows tend to be cheaper, so choosing an event that is aimed at your target audience is the key to a successful outcome from exhibiting. Here are some ways you can get a healthy ROI from a trade show, including:

Only buy the space you need – the area you buy takes up a significant amount of your budget, so overdoing

it can waste money, which is going to eat into your sales.

Get an enticing exhibition stand – you can have a tiny space and still attract people if your stand is attractive, making your area presentable promotes credibility.

Organisation is key – there’s a temptation to blindly hand out literature and marketing collateral, putting it at the back of your space makes reps think about engaging first, which is more likely to generate a lead or a sale.

Use tech where it’s useful – the whole purpose of a trade show is to generate business through face-toface marketing, so don’t dehumanise the event by using too much technology.

Pick the right team – there’s no point in attending an event if you pick the wrong staff. Ideally, it would benefit you if you had people who understand and empathise with customer challenges, but also know when to close deals.

Work the aisles – do not limit yourself to the boundary of your stand, you can reach out to passers-by and engage in the aisle.

Tell people you’re exhibiting –use as many marketing techniques as you can to create a build-up to the event and get people excited. Utilise all marketing opportunities the event itself offer, these are generally targeted directly at your required audience.

What Do You Need for a Trade Show?

The last thing you want to do is under prepare. Get the following ticked off before you get to your event:

Event space – the first thing you

need is event space, you’ll have a shock if you turn up and there’s nowhere for you to pitch!

Stand with supporting collateral – your stand and marketing collateral are what attract people to your stand.

Travel plans – train, bus, plane, car? It would help if you had robust plans in place before you depart.

Accommodation – if you’re planning on staying over, which you may want to as events are long, tiring days, reserve in advance as hotels may get booked up prior to the event.

Marketing collateral – brochures, leaflets, business cards; get all the material you need and ensure you get plenty. You don’t want to run out.

Staff – ask your staff well before the event to ensure they are available to attend, cancelling holidays will not be seen as favourable to you! Remember your staff are the face of the business at the event, get them prepared.

Could You See Success at a Trade Show?

Trade shows aren’t an antiquated form of marketing and sales – they’re proven to generate targeted, high-quality leads and sales. Not every business can benefit from attending trade shows, but they’re certainly worth exploring. Just like trade shows give you the opportunity to better connect with prospective customers, exhibiting at a trade show also allows you to meet existing customers face-to-face.

While most of today’s business is conducted over email or

phone, face-to-face meetings are undeniably a fantastic way to do business.

The Wall Street Journal agrees. Citing a study by Oxford Economics, the well-known financial publication reports that face-to-face meetings are the most effective way to strengthen relationships with both prospective customers and current customers.

Trade shows help bring all the different aspects of an industry together –consumers, distributors, suppliers and manufacturers, all in one place. With such a broad audience together in one place, businesses are able to schedule meetings, negotiate orders and other opportunities and collaborate on other projects. Trade shows allow businesses to facilitate discussions with their suppliers and even with other businesses, as well as move projects to another level if the opportunity arises.

Surface World 2023 is a well established trade event, with over 20 years of experience, specifically tailored to the Surface Finishing Industry.

If you are interested in exhibiting or visiting this event, please contact Nigel Bean at:

Telephone: +44 (0) 1442 826826

Email: nigelbean1@aol.com

WEDGE GROUP GALVANIZING Your Galvanizing Partner

Hot dip galvanizing provides you with long-term protection against rust and corrosion of steel products. With 14 plants across the UK, Wedge Group

Galvanizing is the UK’s largest hot dip galvanizing organisation offering a national service, collection and delivery and 24hr turnaround on request. The group can process anything from small components to 29m structural beams.

Aluminium tubes for high-voltage equipment with high-quality coating

Hitachi Energy Brno, a manufacturer of high-voltage equipment, is now coating with Nordson’s HDLV technology, improving surface quality and doubling its production capacity.

The Challenge

Hitachi Energy is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of high-voltage equipment and produces some of the components required for this in Brno. In the Czech Republic’s second largest city, the company coats aluminum tubes up to 12 m long, which have different geometries inside and a diameter of up to 0.80 m, using the environmentally friendly powder coating process. A capacity doubling was needed while still ensuring that the coating of the workpieces met high safety and quality standards due to the high-risk area of application: An increase in output with the automatic guns of the existing old plant was not possible to the requested scope. In addition, the company also wanted to make the coating process more economical and achieve powder

savings in order to meet its high environmental requirements. Based on this, the decision was made to invest in a new, robot-guided powder plant.

The Solution

As part of their research, Hitachi Energy executives researched HDLV dense phase technology and conducted some preliminary testing at an HVAC manufacturer’s facility. “Although we did not have 3D models of the workpieces for this robotic coating and therefore could not program the robots accurately, our customer was impressed with the results,” says Ing. Jaroslav Blažek Managing Director at Czech system integrator Surfin Technology. To put the technology to the test on the workpieces in its own production, Hitachi Energy received two Encore®

HD manual powder coating systems from Nordson. The powder guns that go with them are lightweight and well-balanced, and enable highquality, fast coatings that can be repeatable at any time, regardless of the powder. They also feature excellent coating of edges and corners, as well as optimal penetration depth, even into challenging shapes. “We were extremely positively surprised by the performance of Nordson HDLV technology. We did not expect the result like this,” Vaclav Holecek Production Development Specialist / Corrosion Engineer at Hitachi Energy, reports in retrospect. Due to the very good results, the company decided to use this technology and contracted Surfin Technology to install two Nordson ColorMax® E (engineered) powder coating systems with robotic coating guns.

In Booth 1, the inner surfaces of the pipes are coated with two Encore HD Select robotic guns mounted on two ABB coating robots. The dense-phase guns always enable repeatable,

Combining robots and Nordson HDLV technology, Hitachi Energy doubled production output, even though they coat with fewer powder spray guns than before.

Color-on-Demand Powder Coating

Maximum flexibility – coat any colour, at any time!

Do you handle a wide range of custom powder coatings in small batches?

Boost your business with the Nordson Color-On-Demand® System – designed for precision finishing and ultra-fast quality colour changes! The system accommodates up to 28 colours at one time for more colour changes per shift and higher throughput, and just-in-time manufacturing for zero inventory and improved production efficiency.

Explore the unique features of our powder coating systems online www.nordsoncoating.com/CoD or get in contact for more information ics.eu@nordson.com!

reproducible coating quality, achieve low powder consumption, and combine flexibility and profitability in powder coating. The Spectrum HD powder feed center ensures a reliable powder supply. The integrated dense phase pump technology ensures precise powder feed and combines

Hitachi Energy uses the CoD system in Booth 1 with “spraying to waste” to enable the company to perform fast color changes in just a few seconds.

consistent coating results with significant powder savings with minimal maintenance and downtime. Precise control of the powder feed center is provided by the PowderPilot HD control system. It allows the user, through the simple and color touchscreen control, to adjust all aspects for high quality powder application - from feed and atomizing air to electrostatics, gun stroke and triggering.

Hitachi Energy manufactures the high-voltage equipment for customers around the world, so the components are coated in a variety of colors. For powder coating, this means up to 15 color changes per day. To be able to implement these quickly and reliably, Hitachi Energy has selected Nordson’s automatic Color-on-Demand (CoD) system. Color changes are done in 20 – 50 seconds. The system automatically cleans the entire powder path - from the powder hopper to the powder gun. Manual color changing is not necessary. CoD offers maximum flexibility and enables coatings to be applied to order at short notice. Another benefit is that users can implement customer requirements quickly and reliably, even for batch sizes of 1, and small batches.

“This is very efficient precisely because of Nordson dense phase technology, as the extremely soft dense phase powder cloud allows the robotic guns to get very close to the parts with no bounce back effect, and there is minimal overspray,” explains Nordson sales manager Martin Vodak. Booth 2 is where the outer surfaces of the aluminum pipes are powdered, and like Booth 1, it features Encore HD robotic guns and two painting robots. It is also equipped with a twin cyclone, as this is where the overspray is processed and returned to the production cycle.

Special features include weigh cells on the Spectrum HD powder feed centers, on the Color-on-Demand systems, and on the two after filters. Regarding the high standards for environmental compatibility and sustainability, these provide the operator with real-time information about the current powder consumption and the quantity of overspray.

