AkzoNobel announced that it has partnered with IPG Photonics on applying laser technology for curing powder coatings.
The process involves calibrating AkzoNobel’s Interpon powder coating formulations with laser curing solutions from IPG. According to the companies, this will offer a faster and more energy efficient alternative to conventional curing methods. The two companies have signed an agreement for the partnership to exclusively serve customers in the EMEA region.
During the process lasers will selectively heat the applied powder coating in a “cold oven,” meaning no heat escapes onto the factory floor and no energy is wasted heating the atmosphere or the curing enclosure. High intensity laser heating also enables curing times to be reduced to just a few minutes, compared with the 15 to 20 minutes that’s currently required using traditional curing methods. The IPG Photonics process also enables curing to occur in less than half the space required by a traditional oven.
“This is a hugely exciting partnership which has the potential to offer customers game-changing benefits in terms of process speed, efficiency and energy savings,” says Jorrit van Rijn, global marketing director of AkzoNobel’s Powder Coatings business. “It’s yet another example of how our commitment to painting the future is driving our innovation so we can help make the powder coatings industry even more sustainable.”