We are fortunate to work with companies that are not afraid of challenges. One such partner is a renowned manufacturer of high-end decorative elements - a customer with very high quality requirements - with whom we have been working together for some time to optimise the surface preparation process prior to powder coating.
Technological challenges
The problem faced by the workers in production was truly unusual - their process uses specialised sealants and fillers that have exceptional chemical resistance. The result? Standard cleaning methods, even in advanced industrial washers, were unable to remove them effectively. And this translated directly into quality - lack of paint adhesion, coatings coming off, risk of complaints. From the factory's perspective - a real production problem, affecting the final product.
We proposed joint tests of our surface preparation technology - Kairos. From the outset, we relied on a partnership approach: We do not offer ready-made prescriptions, but solutions that we tailor together to the specific case.
Running the tests
We prepared six different samples, each with a different material and contamination variant. We carried out a test wash, followed by an assessment of the surface reaction and paint adhesion according to the GT standard (notch grid test). The results exceeded our expectations - five of six samples showed full chemical reaction and excellent paint adhesion - GT0. The coating was durable, even and the surface perfectly prepared for further processes.
One sample - containing a particularly demanding type of sealant - stood out from the rest. Its behaviour during the test indicated that, for such specific materials, it is worth looking even more closely at the process parameters and possibly making additional modifications. This is valuable informationbecause it allows us to adapt the technology even better to the customer's production reality, especially in the most demanding areas.
This is why we place so much importance in our work on testing and working directly with client-side teams. Kairos offers a very wide range of possibilities, but the key lies in fine-tuning the process - and this is best achieved in dialogue and with real-world examples. Thanks to this together we create solutionsthat are not only effective, but also implementable and reproducible in a production setting.
Today, the five positively assessed samples are already in the salt chamber - the corrosion resistance test is underway. We are of good cheer, because the first results provide a solid basis for talking about real success. And for us, this is the greatest satisfaction - not only to deliver the tool, but to see how it really works on the production line, solving a specific problem.
