28 POWDER COATING• 4m tall products with a line speed of up to3,5 m/min• Highly efficient powder application• Consistent and uniform 25 microns ofcoating thickness• Full automatic coverage of the shelvingcorners• Fast color change for flexible production• Clean, environmentally-friendly work placeOnce the specifications were defined, theteam started the supplier selection. “We knewour requirements were challenging, so wewere looking for a supplier with demonstratedabilities to design a system to match ourneeds and reliably support our production.”Says Lyndon Woodfield, Sr. Team Leader,Manufacturing, who has extensive powdercoating experience with Link 51’s old line.Link 51 team knew about the positiveexperience at their two sister-plants, Lockersand Pallet Racking, which were using the newdense-phase powder delivery technology fromNordson. So, the team headed to the suburbsof Dusseldorf, to experience the new spraysystems first-hand at the Nordsondemonstration center. “It’s nice to test theequipment with our products and powder,”says Tom Clayton. “Since I was to operate thenew system, having a chance to work with itwithout the pressure of running productionwas important.”“A few days of testing at Nordson helped usgain confidence in the attainability of ourgoals. Their solution was easy to work withand was proven to apply highly controlledcoating thickness with no operatorintervention. Process control was important forour production efficiency.” Recalls ChristopherWalker. “Additionally, Nordson offered aspecial booth allowing Tom to clean it fromthe top down using convenient, high-levelopenings with platforms. That made goodsense to us.” Because of the close team work,demonstrated abilities, and the special boothsolution, Nordson was awarded the order forLink 51’s new powder coating system with thetarget to install in late December 2018 andstart of production on January 6th – just 3weeks later.“Those were intense weeks,” recalls LyndonWoodfield. “In only one week we had to takeout the old system, fill the pit, seal the floorand have the area ready for Nordson’sinstallation team. A large booth with 20automatic guns had to be ready forproduction just two weeks later.”Startup 4 days ahead of scheduleAll involved worked like clockwork. Fromdemolition to installation to startup, Link 51and Nordson teams worked double-shifts. OnJanuary 2nd, four days ahead of schedule, thefirst batch of powder coated shelves came offthe line and everyone could breath a sigh ofrelief. “A couple of weeks prior to the start ofthe installation, our team spent three days atNordson in Germany learning to work withthe equipment. We passed the learning curveat high speed while at Nordson. On day onewe were ready to hit the ground running andrun full production.” – remembers Woodfield.The new system features a customengineered,6,5 m tall ColorMax booth with aSpectrum HD powder feed center andadvanced controls. The booth is designed toprovide reliable powder containment whilealso ensuring soft airflow in the spray area.Special high-level openings with platformsenable operators to clean the booth walls fromthe top down. This way, no powder is blownin the direction of the conveyor openingagainst the booth airflow. The automatic floorcleaning system keeps the powder in thebooth to an absolute minimum.The high line density combines with theefficient powder application resulting inminimum overspray. Any airborne powder isefficiently recycled through a twin-cyclonesystem and screened through an ultrasonicsieve prior to being returned to the fullyenclosed feed center. The new system alsodelivers on the fast, contamination-free colorchange. “The step-by-step color changeinstruction on the main controller and many ofthe color change tasks being fully automated,makes my work much easier,” confirms TomClayton.The new system operationSince commissioning of the powder coatingplant, Link 51 team took full ownership of theprocess. With the support from the localNordson personnel, the applied coating andapplication efficiency were perfected over thefirst few weeks of operation. “We have a newlocal sales and service team in UK which isfocused on delivering second to none supportto our customers”, says Paul Drysdale, salesand service manager, Nordson (U.K.). “Ourtask is much easier and more rewarding whenworking with a customer like Link 51, whounderstand their production needs deeply,and embrace technology to reach their goals.”Peter Charles, the engineering andmaintenance manager testifies: “Prior to theconversion to powder, we identified severalareas of improvements. For example, theliquid paint pots had to be stirred 24/7requiring us to run our air compressor nonstop.Now, the compressor is running onlyduring the 8-hour production shift. This alonesaves us £2,000-3,000 per month.Additionally, about 2,500 liters of water had tobe treated and discharged to waste every sixmonths. None of that any more.” Significantgains are also evident in finish quality andrework rates. “We worked diligently tominimize rework on our liquid system,” recallsLyndon Woodfield, “Yet, paint runs, solventboils, resprays were part of our daily life. All ofthese issues are eliminated with the conversionto powder.”Additionally, the liquid system required 3-4hours of service and maintenance each week.In the nine months of production on the newpowder coating system – zero maintenance orservice downtime. “Our maintenance teamhasn’t been called to the new system once,”confirms Peter Charles. Lyndon Woodfield,who has many years of experience managingthe Link 51 old powder coating line recalls:“We are used to changing venturis inside thepumps every 3-4 weeks while tweaking ourpump settings weekly to keep the desiredcoating thickness. None of this on the newsystem. No adjustment as there is no wearparts inside the Nordson dense-phase pumps,which affect the powder output.”The combination of the high line density,excellent powder application efficiency, andthe use of thin-film powders allowed Link 51Shelving to half their applied coating cost. “Weused to coat about 15 m 2 of metal per liter ofliquid paint, yielding an applied cost of £0.47/m 2 . Today, we achieve the same 15m 2 ofcoverage but with only one kilogram ofpowder. This brings our applied coating costto £023 / m 2 . That’s a 50 % cost reduction!” –confirms Peter Charles.After the first nine months of operation, thepositive results achieved by Link 51 include:• 50 % reduction in the applied materialcost• Operating, disposal, and environmentalcompliance cost reduction• 70 % reduction in rework and qualitycosts• Increased production capacity due to zerodowntime for maintenance• High color change flexibility with less than15 min color change time on a 6.5 m tallbooth• Zero consumption of replacement parts• Clean, environmentally-friendly operatingconditions• Expected 14-month return on investmentFrom its inception back in 2015, the overallproject took several years to implement. “Thegood news is that we got the latest equipmentand technology. Plus, the new local Nordsonteam is supporting us every step of the waywith their powder application expertise.Everybody worked hard and smart on thisproject and the results are fully reflective ofthis”, summarizes Walker. “We can definitelysay that moving from liquid to powder coatingwas an excellent investment for Link 51. Ourhigh expectations for a quick payback andnumerous operating benefits have been fullymet or exceeded.”Finishing - January/February 2020
KemetPrecision Lapping | Polishing | Cleaning | MaterialographyCleanlinessis next toGodlinessIn today’s manufacturing environment, advances in technologicaldevelopment are setting ever higher requirements for component cleanliness.Kemet can offer you the solution to your cleaning challenges. Our comprehensiverange of high-performance, aqueous cleaning formulations are compatible with our latestgeneration of ultrasonic cleaners, which automatically adjust to changing conditions in the tank.… and we offer free cleaning consultations and trials to establish the optimal combinationof equipment and solution and ensure your components meet thehighest cleanliness specification.sales@kemet.co.uk+44 (0) 1622 755287www.kemet-enq.co.ukProject1_Layout 1 15/10/2012 14:43 Page 1
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