The Customer Benefits: Maximizing production output, coating quality, and degrees of automation while reducing powder consumption to achieve high environmental goals.

Installation and commissioning of the new powder coating system was implemented by Surfin Technology together with Nordson service technicians in December 2021 during the holiday season, allowing the system to start operating immediately after the production break. “By combining robots and Nordson dense phase technology, we have doubled our production output, even though we are powder coating with fewer guns than before,” says Vaclav Holecek

at Hitachi Energy, summarizing the experience with the new powder coating system. “We have been able to install high process repeatability for our process, and the system now allows us to plan production and monitor the production process more efficiently. At the same time, the manual work and rework previously required has been reduced to almost zero. From time to time, for example with special workpieces, we still work with manual coating. For this purpose, we also have our own station with a manual booth and an Encore HD dolly in production. Thanks to the soft cloud provided by HDLV technology, the same high-quality result is always achieved. With employees in mind, high operator safety is ensured at the same time, as well as maximum material utilization and a significant reduction in powder consumption.” Holecek proudly adds, “We have simply found a very modern and high-quality coating solution for our very important products to contribute to a sustainable energy future for future generations.” With the coated products, the manufacturer of high-voltage equipment is now able to meet the strict requirements of safety standards and repeat the coating processes of the different products at any time. They can also efficiently plan production and monitor the processes with the future-oriented Industry 4.0 standard. By reducing powder consumption and maximizing material utilization, the company’s own high environmental targets can be met.

Email: ics.eu@nordson.com

Visit: www.nordson.com/ics

The soft spray of the Encore® HD powder coating system ensures maximum process control.

Non-contact Uncured Powder Thickness Gauge

Affordably measures uncured powder coatings using non-contact ultrasonic technology to predict a cured thickness

 Dedicated stand-alone unit is ready to measure right out of the box

 Fast measurement speed—ideal for moving lines and swinging parts

 Scan Mode continuously takes measurements—ideal for analyzing large areas

 Storage of 999 readings with onscreen averaging. Stored readings can be downloaded to PosiSoft Desktop Software

Complete solutions for measuring powder coating before and after cure are available

Avoiding Architectural Powder Coat Failures

By Angus Mackie -

QUALICOAT Chair

Architectural Aluminium Powder Coating is applied using the well known methodology of spraying electrostatically charged fine polyester based powders onto a product. Coated aluminium products are then heated to an optimum temperature to melt the powder which allows it to flow and chemically cross-link into a sustainable coating. As the product cools the coating sets and the finish is complete. The problem is, like most applied opaque coatings, the finish may look good, but the coating can hide a multitude of problems on the surface of the metal. If contaminants are present, or a pretreatment process is lacking, a failure of the coating will become evident over time.

A powder coated finish is generally porous, this allows some air and moisture to reach the aluminium surface. When the aluminium eventually begins to oxidise, any applied powder coating will lose its adherence, no matter the quality of the coating itself.

Newly formed aluminium, as soon as it is exposed to the oxygen in the air, begins to oxidise. Corrosion forms quickly into a very thin layer and slows down as the layer becomes thicker. Invisible to the naked eye at first, the process continues until the oxygen in

the air is effectively stopped from gaining access to the exposed aluminium surface. This naturally occurring oxidisation builds up over time to completely seal the surface and form a protective layer, this is why aluminium is sometimes specified unfinished for external metalwork. Whilst a natural finish, this oxidisation is often not seen as an attractive finish and therefore aluminium is either powder coated or anodised prior to being used externally. Anodising is simply a rapid and controlled oxidisation of the surface of the aluminium. Typically just 25 microns in thickness, anodising is very hard and wear resistant, but colours are limited generally to bronze, grey finishes or limited dyed colours.

Prior to powder coating architectural aluminium, it is crucial that the aluminium surface is subject to a ‘pretreatment’ process which includes an etch process to remove contaminants and then a passivation or conversion coating to ‘seal’ the surface of the aluminium which also provides a ‘key’ for the adherence of

Corrosion under the powder coating causing the powder finish to lose adhesion

Corrosion under the powder coating causing the powder finish to lose adhesion

Angus Mackie

Pull-Off Adhesion Testers

n Impact and scratch resistant color Touch Screen display with keypad

n Wirelessly connect the PosiTest AT-A to your smart device using our free app

n Record the results as pass/fail and the nature of fracture cohesive, adhesive and glue failures

the coating. These very thin conversion coatings can be formed of a chromate, a non-chromate or even a very thin anodising process.

For an architectural powder coater a pretreatment plant is a significant investment often costing as much, if not more than the powder coating line itself. Few powder coating lines in the UK have this substantial facility and those that do will claim to powder coat to BS EN 12206 or become licensed to powder coat to the more substantial QUALICOAT specification.

So where do things go wrong?

Often in an attempt to reduce costs through the supply chain, installers of architectural aluminium products will use powder coaters who often do not possess the correct pretreatment lines. There is also the possibility that some coaters who do have the correct pretreatment systems do not have the correct controls in place and the quality of the coatings can vary, even though they can claim to coat to BS EN 12206.

A QUALICOAT licensed applicator, on the other hand, has to use a pretreatment system that is QUALICOAT approved and utilise powder systems that are also approved by QUALICOAT, this ensures quality is maintained through the coating process. Furthermore, QUALICOAT licence holders are randomly inspected twice a year to ensure the QUALICOAT specification is being met. Licensed coaters who fail these third party inspections, will lose their licence.

So the best specification for any architectural powder coating project should simply be ‘coated by a QUALICOAT licensed applicator’. Known across the globe, a QUALICOAT specification can be realised on any continent.

Powder coat failures fall into two broad categories, that of a complete failure of the coating where it simply peels off and something called ‘filigree corrosion’ where oxidisation can form at a cut or punched hole in the aluminium and appears as spider like strands of corrosion under the surface of the coating. Often this failure is seen several years after installation and clearly indicates poor pretreatment prior to powder coating.

Other problems with powder coating can include fading of colour, loss of gloss and ‘chalking’ of the surface finish. The first two are generally a normal ageing process and the powder coating should still adhere fully to the aluminium and continue to protect the aluminium. Often happening over 20 years or so, ageing of this nature can be reduced by specifying a more robust class of powder such as a QUALICOAT Class 2 which use more robust compounds in its composition. Chalking, is also part of the ageing process, again reduced by specifying Class 2 powder and appears as a milky surface or ‘chalk’ on the coated surface. This only forms when the finish is generally neglected and not cleaned down within an agreed cleaning regime. Often chalking can be removed by simply cleaning the finish several times over a period of time. QUALICOAT powder applicators can normally advise of a suitable cleaning company and there is also a paper on the QUALICOAT UK & Ireland website that explains how to clean the finish.

How to avoid these failures?

Ensure that the powder coater has the necessary pretreatment systems in place and that they can demonstrate that they can coat and test to BS EN

12206. Alternatively, insist on a specification that coating must be applied by a QUALICOAT licensed applicator. In the UK, the majority of main architectural powder coaters are QUALICOAT licence holders. If you are proposing to specify an architectural coater who powder coats to BS EN 12206, be vigilant to ensure that they posses a robust pretreatment plant and that their processes are monitored and maintained.

Should a coating specification require a longer life expectancy, possibly where future access for cleaning be difficult, then a Class 2 more robust powder can be specified. The most important aspect to specification is the involvement of a specialist coater at the early design stages of any project. All QUALICOAT UK & Ireland members are available to offer advise and can be found on the Association website at qualicoatuki.org

Filiform corrosion under the powder coat finish

Pre-Cured Powder Coating Thickness Measurement with DeFelsko’s PosiTest PC

Overview

Measurement of film thickness should be a routine event for all powder coaters. Regular measurement helps control material cost, manage application efficiency, maintain finish quality and to ensure specific standard are maintained. Powder coating manufacturers recommend target film thickness ranges to achieve the best performance characteristics and customers expect these parameters to be met. The PosiTest PC gives you the ability to non-destructively measure the uncured dry powder to give you the predicted cured thickness between 20-100um without leaving marks that affect the finish.

