04/15/23

Powder Coating and Printing on Powder Coating and Printing on Metal with Electrophotographic Metal with Electrophotographic

TechnologyTechnology

Eric Stelter, Patrick Lambert, Joseph Guth, Eric Stelter, Patrick Lambert, Joseph Guth,

Vern Lincoln, Bret Johnston, Michael FrauensVern Lincoln, Bret Johnston, Michael Frauens

NexPress Solutions, Inc.

Protective coatings: • Coils (rolls and sheeting), cans, architectural

panels

Printing – in addition to one color, print information & images:• Cans

• New applications not in existence today - circuit boards, window coverings, etc.

Idea: Idea: Apply powders electrographically Apply powders electrographically as an alternative to solvent coating, as an alternative to solvent coating, conventional electrostatic spray conventional electrostatic spray powder coating, or printingpowder coating, or printing

Conventional electrostatic spray powder coating

Conventional metal decorating press

Conventional liquid coil coating

Value Proposition: Value Proposition: lower cost and lower cost and equivalent or improved performance for equivalent or improved performance for conventional coatings, nanocoatingsconventional coatings, nanocoatings

Better uniformity, thinner coatings than conventional powder coating

Ability to prime, print colors, topcoat, and cure in a single pass

Higher coating speeds than used with liquids

Reduced drying, curing, maintenance, capital costs

Reduced environmental costs (> $120M/yr in US for can alone). Reduced VOC emissions

Imaging for increased aesthetics/new applications

Printed blinds

Printed cans

Substrate

N SS

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Direct Application of Powder Coatings to Metal Direct Application of Powder Coatings to Metal Substrate with Rotating Magnetic BrushSubstrate with Rotating Magnetic Brush

Magnetic carrier particles form a brush on the development roller.

The powder (-) is attracted to the carrier particles (+)

The rotation of the outer roller and the magnetic core impart motion to the chains of developer

Bias voltage applied to metallic shell moves powder to substrate.

Printing on Metal with Electrophotography: Printing on Metal with Electrophotography: NexPress 2100 imaging module (single color)NexPress 2100 imaging module (single color)

Primary chargerLED printhead

Cleaning station

Pre-clean erase

Pre-clean charger

Blanket cylinder

Toning Station

Cleaning station

Transfer roller

Imagingcylinder

N s

N

N

N

N

N

N

s

ss

s

ss

Transport web

Tack down charger

Nanoparticles for functional coatings can be dispersed in powder material or applied to powder particles as a surface treatment as shown at right (patent pending)

Small size of nanocoated, electrographically-applied powder particles produces a high quality composite material with good uniformity of nanoparticles after fixing, fusing, or heat treating

Composite coatings with multiple thin layers can be made due to small size of electrographically-applied powder particles

Multiple layer coatings can be cured in a single pass through an oven or curing system

Applications include: improved chip and scratch resistance, chemical and heat resistance

Application:Application: Nanocoatings and composite Nanocoatings and composite coatings with significant performance coatings with significant performance improvements over conventional coatingsimprovements over conventional coatings

NexPress 2100NexPress 2100

4 Color Electrophotographic Press4 Color Electrophotographic Press

Image printed on metal with NexPress 2100 and oven-cured

Conventional Coil Coating LineConventional Coil Coating Line

Source: www.coilcoating.org (National Coil Coating Association)

Length 30 to 50 meters

The Magnetic Brush Coating Process: The Magnetic Brush Coating Process: Experimental Equipment Experimental Equipment

Metallic substrate

Coating apparatus with magnetic rollers and drive motors

Power supplies for bias voltage to roller

Motors and motor speed controllers

Powder reservoir and feed mechanism

Powder: a reprocessed and modified commercial polyester powder paint

Deposition of powder with rotating magnetic brush has exponential behavior

Extrapolation to high speeds is straightforward

Powder area density can be increased by increasing bias voltage applied to magnetic brush

Deposition RatesDeposition Rates

Powder Area Density vs. Web Speed(Log Plot)

1

10

100

0 1 2 3Web Speed m/s

Po

wd

er

Are

a D

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sit

y

g/(

sq

m)

High Setpoints Black D1

Lower Setpoints Black D1

Expon. (High Setpoints BlackD1)Expon. (Lower SetpointsBlack D1)

Why the market will want to use our capability for Why the market will want to use our capability for powder coating…powder coating…

Cost

…TCO curve

Environmental Advantages

… 30% of manufacturing maintenance and plant capital expenditures spent on environmental control1,

… accelerated effects if adopted as MCAT

Featuring & Capability

… matte finishes, perforated and textured surfaces, some performance advantages.

1 http://www.coilcoating.org/why/consider.cfm?CFID=2217799&CFTOKEN=65542148

Key Coating Costs per Square Meter

$0.20$0.25$0.30$0.35$0.40$0.45$0.50$0.55$0.60$0.65$0.70

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5 2.0

Process Speed (m/s)

Liquid - Low

Liquid - High

EP Powder

Thick trad. powder

25 microns of polyester topcoat plus 5 & 7 microns of primer

Business Opportunity DynamicsBusiness Opportunity Dynamics(all not to scale)(all not to scale)

Coatings and Paint Market 2000

All "Paint" = 34B Euro

Powder Coatings

3.6B EuroGlobal Coil

1.0B Euro1000+ lines

Global Can

1.6B Euro600+ lines

Wood

2.8B EuroPlastics

.8 B Euro

Overprint

.4 B Euro

Current Target

For more details, contact Michael Frauens (585) 726-7507

Source: DSM Resins

Growth of the Coil and the Powder markets historically exceeds GDP growth.

Market share growth is due to environmental and workflow advantages.