JANUARY - MARCH 2019
PROFINISHER G E N E R A L I N D U S T R I A L C O AT I N G S
IMPROVED PROCESSES WITH CUSTOM COATINGS
WELCOME IN THIS ISSUE
CONVERTING CHALLENGES TO SOLUTIONS
PROFINISHER January - March 2019
Epoxy Performance at Urethane Speed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Improved Processes with Custom Coatings
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Identifying Solutions to Answer Industry Needs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
As we begin 2019, I can’t help but reflect on the tremendous change taking place in the business world around us. I am incredibly appreciative of our customers for partnering with The Sherwin-Williams Company as we navigate this change together. The environment in 2018 saw a robust North American economy, but certainly presented challenges on a global scale. Whether it was changing regulatory requirements, tariffs, raw material inflation, Brexit, or fluctuating currencies – there was plenty of volatility to contend with around the world. However, I prefer to look at these challenges as opportunities. In times like these, we can make a difference. We can provide solutions to these challenges to help our customers differentiate and grow their business. If regulatory agencies are mandating lower VOCs, we want to provide technologies that can seamlessly transition our customer’s production lines to waterborne coatings and optimize throughput. That’s why our top priority at Sherwin-Williams is helping our customers solve their most difficult challenges. With the globalization of products, comes the need for localization. Wherever our customers are manufacturing, we have global products that can be produced and serviced locally – utilizing our on-site technical support and expertise worldwide.
DAVID SEWELL Executive President and General Manager, Performance Coatings Group
That support has been strengthened with our recent acquisition of Valspar. We couldn’t be more thrilled with how well our two companies have come together. The complementary nature of our businesses have brought us one complete team of incredibly talented people, game-changing technologies, and an impressive global footprint. Whatever your biggest challenge – now more than ever – we want to work with you to help turn any challenge into an opportunity. Thank you for the privilege to partner with you. We look forward to our collective success in 2019.
EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES for a Better Finish
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We provide more than coatings. Our complete product finishing solution includes over 10,000 brand-name equipment and supplies to address the entire process, from sanding to shipping. Our dedicated experts also work with a diverse group of suppliers and manufacturers to serve all of your finishing needs, including providing on-site support to help you enhance your line. Contact your Industrial Wood Coatings Sales Representative or visit oem.sherwin-williams.com/ equipmentandsupplies to learn more.
DURASPAR® PRIME HIGH SPEED Epoxy Performance at Urethane Speed
Sherwin-Williams Duraspar® Prime High Speed is a solvent-based liquid coating that breaks the barriers between epoxies and urethane primers, allowing users to experience the features of both technologies in one unique product. The innovative characteristics of Duraspar Prime High Speed provide the high corrosion resistance of an epoxy, along with the quick curing properties and hardness of a urethane primer – all at a reasonable cost. Delivering flexibility and additional properties to improve your operations and meet your business goals, the coating features lower bake temperatures and increased film hardness – achieving both speed and performance.
This product delivers exceptional value and outstanding performance, while reducing environmental impact. Designed to accommodate a wide range of application methods, Duraspar Prime High Speed can be custom formulated to meet your specifications.
VALUE ADDED PERFORMANCE FEATURES • Reduced Oven Dwell Time - Increases Throughput • Lower Oven Temperature - Saves Energy • De-Mask and Decal Sooner with - Faster Moving Parts • Harder Coating Film - Reduces Handling Damage Contact your local Sherwin-Williams General Industrial representative or facility today to learn more about Duraspar Prime High Speed solvent-based liquid coating.
Duraspar Prime High Speed saves production costs and increases productivity with a rapid cure response that enables shorter dwell times in the oven. Allowing for a lower cure cycle and producing increased hardness out of the oven, parts can quickly advance to the de-masking and decaling process. Moving forward into the assembly process with an increased coating hardness also minimizes potential damage and reduces the amount of necessary touch-up and rework, which preserves production time. Compared to other fast-cure products, Duraspar Prime High Speed has an increased pot-life of more than four hours – reducing waste. The liquid coating requires a lower oven temperature, resulting in energy conservation and increased sustainability.
