While Lean was certainly a high-profile topic at the ECOAT 2008 conference held in May in Indianapolis, my takeaway was that many attendees aren’t practicing this manufacturing philosophy.

Man-machine interfaces have been slow to develop in the paint shop. Paint lines are still dominated by old fashioned knobs and buttons. Even the paint robot is a device that people go to school to learn to operate. Now one small Cleveland firm is helping to improve that with a product that allows paint operators to do tricks with robots and their tools without knowing much robot programming at all.

An eco-friendly chemical stripping solution has allowed Filtech, Inc., a manufacturer/finisher of automotive oil and air filters based in Findlay, OH, to improve rack stripping and powder coating rework.

If an architectural finish fails, everyone involved in the project risks liability if clear specifications aren’t provided and followed. This article details the ins and outs of specifying powder coating finishes for building applications.

While it has not been possible to phase out cadmium deposits completely in the aerospace, marine and nuclear industries, researchers have developed less toxic, noncyanide cadmium plating systems. New zinc-alloy systems and post-treatment processes also hold promise as a means to reduce cadmium plating without compromising on performance.

The Twin Cities Chapter of Chemical Coaters Association International (CCAI) and the Minnesota Technical Assistance Program (MnTAP) at the University of Minnesota will host the 7th Minnesota Paint and Powder Coating Expo on Thursday, March 19, 2009, at Century College in White Bear Lake, Minnesota (near St. Paul).

The Southern Society of Coatings Technology (SSCT) has issued a call for papers for its 2009 Annual Meeting & Technical Conference, March 15-18 at The King & Prince Beach & Golf Resort in St. Simons Island, GA. The emphasis of the 2009 SSCT Technical Conference is to further promote “green” technology, and the theme of the meeting is “On the Seas of Green Formulating.”

Flurospar® SR coating from The Valspar Corp. is an enhanced solar reflective paint for the aluminum extrusion and wall panel market. The spray-applied, factory-cured coating reportedly reduces the amount of energy used to cool buildings without limiting color choice.

No. 1001 comprises two electrically-heated, 500ºF (~260ºC) universal ovens from Grieve, specially modified for simultaneous operation with reduced movement by one worker in the performance of general heat processing operations.

International Paint LLC, a division of AkzoNobel, has hired Doug Kirkner to serve as high value infrastructure/fire protection engineering sales manager throughout the Northeastern U.S.