Overview of Low Energy Electron Beam Technology for Curing of Industrial Coatings

ABRAFATI 2015 CongressLecture No. 142

October 14, 2015Sao Paulo, Brazil

Presentation Overview

IntroductionsPCT & COMET AGBrief Overview of EB TechnologyEB EquipmentEB for Coil Coatings ApplicationsEB for 3D Curing and Narrow Web Digital InkjetConclusions

PCT Engineered Systems Founded in 1986Began as a control system integrator Now an equipment manufacturer and engineering services division of COMET AG

– OEM for BroadBeam™ electron beam systems– Automation system integrator– Custom machine builder

Worldwide leader in x-ray, RF and ebeam technologies

COMET Group at a glance:

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Because of their shorter wavelengths, x-rays and electron beams have more energy than UV and are considered ionizing radiation.

Increasing Wavelength

Non-Ionizing Radiation Ionizing Radiation

Increasing Frequency/Energy

Electron Beam

Adapted from the American Heritage Dictionary5

Electron Beam vs. Ultraviolet

Electron Beam Core Areas of Application

Scissioning; Sterilization Crosslinking; Curing

Reactive CompoundingPolymer Grafting

(Adhesion of Coatings)

Substrate

Substrate

solid

Evaporation of solventsRelease of hardener / blocker

Heat T°C Thermal crosslinking : conventional coatings Energy Curing : new chemistry

Substrate

Substrate

Monomers Oligomers + photo initiators

Crosslinked film

Radiation

solid

Already built chains + hardener

Initial chain length, hardener amount, reactive sites density

PMT exposure time

Process sensitivity

3D polymerization + crosslinking

Radiation exposure time only induces chain reaction

Wide process window

Without any solvent, «100% reactive» is liquid

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Comparing Technologies

Producing Electrons

- Tungsten filaments are heated to a state of thermionic emission

- Electrons are accelerated by a voltage of 70 to 300 kV

- Electrons pass via high purity copper titanium foil window on to a target area

Producing Electrons

EB Equipment Types

LabUnit

WebPress

4 in 1 System

HighVoltage

EB Equipment Range400 mm

and smaller

910 mm

1370 mm

2750 mm

Electron Beam for

Metal Coil Coating

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What is Coil Coating? A flat inline metal coating process: the metal is unwound, cleaned, treated, primed, cured, treated with a top coat, cured and rewound.

Converted substrates require chemical pretreatment and mustbe preheated to a target activation temperature before organicsolvent based coating chemistries can be applied.

Cooling zones are required to reduce metal temperature before additional coating layers can be applied and prior to rewinding.

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What is Coil Coating?

Substrates are typically steel or aluminium.

Typical formulations focus on high performance. Weathering, corrosion resistance and long-term aesthetic properties are keyperformance criteria.

End product examples: roof, building facade, office furniture, filing cabinets, packaging, appliances, automotive parts.

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What is Coil Coating? Conventional Coating Chemistries Used

Mostly organic solvent based and include: epoxies, acrylics, polyurethanes, fluorocarbons, plastisols and polyesters.

Siliconized polyesters, durable polyesters and poly(vinylidene)difluoride (PVdF) systems: used for exterior construction applications where excellent weathering characteristics allow for 40 year performance warranties.

PVC Plastisol coatings: offer excellent forming, mar and chemical resistance characteristics and are principally used in heavy duty / construction applications.

Note: Acrylate functional versions exist for most conventional coil coating systems mentioned above!

Comparison of Curing Methods

18-25 Sec.

8-12 Sec.

3-6 Sec.

Hot Air Convection

Induction Curing or Medium Wave InfraRed

Short Wave or Near InfraRed Oven

UV-Curing2 s.

EB-Curing< 1 s

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Advantages of Radiation Curing- Lower energy cost (EB, UV)- More compact solution: floor space- Easy integration on existing lines- For UV-EB formulations: No solvents / 100% solids

– Higher coating coverage – Greatly reduced carbon footprint (No emissions)– No solvent incineration– Non thermal: no CO2, no cooling , no water treatment

- Environmental: possibility of financial grants

Costs savings: Energy Curable vs Conventional

- Energy savings (very low electrical consumption)- Productivity (no PMT process window)- Surface treatment (incorporated in primer function)- Cooling water (no thermal process) and no water treatment- No incineration of solvents- Plant insurance (no risk of fire and explosion)- Storage & handling (less coating consumption, one coating for different gloss levels)- Predictable taxes on emissions.