Reasons to measure film thickness

Film thickness is arguably the single most important measurement made during the application and inspection of protective coatings. Powder coatings are designed to perform their intended function when applied within a thickness range specified by the manufacturer. Many physical and appearance properties of the finished coating are directly affected by the dry film thickness (DFT). DFT can affect the colour, gloss, surface profile, adhesion, flexibility, impact resistance, and hardness of the coating. The fit of pieces assembled after coating can also be affected when film thickness isn’t within tolerance.

Precisely measuring finish thickness has other benefits, too. Whether to meet International Organization for Standardisation (ISO), quality, or customer requirements for process control, companies need to verify coating quality to avoid wasting money reworking product. By checking their application equipment, they ensure the coating is being applied in compliance with the manufacturers’ recommendations.

Applicators must apply the powder evenly and according to the product specification sheet. Applying excessive DFT not only is wasteful, but also risks

the possibility of incomplete cure and can drastically reduce overall performance of the coating system. High film builds often result in poor adhesion. The coating tends to peel or chip from the substrate. Regular testing can reduce the number of internal reworks and customer returns due to finishing defects.

Pre-cure film thickness measurement

It is possible, and in some circumstances more desirable, to measure a coating immediately after application to predict the thickness of the cured powder.

If a coating has been improperly applied, correction after it has dried or chemically cured requires costly extra labour time, may lead to contamination of the film, and may introduce problems of adhesion and integrity of the coating system. Measuring film thickness during application can determine the need for immediate correction and adjustment by the applicator.

Dry powder measurement

Most powder coating specifications give cured thickness targets, it’s possible to determine if applied powder is within thickness specifications before the finality of curing.

There are good reasons for wanting an accurate prediction of cured DFT, especially on moving lines. Depending upon the length of the oven, the number of parts being cured, as well as the time required for the curing process and for manual DFT measurement after curing, there is a considerable delay before the operator can intervene in the application process to make any necessary changes.

If coating defects are discovered, a considerable number of coated parts have to be reworked in a repair loop, or if reworking proves to be too expensive, they may even have to be scrapped. For some operations, these disadvantages are no longer acceptable for meeting the demands of modern finishing processes.

Measuring powder in the pre-cured, pre-gelled state ensures correct cured film thickness. It enables the application system to be set up and

PosiTector ® Inspection

Unrivaled probe interchangeability for all of your inspection needs.

Coating Thickness Probes

n Ferrous n Non-Ferrous n Combination n Ultrasonic

Surface Profile Probes

n Depth Micrometer n Replica Tape Reader

Environmental Conditions Probes

n Integral n Cabled Magnetic Probe n Anemometer Probe

n 1/2” NPT n Infrared

Hardness Probes

n Shore n Barcol

Salt Contamination Probe

n Bresle Method

Ultrasonic Wall Thickness Probes

n Corrosion n Multiple Echo Thru-Paint n Precision

DesignandFeatures

Customized Inspection Kits... Build your own kit from a selection of gauge bodies and probes to suit your needs.

Coating Thickness Surface Profile

Conditions

Backwards Compatibility! The redesigned PosiTector gauge body accepts ALL coating thickness (6000/200), environmental (DPM), surface profile (SPG/RTR), salt contamination (SST), hardness (SHD/BHI), and ultrasonic wall thickness (UTG) probes manufactured since 2012.

DFT Instruments UK LTD

DFT Instruments UK LTD

Long Drive, Meadway, Berkhamsted, Herts HP4 2PN

Long Drive, Meadway, Berkhamsted, Herts HP4 2PN

01442 879494

01442 879595

PAINT & POWDER

fine-tuned prior to curing. In turn, this will reduce the amount of scrap and over-spray. Accurate predictions help

avoid stripping and re-coating, which can cause problems with adhesion and coating integrity.

Temperature

 6 K-type thermocouple ports

 High temperature stainless steel barrier box for long run times

 Download, view, and analyze data using PosiSoft Desktop Software or export to .CSV

The PosiTest PC is hand-held and battery-powered, and will work right out of the box for most powders. Their simplicity of operation and ergonomic design allow them to be used quickly and efficiently by line operators. Non-contact coating thickness measurement instruments have the decisive advantage of being nondestructive. This means that, after measurement, the measured components can be re-introduced into the ongoing process. The PosiTest PC can also be calibrated to your specific powder if you find it reads out of tolerance with your pre and post cured DFT checks.

For more information on the PosiTest PC and the full range of paint test equipment available from DeFelsko, please contact Mark Conlon at DFT Instruments, proud UK agent for DeFelsko.

Telephone: 01442 879494

Email: sales@dftinstruments.co.uk

Visit: www.dftinstruments.co.uk

AkzoNobel brings a New Reality in Paint Training to American Airlines

AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings is partnering with American Airlines to deliver a new way of training apprentice painters, and upskilling existing teams, through the use of a Virtual Reality (VR) technology that is significantly more efficient and sustainable than the airline’s previous training regimes.

The VR platform mimics a customer’s production environment and multiple coating systems to train teams virtually. A VR headset immerses the American Airlines’ trainee in a virtual paint booth, completed with the aircraft part to be coated.

The system can be programmed with various paint specifications, such as the thickness of the coating required, and as the operator uses the spray gun, they can see whether too much or too little paint is used and look for inconsistencies in the way the coating is being applied.

Meanwhile, the operator’s core skills are measured, from setting up the spraying session to the distance, angle, and speed at which the gun is used. The feedback is immediate, so trainees can react quickly and change their technique to become more consistent. It shows where runs and sags occur, or where the wet film thickness is not sufficient or the coverage inadequate to deliver a smooth finish. It also helps them avoid common problems such as paint overlap.

For American Airlines, a very specific part of the aircraft – a nose landing gear cylinder – was programmed into the system. A cohort of 13 painters of varying abilities were then encouraged to spray the part – without a single drop of real paint being used.

Terry Lesperance of American Airlines describes the AkzoNobel VR solution as an efficient and safe way of training his team: “In a spray booth, we’d have to spray the primer, then let it dry, then measure the results to see how they did – all of which takes time. If we were training 13 painters, we’d also have to

have 13 nose landing gear cylinders available to paint.

“With VR, we don’t have any of these challenges. I can train more painters, more quickly, and allow them to make mistakes without it costing me anything.”

AkzoNobel’s Technical Services team supported Terry with the training, physically suiting up and using the booth to share their experience and their technique with American Airlines’ new painters. Even for experienced painters, there are real benefits: a painter may have been using a polyurethane paint and need to switch to a Teflon paint or use a paint with a different mix that may be heavier or lighter, and all of this can be programmed into the system to replicate the experience in the spray booth.

Matthew Amick, Global Technical Services Manager at AkzoNobel Aerospace Coatings says the

integration of VR into American Airlines’ training regimen is an example of how it is supporting its customers with meaningful, practical help: “Typically, when a customer asks for training, we have to provide significant quantities of paint, much of which is wasted.

“By effectively moving the spray booth into the classroom, we completely eliminate waste, reduce costs and unnecessary shipping, and prevent Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) from being released. There are also no costs associated with cleaning the spray guns, or the additional VOCs releases from the solvents required, or providing the panels needed for wet paint training. It’s a ‘win win’ for all involved.”

Terry will be looking at training more of his team in 2023, with AkzoNobel in support: “It’s a very high quality of training,” he concludes, “and I’m looking forward to getting more of my team.”

Originally trialled at AkzoNobel’s training centre in Troy, Michigan, several portable units are now available for use at a customer’s own premises.

Visit: www.akzonobel.com

Bathing in non-reflective glory

When you are looking to push the boundaries of light, color and design, especially with an ultra matt surface, our Précis Ultra Matt range has the answers. With a finer mica effect that enables an ultra matt surface to change appearance depending on the way the light reflects on it, you can create a finish that not only looks amazing, but also offers stunning levels of superdurability.

With innovative solutions that push the boundaries of what’s possible, a vast range of sustainable products backed by industry leading certifications, and the best performing powder coatings on the market used and respected by architects around the world, your imagination starts with our finish.

architectural.interpon.com

Is automation amplifying production in inks and coatings?

