THE BUSINESS OF VISCOSITY BLOG

It has become commonplace to employ fixed displacement systems when dispensing mid-to-high-viscosity fluids like sealers and adhesives.  It makes sense.  Proper performance in these applications hinges on making sure that the right amount of sealer or adhesive is dispensed in the right place on every part.  When coupled with a robot to assure that path, speed, distance and angle to part are consistent and repeatable, it is easy to believe that the dispense job will be perfect every time.

Topics: Manufacturing, Point of Application, fluid process control, automotive, temperature control systems, automotive finishing

In Part II of this series, we continued our discussion on viscosity by tackling the topic of thixotropy.  With this defined, we can now circle back to bring it all together and show how different measurement methods produce different results and how our measurement choices can actually work against us.

Topics: Zahn cups, Efflux Cups, fluid process control, viscometers, viscometry, non-newtonian fluids

In Part I of this series, we examined some of the issues with the viscosity cup measurement process and started to look at the fundamentals of fluid viscosity as a means of explaining the source of those problems.  In this installment, we pick up the discussion with a somewhat difficult topic:  thixotropy.

Topics: Zahn cups, Efflux Cups, fluid process control, viscometers, viscometry, non-newtonian fluids

Manufacturers who dispense fluids in their process (i.e. – paints and coatings, sealers and adhesives, potting compounds and encapsulants, etc.) all understand that the viscosity of that fluid is fundamental to the process out

Topics: Zahn cups, Efflux Cups, fluid process control, viscometers, viscometry, non-newtonian fluids

I recently received an e-mail from BV Thermal Systems, a supplier of chillers, that caught my eye.  It opened with a statement that is all too familiar in our world of temperature control:

Topics: paint and coating, Industrial finishing, coating aluminum, Coating Technology, fluid process control, coating, temperature control systems, automotive paint finishing, future technologies

The modern paint shop is a maze of pipes and tubes carrying paint all over the place!  Some of these circulation systems even have temperature control systems designed to make sure that the paint temperature is controlled as it is circulated.  So why is paint temperature still such an issue?

Topics: Point of Application, Industrial finishing, automotive painting, robotic painting, paint temperature control, paint surface finish, automotive paint finishing, automotive finishing

Below is a continuation of the previous blog post. Please click here to review What is UV and Why is It Important? (Part 1).

Topics: Manufacturing, sustainability, Printing, paint and coating, Industrial finishing, Coating Technology, coating, wood and furniture coating

The week of March 18^th I was privileged to attend RadTech’s Big Ideas Conference in Redondo Beach California.  In addition to offering a nice reprieve from the Michigan winter, it also provided some keen insight into important things happening in the field of UV.  So, for the next few pages, let’s take a look at how UV affects us in our everyday lives.

Topics: Manufacturing, sustainability, Printing, paint and coating, Industrial finishing, Coating Technology, coating, wood and furniture coating

The robotic industry is growing by leaps and bounds. According to the Robotic Industries Association (RIA), 2017 was another record-breaking year. Last year, shipments were up 9 percent over the previous year. It was the seventh straight year North American robot shipments increased.

This year forecasts to be similar, continuing that upward trend.

The industrial robotic painting sector is no different. The same factors that are driving growth in the overall robotics market are driving growth in the industrial robotic painting segment.

For good reason.

Topics: Viscosity, automotive painting, Paint Temperature Control Series, paint temperature control, automotive paint finishing