The Client
A top market leader in fire arms and law enforcement products with international revenues in excess of $200 MM per year and a prestigious position in the industry.
The Challenge
State and federal regulations had come to restrict the use of the company’s existing coating process and they needed to engineer a change that would meet not only government environmental regulations but also requirements specified by the fire arms industry.
After a complete evaluation of the problem, Modean Industries, along with its client, contacted a chemical research and development company to create the new coating. With the help of Gema USA Ransburg, numerous tests were preformed at their test lab simulating actual production conditions and in the process allowing Modean Industries to design the racking system to meet the unique just-in-time production requirements.
Once the system was installed and operating, the client began experiencing problems with the coating supplied by the R&D company. Under normal circumstances, a system house’s responsibility ends when the start-up is complete. Although it had nothing to do with Modean Industries, they were not willing to leave its client with an unresolved production issue. Upon further investigation by Modean Industries it became apparent that even though the R&D company was capable of making excellent research samples, it did not have the capacity to perform material production runs. Knowing this, Modean Industries sought out among its contacts a chemical production company that could meet the controlled production of the new coating.
The Solution
The new system was designed employing high speed rotational atomizers (Aerobell) that provided not only the desired physical appearance but excelled in the actual test requirements imposed by the industry. Adding to the challenge, Modean Industries had to develop the system and factor into its design the customer’s plant space limitations. Here again Modean Industries utilized its innovative approach and set the complete system including load, material application, flash-off time, curing, unloading and cooling all in an area that measured approximately 8 feet wide by 11 feet long by 22 feet high.
Benefit to Client
The client was now in full compliance with federal and state environmental regulations. By automating the process, the new system increased production and the new coating not only met but exceeded the physical specifications required by the fire arms industry. Further, by the using the Aerobell electrostatic system, the process was more efficient, less expensive to operate and provided a superior finish.
Conclusion
The client was extremely pleased with the results, especially with Modean Industries’ commitment to the project. In fact they purchased a second system from Modean Industries and retrofitted an existing painting facility with the new Aerobell system.