Automation is changing production processes for many industries. And those working in the research, production, and application of inks and coatings will know that there’s massive disruption for those working in the space.

The benefits for advanced automation within inks and coatings testing are clear – better repeatability, lower risk of human error, maximizing resources, better efficiencies, reduced cost –there’s a lot that paint manufacturers and laboratory managers should be thankful for.

But there’s also a lot to think about as the industry innovates at a razor-sharp pace – what are the biggest testing techniques that are affected? And how can those working in the space ensure quality control and R&D is never compromised?

Global test and inspection partner, Industrial Physics (the group that’s home to specialist testing brands such as TQC Sheen, C&W Specialist, and many more) answer some of these questions…

Improving processes with better testing

The landscape of testing within inks and coatings has changed significantly in recent years. And the type of testing techniques that we’ve witnessed evolving have been diverse.

You can access Industrial Physics’ exclusive guide to the evolution of inks and coatings here! https:// industrialphysics.com/industries/ inks-and-coatings/

Film applicators are a good example here – in the past, labs and manufacturers have always had to rely on human influence when applying coatings across various substrates. But now, with solutions like the TQC Sheen Automated Film Applicator, advanced technology enables automated application. This solution lets the user set applicators to a desired level.

Ultimately, it allows for better consistency, a more stable approach, a constant down speed, and depending on the viscosity of your coatings, the difference can be enormous. And that’s not even considering the risk of human error that is significantly reduced.

You can learn about the TQC Sheen Automated Film Applicator here! https://industrialphysics.com/product/ automatic-film-applicatorstandard/?utm_ medium=publication&utm_ source=website&utm_ campaign=surfaceworld_feb22

But it’s not just bigger test systems that are changing the industry – automated accessories can drastically disrupt testing. The TQC Sheen LinQ is a communication component that connects testing systems to independent software. Whether you’re conducting washability testing, viscosity testing, or film application, it doesn’t matter – the tool can be used across a variety of applications. The smart piece of equipment essentially enables you to control the settings of your larger testing system and automatically make adjustments according to more precise specifications – allowing you to achieve more accurate results than ever before. The tool allows you to eliminate hours of time waiting for results and means you can re-focus resources on more useful analysis.

Learn more about the TQC Sheen LinQ tool here! https://industrialphysics.com/ product/linq-system/?utm_ medium=publication&utm_ source=website&utm_ campaign=surfaceworld_feb22

If you’re looking to speed up your processes and discover a smarter way of testing your surfaces, then the team at Industrial Physics can help. Empowered by some of the greatest inks and coatings experts on the planet, there’s a broad range of solutions on offer to ensure the quality of your coatings!

Visit: https://industrialphysics.com/

chromitAL TCP

Trivalent Chrome Passivation for Aluminium

SurTec 650 chromitAL provides excellent bare corrosion resistance on unpainted surfaces and enhances adhesion of organic coatings. Applications include plain and anodized aluminium.

drop-in replacement for conventional hexavalent chrome passivation

environmentally safe, non-toxic, simple to operate and waste treat

meets or exceeds MIL-DTL-81706B and MILDTL-5541F for bare corrosion (336 h in NSS per ASTM B-117) respectively, DIN EN ISO 9227 temper resistant up to 100 °C

low contact resistance, meets electrical conductivity requirements on aluminium substrates per MIL-DTL-81706B

field tested on alloys 2024, 2219, 5083, 7075 and various castings applied by immersion, spray or wipe-on for large areas finishing

Burn off ovens offer effective process to remove plastic, paint coatings or contaminants

Burn off ovens (also commonly known as pyrolysis ovens or burnout ovens) offer an extremely effective process for the removal of plastic or paint coatings and contaminants from process machinery and components. This burns off the unwanted residue and preserves the original machinery part with minimal damage, offering prolonged lifetime and multiple usage. Our burn off / burnout ovens are custom built here at Longworth and can therefore house and clean a wide range of items and sizes.

How does a burn-off oven work?

Burn-off ovens use a process known as pyrolysis. They remove or break down organic materials that have adhered to metal parts. This works by heating the parts in a reduced oxygen atmosphere where a reaction takes place and reduces the contaminant to a residue that is richer in carbon. Any emissions that are given off during this process are put through an afterburner that heats these gasses to 850°C for a

minimum of half a second. By heating these gasses to such a temperature turns them into H2O and CO2.

Longworth burn off ovens are constructed to exacting standards to suit the particular requirements of individual clients. To achieve the precise control our customers expect, each oven features a number of distinct burn-off or pyrolysis temperature profile settings. These profiles can be used to gradually break down the contamination whilst

preventing the overheating of the component being processed.

Although our standard selection includes several models in various sizes – on the rare occasions that our selection doesn’t offer something to suit your requirements, we will design an oven to address your specific needs.

Features

Several models which come in various sizes, bespoke options available to suit requirement. Incorporates PLC control, Touch screen HMI and on screen fault finding facility.

Oven interiors can be lined in stainless steel to avoid damage to internal insulation sustained via everyday knocks and scrapes.

Online oven maintenance option allows remote maintenance and fault finding from engineers in our Blackburn (UK) office.

Benefits

Our skilled and responsive team of engineers will ensure that your pyrolysis oven is maintained to perform at optimum efficiency.

The robust design and construction of our burn off ovens means they offer years of reliable performance even in the harshest industrial conditions.

Built using 20 years of knowledge and experience gained from the cleaning of components from many different production processes and industrial cleaning environments.

How Does Pyrolysis Work?

Burn off processing involves heating a contaminated component at a controlled temperature in a low oxygen environment.

This has the effect of vaporising the volatile constituents of the contaminations.

We also sell our burn ovens for customers to use within their own facility, and we only ever sell the same specification ovens that we use ourselves for on-site processing, giving peace of mind that the same results can be achieved.

Benefits

Less damaging than traditional cleaning processes

No expensive chemical disposal costs

Custom designed PLC control including ramped temperature control

Who Is Burn Off Processing For?

Industries and Processes:

Powder and paint coating

Polymer extrusion and moulding

Commercial bakery tray refurbishment

Electric motor refurbishment

Process component refurbishing including pumps and pipework

Components and Parts:

Paint jigs & frames

Car & bike parts

Food trays

Filter housings

Automotive and railway brake pads

Commercial storage shelving

Telephone: +44 (0) 1254 680501

Email: enquiries@bmlongworth.com

Visit: www.bmlongworth.com

New Babcock Wanson TwinPack

Twin-Furnace Firetube Boilers Combine High Efficiency with Low Emissions

Industrial process heating equipment and solutions specialist Babcock Wanson has launched the TwinPack range of twin-furnace firetube boilers for steam outputs from 30 t/h to 58 t/h, providing maximum efficiency with very low CO2 and NOx emissions.

With energy efficiency top of the agenda, Babcock Wanson has designed its Burner Management System and matched combustion head for precise control of excess air throughout the modulating range, and non-degraded operation at very low load. The simultaneous operation of the burners guarantees an exact thermal load distribution while ensuring maximum flexibility in operation and burner turndown ratios of up to 30:1 on natural gas (mixed and dual fuel firing options are also available). Efficiency can be further enhanced by up to 105% when a TwinPack boiler is specified in conjunction with a Babcock Wanson economiser and heat recovery system. This precise match between the boiler and burners not only ensures optimal combustion, but also impacts emissions levels with TwinPack boilers boasting the lowest practicable CO2 emissions. The specialist burner technology employed by TwinPack boilers also ensures very low NOx emissions to readily meet and often exceed environmental regulations. A further environmental benefit to the TwinPack range of boilers is their long life. Featuring a tubular construction flue gas reversal chamber, unique to Babcock Wanson, TwinPack boilers do not require furnace tube tie rods which require regular replacement, and

minimises boiler refractory requirements. This design allows high variations of steam demand whilst minimising mechanical stress on the pressure body for a long, reliable operational life.

When maintenance is required, TwinPack boilers provide easy tubeplate and furnace tube access via large, easy use doors on the boiler front and lateral openings. A rear inspection port also provides enhanced access. An in-built upper platform provides safe access to boiler mountings and ease of maintenance and operation.

