Coating & Laminating Putting on the right coat Kevin McKell of Vetaphone explains the importance of surface treatment. A
s with all industrial processes the route to success is good preparation, and this is never truer that in the printing and converting sectors where intricate and often delicate finishes are required to be applied to an increasingly complex range of substrates. In these instances, it is vital to ensure that the surface of the substrate being used is both clean and receptive to the process that is being applied – in this case coating or laminating. And in both cases, where non-absorbent materials are being used, the key factor is the relative surface energy of the liquid being applied (lacquer or adhesive) to the surface of the substrate. This is measured in ‘Dyne’ and in principle, the higher the Dyne level of the substrate the better the adhesion. The process of surface treatment that ensures this matching of Dyne levels is known as Corona. It was invented by Vetaphone in the 1950s and has been constantly developed over the years as market requirements have changed and both processes and substrates have become more demanding. Today, Vetaphone is the acknowledged market leader with a database and archive that spans thousands of different commercial applications.
Perhaps the best way to illustrate the part Vetaphone plays in this sector is by reference to
a machine manufacture and two users operating in different markets. The manufacturer is TS Converting based in Taunton, which generates around £10m in sales each year, 50% of which is exported to the USA. Owner and MD Tim Self explains why choosing the right ancillary supplier for his Hot Melt Coating and Laminating lines is critical to his company’s success: “If you’re claiming to offer something special to your customers you need to be confident that any technology you outsource meets your own critical standards. For us, if it’s surface treatment, it’s got to be Vetaphone. They think about and react to customers the same way we do, and the cooperative partnership is built on trust and reliability,” he said.
One user of this technology, Nu-Coat based in Cwmcarn, South Wales, has dedicated a production line to solvent-free, non-aqueous adhesives cured by UV-C light that brings the exceptional qualities of this technology to a broader field of applications. Company Director Rob Musto explained: “We have developed an extensive range of adhesives specifically for the requirements of our industry. They can be coated onto a wide range of films such as PVC-based, PET, and other non-PVC films.”
When researching the market for the best
equipment to fulfil its production criteria, Nu- Coat turned to Vetaphone for surface treatment advice and assistance with its new venture. The result was the installation of a 1920mm wide 4KW Vetaphone Corona station on the coating line when it went into commercial operation. “Not surprisingly, we’ve had no issues with the Corona system, and this gives us peace of mind as well as production efficiency,” he added, saying how much Nu-Coat appreciates the fact that Vetaphone technology can be upgraded to meet the challenges of constantly changing market. On a larger scale, one of the UK’s longest serving manufacturers of security and label stock coated products, Tullis Russell, has installed Vetaphone corona treatment technology on its state-of-the-art Kroenert coating line in Bollington, Lancashire. The commissioning has allowed the company to expand its portfolio of coatings on paper and film for complex specialist applications. The Kroenert line is designed to handle thin films as well as high caliper board and apply thin aqueous coatings as well as thick and highly viscous coatings.
“After an intensive test with the Tullis Russel team in our Technology Centre we were able to define the best setup for the coating equipment to ensure the success of the project. Because the quality of the components was such a key issue, Vetaphone was the obvious partner to choose for surface treatment,” said Markus Waterkamp, managing director of Kroenert. One of the fundamental requirements was the ability to surface treat substrates accurately and consistently, and the decision to integrate Vetaphone technology was made following in- depth technical discussions and appraisals with the Danish manufacturer.
Speaking for Tullis Russell, sales and marketing director Mitch Lambert commented: “Traditionally, we have worked with coated papers, but having the Vetaphone Coronsa unit has allowed us to expand our portfolio into developing coatings on films for specialist, complex applications.
“The ability to treat our own substrates now gives us the flexibility to produce constructions that would otherwise have been a specification challenge to our supply chain team.”
Xwww.vetaphone.com
18
July /August 2022
www.convertermag.com
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