Résumé : |
For original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that apply laminate films to metal parts or apply coatings as decorative finishes, the in-house manufacturing process requires a significant investment in equipment, plant floor space and ongoing maintenance for what can be a very temperamental process. In addition, failure to precisely control the process can lead to laminates that do not bond properly or wrinkle, leading to excessively high scrap rates and even product returns.
For this reason, OEMs are increasingly outsourcing the application of laminate films to experienced coil coaters that can provide alternatives, including : steel, aluminum or other metals in coil or sheet form with pre-applied (dry) adhesive; or fully laminated product that eliminates in-house processing altogether.
The result for OEMs can be significant, both in terms of speeding production and reducing operational costs. However, when paired with the fact that experienced coil coaters can produce high-quality laminated products, it becomes a win-win scenario.
"Many OEMs are not fully aware of the alternatives for outsourcing part of, or all, the lamination operation to coil coaters," explains Dan Chin, president of Universal Chemicals & Coatings (Unichem), a company that specializes in custom adhesives and coatings used in coil processing. "This is often simply because they have 'always done it the same way'—in house—but they can get a high-quality laminated product and eliminate the costs and headaches associated with the process." |