TwinPack boilers are fitted with comprehensive instrumentation and controls for easy and economic operation. These include the Navinergy system which allows local operation via the boiler HMI plus remote monitoring through a web interface, plus Babcock Wanson’s exclusive unattended operation modes (three days, seven days and even 30 days of continuous operation within authorised limits).

Highly versatile, TwinPack boilers come with a range of options including economisers, combustion air pre-heaters, O2 and CO trim and even superheater variants.

The TwinPack range of twin-furnace firetube boilers is the latest addition to Babcock Wanson’s

range of firetube boilers. In addition to these, Babcock Wanson offers a complete range of products and services for boiler houses and other process heating needs, including coil type steam generators, thermal fluid heaters, hot water boilers, VOC and odour treatment by thermal oxidation, water treatment and process air heating solutions. The company aims to help optimise customer’s energy production with high quality products and efficient service.

For more information, please contact Babcock Wanson on 020 8953 7111 or info@babcock-wanson. com or go to www.babcock-wanson. com/products/steam-boilers/ twinpack/

OVENS, SPRAYBOOTHS & PROCESS HEATING

Six areas of engineering expertise

RDM’s aim is to offer well engineered, excellent value products that are backed up by their after sales support team. By carrying out all of the design and manufacturing ‘in house’ they are able to ensure consistent high quality and fast delivery.

RDM genuinely believe that buying from them should be just the beginning of a mutually beneficial relationship. The many 1000’s of clients who return to them over periods of many years are a pleasing testament to that.

Six areas of engineering expertise

PAINT & POWDER COATING BOOTHS & SYSTEMS

RDM have been manufacturing Paint and Powder Coating Plant for over 65 years, they offer the largest and most comprehensive range in the UK including waterwash and dryfilter

booths and reverse jet and pulse type powder plants. No wonder they say ‘Experience our Experience’

INDUSTRIAL OVENS & DRIERS

RDM has become one of the leading manufacturer’s of industrial ovens and driers by being able to offer both a huge standard range of modular ovens as well as precision controlled specialist ovens at very competitive prices. Their CNC techniques ensure rapid delivery. They really are ‘Curing the World’.

MOTOR CONTROL SYSTEMS

Their motor control range is headed up by the innovative ‘DRIVLOC‘ Electronic D.C. Injection Motor Braking system. This system, first developed by an RDM subsidiary in the 1960’s has prevented countless thousands of industrial accidents by stopping a huge range of machines in the shortest possible time. So there’s no need to ‘Lose your Shirt!’

MACHINERY SAFETY

RDM’s machinery safety division offers a unique service to the industry. They can design, manufacture and install completely individual machine guarding and enclosure solutions at a very sensible cost. By utilising the modular CAD/CAM approach, one off designs can be accommodated in a way that was previously impractical. Their machinery safety expertise is a symbiosis of their Motor Stopping Systems division and their Sub Contract Manufacturing with over 40 years experience, so they really can say ‘No one else has put this much time into safety’!

PRETREATMENT PLANT

Before metal parts can be coated they must first be prepared! RDM manufactures a comprehensive range of pretreatment plants, both for dipping parts in or for spray washing parts on line. They manufacture all types of Phosphate and Solvent type systems. They really are ‘Ingenious engineered Solutions’!

SUB CONTRACT MANUFACTURING

Their Sub Contract Service begins with a CAD design studio and includes full CNC punching and folding capability, steel fabrications, assembly and testing, electrical controls and Installations and in-house Painting and Powder Coating. So now they really can do the lot ‘From start to Finish’!

Quality Assurance

The RDM Engineering aim is to offer well engineered, excellent value products that are backed up by their after sales support team. By carrying out all of the design and manufacturing ‘in house’ RDM are able to ensure consistently high quality and fast delivery.

Find out how RDM can help you:

Head Office: 0161 643 9333

Southern Office: 0207 320 9933

Overseas Office: +44 845 505 9333

Email:sales@rdmengineering.co.uk

Visit: www.rdmengineering.co.uk

Lanemark in-house process gas burner test facility

The Nuneaton-based organisation, which supplies burner systems for applications ranging from brewing and metal treatment to automotive manufacturing and, through an associated division, the petrochemical industry, says this resource enables larger, more detailed equipment analysis to take place while also helping to optimise customers’ emission controls.

“Our range is based on process tank, oven and duct heating systems through, respectively, our TX, FD, FDB and DB series,” says Jeff Foster, Lanemark’s Sales Director. “In all cases, our success is centred on supplying the optimum configuration for each customer’s

needs, so it is vital that our equipment undergoes the most rigorous testing and analysis procedures – both during product development and preinstallation phases. This facility makes a major contribution in this context.”

The company’s enhanced capability in this area builds on the role played by Lanemark’s longstanding testing installation. Jeff Foster is keen to highlight key areas in which the installation helps optimise this important element of production.

“We can test a greater range of both tank and oven burners in terms of size and output with specified configurations to match precise operating conditions,” he says. He points out that this includes the company’s largest tank heating burner design, the TX80, using an 8” N.B. submersed tube heat exchanger.

“A wider range of emissions can also be monitored including NOx, SO2, CO2, CO and O2 as a result of the facility incorporating a Horiba PG-350 flue gas analyser,” Jeff Foster explains.

The test furnace offers a volume measuring six metres in length and 2.5 metres in diameter. No less than 25 viewing ports are available, each fitted with thermocouples to monitor temperatures of up to 1350°C, and pressure transmitters that can accommodate a range from -5 to +70 mbar. Alongside this, the TX test installation provides improved flue gas testing accuracy and is able to address common issues such as condensation.

“Both the FD and TX test facilities are fully fitted with duct work and dampers to accurately reflect precise operating conditions,” adds Jeff Foster. He explains that extensive PLC control helps to optimise both set up and monitoring processes.

“We have always believed in working closely with our customers to ensure that the equipment we supply provides them with optimised usage in terms of performance, fuel consumption and emissions, and our investment in this testing facility underlines this commitment,” concludes Jeff Foster. “With this service, we believe even greater benefits from our burner technology can be realised by users across our range of marketplaces.”

Telephone: (024) 7635 2000

Email: info@lanemark.com

Visit: www.lanemark.com

Process gas burner specialists, Lanemark Combustion Engineering Ltd., in-house testing facility enhances services to its customers.

Gas Process Burners

Lanemark gas burner systems offer users reliable, high efficiency, process heating solutions.

FD Series Packaged Oven/Dryer Burners

•Speci cally designed for process air heating applications in convection ovens and dryers

•High turndown/short ame lengths providing accurate process temperature control

•High ef ciency gas + air modulation, gas only modulation and simple high/low control options

•Heat Input Range: 9 kW – 1550 kW

TX Series Gas Fired Process Tank Heating Systems

•High ef ciency (80%+) heating of all types of spray and dip process tanks

•Compact high ef ciency small diameter immersion tube heat exchangers occupying minimum tank space

•Accurate performance modelling using Lanemark TxCalc design software

•Heat Input Range: 15 kW (1½") – 1150 kW (8")

Midco HMA Series Air Replacement or “Make-Up” Air Heating Burners

•Direct red, high ef ciency burner systems, for high volume air heating applications such as paint spray booths, ovens and dryers.

•Supplied either as Midco burner heads for OEM system integration or as Lanemark DB or FDB complete packaged systems including modulating gas valve trains and controls

•Wide range of ring rates to suit alternative temperature rise and air velocity system requirements

•DbCalc system design software Lanemark Combustion Engineering Limited

COMBUSTION ENGINEERING

FD-GA modulating gas + air process air heating burners.

TX high efficiency small diameter immersion tube tank heating systems.

FD-E low cost high turndown oven/dryer air heating burners.

FD-C high turndown oven/ dryer air heating burners.

Midco HMA high efficiency, high turndown, air replacement or “make-up” air heating burners.

Vapour Degreasing SolventsInnovation driven by legislation

Vapour degreasing is the simplest but most effective degreasing and cleaning process which, until recently, has been subject to little change since it was first invented in the early part of the 20th century. This is a very mature chemical technology, but legislation is effecting changes so fundamental that “Condensation Cleaning” would be a more accurate name for the process.

