| Résumé : |
This article focuses on the current design and materials engineering practices employed by major appliance manufacturers in the United States for developing a new suite of household appliances. Alternative finishes challenging stainless steel are emerging as a highly marketable feature. Today’s unprecedented consumer demand for customizable appliance colors and textures (with decorative hardware finishes) that are integral to warm and inviting home interiors is likened to the wildly popular 1970s “harvest gold era.” Years of above GDP growth in new construction and home remodeling are drivers. Remodeling demand, in particular, is partly driven by home renovation-themed TV shows featuring celebrity hosts who, year after year, inspire multigenerational audiences to improve and update their living spaces.
As outlined in the scope of the U.S. Market Analysis’ Chapter 10, Appliance Finishes, original equipment manufacturer (OEM) appliance finishes include powder coatings, coil coatings, and liquid coatings. Appliance finishes are used to protect and decorate interior and exterior plastic and most metal substrates (e.g., ranges, freezers, washers), heating equipment (furnaces), industrial furnaces and ovens, and air conditioning equipment. Stainless steel, by comparison, was historically unpainted but is now commonly coated with an anti-fingerprint coating, while the newer black stainless appliances have a unique finish process that varies by OEM. |
Aller sur edunet
Accueil
A major appliances OEM design (and materials engineering) perspective in COATINGS TECH, Vol. 16, N° 7 (07/2019)
