Dawn Denby, Author at Production Systems

New Conversion Coating Technologies

Traditionally, conversion coating pretreatment process options have been limited. For the most part, they include either an iron or zinc phosphate. Although these have been sufficient in performance in the past, concerns have recently risen regarding their inefficient energy and water usage. Iron Phosphate Pretreatment Systems Iron phosphate systems are most often used when a durable finish is required but the parts are not exposed to extremely corrosive environments. These systems involve up to six stages, including multiple cleaning and rinsing phases which require a lot of water and energy. Zinc Phosphate Pretreatment Systems Zinc phosphate coatings provide exceptional durability even in corrosive environments and they are capable of coating mixed metals. However, zinc phosphate systems require even more phases than iron systems. Zinc phosphate systems are different in a couple ways from an iron system. Primarily, the zinc system requires a surface conditioner stage, which happens just before the zinc phosphate stage. Since the surface conditioning chemistry is a colloidal suspension, it ages over time and must be dumped frequently to be effective. Again, wasteful in energy and water.

Dawn Denby2022-06-09T11:28:07-04:00June 9th, 2022|Pretreatment & Surface Prep Booths|0 Comments

Preparing Metal Surfaces For Conversion Coating

When painting metal products, preparing the material for finishes is essential. The surface must be treated with a conversion coating. During this treatment, the metal surface undergoes a chemical reaction that and is essential for the durability of the finish, promoting adhesion and increasing corrosion resistance. Before applying the conversion coating, the metal must be prepared. Contaminants must be removed from the metal surface Prior to coating, metal surfaces must be cleaned. If the cleaning does not thoroughly eliminate contaminants, a uniform conversion coating will not be created resulting in a metal surface that is not properly protected from corrosion. The most common method used is aqueous cleaning; however, other methods include ultrasonic cleaning and vapor degreasing. With aqueous cleaning, the cleaner is water-based with various other chemicals mixed in, such as detergents and surfactants. In addition to the cleaner, heat and agitation are used to remove contaminants. Aqueous cleaning is highly effective in removing ionic contaminants, and is most often used when the process combines cleaning with the application of protective coatings or surface finishes. With vapor degreasing, solvent

Dawn Denby2022-06-09T11:29:43-04:00June 9th, 2022|Pretreatment & Surface Prep Booths|0 Comments

Conveyor Systems Are An Essential Part Of Many Finishing Systems

The conveyor components transport products through enclosures of the finishing process, or move them from one process to the next. So, let’s look at what is happening in the conveyor system world. New conveyor systems are becoming quieter. Quieter components, especially rollers, are being incorporated into the conveyors for an overall quieter system. The loud path through a plant is becoming outdated. A quieter system makes for a more comfortable working environment and easier communication among workers. Simpler processes are becoming more and more automated. In the past, it was most often the complex processes that were automated. Now, companies are finding that automating the simple activities with a single conveyor can provide substantial results. And smaller companies can take advantage of these benefits since they do not require a huge capital investment. Robotics are being applied to conveyors. When a company needs to safely move and position large and heavy products, a pallet conveyor system is the solution. These systems are programmed for precise movement, specific starts and stops, and can be coordinated to work with other robotics. New

Dawn Denby2022-05-03T14:57:40-04:00May 3rd, 2022|Company News|Comments Off

Effective Ventilation In Sanding And Grinding Booths Keeps Dust Out Of The Way And Saves Money

Having a sanding and grinding booth in your facility provides multiple benefits to your company. The main purpose of a sanding booth is to efficiently prepare items for finishing in a safe, clean environment. If you don’t already have a sanding and grinding booth with a ventilation system, the following benefits will convince you to install one. When preparing items for finishing, layers of coatings and contaminants must be sanded or ground off in order to create a surface that will provide a beautiful blemish-free finish. When sanding, these layers turn into dust. Dust can make a work environment hazardous and can contaminate the product. A good sanding and grinding booth will provide effective ventilation that captures and immediately removes dust from the environment. Your employees won’t be breathing in dusty air and the work surfaces throughout your entire facility will not be covered in dust. The booth’s ventilation system cleans the dirty air by running it through multiple filters that capture even the smallest of particles; 99% of dust particles are caught during filtration. The clean air is then

Dawn Denby2022-05-03T12:51:15-04:00May 3rd, 2022|Pretreatment & Surface Prep Booths|Comments Off

Achieving Optimal Efficiency And Powder Reclaim In A Powder Coating Booth

Two major goals a powder coating manufacturer has is the ability to perform quicker color changes and obtain greater recovery of reclaimed material. Having the ability to reclaim overspray powder has been a big factor in promoting the growth of the powder coating industry. To achieve optimal efficiency and material reclaim, regular preventive maintenance must be performed as the equipment manufacturer recommends. Several factors that are needed for an efficient powder coating booth system follow: Maintaining incoming air quality is imperative for an efficient system and good powder utilization. For example, if the incoming air has water or oil in it, the finish can have fisheyes or craters in it; the application equipment may spit or surge. Rejected parts increase and so does powder usage. Parts must be recoated wasting even more time and energy. The powder coating application equipment, such as the track, racks, and hooks, as well as the booth itself must be properly grounded for optimal efficiency and safety. In addition to the regular maintenance, the air flow into the booth must be maintained. Gauges should be

