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

All fluids change viscosity with temperature.

Topics: Fluid dispensing systems, Point of Application

We are fortunate to get the opportunity to tour many manufacturing plants and review a large variety of dispensing processes. One thing that really stands out is that most companies do a good job dispensing. Whether it’s a manual dispensing operation with skilled and experienced operators or an automated dispense with highly repeatable motions, in general, the companies we see are already doing a good job.
When we’re out there, we often hear that either the booth or the plant are already temperature controlled. Often, this is said as if it eliminates the requirement for material temperature control. While definitely an improvement over no control, simply controlling the temperature of your booth and your plant, may not be enough to accomplish your quality and cost objectives.

Topics: Fluid dispensing systems, automotive painting, industrial painting, paint temperature control, automotive paint finishing, automotive finishing

We hear this a lot, “Oh, you’re the paint heater company.” We tend to cringe because what we do is quite a bit different than traditional paint heaters.

Topics: cost of temperature, Fluid dispensing systems, Temperature control, Point of Application, paint and coating, Industrial finishing, temperature control systems

In this series we’ve been discussing the impact of changes in fluid properties, specifically viscosity, on the performance of robotic fixed displacement dispensing systems.  In the first installment, “Fixed Displacement Dispensing Doesn’t Guarantee Fixed Results”, we examined common dispensing defects, contrasting those that can be readily addressed through the implementation of a robotic fixed displacement dispensing system, and those that are the result of changes in physical fluid properties, which prove to be more resilient.

Topics: Viscosity, Manufacturing, Fluid dispensing systems, Point of Application, fluid process control, Can / Container, viscometry, temperature control systems

In our last segment, Fixed Displacement Dispensing Doesn’t Guarantee Fixed Results, we examined how viscosity variation impacts your robotic fixed displacement dispensing system and the many defects that can still exist, even in the most highly advanced of these systems.  In this installment, we look more closely at the phenomenon of bead profile, it’s importance to the quality of your end product, and why simply controlling path, dispense rate, and total volume does not guarantee that your process will produce consistently high-quality parts.

Topics: Manufacturing, Fluid dispensing systems, Temperature control, Point of Application, Can / Container, automotive, temperature control systems

If your business depends on processes where fluids are dispensed, whether they be adhesives, sealants, potting compounds, coatings, lubricants, or even just water, you know the importance of control.  Control of volume, control of flow rate, control of placement – all have a significant impact on the cost and quality of your output.

Topics: Manufacturing, cost of temperature, Fluid dispensing systems, Temperature control, Point of Application, coil coating, sustainability

As anyone with experience in manufacturing will tell you, the creation of any product requires strict adherence to a very specific formula.

Topics: Manufacturing, cost of temperature, Fluid dispensing systems, Temperature control

What if we told you your company may be throwing money away because the fluid dispensing operations in your manufacturing process is varying a few degrees?

Topics: Viscosity, Manufacturing, cost of temperature, Fluid dispensing systems, Temperature control, Saint Clair Systems

Topics: Viscosity, Manufacturing, cost of temperature, Fluid dispensing systems