Coating Tech Service Presents at AIMCAL Fall Tech Conference

Published: October 14, 2010

MYRTLE BEACH, SC | Mark Miller, president of Coating Tech Service, will be a featured speaker at the upcoming Assn. of Intl. Metallizers, Coaters & Laminators (AIMCAL) Fall Technical Conference slated for October 17—20 at the Marriott Resort at Grande Dunes, Myrtle Beach, SC.

Miller’s first presentation, scheduled on Monday, October 18 at 1:30 P.M., is titled “Hot Melt Coating Technology–Thinner, Faster, and the State of the Art.” As coating corporations work towards increasing margins, getting more out of the capital at the site, improving turns in inventory, and reducing environmental impact, they are running into the edge of material, expertise, and equipment capability. Hot melt adhesive coating is a great option for traditional solvent based tape and label manufacturing, especially as the 4green! label is providing a marketing edge in commerce. But what are the limitations? How thin can an adhesive be stretched before the rheology of the polymer is detrimental to the final product? How do you best operate the equipment to maximize product yield? This presentation will exhibit the current direction hot melt adhesive manufacturing companies are headed and what the impact is for raw material suppliers and equipment manufacturers.

For a second presentation on Wednesday, October 20 at 10:30 A.M, Miller will address: “Steam Remoisturizing Technology for Paper Based Label Manufacturers.” To remain competitive in today’s marketplace, paper based label manufacturers must be able to produce a stable, flat product. This requires controlling the moisture content in all layers of the final product to equilibrium. Coated or laminated paper processes typically require high temperature curing which creates moisture imbalances between the paper substrate and the coating or laminated layer(s). These imbalances, if significant, cause static electricity buildup, web brittleness and curl.

All of these conditions can negatively affect product quality and production throughput. In the current economy, label producers need to coat efficiently, effectively, and with improved economies for margins and the marketplace. One often overlooked, yet important piece of equipment in this equation is the remoisturizer. Identifying what conditions are critical in this unit operation for maintaining process stability is essential. Conditions to consider include: the proper amount of moisture for the web; machine speed and protection of the coated surface from contamination.  Most label manufacturers employ some means of remoisturizing the web after curing to bring the moisture in the substrate, the coating, and the laminated layers into equilibrium. Existing solutions include exposing the coated and cured web to steam showers, water sprays or reverse roll coaters to impart the required amount of moisture. In this presentation, we will be comparing the various remoisturization techniques and providing data to assess these technologies.

For further details regarding all technical presentations, visit: www.aimcal.org.