Dawn Denby2022-04-05T16:06:41-04:00April 5th, 2022|Powder Booths|Comments Off

Grinding Booths For Surface Prep

A vital step in many manufacturing processes is preparation of parts by grinding. Companies grind parts to remove coatings and prepare them for finishing. Coatings can include paints, metals or other materials. Once the grinding and sanding starts, particles go flying around often at high speeds. It can be a filthy dangerous task. That’s why, companies rely on grinding booths to separate this dirty process and help clean up the mess. When the grinding starts, sparks go flying. Particles and dust are flung all over the shop. Particles coming off the grinder are moving at a high velocity and can be thrown up to 10 feet. Particles are hitting walls and ceilings, as well as unsuspecting workers nearby. Larger particles pile up on the floor and smaller ones linger in the air waiting to be breathed in, some of which can be toxic. In addition, the grinding is loud and the job is hazardous. The answer to the challenges presented during the grinding process is a surface prep booth. A grinding booth is an enclosed room with a heavy-duty dust

Dawn Denby2022-03-08T15:29:42-05:00March 8th, 2022|Pretreatment & Surface Prep Booths|Comments Off

Reasons To Incorporate A Paint Mixing Room Into Your Facility

There are many benefits to having a separate room set apart for the specific task of mixing paint. A paint mixing room is an enclosed space with a controlled environment designed for the sole purpose of mixing, handling, and storing paint materials and compounds. Having a separate space makes it possible to maintain product quality, create a safer environment, and increase productivity. Maintaining Product Quality Paint mixing rooms improve the quality of paint and finish compounds by reducing the possibility of contamination. Dust and debris that can damage the paint are kept out of the room and away from the product. Humidity, moisture and other climate-related challenges can be managed. And contaminates, such as other chemicals or compounds cannot corrupt the paint while it is being mixed or stored. A separate sanitary space maintains a high-quality product before it is applied. Maintaining Safety Is The Most Important Goal Even more important than maintaining product quality, is maintaining your employees’ safety. Stored in a paint room are large amounts of highly flammable materials, such as paints and solvents. Keeping these volatile

Dawn Denby2022-03-08T13:00:15-05:00March 8th, 2022|Mix Rooms & Paint Kitchens|Comments Off

High-Gloss Design Trends Require Cost-Effective Processing Methods

The latest in trends in furniture, flooring, and other materials is high gloss. Meeting this trend requires innovative changes to the processes and products used to achieve the desired results. As the market for high gloss surfaces increases, the need for cost effective manufacturing solutions becomes obvious. Traditionally, high gloss surfaces were only used in highly-precise, high priced applications where time-consuming processes were acceptable; for example, a typical process included the application of several layers of lacquer with sanding and polishing in between. Often these were done manually. That makes for very high production costs. Today, with high-gloss finishes becoming a mainstream design element, manufacturers are looking for inexpensive methods to create acceptable gloss surfaces. Since the end users’ ideal for gloss is a mirror or a piece of glass, the bar is set high. Manufacturers are challenged to achieve this level of quality and shine, while remaining cost-effective. One of the newest technologies in achieving a high gloss surface uses hot coating technology. To keep cost down, the coating is added to a melamine panel. Since melamine-faced chipboard is

Dawn Denby2022-02-21T15:39:31-05:00February 21st, 2022|Industry News|Comments Off

Production Systems Partners with Barberan To Provide The Highest Quality Finishing Systems

Production Systems is the US integrator of Barberan S.A. Our partnership with Barberan allows us to offer our customers the most innovative technology for hot coating, lacquer application, and curing. Together, we also offer custom equipment for adhesion, base coat, sanding, and top-coat finishing. Barberan technology allows our customers to achieve incomparable results and cost savings. Founded in 1929 and headquartered in Castelldefels, Spain, Barberan is a family-owned business that manufactures industrial surface finishing machinery. They design and manufacture machines used in the furniture, construction, decoration and packaging industries. As Barberan’s integrator for the United States, Production Systems is proud to offer machines that are designed and adapted to the unique requirements for each of our customers’ processes and applications. Contact us to learn how Production Systems, with Barberan machines can provide the most cost-effective and efficient technology to achieve the best finishing solutions.

Dawn Denby2022-02-21T12:20:06-05:00February 21st, 2022|Company News|Comments Off

Reclaim and Non-Reclaim Powder Coating Rooms. Is There Cost Savings In Using A Reclaim System?

First of all, what does “reclaim” and “non-reclaim” mean when it comes to powder coating booth designs? And which is a better option for my application? All powder coating systems contain methods and equipment to collect overspray. But there are differences between collecting it for disposal and ‘reclaiming’ it for reuse. In a non-reclaim system, otherwise known as a non-recovery or spray-to-waste system, the colors and powders are mixed; therefore, they cannot be used again. In a reclaim system, also known as recovery booth, the powder is separated from the color and can be used at a later time. This can present an important and confusing option when buying a booth. Choosing the right system depends on multiple factors. Operators should evaluate the cost and convenience of each option when deciding. Careful examination of the process to identify key data such as material costs, time and effort of workers, and variety and volume of coating applications, are critical in the evaluation. Non-Reclaim Powder Booth System A non-reclaim powder booth is obviously the more basic of the two designs. The initial

Dawn Denby2021-12-29T14:07:33-05:00December 29th, 2021|Powder Booths|Comments Off

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