Mudança de cor rápida e maior recuperação

When your products are used outdoors in all 50 states, Canada, Central America and the Caribbean, it’s important that they be powder-coated tough – able to withstand a wide range of harsh environ[1]ments and weather conditions, and look good doing it.

Ideal Aluminum Products of St. Augustine, FL, is a privately owned company that manufactures powder-coated fences, gates, railings, guardrails, arbors, louvers and privacy panels. Their products provide aesthetically pleasing safety and security for commercial properties including resorts, hotels, country clubs, apartments and stadiums; industrial properties; schools; parks; and residential properties, to name just a few.

Established in 1998, Ideal was purchased by partners Doug Brady and Michael Siegel in 2010. In four short years, the new owners have turned it into one of the fastest growing companies in the fencing, gates and railing industry. Known for its breadth of product line and custom capabilities, the company operates under the principle that continuous process improvement and investment in new equipment and technologies creates value for its customers.

Recentemente, a Ideal Aluminum Products mudou sua fabricação para o norte – de Deland, FL para St. Augustine, FL. "Também decidimos que era a hora certa de substituir nossa cabine de pintura a pó de 10 anos por um pó de última geração sistema de revestimento", diz Siegel.

"Sempre produzimos produtos de qualidade, mas a tecnologia de revestimento em pó evoluiu e melhorou drasticamente na última década. Sabíamos que poderíamos realmente nos beneficiar com mudanças de cor mais rápidas, taxas de recuperação de pó mais altas e aplicação de pó mais eficiente."

Autodescritos como entusiastas de planilhas e eficiência, Siegel e Brady começaram a planejar seu novo sistema de pó há mais de dois anos, reunindo-se por um dia inteiro com seus fornecedores de pó e produtos químicos para revisar dois anos de dados de produção.

Depois, eles construíram um modelo do que eles acreditavam que os ajudaria a alcançar a máxima eficiência em seu processo de revestimento em pó. Armados com dados e um modelo, Siegel e Brady apresentaram suas ideias e requisitos para vários fabricantes de cabines de pó e integradores de sistemas na feira Powder Coating em outubro de 2013.

"Colocamos todos em igualdade de condições, fornecendo-lhes oito páginas de informações e requisitos detalhados", diz Brady.

To achieve the product quality and durability required in the fence and gate industry, Ideal uses a five-stage wash cycle prior to powder coating. First, the aluminum alloy is treated with a phosphate cleaner. Second, it receives a phosphoric acid wash.

Step three is a water rinse. Fourth, an acid-based metal cleaner and oxide remover is applied. The fifth cleaning step is a new, reverse[1]osmosis water rinse. The thoroughly cleaned parts receive their chrome-free, non-phosphate chemical coating and are powder coated with a thickness of 2 to 4 mils, depending on product type.

Even in the few short months since the installation was completed, the company has recognized significant powder reclaim and labor savings. As a result of the powder coating system’s increased efficiency, the 100-employee company now operates one shift rather than two, producing 50 percent more products at a higher quality.

Partners Brady and Siegel expect to eventually realize 3 to 4 times the productivity of their old system. Best possible outcome “The quality of the finish on our products was always good,” says Brady, “But now, it’s unbelievable,” says Siegel.

“We had pretty tough requirements and high expectations when we entered this project. The Nordson system is even better than we thought it would be. We got the best possible system at the best possible price...the best possible system for our business.”