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"...stable paint viscosity produced dramatic reductions in viscosity-related defects such as orange peel, gloss and sag, and temperature-related defects such as dry spray."
- Roush, First-tier auto supplier
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Case Study #3
The Opportunity
Steelscape, a major producer of coated and pre-painted coil steel was looking for a means to:
- ensure that paint temperature could be controlled at a targeted value on each coater to reduce viscosity variation
- reduce the quantity of petroleum solvents added to their paints by a minimum of 50%
- improve the consistency and repeatability of the painting process to increase the finish quality and first-pass yield
The goal was to implement simultaneously in both the Rancho Cucamonga, CA, and Kalama, WA, plants. A cross-functional team comprising members from both facilities determined that a suitable system must be able to:
- both heat and cool the paint
- get paint to the target temperature quickly in either mode
- prevent damage to delicate paint formulations
- clean up quickly and easily at color change
- be operator friendly and easy to use
- interface readily with the existing line-control system
- require minimal maintenance
The Solution
The Steelscape team examined in-line electric heaters, paint drum heaters, and other systems, finally settling on SCS technology as the system of choice. Working with the Steelscape team, SCS designed, built, and installed a customized multi-station system for each facility, capable of controlling the temperature of the paint being delivered to each coating head separately and in real time, independent of process influences and changes in ambient temperature. These systems incorporated provisions designed to interface directly with the host line controller for ease of use, to provide rapid thermal ramps in both heating and cooling modes while still protecting delicate paints (like PVDF's) from damage, and to sense conditions that could lead to line damaging starve-out. And all of this was accomplished in an easy-to-clean system with little need for maintenance.
The Results
Working together, the Steelscape and SCS teams brought both projects in on time and on budget resulting in significant changes in the coating processes at both facilities. Paint temperature is now easily controlled, and target temperatures are consistently achieved at each coater, resulting in more stable paint viscosity both during a run and from run-to-run. The following benefits have been realized:
- A drum of paint can be heated from 65°F to 90°F in less than four minutes.
- Paint film thickness variation across the strip has been virtually eliminated.
- Finish quality of the painted strip surface (gloss, appearance, etc.,) has shown significant improvement.
- Improved paint-application control has resulted in a direct decrease in paint consumption which has eliminated paint shortages caused by exceeding estimated usage.
- Reductions in solvent additions in excess of 60% have resulted in significant cost savings year over year.
- Paint defects such as solvent pop have been reduced by 75% from previous levels due to lower solvent levels in the paint.
- Environmental compliance has improved due to reductions of naphthalene and paint volatile organic compounds (VOC's) produced during the paint curing process.
(Note - For more about this application see "A Tale of Two Coil Coaters", an article by Eric Slind of Steelscape, Inc., appearing in the January/February 2008 issue of Coil World Magazine)
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