Chlorinated hydrocarbons have historically been the solvents of choice for condensation cleaning. Compatible with most materials, stable in use, producing a nonflammable saturated vapour heavier than air at a temperature greater than ambient. Traditional solvents such as trichloroethylene exhibited all these characteristics but concerns about its carcinogenic properties and the danger to operators by exposure, led to a continuing search for a safer alternative. 1,1,1 trichloroethane based solvent formulations became popular in the last century as a safer replacement. Although safer for users,

it proved to be depleting the ozone layer and was subsequently banned. In Europe, the United States and in other advanced economies increasingly stringent legislation to control emissions of VOCs, especially solvents, has led to new coating formulations where water replaces most of the solvent. In the early days the quality of water-based paints was not as good as traditional solvent-based coatings, but innovation has driven the development of new polymers with results as good as the solvent-based originals.

As with coatings, cleaning systems have had to change. With increasingly

demanding standards of cleaning required, solvents are often the first choice, but these chemicals have been targeted by regulators and alternatives are encouraged by authorities and law makers. Water-based cleaning has many disadvantages compared to solvent-based condensation cleaning. It requires multiple heated tanks for immersion or spray processing or long

Filiform corrosion under the powder coat finish

PRETREATMENT, SURFACE PREPARATION, DEGREASING & CLEANING

programmed cycles in batch machines for cleaning, rinsing, and drying. The process is slow, energy intensive and occupy more floor space than solvent-based equivalents where only one tank with a small footprint is needed.

Equipment and solvent must work together, so it is advisable to ensure that the suppliers co-operate to offer a package with high levels of responsible care ensure the best and safest installation.

The ideal cleaning process would be “Condensation Cleaning”, delivering shorter process times and, most importantly for the environment, using minimal energy. This process gives the highest levels of economical cleaning with minimum energy usage, low footprint on the factory floor, safety for the operator, and high production rates with low solvent usage and environmental impact. With the new generation of sealed cleaning machines its future as the process of choice is assured.

Near Zero OPD and GWP solvent blend for high performance vapour degreasing

EnviroTech Europe have been supplying vapour degreasing solvent formulations for over 20 years, constantly responding to increasingly stringent regulatory requirements for environmental and safety laws and the need for improved cleaning standards. EnviroTech Europe staff and distributors are trained to work with equipment suppliers to advise on the use of vapour degreasing solvents for the most satisfactory outcome.

ProSolv®5408e is a new sustainable solvent blend with near zero Ozone Depletion Potential and Global Warming Potential for high performance degreasing and cleaning which ticks all the boxes and is the perfect profile for a modern vapour degreasing solvent. Soft on the environment, safer for users and

with improved cleaning at lower costs. Lower boiling point, economical with energy, low solvent losses, faster production, easy handling. Exceptionally low surface tension to penetrate micron sized holes and close contact surfaces. Sustainable and secure for the future.

FURTHER INFORMATION

ProSolv®5408e vapour degreasing solvent manufactured in the United Kingdom and available on short delivery times through our dedicated team of distributors worldwide.

Please visit our website https://www.envirotech-europe.com for information about all our products and further information on ProSolv®5408e.

For more advice, please telephone us on +44 (0) 20 8281 6370 or use our website contact form.

PRETREATMENT, SURFACE PREPARATION, DEGREASING & CLEANING

Future-proof your cleaning with Kleen Power

Kemet is very pleased to provide a new range of cleaning machines which function in an all-encompassing vacuum treatment cycle in all phases, ensuring perfect cleaning of components from wastage and oily substances, without launching injurious substances into the environment.

The systems use a mixture of spray, basket rotation, aqueous cleaning, modified alcohols hydrocarbons, hydrocarbons HFE and ultrasounds. The advantages of the machines are:

Minimal loss of solution, substantially reducing the process cost and environmental affect.

Distillation, separation, and filtration of contaminants allow the reuse of oils in machining processes and swarf/particles to be reused or economically disposed of.

Uses modified alcohols with a flash point of over 60°C under vacuum,

so machines don’t need to be fabricated to ATEX-approved standards, reducing machine cost. Ethernet connection allows online diagnosis of technical problems and predictive maintenance.

Cleans component areas that are difficult to reach (such as blind holes and tubes) with Aqueous / HFE solvents.

The ideal applications are advisable according to the quantities to be treated, the quantity of contamination, and the size of the semi-finished products. Kleen Power tech is appreciated in the fields of precision mechanics, medical, dental, automotive, heat treatment, moulded components, oleodynamic components, springs, jewellery, watches, and electronics.

As well as this new range of Vacuum Solvent cleaners, Kemet additionally provide;

Ultrasonic Cleaning Tanks ranging from 40 to 160 litres with over 400 elevated performance formulations to pick from.

Aqueous Cleaning Fluids with validation qualities of ISO 19227-2018 and biocompatibility qualities of ISO 10993-18, perfect for the Medical and Aerospace industries.

Passivation lines that meet ISO 7 clean room.

Call Kemet on +44(0) 1622 755287 or email Sales@Kemet.co.uk to arrange cleaning trials, so Kemet can ascertain the perfect cleaning approach for you.

PRETREATMENT, SURFACE PREPARATION, DEGREASING & CLEANING

Straaltechniek UK Shot Blast & Shot Peen Equipment Modernisation Programmes E.M.P.

With over 150 years of combined experience Straaltechniek UK can offer extensive Equipment Modernisation Programmes for all types of Surface Preparation Blasting & Shot Peening Equipment at a fraction of the cost of new installations.

Why EMP? Jay Dorling (Sales Director) at Straaltechniek UK explained ‘that many of our customers we service and supply spare parts to have older generation shot blast and shot peening machines and although well maintained by the Straaltechniek UK Service Division for various reasons do not fulfil the latest health & safety legislation and increased production demands of improved modern day processes.

This usually results in the request for significant capital investment for the latest new design modern replacements.

However, in highly competitive industries this investment may not be forthcoming straight away but in the short & medium term all is not lost! Older machines can be retrofitted and upgraded with the latest technology.’

What are the Main Drivers for EMP?

1. Health & Safety

2. Manufacturing Method Changes

3. Inability to meet Output Demands

4. Increased Cycle Times

5. Superior Cleaning Standards Required

6. Higher Levels of Contaminant to be removed.

7. Production Demands V Preventative Maintenance

8. Dust Emissions legislation changes.

9. Increase Profitability of Older Equipment

10. Limited Investment Budget in difficult times

Straaltechniek UK have a wide range of EMP programmes to assist customers when legislation and production demands require more from their existing equipment. Health & Safety, Dust Filtration, House-keeping, Handling & Ergonomic issues are classic examples. The health & safety of all employees is paramount in any modern businesses who must comply with the latest H&S regulations. Straaltechniek UK can assist these businesses with advice and upgrades to meet with these mandatory demands. Whether it is working from heights, near to powered moving machinery, excessive noise, dust or ergonomic issues

Straaltechniek UK can provide the latest bespoke solutions. Many customers are operating without suitable Simple Safety Interlock Guarding, Light Guarding, Laser Guarding, Maintenance

Access Ladders & Platforms, Bulk

Simple Safety Interlock

Bulk Abrasive Replenishment

Minimum Manual Handling of 25kg bags

Automatic Abrasive Replenishment, Acoustic Enclosures, Handling Systems and ATEX Dust Filters.

Jay went on to say ‘that if Companies are unsure of their obligations

Straaltechniek UK would be happy to help with any issues they may perceive they have including any other process, production or operational issues with their shot blasting equipment that our EMP Programmes may help them with’.

Telephone: +44 (0) 1142 571077

Email: info@straaltechniek.co.uk

Visit: www.straaltechniek.co.uk

Acoustic Enclosures & Noise Attenuation >85DBA

Access Platform & Ladder

Two Dimensional Laser Beam Guarding System (Costly Mechanical Guards Eliminated)

Measure Nikasil Coatings On Aluminum Automotive Cylinders

The Nikasil® Coating in Motorsport

Automotive cylinders are subject to extreme mechanical wear. A way of protecting aluminium cylinders is to plate the contact surfaces with Nikasil®, a hard coating technology used to improve the tribological characteristics of the cylinder parts and to optimize the heat transfer. It is often used for high-end engine components of premium car brands and in motor sports.

