Wolf Innovation News

DFM1 TABLETOP DEMO UNIT - TOURING THE USA WITH GREAT ACCOLADES

Wed, 02 May 2012 01:07:00 GMT

BOOK A DEMONSTRATION FOR YOUR MANAGEMENT TEAM NOW AND SEE THE GREAT POTENTIAL FOR SAVINGS AND INCREDIBLE PRODUCT QUALITY

Wolf Innovation’s DFM3 is now a reality.

The unit shown above:

-   will demonstrate DFM in your board or meeting room to impress with its simplicity, speed and accuracy;

-   can be installed on your coil coating* line to conduct a line trial if you need further proof on how good and beneficial this technology is, and

-   can be installed in the lab for quick easy automated readings of the paint thickness profile across the entire width of your pre-painted metal sample.

Measurements can be made at intervals as close as 1 mm (one eighth of an inch). Measurements include thickness range, average thickness, standard deviations, and thickness consistency across the strip and at sheet edges.

Wolf Innovation together with DJH Designs will be visiting a limited number of clients in Europe, Japan, China, South Korea and the USA during 2012. Please contact us promptly if you would like a visit.

* This is offered on a first come, first served basis. Depending on your location there may be a small charge to cover transport costs.

WOLF'S DFM1 INSTALLED ON A HIGH CAPACITY ALUMINUM COIL COATING LINE CUSTOMER DATA SHOWS DFM1 FILM BUILD ACCURACY TO +/- 0.01 MIL (= +/- 0.25 μm)

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 03:34:00 GMT

Till now there has not been a quick and reliable means to measure paint thickness on-line as soon as the coating is cured and dry. Other methods rely on calibration and are expensive and prone to error. Data from a recent installation in the USA showed perfect correlation to lab measurements. Consider that DFM1 measures in real time at line speeds of up to 600 fpm (200 mpm).

Early data for five paint types at coating thicknesses from 0.39 to 0.81 mils (10 μm to 21 μm) showed a standard deviation (between DFM1 and lab results) of 0.009 mils or 0.23 μm.

Basically this equates to perfect measurement accuracy because the resolution for lab measurements is +/- 0.01 mils.

With tighter control over film build you will see paint savings, a reduction in low-film build related complaints, elimination of test strips, and reduced substrate wastage. This provides a very fast payback – in some cases as short as 2 months.

An unexpected side benefit of the system is the reduction in defects related to colour matching. As you may know a common cause for off spec color is an out of spec film build.

WOLF'S LAB BASED DFM3 FILM THICKNESS INSTRUMENT

Tue, 01 May 2012 01:55:00 GMT

(a precursor to the DJH/Wolf Innovation Phaeton – coming soon)

FILM THICKNESS MEASUREMENTS EVERY 1MM ACROSS THE SAMPLE COMPLETED IN LESS THAN 5 SECONDS

Wolf Innovation’s DFM3 provides quick lab based readings of the paint thickness profile across the full width of your pre-painted metal sample. Measurements can be made at intervals as close as 0.5mm providing data on thickness range, average thickness, standard deviations, and thickness consistency across the strip and at sheet edges.

It is also available on a very limited basis to demonstrate the principles of Wolf’s DFM1 on-line film thickness instrument. This is offered on a first come, first served basis. Depending on your location there may be a small charge to cover transport costs.

Wolf Innovation together with DJH Designs will be visiting a limited number of clients in the USA during April/May 2012. Please contact us promptly if you would like to be included.

WOLF'S PVS1 VOLUME SOLIDS INSTRUMENT ELIMINATES COLOR RELATED DEFECTS BY 50%

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 03:36:00 GMT

Till now there has not been a quick and reliable means to test paint volume solids on a routine quality control basis - either in plant or during paint manufacture.

A major US based coil coater recently told us that they have drastically reduced their out of spec defect rate related to color.

Volume solids can affect color in different ways. Firstly, achieving the right film thickness is crucial. Knowing paint volume solids improves your ability to hit the target film thickness. The 50% savings reported to us were achieved directly as a result of measuring paint volume solids alone.

By using Wolf Innovations DFM1 on-line dry film instrument, out of spec film build will never again be the cause of color issues. Reduction in color matching defects can be reduced by significantly up to 85%. Ask us how. Peak metal cure temperature must also be in control. Over cure can cause a shift towards magenta and yellow, especially in whites and light colors.

Secondly, when the paint manufacturer has the ability to measure volume solids quickly accurately and efficiently during paint production they also have a tool to improve achieving the correct pigment balance and the correct pigment to binder ratio. Paint manufacturers currently measure paint weight solids but do not measure volume solids as a standard quality control test. Pigments typically have a higher density than that of resin. Identifying a pigment ratio quality issue requires measurement of both weight solids and volume solids. For example, when weight solids is correct but the volume solids is not, the pigment ratio may be out.

Another major advantage of Wolf's PVS1 is the ability to track your paint suppliers volume solids consistency and performance over time. A payback period less then 3 months is realistic for most coil lines.

