CASE STUDY
2026A complete finishing line for automated picking systems for textile warehouses and industrial laundries
Customer
Metalprojects, Perugia (PG)
Objective
- Internalizing the paint shop to meet the growing demand for aesthetic customization of industrial laundry equipment
- Reduce the risk of production downtime with innovative technologies and preventive maintenance interventions calibrated to machine operation
Challenges
- Improve processes through dedicated technology solutions and optimize the company’s production capacity by avoiding plant downtime
- Overcome critical issues in existing processes with innovative strategies and ecological practices
Impact
State-of-the-art facilities and process care: a common vision
The installation taken care of by Eurotherm consists of a complete finishing plant for painting steel and aluminum components for use in automated equipment for industrial and dry cleaners, textile industries, and fashion companies.
The line consists of: pre-treatment tunnel, drying oven, powder coating booth, curing oven; and is designed to accommodate extremely variable productions in terms of dimensions, geometries and project requirements. Indeed, among the main strengths of the client company, Metalprogetti, are the modularity of the structures and the high degree of customization of the installation, in terms of both executive design and aesthetic finish.
Powder coating of transport components is done by manual application inside ventilated booths, equipped with filtration and recovery systems to ensure the best process conditions and healthiness of the working environment.
To achieve the project goal and ensure maximum production flexibility, Eurotherm, as the supplier of the plant technologies, participated in the definition and standardization of the processes, working closely with the client company and other project partners.
Pretreatment: the seamless integration of technology and chemistry
Pretreatment of metal fabrications takes place as part of a multistage process that includes:
- Phosphodecapping, with products formulated on demand to solve one of the main critical process issues, namely foaming in the phosphating stage caused by the presence of surfactants;
- 2 rinses with tap water;
- Rinsing with osmotized water, obtained from the primary water treatment plant thanks to the membrane with ion exchange resins, which transforms mains water into osmotized water, suitable for both rinsing and preparation of the nanotechnological solution for passivation;
- Nanotechnological no rinse passivation, with Qualicoat and Qualicoatsteel certified product, guaranteeing the quality of treatments on steel, galvanized steel and aluminum.
For the environmentally friendly management of process waste, the pretreatment tunnel is equipped with different types of filters: from coarse filters for major impurities to activated carbon filters capable of removing particles down to one micron.
Overhead part transport system, operational flexibility and organized management of batches to be painted
The semi-automatic overhead conveyor has been designed and manufactured in compliance with the main requirement of the specifications, namely, the ability to handle and move loads with varying bulk and weight.
Preventive maintenance as a growth factor
In the construction of the new paint plant for Metalprogetti, special attention was paid to the definition of preventive maintenance practices, aimed at ensuring operational continuity, reducing downtime and preserving the safety of employees on the line.