‘Point-of-sale display systems are modular in design. Greetings cards, pop and film star poster producers, cosmetics, confectionery displays for retail outlets are typical users. Display stands are produced in batches to meet customer requirement for colour and branding and manufactured primarily from tubular steel - square or round section - sheet steel and heavy gauge wirework. Batch quantities, depending on the promotion, can be in 10s or 100s. The bulk of finished products are powder coated but before any finish can be applied the metal must be absolutely clean.
The cleaning process most commonly used at the moment is vapour degreasing with trichloroethylene, However, problems with marking of the edges of cards and posters, which reduce their value or discolouration of or “bubbling” and lifting of the powder finish due to rusting in slots and spot welds and leaching of trapped oil means hand wiping of every part before powder coating or painting is needed to remove dust or deposits not removed by vapour degreasing. This is labour intensive and with energy costs and the level of wages increasing this is a high cost operation. When considering other processes DriPHOS will be an obvious one tank solution.
DriPHOS is a replacement system for vapour degreasing with many benefits. Familiar to operators it needs no more space than a vapour degreasing tank but guarantees that all the surfaces, even in spot welded seams are cleaned and protected against rusting. Parts can be stored prior to painting and assembly for long periods giving the flexibility for colour changes and JIT response for urgent orders. The unique DriPHOS TLT, thin layer technology produces a crystalline phosphate matrix which presents a physical barrier against moisture, inhibiting rust and greatly improving adhesion of final finishes with increased under film protection in the event of a damaged surface due to abrasion or impact from trolleys common in the retail environment.
The DriPHOS TLT (Thin Layer Technology) Metal Pretreatment Process
A development and improvement of the vapour degreasing process using stable solvents as the media to dissolve and carry the active chemicals using precursors to produce a protective crystalline primer on the metal surface.
The very large increase in surface area is due to a unique “fish scale” structure of overlapping crystals growing from and forming an integral part of the metal surface. This produces a greater “keying” area priming the metal for subsequent paint or powder coatings improving the adhesion of these coatings which are then more resistant to scratches, abrasion or impact damage by trolleys or baskets experienced in the normal retail environment. DriPHOS coatings give increased under film protection if this damage occurs reducing rusting and lifting of the finished coatings increasing products useful life and customer satisfaction.
A typical system consists of a tank, of similar design and size to a standard vapour degreasing tank but with an increased liquid depth to allow complete immersion of parts. Installed in a pit or floor mounted with automatic handling systems these are safe and simple for operators to use.
Parts or components are jigged or loaded into baskets transferred into the tank and lowered into the vapour above the boiling DriPHOS liquid for conditioning then immersed into the boiling liquid. When the process time has elapsed the work is raised again into the vapour space and rinsed with condensed DriPHOS liquid to remove residual process liquid. Parts then dry in the vapour area emerging after a total process time of 5 to 10 minutes degreased, cleaned and phosphated warm to touch and ready for painting or powder coating. Alternatively for flexibilty the processed parts can be stored without rusting for long periods ready for immediate painting to meet urgent orders.
Nanogenerator consumes CO2 to generate electricity
Whoopee, they've solved how to keep a light on but not a lot else.