PROFINISHER TIP
Enhancing Spray Methods
When spraying powder, keep your target distance a minimum of 6-8 inches from the part. This will reduce orange peel and help prevent back ionization.” — Scott Olson, Technical Services Rep
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MAHLE Behr, a leading global tier supplier for major heavy truck manufacturers and automotive OEMs, streamlined their manufacturing process using a customized coating developed by Sherwin-Williams.
M
AHLE Behr, a commercial vehicle air conditioning and engine cooling components supplier based in Charleston, South Carolina, faced a challenge when only one certified paint company met its rigorous heavy truck specification for underhood black paint on aluminum. Not only were supplier options limited, but the current coating used was increasingly difficult to work with. The thermal management business began searching for another paint supplier that could be certified to their demanding spec. At the time, Sherwin-Williams was a local supplier of small paint quantities for MAHLE Behr. However, sales representative, Todd Hausen, offered to involve Sherwin-Williams in the exhaustive testing process for new paint qualification and supplier process verification.
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MEETING TOUGH SPECIFICATIONS Sherwin-Williams started developing the exact black singleapplication, two-component urethane finish that MAHLE Behr’s engineering specifications required. The finish itself is purely cosmetic in its function, according to Jim Conner, MAHLE Behr’s senior manufacturing engineer. However, standards for underhood paint on nonferrous substrates do not stop at aesthetics alone. “It’s a tough spec for any coating supplier to meet,” said Conner. The new MAHLE Behr supplier would need to produce testing results that validated a host of performance metrics. These included the ability of paint samples to withstand very aggressive acid salt spray and 750 hours of humidity exposure, as well as no adhesion loss, fading, or softening after 15 double rubs of methyl ethyl ketone and other chemicals. “It takes an exceptional paint to withstand migration and blistering after hours and hours of exposure to acid salt spray, humidity, and harsh chemicals,” said Conner.
A separate challenge involved the aluminum brazing used in the production of heat exchangers, such as radiators. Essential for bonding all connectors and brackets to the aluminum assembly, the process leaves behind a difficult surface profile for painting. Hausen described how an epoxy tends to work better than a urethane for this, but the specification also requires chalking resistance levels following ultraviolet exposure that are nearly impossible to achieve with an epoxy. Developing a suitable urethane was a twoyear process, Hausen said, but the SherwinWilliams R&D team overcame all obstacles, testing out for MAHLE Behr on all fronts important to their customer.
IMPROVING THE PROCESS AND FINISHED APPEARANCE The development of this solution also resulted in other day-to-day benefits. “Without a doubt, one of the benefits of switching to Sherwin-Williams is the ease of use of the paint,” Conner said. “With our previous product, we usually had issues with viscosity and flow, plugged-up nozzles and lines. There was always something we had to stop production over and call in our maintenance techs. We don’t worry about that anymore.” The Sherwin-Williams paint formulation solves these issues, Hausen explained. Our paint atomizes so that it sprays, flows, and levels extremely well,” he said. “With this level of wettability and gloss consistency batch-to-batch, MAHLE Behr has improved process time.” The service and support also assisted in streamlining MAHLE Behr’s production. “Our painters actually had to re-gauge the way they painted,” said Conner. “To
address this, Sherwin-Williams provided on-site training. In addition, the robotic inspectors that check for deviations in specular gloss from the specification now operate with fewer requirements for human intervention because the gloss levels are more consistent.”
SUPPORT ACROSS THE BUSINESS In addition to the advantage of having Sherwin-Williams as their coatings supplier, MAHLE Behr also gained access to service
at a local level, in Fort Worth, Texas, and at another plant in Coahuila, Mexico. “Having the blending and mixing nearby for all components of our final assembly and for service parts is important to us,” said Conner. “We had so many ‘issues of the moment’ before. We make radiators. Honestly, I don’t want to deal with problems about paint.” Now, MAHLE Behr can focus on manufacturing their products, while partnering with Sherwin-Williams to provide certified coatings.
