INFIN™ Coating Technology FAQ’s
INTRODUCTION
Q 1. IN SUMMARY, HOW DOES INFIN COATING TECHNOLOGY ALLOW COMPOSITES TO BE PAINTED IN A MANNER THAT DELIVERS THE PROMISED PERFORMANCE?
Q 2. WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS OF THE INFIN SYSTEM?
Q 3. HOW AND WHERE DOES THIS PROCESS FIT INTO PRODUCTION OF COMPOSITES?
Q 4. CAN ANY COMPOSITE BE COATED TO DELIVER THESE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS UTILIZING INFIN TECHNOLOGY?
Q 5. HOW LONG IS REQUIRED TO DESIGN AND INSTALL AN INFIN TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM?
Q 6. HOW MUCH FLOOR SPACE DOES THIS PROCESS REQUIRE?
Q 7. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE REACTIVE GAS PROCESS?
Q 8. COULD YOU DESCRIBE THE COATING PROCESS?
Q 9. DOES THE INFIN SYSTEM PRESENT ANY ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS WITHIN THE COMPOSITE PRODUCTION FACILITY?
Q 10. HOW MUCH TIME IS REQUIRED TO CHANGE COLORS OR TO ADJUST THE SYSTEM TO ACCEPT A DIFFERENT SIZE OR SHAPE PROFILE.
Q 11. HOW DOES INFIN COATING TECHNOLOGY COMPARE TO CURRENT METHODS OF PROVIDING COMPOSITE BOARDS AND PROFILES IN COLORS?
Q12. WHAT PERFORMANCE TESTS HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED ON COMPOSITES THAT HAVE BEEN COATED USING THE INFIN PROCESS?
Q 13. ARE THERE ANY SIZE LIMITATIONS ON THE COMPOSITE TO BE COATED?
Q 14. IS THERE A WARRANTY OR GUARANTY FOR COMPOSITES COATED THROUGH THE INFIN COATING TECHNOLOGY?
Q 15. ARE THERE ANY HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SUCH AS LEAD IN THE COATING THAT POSE A HEALTH RISK?
Q 16. DOES THE COATING MAKE A COMPOSITE SURFACE SLIPPERY WHEN WET?
Q 18. COULD INFIN HELP OPEN NEW MARKETS FOR COMPOSITES?
Q. 19. ARE VACUUM COATING AND/OR UV CURING THE ONLY WAY THIS TECHNOLOGY CAN BE CARRIED OUT?
Q 20. CAN HOT COMPOSITES BE FED THROUGH THE SYSTEM DIRECT FROM EXTRUSION OR MUST THEY BE COOLED TO ROOM TEMPERATURE?
INTRODUCTION: INFIN™ Coating Technology, is a new process to coat composite materials in virtually any color or with any gloss level. InFin Coating Technology consists of a unique pretreatment system coupled with a patent pending UV cure coating that produces excellent adhesion to composite substrates. The technology provides a long-term resistance to fading, scratching, abrasion and marring. mold and mildew while minimizing heat build up. It also provides improved stain resistance and is easier to clean than other composites. Additional information is available at (www.paintablecomposites.com).
The new technology provides these characteristics by changing the molecular structure of the surface and then coating it with a specially formulated, patent-pending , UV curable coating. During the process, the extruded composite is first fed through a pre-treatment chamber where it is exposed to a reactive gas atmosphere that oxidizes the surface so paint will adhere to it. It is then immediately fed through a vacuum coating chamber where the coating film is applied and instantly cured by UV lamps. The composite can be handled immediately after the coating step.
Finished Unlimited developed the patent-pending, UV curable coating specifically for this application. The pre-treatment was developed by Inhance / Fluoro-Seal.
top
Q 1. IN SUMMARY, HOW DOES INFIN COATING TECHNOLOGY ALLOW COMPOSITES TO BE PAINTED IN A MANNER THAT DELIVERS THE PROMISED PERFORMANCE?
