THE BUSINESS OF VISCOSITY BLOG

The team at Saint Clair Systems recently visited a well-known, highly regarded company that supplies automotive components. (The name of the company - or even the component they make - isn’t relevant to this story. What we saw there likely happens every day in the workplace in some way or another.)

Topics: Viscosity, Fluid dispensing systems, Temperature control, coil coating, Industrial finishing, Coating Technology, automotive painting, can coating

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

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

Viscosity is an important factor in quality control when it comes to painting. Different viscosities will yield different results, so if you want a consistent result in the finish of a painted surface, you must know the ideal viscosity of your paint, and then do everything technically feasible to maintain that viscosity.

Viscosity itself, however, is prone to many factors, and temperature is a key element. While specific numbers will vary, higher temperatures mean lower viscosities, while lower temperatures mean higher ones. And all of this comes into play at the most critical moment of all: right when it’s time to apply the paint to the surface.

Topics: paint and coating, Coating Technology

Can making facilities are large.

We cut our teeth in the automotive industry and still, these places are pretty big. Big enough that, in extreme climates like the south and the west, it would be cost prohibitive to air condition them – especially in a low-margin industry like can manufacturing.

Topics: Coating Technology

In my recent post Metal Can Manufacturing – A Study in Process Viscosity Control, I discussed the origin of the metal can, and how it has changed over the years. Of particular interest to us here is the incorporation of advanced sealing technologies into the end attachment process:

“New sealant materials have been added to the rim of the can to assure an air-tight, leak-free, long-term seal when the end is hemmed onto the can body.”

Topics: Coating Technology

In our recent blog, “3 Ways PCM Reduces Costs in Aluminum and Steel Coil Coating," we outlined the case of one of our clients who utilized the PCM to address cleaning issues in their coating systems. They reduced their paint delivery system volume by more than 70% which:

Topics: coil coating, Coating Technology, PCM

Every manufacturing business that survived the infamous “downturn” has increased their focus on operating costs in order to remain viable and competitive. In many markets, however, “remaining competitive” means extending warranties and reducing price. This translates into reducing inventory and controlling what is paid for goods with no compromise in the quality of the goods received.

Coated coil users and those in industrial coating industries are no exception.

Topics: Industrial finishing, Coating Technology, PCM

Please excuse the trite reference to Stephen Covey! But in this case, there really are seven traits that we see that signify that we are working with a world-class coater. Truly world class coil coaters are identified by their ability to:

1. Provide a high quality surface finish batch-after-batch
2. Deliver on time, every time

Topics: coil coating, sustainability, Coating Technology, PCM