PPG: New electrodeposition coating boosts productivity at heritage products

It also has lower weight loss and film shrinkage than previous generation electrocoatings, improved edge coverage, and is capable of curing at a lower bake cycle.

Heritage Products, a Crawfordsville, Ind. manufacturer of automotive components, recently converted from POWERCRON 590-534 lead-free cationic epoxy electrocoat to POWERCRON 8000 electrocoat. Since making this conversion, Heritage has achieved a significant increase in productivity, as well as other cost-saving benefits.

Roger Tarter, manager of the finishing system at Heritage Products, said, "We have seen a significant decrease in the amount of paint we use. In addition to this material reduction, we have also been able to save on energy costs as well."

"But most significantly," Mr. Tarter added, "is that the POWERCRON 8000 coating application properties and low-cure capabilities have enabled Heritage to increase productivity substantially. With the new product we have increased the number of carriers processed per shift, and we were also able to increase the number of parts per carrier."

Mr. Tarter added that an additional and unforeseen benefit of the new paint has been a decrease in overtime expense. "We formerly had to work weekends to perform system maintenance. Since we converted to the POWERCRON 8000 coating and improved our efficiency, we even get our maintenance done during the week. Not having to work weekends has been a big morale boost."

PPG Industries is the world's leading producer of transportation coatings and a major global supplier of industrial and packaging coatings, flat and fabricated glass, continuous-strand fiber glass and chemicals. It is also a leading North American supplier of architectural paints. Sales exceeded US$8.6 billion last year.