A. Historically, the molecular structure of composites has prevented coatings from adhering properly to its surface. INFIN Coating Technology applies a reactive gas (fluorine) to the extruded board which oxidizes the surface allowing a coating to adhere. A specially formulated, patent pending UV curable coating is then applied to the surfaces of the board or profile in a vacuum coating chamber and immediately cured with UV lamps. This coating delivers long term color and gloss retention and is available in clear coat or wide range of colors. It is resistant to moisture, mold, mildew, scratching, abrasion staining and reduces heat retention. All surfaces of the board are pre-treated and coated during a single pass through the system.
Q 2. WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS OF THE INFIN SYSTEM?
A. During the INFIN process, the composite is first fed through a sealed chamber where it is exposed to very small amounts of fluorine gas mixed with air. This instantly changes the molecular structure of the surface to allow it to accept a coating. The board then enters a vacuum coating chamber where the UV curable coating is applied and is immediately cured by passing through a bank of UV lights. Interior or exterior temperature or humidity conditions at the manufacturing facility have no effect on the process.
top
Q 3. HOW AND WHERE DOES THIS PROCESS FIT INTO PRODUCTION OF COMPOSITES?
A. The flexibility of the INFIN process offers multiple options. In many cases, the system will be installed as an off line process in the extrusion facility so that cut to length, composite profiles can be continuously fed directly into the system. Because the system can process composite at up to 200 fpm, which is actually faster than composites are extruded, one system could be used to coat boards from several different extrusion lines. However, this is not mandatory. Composite manufacturers may also choose to locate the entire process in a different part of their production facility or even in totally different facility so that they can inventory extruded composites and then send them through the process later to create products meeting customers’ exact color and performance specifications. Another option is to pre-treat the composites at the point of production and then have them coated later by an independent coating business which has installed the matching coating chamber or perhaps they could even be coated by distributors or dealers who would install the coating portion of the process themselves so they could offer custom colors to their customers. This is made possible because the oxidation of the surface during the pre-treatment is permanent allowing these numerous off-site coating opportunities.
top
Q 4. CAN ANY COMPOSITE BE COATED TO DELIVER THESE PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICS UTILIZING INFIN TECHNOLOGY?
A . The INFIN Coating Technology has undergone extensive field, accelerated weathering and other laboratory tests on many types of composite and vinyl- based profiles. These tests are continuing but to date, the technology has been equally successful with all composites and vinyl profiles including foamed substrates.
top
Q 5. HOW LONG IS REQUIRED TO DESIGN AND INSTALL AN INFIN TECHNOLOGY SYSTEM?
A. Simple offline installations can be operational within four months of placing equipment orders. The longest lead time is the production of the vacuum coating equipment by our partner but our partner, Delle-Vedove (D) V Systems builds equipment in the U.S. using all local suppliers.
top
Q 6. HOW MUCH FLOOR SPACE DOES THIS PROCESS REQUIRE?
A. The floor space required is dependent upon the size and shape of the profile or board being produced and the manufacturing line speed required. A typical system will require 200 sq. feet.
top
Q 7. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE REACTIVE GAS PROCESS?
A. During the extruding process, the thermoplastic used to produce the composite is driven to the surface of the board. This layer of thermoplastic has a low surface energy which results in very poor adhesion for any coating applied to the surface. Methods developed to modify other plastics to accept coatings by oxidizing the surface have not been successful with composites because the wood flour also used to produce the composites inhibits the oxidation. Inhance/Fluoro-Seal developed a reactive gas process known as fluoro-oxidation that quickly, effectively and permanently oxidizes the composite surface creating high surface energy which allows coatings to adhere to the surface.
top
Q 8. COULD YOU DESCRIBE THE COATING PROCESS?
A. Immediately after passing through the reactive gas chamber, the composite passes into an enclosed vacuum coating chamber where a patent pending UV curable coating is applied to all surfaces and then immediately cured by a set of UV lamps. These coatings are specially formulated for each customer and can be supplied in virtually any color. The coating process is designed to utilize 100 percent of the coating thus minimizing waste.
top
Q 9. DOES THE INFIN SYSTEM PRESENT ANY ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS WITHIN THE COMPOSITE PRODUCTION FACILITY?
