Eurotherm anticorrosive coating systems
Space and time. Without troubling the laws of physics, these variables represent two of the strongest constraints a manufacturing company must consider in order to improve productivity.
Space, time. Both variables affect turnover more or less directly. The former does so by virtue of the systems that can be put in place in the company. Space management (of production, but also storage) is often a crucial element, which can turn into a limiting factor.
The second variable is a direct component of the equations that determine production speed and, therefore, directly influences a company’s competitiveness.
Eurotherm has proven to be able to curb both variables in highly optimized projects: compact systems (space) which can close a working cycle in 3 hours… when previously it took 3 days (time).
The case study: Eurotherm compact and flexible anticorrosion coating systems
Anticorrosion in Italy: a field that is cutting-edge from a technological point of view, which nonetheless has to deal with outdated, cumbersome systems, whose production is slowed down by their very own design.
The anticorrosive coating process consists of the following phases:
- Preparatory blasting
- Application of a micro-layer (75 microns thick) of inorganic zinc silicate or epoxy primer
- Drying
- Application of intermediate primer
- Drying
- Hand application of the final paint
- Drying
- Shipping/delivery to the customer
In addition to a 3-day process time (a very long time to deal with), there are also some technical limitations, such as the predominance of systems where the products are placed on trestles by hand.
Optimizing time and space in EUROTHERM’s anticorrosive coating systems
Two powder coating booths, a polymerization oven and an overhead conveyor with lifting station: this Eurotherm’s proposal for anticorrosive coating. All of this occupies a relatively compact area: 23×10m² in the case of the systems installed at Colortec (Turin, Italy), Paoli Fratelli (Trento, Italy) and Lanzi (Asti, Italy).
Some technological insights:
- Shot blasting takes place in a separate area. The pre-treated products are immediately mounted on a descender (capacity 3000kg), which transfers them to the first cabin for the application of the anticorrosive primer.
- The overhead conveyor transfers the prepared parts to the oven, where they are baked for 30 minutes at 60°, according to process specifications.
- The primed pieces move to the second booth for finish applications, then back to the oven.
The finished parts are deposited in the unloading area just 3 hours after the start of the anticorrosive coating process. Here, it only takes an hour for them to return to room temperature and be fully ready to be dispatched to the client.
Why choose a tailor-made anticorrosive coating system
What we have just described is a Eurotherm anticorrosive coating system configuration that can drastically reduce processing times (and therefore delivery time to the client), while requiring very little installation and operational space.
The systems’ customization is complete:
- The layout of the booths, oven and overhead conveyor is designed by Eurotherm engineers based on the space available within the company’s warehouse.
- The system’s elements reflect the production process operated by the customer. For example, when shot blasting is not required, a manual washing booth or an automatic washing cell and nanotechnology conversion for polymer films is installed. Powder coating corresponds to a dedicated booth and an oven with the appropriate thermal features.
The advantages of an innovative, custom-designed technological system are obvious: reduction in space, logistical waste and production times, increased productivity and margin, and greater customer satisfaction.
Finally, a technological investment such as this is easily amortized, since plant automation is part of the incentives of Industry 4.0/Transition 4.0.