“One of the benefits of switching to Sherwin-Williams is the ease of use of the paint. With our previous product, we usually had issues with viscosity and flow, plugged-up nozzles and lines. We don’t worry about that anymore.” – Jim Conner, Senior Manufacturing Engineer, MAHLE Behr
EQUIPMENT & SUPPLIES FOR A BETTER FINISH
The Sherwin-Williams Equipment and Supplies program includes over 10,000 brand-name tools at guaranteed competitive pricing. For more information and to request a quote, contact your General Industrial Coatings Sales Representative.
Paint Prep Cleaner –– Concentrated, water-based cleaner that quickly and safely removes dirt, exhaust soot, oils, greases, hydraulic fluids, and fuel residues along with a variety of soils and hazardous solvents –– Drop-in replacement for traditional hazardous solvents –– Used to clean and prepare surfaces for paint dispensing from box
Precision-Fiber™ Wiping Cloths
Reclaimed Wiping Cloths Greenshield Masking Paper
Performance Grade Masking Tape
Mixing Cups
EPSI®
High Temp Masking Tape
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Abranet® Dust-Free Sanding
Goldflex-Soft 4-1/2” x 5” Foam Backed Abrasive Pad
IDENTIFYING SOLUTIONS TO ANSWER INDUSTRY NEEDS At FABTECH, Sherwin-Williams offered the opportunity to share coatings knowledge, discover industry needs, and connect customers with cutting-edge products. “That was a piece of feedback we need to take to heart; anything we can do to improve and expedite color matches is very important,” said Morey. At FABTECH, Sherwin-Williams showcased the ColorReaderPRO handheld spectrophotometer and Color Express™ program, which deliver the speed and ability to match color and apply a coating within a few days – providing time saving and inventory benefits. At the metal forming, fabricating, welding, and finishing FABTECH event, the Sherwin-Williams booth featured information on liquid coatings, 75 Powdura® RAL powder coating panels, and even unique custom coated items – including a Misty Blue KitchenAid Mixer that drew lots of attention from visitors. However, additional key offerings were found within the conversations and feedback from the tradeshow held November 6 – 8, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. FABTECH provides a conducive environment to learn what is happening across multiple industries. “It’s a great way for us to have interactions, meet with, and get feedback from a wide variety of customers over a short period of time,” said John Morey, Director of Marketing, Sherwin-Williams General Finishes.
COLOR CAPABILITIES Color is becoming more important across industrial markets, and it’s an aspect that Sherwin-Williams continues to invest in. As small fabrication shops see an increase in requests for differentiation in colors, additional color options must be supplied at a faster rate.
“The number one thing we heard was that those who weren’t familiar with ColorReaderPRO and Color Express were blown away,” said Morey. “This product and program are really hitting the mark in terms of their needs.”
ACCESS TO VALUABLE SUPPORT Metal finishers are continually looking to improve inventory management and gain access to technical support. These needs echoed throughout FABTECH, and as a response Sherwin-Williams detailed its ability to assist with manufacturer distribution networks and provide inventory with stock products close to customers – eliminating the requirement to hold excess inventory while waiting for powder coatings. “FABTECH allows us to make sure we have our ear to the ground with what is happening in the finishing industry,” said Morey. “The services we provide beyond the coatings themselves are valuable and our customers appreciate the technical organization and support they receive.”
education opportunities. Alongside Carlisle Fluid Technologies, DuBois Chemicals, and SAMES KREMLIN, Sherwin-Williams personnel hosted two presentations focusing on how to minimize coating defects and understanding the basics of liquid coatings. “FABTECH is a great opportunity to not only share what you know, but also understand and expand your network with other peers in the industry,” said Hannah Seeb, Marketing Communications Specialist, Sherwin-Williams General Industrial Coatings. To learn more about the ColorReaderPRO, contact your Sherwin-Williams General Industrial Sales Representative or visit pages.s-w.com/Color-Express-PowderProgram
During the tradeshow, vendors also have the opportunity to participate in continued
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