The Ideal Contact Surface for Pistons and Rings

Nikasil® (from the German for NickelCarbide-Silicon – Nickel-KarbidSilizium) is an electroplated nickel matrix with embedded silicon-carbide particles. Its amazing tribological characteristics make Nikasil® the ideal contact surface for pistons and rings; it is therefore used on high-end engine parts to minimize the friction within the engine block. The Nikasil® coating is appropriate for two- and four-stroke aluminium cylinder walls or sleeves and is used in a variety of automotive engines ranging from classic cars to the latest Formula 1 vehicles.

Coating Thickness of Nikasil®

In practical use the cylinder walls or sleeves are electroplated with a layer of Nikasil®, typically between 80 and 180 µm thick. Afterwards, the coating thickness is controlled using the custom-configured table-top FISCHERSCOPE®

MMS® PC2, further outfitted with a NICKELSCOPE®

module and the probe ENW3. Overall, this specialized instrument employs the magnetic measurement method (hall effect).

In the next step the cylinder barrels are milled and honed to improve their sliding characteristics. A final coating thickness somewhere in the range of 25 to 50 µm is aimed for, which requires extremely narrow tolerances to be met in the measurement procedure.

Cylinder block made of aluminium coated with Nikasil®. Coating thickness approx. 20 - 50 µm.

Precise Coating Thickness Measurements inside Cylinder Barrels with FISCHERSCOPE®

MMS® PC2

The probe ENW3 is the centrepiece of the measurement system and is used both after the electroplating process

as well as after honing. Its angled form helps the user to reach even difficultto-access places.

Measuring inside cylinder barrels or sleeves can also be automated.

To this end, the FISCHERSCOPE® MMS® PC2 can be equipped with a digital I/O module to control up to six probes

at once; measurement values are collected and transferred to the instrument simultaneously, making it possible to take multiple measurements with high frequency for quality control purposes in a running production line.

Precise Measurements with the FISCHERSCOPE®

MMS® PC2

For precise thickness measurement of Nikasil® coatings the FISCHERSCOPE® MMS® PC2 – equipped with the NICKELSCOPE® module and the ENW3 probe – is the perfect choice for professional quality monitoring of Nikasil® coatings. Even automated measurements with multiple probes are feasible.

To find out more please contact us at 01386 577370 or visit https://fischerinstrumentation.co.uk

Plastratum provides the latest automatic surface finishing technology equipment for a major Aerospace Manufacturer

Plastratum have successfully completed a fully automatic plant for the titanium anodising of aerospace engine components, supported and complimented by the inclusion of demineralised water plant with rinse water recirculation.

Final effluent treatment, thermal fluid heating and differential volumetric fume extraction and fume scrubbing with tank lid technology are also included.

The project specification was generated to return the NDT Blue Etch Anodising operation in-house to control quality and significantly reduce lead times, provide a new revenue stream and eliminate the risk of damage to the very high value added components during transportation.

Plastratum, the Birmingham based surface finishing equipment, effluent treatment technology and fume extraction and scrubber equipment company was chosen to provide the solution for this prestigious contract. Plastratum are the fastest growing chemical engineering Automatic plant

and equipment supplier in the British surface finishing sector and has emerged with high-quality engineering and innovative designs beneficial for their customers.

In addition to providing the most advanced and latest anodising technology project the Plastratum designers and Engineers were charged to design and develop a special component agitation system understood not to have been used before and successfully provided the complete requirement and technology for the customer.

The enthusiastic, dedicated and professional manufacturing workforce, with a combined 120 years manufacturing experience, is integral and compliments the most energetic team.

The challenges

Specialist manipulation of a number of different components through the same process tanks.

<20µScm-1 rinse water for all processes

It was not possible to utilise any electrical heating.

Tight space limitations.

Space saving solution

The fully automatic anodising equipment has two parallel legs with a centralised fume extraction system, environmental canopied down draft transporters and automatic lid technology. One of the major challenges to be overcome was the limited factory space which had been allocated for the new machinery. Plastratum designed a water spray cross transfer from leg one to leg two which enabled the installation to be fully installed with ease.

Each leg has a load/ unload station enabling multiple, integrated programming of cleaning and chemical processing simultaneously, realising the benefit of increased productive output efficiency utilising Plastratum’s random-access software. This is integral with SCADA and management data acquisition which is, linked to the company’s production server. This provides a powerful management and production tool.

Water discharge saving of 80%

Water treatment is integral to the successful operation of this equipment. All rinse water must be less than 20µScm1 and sufficient to provide excellent rinse efficiency. Although space limitations ruled out double or triple counterflow rinses, there was an opportunity to provide rinse water recirculation. This

would enhance rinse water at the correct conductivity, with reduced discharge to foul sewer, thus dramatically reducing risk to the environment along with reducing treatment and discharge cost to the business.

A detailed evaluation of the precise components and chemistry was undertaken to calculate the volumes of water required and suitability for recirculation, utilising ion exchange deionisation. This extensive evaluation showed conclusively in favour of water recirculation and provided a water discharge saving of over 80% of the volume to drain. Therefore, there was substantial and consequential savings in effluent costs, both plant and on-going foul sewer costs.

The customer, unusually, had very limited additional electrical power within the factory where the installation of the new plant was to take place. Electrical heating would have exceeded the electrical capacity and a new cable supply would have to have been installed. This installation would have increased the project costs and seriously delayed the project, along with increasing the plant running costs using electrical heating.

Full in-depth feasibility study

As with all projects Plastratum undertook an in-depth feasibility study and was able to show the customer that a gas fired thermal fluid boiler and distribution system was beneficial and a cost-effective option which was

advantageous to the installation and ideal for the customers’ needs. It was shown that the payback on capital investment would be as little as one and a half years when comparing the electrical costs against the cost of gas, the quantity of which was more than an adequate supply within the factory.

The major benefits of Thermal Fluid heating systems are:

The system only needs once a year servicing.

It is non-corrosive unlike steam and medium temperature hot water.

It does not require water treatment or boiler blow-down.

There is no additional expense of chemical additions.

In addition, the Plastratum design and engineering team were requested by the customer to provide a component manipulation system that operated in all process and rinse tanks. Unlike any system that was understood to be currently commercially and technically available, this was achieved to the entire satisfaction and acceptance of the customer and operates continuously, achieving total solution penetration within the component with a much higher degree of surface activity and product quality.

The fume extraction is a centralised common installation from both legs of the plant and supported by the Plastratum Differential Volumetric tank lid technology. The use of lids is instrumental in reducing the fume extraction volume

using a turn down of 70%.

Therefore, it is not only a muchreduced plant sizing and factory footprint allocation when compared to open tank fume extraction, it also reduces the quantity of expensive heated factory air to atmosphere. Once again this is of great financial benefit for the customer as it reduces operating costs.

The company is headed by Mike Taylor, Managing Director, a specialist in Effluent Treatment and Rinse Water Recirculation systems, Roger Speck with over 40 years’ experience in Chemical Engineering and Electroplating Equipment and Glenn Williams for fume extraction and odour control products.

Due to our continuous product development and in house design, coupled with a commitment to high quality technology and technical standards, we have secured total turnkey projects. We have demonstrated that we are able to design, manufacture, install and commission complete plant, equipment and associated products which are providing major financial benefits for our customers.

Please call us if you have a project that might benefit from our expertise.

Mike Taylor - Managing Director.

Telephone: 0121 314 1191

Email: mike@plastratum.com

Visit: www.plastratum.com

Charging Forward with Electric Vehicles

It is estimated that 60% of the automotive market in the UK will be electric by 2030, compared to just 5% at the end of 2020, which certainly sets the bar high. This growth is largely a result of fossil fuels targets set out by the Government, which has caused controversy amongst the automotive manufacturing industry. Many within the industry see these ambitious transition targets as an immense challenge.

Nevertheless, environmental legislation is a primary driver, with the electric car industry investing significantly in R&D technology to allow them to travel further, charge faster and last longer.