WOLF INNOVATION DFM1- ON LINE DYNAMIC DRY FILM INSTRUMENT

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 03:37:00 GMT

CAN'T JUSTIFY CAPITAL IN THESE TOUGH ECONOMIC TIMES?

DFM1 WILL DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE YOUR BOTTOM LINE IN THE 1ST YEAR

Production data collected on a line operated by a major international coil coater showed an unexpectedly broad distribution of coating thickness. Most of us think we are doing well when it comes to coating thickness control but the truth is that none of us collect enough lab quality data during production to really know how much paint is being applied. Consistency throughout a coil may drift due to changes in roll pressures or speeds, paint viscosity, volume solids, and temperature amongst other factors. Until now there has not been a fast and convenient (and calibration free) lab quality, real time thickness measurement system. Wolf's fully programmable on line dry film instrument (DFM1) provides fast accurate measurements allowing you to tune your thickness to an unprecedented degree. We track changes of less than 0.01 mils (0.2 microns) enabling you to set up your coater to that level of accuracy.

WE'VE IDENTIFIED PAINT SAVINGS OF 5 TO 8%. A PAYBACK OF 3 TO 6 MONTHS IS REALISTIC

WE WILL SOON ISSUE A NEWS BULLETIN COVERING –

COMPLETION OF A MAJOR US BASED DFM1 INSTALLATION
THE OPPORTUNITY TO PURCHASE OUR PROTOTYPE DFM1 WITH MAJOR SAVINGS – HOWEVER ONLY ONE IS AVAILABLE,
LAUNCH OF THE SECOND GENERATION DFM1 FEATURING NEW SOFTWARE, SYNRAD’S FIRESTAR V40 LASER, AND OPTIMISED AUTOMATED THICKNESS MONITORING

Paint Volume Solids Test Methods

Fri, 16 Sep 2011 00:48:00 GMT

Quote from a large international paint manufacturer: "We have been having ongoing discussions with large Customer X regarding the volume solids figure we quote for one particular type of system. They dispute what we quote because they occasionally run out of paint. It seems that the figures you obtained (using Wolf Innovation PVS1®) from the samples we sent are more in line with their findings. Traditionally we have done our determinations for 90 minutes at 125°C but see a reduction of about 3% at 165°C, however this still does not equate to what is happening on the line".

The above quote is what we would expect. Paint property results depend as much on the test procedure as on the property itself. Volume solids results determined using different methods and apparatus will not line up; the paints are applied at different thicknesses and cured under different conditions and the amount of solvent driven out of the paint will vary.

Furthermore the tests covered in Standard test methods such as ASTM are characterized by solvent loss from the paint sample prior to the first measurements of mass. This leads to further errors in the final result. It is unreasonable to expect the same results for paint volume solids for the same paint sample using two different test methods. Even the relative ranking of a series of paints based on two measurement methods could be different.

Standard test methods in use for the determination of paint volume solids and related properties are covered by Australian and American standards including ASTM 2369, ASTM 3960, AS 1580.301.2 and AS 1580.301.xx (a revision). The methods are based on taking a known volume of wet paint, applying that to a metal disc or an aluminum surface, drying the paint, then measuring the mass and the density of the dried paint film.

The density of the wet paint must be determined, the volume of the paint sample must be measured, and density and weight of the dried paint film and the final volume of the dried paint are all measured using intricate laboratory techniques. Each of these steps requires exacting precision and each of these steps will introduce small errors. In short the techniques are complex, time consuming, and provide results that are influenced by the procedure itself. The results can be variable and inaccurate.

To compensate for the variability of these test results duplicate or triplicate testing is required and the results are then averaged. The time to test just one sample can be many hours – the best part of a working day. Issues such as paint viscosity, degree of gloss, and thixotropy also limit the range of paints for which the methods can be used.

The Wolf Innovation PVS1® paint volume solids instrument overcomes these limitations using a very simple approach. A small paint film is applied to a substrate, the wet thickness is measured using a high fidelity sensor, the paint is cured and finally the dry film thickness is measured providing all of the measurements needed to determine the final PVS result.

The degree of cure is aligned with what occurs on your paint line so the results relate directly to the paint consumption of practical importance to the running of your line. Very short sample preparation time limits solvent loss prior to the first wet film thickness measurement. Measurements made by Wolf PVS1 eliminate the human factor and the need for exacting laboratory technique. The upshot is much greater repeatability, ease of use, and accuracy of results. However the biggest benefit of the Wolf PVS1 is the speed of the test.

Instead of a complex procedure that takes hours a result is completed in 3 minutes. Duplicate tests can be performed quickly if needed; and they are accomplished with a high degree of accuracy and utility in the final result.

