Coating Solutions for Superior Plastic Surfaces

Plastic coatings on surfaces present a dilemma that can only be overcome through consistent process optimization: on one hand, rising cost pressures, and on the other, increasing demands on surface quality. For precisely this purpose, PaintExpo will be present at the Karlsruhe Exhibition Centre between 17-20 April 2018 to present new solutions. At this must-attend event, innovations will be showcased across numerous areas including pre-treatment, application, systems and data, quality control, marking, packaging and many others. Numerous factors confront companies that conduct in-house or contract coating operations with new challenges in plastic coatings every day. To name just a few of these: flawlessness, smoothness, high resistance, miniaturized parts advancing with technology, customization, new colors and lightweight products, electromobility, integration of the coating process into the production network, greater sustainability and energy efficiency—all of which must be achieved in an increasingly globalized market under mounting cost pressures. For this reason, the leading exhibition focus at Paint Expo 2018 will be solutions for coating plastic parts for various sectors and applications. At the fair, where 410 companies had confirmed their participation by the end of August 2017, optimization potential begins directly with pre-treatment. In this area, conventional washing systems are increasingly being replaced by cleaning technologies that are both space- and operating-cost-efficient as well as more environmentally friendly, such as plasma cleaning and dry ice cleaning. Dry ice cleaning operations are also increasingly preferred in flat-bed coating systems and can be retrofitted afterwards. Approaches exist to eliminate potential sources of paint loss in spray application from above using nebulizers and during both application and paint changes, thereby bringing painting operations into line and achieving high material efficiency.

One way to achieve this is through the use of electrostatically-assisted spray guns and high-speed atomizers that can deliver order fulfillment efficiency levels exceeding 90 percent. Application systems that use minimal cleaning agents and shorten color-change times deliver greater efficiency. New developments in coating processes, including single-layer systems, enable high resistance on painted surfaces and reduce the number of required coating stages.

There are also new water- and solvent-based coating systems for striking chrome color coatings that meet high expectations for interior parts in the automotive industry. In paint solutions, there are new developments beyond decorative and technical properties, also fulfilling technological functions—such as self-healing or self-cleaning, and antibacterial paint layers. Demand continues for highly resistant and quick-drying UV-filtered paints and varnishes. New developments in application and drying technology enable the application range of these paints to continue expanding. In reducing energy consumption, new developments in drying technology and conveyor systems help minimize hot air usage and heat losses. In robots and automation solutions, cost reduction gains are possible through controlled programming that reduces reject rates. The 7th International Industrial Coating Technology Fair will be held at the Karlsruhe Exhibition Centre between 17-20 April 2018. The fair's portfolio includes: wet coating, powder coating and coil coating equipment, application systems and spray guns, wet and powder paints, automation and conveyor technology, purification, pre-treatment, drying and curing, environmental protection, compressed air, air flow and waste air cleaning, water treatment, recycling and waste management technologies, consumables (such as masking materials and systems, painting racks, filters, pumps, spare parts), measuring and testing equipment, quality assurance, paint stripping, contract coating, packaging, marking, various services, vocational training and education, research, technical literature. For more information and the list of confirmed participants so far, visit www.paintexpo.de.