For electric cars to become commercially attractive, the industry is considering a target of 10 minutes for 80% charge on the battery. The main objective is better reliability and safety so drivers can reach their destination without an issue. As innovative technology emerges in this field, new challenges become evident. One major hurdle for lithium ion battery technology is dealing with the high heat load generated during charge transfer in this brief time. With this increased heat, it becomes paramount to improve long-term performance and reduce the fire risk in the battery packs. The key is developing an efficient thermal management solution which mitigates fire potential and improves heat transfer.

At Fraser Technologies, we work closely with Chemours, which has developed Opteon™ Speciality Fluids (SF) with performance and environmental sustainability in mind. The Opteon™ product portfolio includes heat transfer fluids for many different applications and temperatures ranging from -90°C to 250°C. These Opteon™ SF heat transfer fluids are nonflammable, offer excellent stability and provide superior heat removal in dielectric applications, with an environmentally friendly footprint. The fastest and most effective way to cool a battery is direct fluid contact with a dielectric fluid, known as immersion. These fluids can be either be used as single phase, pumped much like current heat exchanger systems, or employed as a simple two-phase system with condensing and evaporation. Immersion cooling using Opeteon™ SF fluids answers the need for a safe battery; it provides the most efficient heat transfer using

non-conductive and non-flammable fluids while also enhancing safety. Alternative liquids, such as PAO oils and silicone-based fluids are potential candidates, but the Chemours Opteon™ SF products provide up to 30% higher heat removal performance in a single-phase system. This offers a much more efficient heat transfer process as the coolant gets closer to the heart of the heat. Additionally, by using two-phased immersion cooling systems, the latent heat during phase change is significantly larger than liquid thermal conductivity and thus provides a more uniform temperature across the entire battery pack.

We work with a number of well-known automotive manufacturers to ensure that their systems are efficient, utilising Chemours Opteon™ Speciality Fluids in a variety of applications, including component cleanliness, lubrication and carrier fluid, as well as the cleaning and cooling of EV batteries. We appreciate that not only is the health and safety of the battery itself crucial, but also, as electric vehicles must continue to become lighter and faster and with more range, anything that brings additional space or weight is not an option. The Chemours Opteon™ Speciality Fluids solutions benefit from a small footprint and are lightweight compared with oil-based solutions. And, as the energy density is increased with this form of thermal management solution, less liquid - and so less weight - is required.

As the automotive industry works hard to improve the electric vehicle offering, every element of the car will need to be considered, with battery challenges on top of the list. But, with innovation appearing throughout the supply chain and a steep target to meet, we will all have a major part to play in the future of electric vehicles.

www.frasertech.co.uk

racksack® mini wins New Product of the Year 2022 at the Best Business Awards

Beaverswood® announce its racksack® mini has been named New Product of the Year 2022 in the Best Business Awards.

The Best Business Awards are one of the UK’s highest profile awards, attracting a wide range of entries from across all sectors from large international PLCs and public sector organisations to dynamic and innovative SMEs.

“Congratulations to Beaverswood® for responding to customer research and launching a mini racksack®, which is smaller than the original version,” said the chairman of the judges, “Whereas the original racksack® is designed to collect and segregate waste and recycling materials at industrial premises, the mini does the same job but it is more suited to offices and smaller packing benches. Based on the same highquality material and design, the compact mini enables Beaverswood®

to expand its reach into new markets via resellers and direct to customers.”

The racksack® range continues to lead the way in workplace waste segregation through its expanding family of products. First launched in 2009, racksack® has simplified the way businesses separate their waste, helping them to comply with waste regulations in the UK and EU. Not only this, but each racksack® saves 1m2 of valuable floor space on average, as well as providing a cost-effective and sustainable option versus standard black bin liners.

“We’re delighted racksack® mini has been recognised as an exciting, up-and-coming

product!” said Stephanie Gentle, Managing Director of Beaverswood®, “racksack® mini is the direct result of customer feedback, who loved the original racksack® but wanted a smaller version for use in office environments. Customers continue to be a vital part of our R&D process and their feedback steers any enhancements to the racksack® range.”

Beaverswood® continues to innovate and launch new visual management products that improve efficiencies and safety across the workplace, with plenty more to follow in 2023 and beyond.

About Beaverswood®

Founded in 1984, Beaverswood® makes the workplace work smarter. It currently serves over 400 resellers across the UK and Europe. For more information about Beaverswood® and racksack® mini, visit the Beaverswood® website: www. beaverswood.co.uk

We’re delighted racksack® mini has been recognised as an exciting, up-and-coming product!

Said Stephanie Gentle, Managing Director of Beaverswood.

High Carbon Steel shot and Grit. Low Carbon Steel Shot and metal Bead Stainless Steel Cr

For all your Shotblasting & Engineering needs.

Fax:

Scangrit has become one of the leading suppliers of blasting

•

•

OVERHEAD CONVEYORS

NYLON COATING POWDERS

• ADVANCED MODULAR RANGE

• SWITCH MODE UNITS

• SCR RECTIFIERS

• PULSE RECTIFIERS

RDM Industrial Services Ltd Parkfield Industrial Estate Kemp Street Middleton Manchester M24 4AA Tel: 0161 643 9333 Fax: 0161 655 3467 www.rdm.u-net.com.

Contact: Robert Horwich or Geoff Ball Spraybooths, rooms, ovens, conveyors, pretreatment, powder plant and air replacement units.

Straaltechniek UK Limited

8 Valley Works, Grange Lane, Sheffield, S5 0DQ, United Kingdom

Table Wheel Blasting Machines

• Work zone mm; 1803 Dia x 1500 H

• Work zone mm; 1803 Dia x 1200 H

• Work zone mm; 2743 Dia x 400 H

• Work zone mm; 1500 Dia x 1000 H

• Work zone mm; 1000 Dia x 400 H

• Work zone mm; 1200 Dia x 1200 H

Tumblast Wheel Machines

• Type; Rubber Belt

Volume Litre; 420 Litre

• Type; Steel Belt

Volume Litre; 425 Litre

• Type; Rubber Belt

Volume Litre; 50 Litr

• Type; Rubber Belt

Volume Litre; 150 Litre

Hook Wheel Machines

• Type; I Track

Work Zone mm; 1800 Dia x 1800L

• Type; Y Track

Work Zone mm; 1500 Dia x 1700L

• Type; Y Track

Work Zone mm; 800 Dia x 1200L

Roller Conveyor Wheel Machines

• Type; Roller Conveyor

Work Zone mm; 1000 x 500

Wheel No; 4

• Type; Roller Conveyor

Work Zone mm; 1000 x 500

Wheel No; 4

Air Blast Hand Cabinets

• Type; Pressure

Work Zone mm; 900W x 600D x 350H

• Type; Pressure

Work Zone mm; 900W x 700D x 500H

• Type; Pressure

Work Zone mm; 900W x 700D x 500H

• Type; Pressure

Work Zone mm; 900W x 700D x 500H

• Type; Suction

Work Zone mm; 700W x 500D x 400H

• Type; Pressure

Work Zone mm; 800 Dia Turntable

• Type; Pressure

Work Zone mm; 500 Dia Basket

• Type; Pressure

Work Zone mm; 1200 x 750 x400

• Type; Suction

Work Zone mm; 700W x600D x300H

• Type; Pressure

Work Zone mm; 600W x 500D x 400H

• Type; Pressure

Work Zone mm; 1400W x 700D x 600H

Blast Rooms

• Work Zone mm; 4000L x 2000W x 2000H Type; Room

Abrasive Recovery; Waffle Floor

• Work Zone mm; 4000L x 2000W x 2000H Type; Room

Abrasive Recovery; Waffle Floor

• Work Zone mm; 20ft x 8ft x 8ft

Type; Container

Abrasive Recovery; Sweep Up

Dust Filters

• Various Types & Sizes

For more information please contact:

With an estimated 30% rise in gas prices, can your company afford not to switch to our ambient, one stage pretreatment technology?

Our ambient temperature one stage processing system requires no heating and therefore no gas.

Additional benefits when switching include: better corrosion protection, savings in water, and savings in extra labour costs.

Customers who switch from their standard three stage phosphating plant to our innovative one stage Toran 3 technology reduce their overall costs by 23% annually.

Contact Metavate to help your business move forward.

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1000+ hours salt spray protection

No water required - no sludge produced

Ambient processing - no gas required

No flash rust for 6 months on treated-metal prior to painting