Corrosion testing of DFM Pits – Galv. Substrate

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 03:37:00 GMT

Laser pits do not impact product performance of pre-painted steel, even on galvanized steel substrates which would show the most vulnerability. Extensive field performance monitoring of prepainted steel over decades supports the accepted conclusion that greater than 90 to 95% (or more) of prepainted steels corrosion resistance comes from the underlying metallic substrate – this excludes prepainted steel with barrier coats such as plastisols. DFM laser pits leave the underlying substrate in pristine, ‘untouched’ condition.

Prepainted steel products all exhibit cut edges, tension bends, and may be affected by scratches, and penetration by fasteners. These features do not dictate product life, and provided the prepainted products are properly selected and designed, they will be fit for purpose providing decades of satisfactory performance. A small number of periodic laser pits made by DFM are about 180 micrometres in diameter. Any minor surface corrosion that may occur results in a passive corrosion product that quickly fills the hole and stifles further corrosion. The effect is enhanced by minor leaching of corrosion inhibitors from the surrounding paint.

Please refer to our Publications webpage to see actual test results for a number of prepainted products on a galvanized steel. The only failure was due to an inadequate product specification in which the edge, scribe and dome performance were not up to standard. All other panels showed no corrosion in any of the pits located in the small rectangle drawn on each test panel.

DFM1 Measures Plastisols, Metallised Paints, and Speciality Finishes

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 03:38:00 GMT

We have recently concluded testing the film build of plastisols at up to 200 micrometres thickness in a full range of colours including metalized finishes. Check out the new images that are about to be posted in our image gallery showing SEM and microscopic cross section images for these prepainted products. Tests were conducted using DFM1 and thickness results were within 1% of lab based measurements.

Why not subscribe to our forthcoming newsletter which will cover issues such as:

why Wolf CCS1 can eliminate the need for test strips including the issue of achieving good colour matching,
updates on Wolf's software development for CCS1 components,
latest data from the reference site,
FAQs
efficiency gains in coater head operation.

ECCA Conference and Trade Show

Thu, 04 Nov 2010 01:30:00 GMT

Wolf Innovation is presenting at the ECCA conference in Brussels on the 23rd of November. Our presentation is the last paper to be presented but it’s the one you can’t afford to miss. We will be providing a good overview of exciting new technology known as CCS1 which will transform the way you run your paintline and the manner in which you measure and control paint film thickness. CCS1 measures paint film thickness in real time to accuracy within 0.2 micrometres at line speed and the system does not need calibration for different paint or substrate types. Don’t miss this great opportunity for first hand information.

We will also be represented at the ECCA trade show at the Bronx International stand. Bronx International is licensed to supply coil coating lines equipped with the CCS1 quality control system. Bronx has played a significant role in designing mounting infrastructure. CCS1 was developed and tested on a Bronx coil coating line.

We had hoped to have a PVS1 Paint Volume Solids instrument at the trade show to conduct live demonstrations however shipping logistics did not work out for us this time round. However we are able to provide very detailed information about this product, and have a video under production which will illustrate its use. PVS1 is instrumental in providing vastly improved prediction of dry film build and assisting with coater set-up before painting an order commences.

The system is in use on a paintline in Australia and this is available for site visits and as a reference site from which invaluable performance data is available. Whilst this installation is operational Wolf Innovation is still refining the software for WFM1 prior to that components commercial launch which is due later this year. To date the performance of the system is simply fantastic. Dry film build is typically predicted to an accuracy of 0.5 micrometres prior to the commencement of painting an order. The system will virtually allow you to eliminate test strips. These advantages are just a few. Come and talk to us at the ECCA to register your interest and to discuss your needs.

Udo Wolf Bucher is the principal inventor and developer of the system and will be available to provide additional information and answer your specific questions.

Click here to see the presentation

NCCA Conference and Trade Show

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 00:53:00 GMT

Wolf Innovation is presenting at next week’s NCCA conference at Indianapolis. Our presentation is first up after lunch on Tuesday the 21st September 10. We will be providing a good overview of exciting new technology known as CCS1 which will transform the way you run your paintline and the manner in which you measure and control paint film thickness. Don’t miss this great opportunity for first hand information.

We will also be represented at the NCCA trade show on Tuesday evening on the DJH Designs stand. DJH Designs has a strategic partnership with Wolf Innovation; they have played a major part in manufacture and supply of PVS1 and the Coating Control System, CCS1.

We will have a PVS1 Paint Volume Solids instrument at the trade show and we’ll be conducting actual demonstrations by measuring PVS values of a coil coating polyester paint sample.

The system is in use on a paintline in Australia and this is available for site visits and as a reference site from which invaluable performance data is available. This installation has only recently been made fully operational; however to date the performance of the system is simply fantastic. Dry film build is typically predicted to an accuracy of 0.3 micrometres prior to the commencement of painting an order. The system will virtually allow you to eliminate test strips. These advantages are just a few. Come and talk to us at the NCCA to register your interest and to discuss your needs.

Udo Wolf Bucher is the principal inventor and developer of the system and will be available to provide additional information and answer your specific questions.

Click here to see the presentation.