Canadian Finishing & Coatings Manufacturing Magazine September/October 2021 - 25

INDUSTRIAL FINISHING: POWDER COATING QUICK COLOR CHANGE
Second, the base of the powder booth was modified so that
it recovers the powder more efficiently. When needed, the base
opens up to make all parts accessible for quick easy cleaning.
Third, the development of powder management technologies
made quick color change possible by eliminating the bulky
powder hopper. Prior to this, each color required a separate
hopper and cleaning each hopper and changing the color required
a considerable amount of time. The new system utilizes a much
smaller amount of powder in the actual system and the powder is
automatically recovered and cleaned.
Gema's new offering in this area, the OptiCenter OC09, is a
powder management center with integrated OptiFlow injector
technology which Gema says guarantees fast color changes,
stable coating results and clean working conditions with easy
maintenance and servicing.
" Gema is offering solutions that address powder management
within the powder coating system, " Hale says. " These solutions
minimize the amount of powder in process, simplify and
automate the color change process, and eliminate the risk of
cross color contamination. "
The company calls the OptiCenter OC09 " the gateway solution
for low to medium powder consumers seeking to improve
powder utilization efficiency of their multi-color processes, by
eliminating multiple fluidized hoppers and reducing operator
involvement. "
The heart of the OptiCenter is the OptiHopper, which
optimally conditions the powder. The new OptiHopper has a
large opening for a quick powder discharge. Precise injector
integration ensures a smooth powder flow to the spraying guns
while the closed-loop powder circuit ensures a continuous
and consistent powder supply and a guaranteed clean working
environment.
The OptiFlow injectors are directly integrated into the
OptiHopper and allow a precise powder delivery and faster color
changes.
The operation of the OptiCenter takes place via a seveninch
touchscreen. Users can control the coating process, select
the step-by-step cleaning program or operate the recycling
powder pump.
The final change that allowed faster color change, says
Modean, was the introduction of the cyclone. The efficient design
of the cyclone allows recovery of up to 92 percent of the recycled
powder, Modean says. The cyclone includes its own easily
accessible sieve, and via a bottom entry just above the sieve, the
entire cyclone cone can be cleaned quickly and easily.
But a quality powder coat is more than just equipment.
Estron was first to develop the technique of applying liquid
polymers onto silica to turn these liquids into free-flowing
powders about 40 years ago, says Mark Mooney, Estron's
Customer Solutions Manager, Powder Coating Additives &
Resins N.A.
" Since then, we have been at the forefront of new developments
in this area. "
Mooney says Estron's top-selling products are its RESIFLOW
Flow Control Agents (FCA). The company's newest grade of FCA
is RESIFLOW PL-330.
" It was developed to not only do what a good FCA does, like
help provide a smooth, pinhole-free, fisheye-free coating, but the
PL-330 also acts as a compatibilizer to minimize or eliminate the
defects in appearance caused by contamination from the prior
job's leftovers from insufficient cleaning during a quick color
change or base resin changeover, " Mooney says. " Essentially, it
was developed to help powder applicators save money by allowing
them to change over faster, and eliminate any of the defects if
anything gets missed in cleaning. "
Rapid technological development led by the industry players
is driving incremental advances in gun design, powder pump
design, remote feedback loops, and improved electrostatic
control in real-time, in turn improving the capabilities of powder
coating technology.
" To improve productivity, companies are seeking solutions
that offer color flexibility and reduce downtime associated with
color change, " Hale says.
Indeed, Mooney says Estron's customers' biggest needs in the
quick color change arena are always time and money and " we
continue to invest in innovation to remain the market leader in
these areas.
" The faster they can complete the change, the sooner they are
back up and the line running. If cleaning is perfect, but takes too
long, it costs too much money in production time lost. If it's too
fast and the cleaning is poor, materials and parts are wasted. Here
is where the RESIFLOW PL-330 shines. It allows the balance of
time versus clean to shift, saving time and saving money. Lots
of money. "
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www.cfcm.ca
25

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Canadian Finishing & Coatings Manufacturing Magazine September/October 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Canadian Finishing & Coatings Manufacturing Magazine September/October 2021