Automation in paint production - even for variable recipes and batch Sizes

 
Big volumes as typical in architectural paint, container coating, printing ink or paper coating production allow highly efficient automation methods. One trend is the standardization of slurries and intermediates which are used in a wide range of final products. Another trend is production in much bigger batch sizes. One single batch of 50.000 litres instead of many small batches. This is a typical example in flexo ink production. Powder addition and dispersion are made outside the tank, completely independent from batch size or filling level. Sometimes there is not even a classic production tank required - you produce in the big storage tanks directly. Much more challenging is the automation for variable batch sizes, for example from 200 to 6000 litres, and for hundreds of different recipes, of course with automatic cleaning to prevent from cross contamination when switching to the next batch. In the past many different dissolvers with tanks in different sizes have been required. Today just one single system does that job, with a maximum level of automation in production and cleaning. These systems with maximum flexibility are required for example in wood coating, coil coating or even in the pigment paste production with colour changes. The key factor for flexibility and variable batch sizes is exactly the same as for the production in very big batches: The Dispersion process is taken out of the tank. This way you can produce everything in every size - with just one single independent system. Automation of that single system gives 20 times more efficiency than any automation of batch size related dissolvers in different sizes.This size independent technology allows product development in small batch sizes and a worldwide production in any size as well. Quality is always constant since there is no operator influence. The traditional production philosophy in lacquer and paint industry is to produce a product, measure the quality, adjust the quality, measure again and adjust once more. Reason is the lack of consistency and uncontrollable dispersion conditions using traditional technology. New technologies enable to produce constant quality and reproducible results immediately without adjustment. The systems are self-teaching and self-reacting on product requests. They are the most important step to implement Industry 4.0