THE POWDER COATING INSTITUTE
2121 Eisenhower Avenue — Suite 401 — Alexandria, VA 22314 — (703) 684-1770
(800) 988-COAT — FAX (703) 684-1771 — www.powdercoating.org
NEWS
RELEASE
First Vertical Powder Coating Systems for Architectural Aluminum to
Begin Operation in U.S. This Year
JULY 12, 2005, ALEXANDRIA,
VAÖThe powder coating industry promises to revolutionize the U.S. architectural
market, when two new vertical powder coating systems designed for coating
aluminum extrusions begin operation in the United States this year.
Following the efficient
vertical powder coating operations that have proven successful in Europe and
other parts of the world, these new facilities will quicken production and
coating time and offer better quality control, for a more economical coating
operation. Combined with the
environmentally friendly, durable, and energy saving finishing alternative that
powder coating provides, these new systems promise to be the first of many new
vertical architectural aluminum powder coating lines in North America.
Greg Bocchi, Executive
Director of The Powder Coating Institute, remarked, "I am excited that these new vertical extrusion powder
coating lines will soon begin
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operation in the United
States, as they will help give powder coating the influence to better penetrate
the U.S. architectural market."
The first vertical line is
scheduled to begin production in August 2005. Extruders Texas
is a division of the Atrium Group, one of the largest producers of aluminum windows
in the United States. Trevisan
Cometal North America Inc. is installing a complete vertical powder coating
line for Extruders Texas in Wylie, Texas.
The system includes an
energy efficient, low maintenance pretreatment washer, automatic powder guns
along with an automated cleaning delivery system supplied by ITW Gema,
automatic synchronization of gun stroke lengths and reciprocator speed, and a
fast cleaning cyclone booth and final filters to recirculate and re-use the
air. Both large and short batch
production profile runs may be powder coated, on one or both sides. The system also utilizes convection
ovens with an infrared booster for dry-off and curing. The whole line is maintained by
programmable logic controllers with a customized supervision software system.
The line will provide a
complete range of standard colors, including metallics, textures, and the new
Effecta process which brings the look and feel of real wood to aluminum
products.
The Extruders Texas line
can accommodate 24 foot parts, with the possibility of many color changes per
shift with no production time lost during the color change.
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Compared to a horizontal
line, the Extruders Texas vertical line promises, according
to a Trevisan spokesperson,
"Better quality and production control, and higher quality of the end
product," with "a much higher production and lower cost per unit or
lineal foot cost."
The finished product will
meet performance specifications set by the American Architectural Manufacturers
Association for 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year weatherability, or AAMA 2603, 2604,
and 2605.
In the fall of 2005, Indalex of Gainesville, GA, will begin production on its
vertical powder coating line, adding powder coating to its current liquid
operation to satisfy its existing customer base looking to convert to powder
and to open up new powder coating markets. Nordson Corporation is installing the powder operation for
Indalex.
The powder system will
feature an automatic self-cleaning vertical spray booth with composite canopy
construction. The application
equipment provides maximum transfer efficiency and includes internally
purgeable automatic guns with external blow-off, and an integrated control
system with part ID and programmable user presets.
The delivery and recovery
systems feature a central feed center and a cyclone and afterfilter recovery
system.
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The washer, dry-off oven
and cure oven are all PLC controlled.
The washer features all stainless steel construction, U-Pass design, and
quick release nozzles. The cure
oven features a passive air seal at the entrance and exit, and includes a
gas-fired IR section to help the powder gel quickly and reduce overall cure
time.
The line will start out
with twelve organic colors initially, with possible expansion to more colors,
textures, and metallics in the future.
Part sizes will range from
12 feet to 24 feet vertically hung aluminum extrusions, primarily for window
frames, plus door frames and other commercial and residential building
components. Indalex plans to
operate at a line rate of 24 feet per minute,
competitive with line
speeds currently achievable with liquid vertical coating lines.
Compared to a horizontal
line, vertical powder coating promises "40% more throughput," according
to a Nordson spokesperson, and "more flexibility in terms of varied part
lengths." He also noted
the benefits of powder coating over liquid systems, eliminating volatile
organic compounds and the need for thermal oxidizers, less waste with the opportunity
to reclaim overspray, and a more durable coating than seen with liquid
finishing.
The Indalex vertical powder
coating line will meet 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year AAMA 2603, 2604, and 2605
specifications for weatherability and stain resistance.
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PCI's Greg Bocchi noted,
"Powder coating of architectural products has been slow to develop in
North America, even after decades of success in Europe and other parts of the
world. With the successful implementation
of vertical powder coating lines and many liquid-based vertical aluminum
extrusion lines facing more EPA regulations to reduce VOC's, I am hopeful that
powder coating may finally come on strong in the North American architectural
market."
The Powder Coating
Institute represents the North American powder coating industry, made up of
suppliers of powder coating materials, equipment, and related products and
services, and is committed to serving its members by promoting the benefits of
powder coating technology.
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For
more information, or an e-mail version of this release, contact:
Jeff Palmer
PCI
Communications Director
(703)
684-1770
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