There are so many objects that undergo a finishing process and at our LAB we regularly take a look at different cases. Some of these have one thing in common: the finished object is probably going to be part of your everyday life, in a home or an office, at school or at work. Domestic appliances, which have many plastic parts, are a great example: the frame around a TV set, the handle on your freezer, the washing machine door. Spray coating is the only way to decorate these parts and we have devised a procedure to generate efficiency (optimised transfer efficiency above all) and ensure consistent quality.

Mostly, these parts are coated on an iBotic or iGiotto App machine as an integrated part of the finishing line. In the case of washing machine doors where the section in question is the chrome-coloured round section surrounding the window, we feel happy with advising a metallic UV-curable finish applied at a rate of 65 g/sqm. Drying is performed with our Aquadry solution: 4 minutes at 40°C followed by a UV oven such as the UV-R M2 model.

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Incorporating three patent pending technologies, Exydry-Z from Cefla Finishing pioneered the use of excimer matting technology to achieve a "soft touch" finish while featuring an extremely hard, durable surface.

The process yields a below 5 gloss finish, leaving behind no fingerprints, and consumes less than 1/3 nitrogen over competitive products.

Sustainable, cost-efficient and exclusive, Exydry-Z achieves a superb finish even for raised panels with shallow grooves. You can see this oven at work at our laboratory, the largest finishing lab in the world.

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Two key issues in the automotive industry are productivity and flexibility. We have an answer which also delivers superior finishing quality. As the industry increases its use of plastics as a substrate for many components, the need to guarantee a high-quality finish is vital. Vertical spray coating lines offer flexibility for different parts, but gravity affects the coating quality as it leads to an uneven lacquer thickness especially on larger pieces.

Step by step to the best quality results

We have configured the most effective integrated solution to deliver consistent quality and a remarkable n increase in productivity. Prior to coating, we equipped our oscillating spray coater with dry CO2 snow-cleaning capability to prepare the surface. After deionisation, components move through a digital 3D reading barrier into our Cartesian spraying robot, which can work simultaneously on different pieces. Ensuring better isolation with flatbed solutions and subsequent drying equipment, coating quality improved as well as production efficiency. 

Learn more about our solutions for the automotive sector.

Application of PVC foils is one technique that necessitates the use of glue, and glue is by no means the easiest substance to handle. Uniformity of application is a key issue across the surface to avoid defects once the foil is applied. This is just one focus point, whereas an integrated line will address many different issues from loading to offcut disposal. Let’s take a look at each step.

Turning the step-by-step process into a smooth, integrated workflow

Automated solutions for panel loading reduce manual operations right from the start. Subsequently the panels are brushed on Smartclean to obtain a smooth surface. Applying glue to flat surfaces can be done using a Mito. This is a great way to move from manual activity to an automated solution. To maximise productivity and also apply the glue to edges without soiling the reverse side of the panel, we advise iBotic, our 5-axis application robot. Benefits include excellent application consistency, repeatability, operator health as well as all-round precision. The water content needs to evaporate from the glue and after using a Mito just for the flat surface, we would advise Aquadry, whereas Pieffe will be a better solution ensuring superior productivity if application to surface and edges was performed on an iBotic.

The PVC foil is then applied on a press (third party equipment). The last two stages involve trimming the excess foil, shredding it and disposing of it. We have a solution for both: Tarcut ensures greater efficiency and precision, especially when fitted with a 3D camera, while Twister takes care of shredding scrap foil and disposing of it, so it can be recycled.

Each customer will require the appropriate configuration, incorporating one or more of these machines in an integrated solution, able to feed any number of presses.

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Good question. And the answer usually points to not enough time, not everyone got trained and we had to do it while the machine was being installed, which meant it was not complete or was not fully functional. How satisfactory is this? Not enough. So paying for a technician to come out and train staff after installation is one way of improving training. Alternatively you could exploit your fully-trained operators to pass on their skills to less competent staff, but will they pass on all the information required? And how will you know what aspects are covered correctly? Neither of these options are ideal and the second option may lead to unnecessary downtime if training has not dealt with all aspects.

Can I decide exactly what design I want? How can I effectively measure the quality of the print? Can I print on edges or profiles?

These are just some of the most frequently asked questions our customers pose when it comes to industrial digital printing in the field of surface enhancement.
More and more, this key technology is an opportunity to be considered for integration into your finishing process.

Yes, but how?

Our industrial digital printing specialists help us to find the best answer. So let's start with the first question:

Which substrates can I print on?

Many! Each requiring its own specific pre-treatment, curing level, finishing etc.
Examples: MDF and other wood derivatives – fibre cement – PVC – SPC – WPC – ABS – PS – Aluminium and other metals – glass – leather.

Thanks to Silver Santandrea - Product Manager