Powder Coating Application Has Never Been This Easy

Powder Coating Application Has Never Been This Easy High transfer efficiency, low environmental impact, finishing quality, cost reduction... Powder coating application becomes an ideal solution when not hindered by numerous practical complications. Sames Kremlin is bringing innovation to the sector with its automatic and manual Inocoat series, leveraging ease-of-use capabilities.

Powder coating on the rise

Market research promises annual growth of 6.3% in powder coating through 2025, compared to 5.4% for other paint groups. Growth is driven by sectors such as household appliances, automotive parts, shipbuilding, and oil and gas industries. Powder coating is highly efficient but equally complex. There are several reasons for this momentum. First, the paint does not adhere to surfaces that will be treated, does not cure, and can be collected and reused. Powder coating is safe; it contains no volatile organic compounds, presents no storage risk, and is healthier for the operator. Powder coating is also known for its final coat quality, resistance to chipping, scratching and fading, and its ability to provide surfaces with anti-graffiti, antimicrobial, corrosion-inhibiting, abrasion and heat-resistant properties. Finally, it is 10 to 30% more economical than liquid paint, depending on parts and quantities. However, powder coating application is not simple. Projection parameters require precision, part/gun distances must be adjusted to the millimeter, paint flow is not always constant, and some geometries require touch-ups before or after application.

Compatible with all communication protocols

Sames Kremlin Product Group Manager Eric Ghio explained, "Inocoat was designed to overcome these obstacles." "We are bringing innovations in terms of efficiency, application quality, integration and ease of use. Seventeen beta testing processes conducted in Europe and Latin America validated this choice." The product range is comprehensive; the automatic version includes a booth, automatic positioning system or reciprocators, electrostatic bell or guns, paint center or simple paint feed unit and control module. Inocoat is also compatible with all major communication protocols (fieldbus) such as Profibus, Profinet, CC-Link, Ethernet IP and Ethercat. In accordance with Sames Kremlin's Ease-of-Use Principle, integration into the existing industrial environment is straightforward. Line programming becomes surprisingly simple. Only four parameters need to be set; voltage and current values for the guns, dilution air for the injector air and powder flow. The operator gains command of the coating line within minutes. Gun/part distances are no longer a concern. 3D laser sensors record gun dimensions at the booth entrance and position them to the millimeter. For this reason, the Inocoat series requires no kinetic programming.

Pre-touch-up or touch-up operations are minimized

The user can choose between an electrostatic bell (not found on other manufacturers in the sector) and spray guns. The former is a reference for efficiency and thickness control, delivering plus or minus 5 microns for an average 50-micron layer on flat parts. The latter benefits from TEC-5, a patented control technology. "It provides more voltage and current efficiency than other brands at the same distance," explained Eric Ghio. "Powder can be sprayed faster and is better charged, which results in a better transfer rate." The difference is evident in cylindrical parts where powder bypasses before being deposited in a flat layer, and in the smallest openings it penetrates without strain (15 degrees and less). Even on simple parts, application quality increases many times over. Ghio noted, "Touch-up operations, which reduce powder coating efficiency, are lightened. In one of our beta tests, the user eliminated touch-up procedures on 80% of the products." Sames Kremlin also paid particular attention to inevitable color changes that are frequently required, which represents an absolute record for automatic lines at 5 minutes and 30 seconds for manual trolleys.

Sames Kremlin Inocart received top marks from the sector

With its design, lightness, maneuverability, gun ergonomics and of course application quality, Sames Kremlin Inocart received top marks from the sector. Powder coating application has never been this easy.