A. No! The oxidation phase of the process utilizes very small amounts of reactive gas at any given time and is conducted at less than atmospheric pressure, eliminating chemical emissions. All process gases are completely neutralized. The coating used is a 100 percent solids coating which contains no water or solvents. As a result no VOCs or HAPs are emitted into the atmosphere. The coating is non-flammable and its use generates no waste so that composite manufacturers realize near 100 percent transfer efficiency.
top
Q 10. HOW MUCH TIME IS REQUIRED TO CHANGE COLORS OR TO ADJUST THE SYSTEM TO ACCEPT A DIFFERENT SIZE OR SHAPE PROFILE.
A A color change can be accomplished in 15 to 20 minutes. A change to accommodate a new profile using the same color coating can be achieved in five minutes.
top
Q 11. HOW DOES INFIN COATING TECHNOLOGY COMPARE TO CURRENT METHODS OF PROVIDING COMPOSITE BOARDS AND PROFILES IN COLORS?
A. Until this new technology was developed, the primary method of producing composites in colors has been to add pigments to the composite prior to being extruded into boards or profiles.
top
Q12. WHAT PERFORMANCE TESTS HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED ON COMPOSITES THAT HAVE BEEN COATED USING THE INFIN PROCESS?
A. Coated composites have been exposed to a wide range of laboratory, field and accelerated weather testing including adhesion, freeze resistance, heat resistance, thermal cycling, abrasion, flame spread, impact resistance, immersion, scratch resistance, mold, moisture, humidity and stain resistance tests as well as stain cleaning or removal tests. Full testing details are available on the website or upon request.
top
Q 13. ARE THERE ANY SIZE LIMITATIONS ON THE COMPOSITE TO BE COATED?
A. In terms of width, vacuum coating chambers are available in 8" and 12" widths. Wider composites would require a custom order. The vacuum coating line is adjustable to handle various widths. There is no size limitation on length.
top
Q 14. IS THERE A WARRANTY OR GUARANTY FOR COMPOSITES COATED THROUGH THE INFIN COATING TECHNOLOGY?
A. Finishes Unlimited will warrant the coatings based on testing performance so long as the composite has been treated by the Inhance pre-treatment system.
top
Q 15. ARE THERE ANY HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SUCH AS LEAD IN THE COATING THAT POSE A HEALTH RISK?
A. No. The coating is completely environmentally friendly. It contains no solvents or hazardous pollutants or heavy metals.
top
Q 16. DOES THE COATING MAKE A COMPOSITE SURFACE SLIPPERY WHEN WET?
A. Virtually any deck surface can become slippery when wet. But, through the INFIN system, we can also formulate to increase slip resistance if required.
top
Q 18. COULD INFIN HELP OPEN NEW MARKETS FOR COMPOSITES?
A. Yes. One example may be installations where the composites are in contact with the soil such as fence posts or waterfront structures. The UV coating used in the process provides an encapsulated barrier to the environment allowing decking manufacturers to eliminate the problem of minimum heights from the ground. Based on abrasion resistance needs, composites could be utilized for work surfaces. This could lead to the use of composites for non-construction related products and for increased use in the furniture industry.
top
Q. 19. ARE VACUUM COATING AND/OR UV CURING THE ONLY WAY THIS TECHNOLOGY CAN BE CARRIED OUT?
A. No, but our testing has convinced us that the INFIN coating technology system is the best and most economical for the mass production of coated composites. The coating can be spray applied but we see negative economic effects from this due to lower transfer efficiencies.
top
Q 20. CAN HOT COMPOSITES BE FED THROUGH THE SYSTEM DIRECT FROM EXTRUSION OR MUST THEY BE COOLED TO ROOM TEMPERATURE?
A. The temperature of the composites has no effect on the performance of the system. The composites do need to be free of any water droplets but this can be achieved with an air curtain.
top
|
