Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/787158
POWDER COATING, February 2017 37 For further reading on topics featured in this issue, select from the articles listed here. You can find these and other articles at www.pcoating.com. Click on Article Index and access them by author, company (organizations), or subject. Curing The IR-convection curing system: Designing effective curing processes to meet today's production needs. Sherrill Stoenner. November 2006, p. 16. Today's manufacturers compete in a global market and can't afford to operate their finishing departments with aging or inefficient systems. This article dis- cusses the problems that can occur with old curing systems and how they can drain a finishing line of energy and effi- ciency, which ultimately leads to decreased profits. The article then dis- cusses how ovens that combine infrared with convection technology can boost efficiency and lead to increased profits. To get the color right, a pigment manufacturer expands its curing capa- bilities. (Benda-Lutz, Independence, Ky.) November 2008, p. 20. If you've ever had to repaint a room and you just wanted to keep it simple and paint it white, this seemingly basic coating solution can quickly become alarmingly complex and nuanced. Do you want glossy, semi-gloss, flat, or satin? And the endless color cards and rows of color chips claiming to be white, range from a yellowy ivory to a pristine marshmallow hue and everything in between depending on the pigment cocktail. After shaking the can and putting the first coat on the wall, does the color still look like the chip you based your selection on? In this article, when a powder that is white in the lab comes out yellowish on a finishing line, an aluminum pigment manufacturer embarks on a problem-solving odyssey that reveals a fundamental difference between cure ovens. Batch versus conveyor: Which oven is best? John Guanci. November 2009, p. 17. It's time to look for a new oven when you have bottlenecks in your production line or you're ready to start a new prod- uct line. Should the oven be batch or automated conveyor? This article dis- cusses nine issues you need to consider before you decide. Curing, pre-heating, drying, bonding, and a host of other applications all require one element— uniform and controlled heat. Both batch and automated conveyorized ovens can provide those heating require- ments, but which type is right for your operation? The pros and cons, coupled with practical guidelines, will help you with your selection. Oven primer: An introduction to industrial process ovens. J.W. Guanci, III. November 2010, p. 11. Virtually every manufactured product requires the introduction of heat at some point during the production process. Purchasing the proper piece of thermal processing equipment is rarely an easy or a casual consideration. Reputable oven manufacturers share those exact sentiments, in that they will consider a customer's application, pro- duction needs, and concerns seriously. It's also understood that multiple issues become intertwined to create a series of details which must be resolved before trust is gained and equipment is pur- chased. This article serves only as a gen- eral guide to heat processing equipment and the issues that must be considered to select the proper oven, as well as the appropriate options and features. Of course, for an application-specific diag- nosis, consultation with a member of your oven manufacturer's sales team is always recommended. Planning and courage build new powder coating business. (Aegis Industrial Finishing, Vancouver, B.C.) November 2011 digital issue, p. 18. Fighting the odds during a recession, just a year after opening Aegis Industrial Finishing works overtime to meet customers' needs. Facing stiff com- petition from China that was making the powder coating of high-volume small parts increasingly competitive, Dave McKinnon decided to depart the business that his father-in-law had established in 1948 in Vancouver, B.C. Despite the difficult decision to leave the business in which Dave had worked for more than 20 years, Dave and his son Chris decided to launch a new business that would handle a mix of larger parts in a smaller volume. Too large to ship from China economically, a single piece can earn the same amount as 500 smaller pieces at the previous plant. Labware-maker boosts production with a more efficient compact oven. (Bel-Art Products, Pocomoke City, Md.) November 2012 digital issue, p, 15. Uniform temperature and cure are cru- cial when it comes to finishing test-tube racks. Simply replacing an inefficient oven can boost performance. When Kurt Landsberger and wife Anny launched Bel-Art Products, it was a small shop making household items, such as aprons and tablecloths for post- World War II consumers in 1946. Soon realizing the value in the chemical resis- tance of the plastic material used to make these items, the Landsbergers started marketing their products for lab- oratories and medical-supply companies, becoming pioneers in the use of plastic lab equipment. Index to Articles and Authors Suggested Reading ARTICLE INDEX