Cost Comparisons

Potential UV/EB Coil Coating Line Configuration

ELECTRON BEAM

CLEANING

BACKERAPPLICATION

REWINDUNWIND

PRIMERAPPLICATION

TOP COATUV GLOSSCONTROL

TOP COATAPPLICATIONPRIMER

UV CURE

BACKERUV CURE

Conventional Coil Line

UV/EB Coil Line

Cost ComparisonData for business case:

Reference line: 61” x 0.0275” @ 460 fpmMaximum tonnage: 71.5 tonsAnnual max capacity: 350,000 tonsAnnual production: 150,000 tons

Solvent Based Coatings Energy Curable Coatings5-7 microns DFT Polyester Primer(.2 - .275 mil)5-7 microns DFT Polyester Backer241°C PMT45 % Volume solids230 litres/hour (61 gal. / hour)

5-7 microns DFT UV Primer5-7 microns DFT UV BackerNo PMT100 % Volume solidsNo solvent

20 microns DFT Polyester Top Coat(.8 mil)241°C PMT50% Volume solids 260 litres/hour (69 gal. / hour)

20 microns EB Top CoatNo PMT100 % Volume solidsNo solvent

Capital Investment Cost

IR (SW) NIR Induction Convection UV EB

Primer Oven $1 M $1.4 M $1.8 M $1.5 M $1.4 M

Top Coat Oven $1 M $1.4 M $1.8 M $1.5 M $1.0 M

Air recirculation $0.1 M $0.1 M $0.3 M

Water quench (after both ovens)

$0.5 M $0.5 M $0.5 M $0.5 M

Thermal Oxidizer $0.5 M $0.5 M $0.5 M $0.5 M

Various ducts connection and chimney

$0.3 M $0.3 M $0.3 M $0.3 M

Total Investment $3.4 M $4.2 M $5.2 M $4.3 M $2.4 M

Energy CostsIR (SW) NIR Induction Convection UV EB

Power Used Primer/Backer

4400 kW 3800 kW 4200 kVA 7000 kW (gas)

365 kW

Power Used Top Coat

4250 kW 3850 kW 4300 kVA 7300 kW (gas)

100 kW

Cooling of equipment (lamps, inductor, window..)

350 kW 300 kW 420 kW 75 kW 45 kW

Air input for LEL control (< 25 %)

75 kW 75 kW 75 kW 120 kW

Thermal Oxidizer 1140 kW 1140 KW 1140 kW 1140 kWElectricity cost($0.058 / kWh)

$526 / hr $465 / hr $375 / hr $7 / hr $25.5 / hr $8.4 / hr

NG cost ($0.032 / kWh) $36.5 / hr $36.5 / hr $36.5 / hr $458 / hr+ $36.5 / hr

Annual Energy cost(5,000 hours / year)

$2.81 M $2.50 M $2.05 M $2.50 M $0.13 M + $0.042 M =$0.17 M

Operation & Maintenance CostsPer year IR (SW) NIR Induction Convection UV EB

Nitrogen (Utilities) $0.16 M

Water $0.07 M $0.10 M $0.03 M

Spare parts(lamps, bulb, reflectors, titanium window, burners, etc…)

$0.15 M $0.40 M < $0.01 M $0.1 M $0.05 M $0.02 M

Maintenance operations(Total for 2 ovens)

$0.1 M $0.1 M $0.2 M $0.3 M $0.05 M $0.05 M

Total Utility and maintenance cost

$0.25 M $0.48 M $0.30 M $0.40 M $0.10 M $0.26 M

Pretreatment: about $3 / ton of steel $0.45 M / year Water quench about $1 / ton of steel $0.15 M / year Insurance: about $1.5 / ton of steel $0.22 M / year Storage handling about $1 / ton of steel $0.15 M / year

Other potential sources of savings for Energy Curable

Coating Cost Comparison: Energy Curable vs. Conventional

Conventional Coating (Avg.) UV / EB

Thickness Coverage Price Thickness Coverage Price

µ µ.m²/kg $/kg $/m² $/ton µ µ.m²/kg $/kg $/m² $/ton

Primer 5 380 5.00 0.066 13 5 750 16.00 0.107 21

Backer 7 360 4.50 0.088 18 5 750 16.00 0.107 21

Top Coat 20 370 7.00 0.378 76 20 700 15.00 0.429 86

TOTAL $106 $128

EB vs. Conventional SystemPROPERTIES UV/EB System Conventional Polyester

VOC NA --Flash Point NA --

Colors +++ +++Gloss level ++ +++

Gloss Formula ++ -Hardness + +Flexibility ++ +++

Resistance to Dirt Pick-up +++ ++Resistance to choc +++ +++

Resistance to temperature ++ ++Chemical resistance ++ ++Outdoor resistance ++ ++

Corrosion Resistance +++ +++Rheology of paint + +++

Odour + ++Storage Paint stability +++ ++

New design, new aspects +++ ++Food contact ++ ++

Foam adhesion +++ +++Film Adhesion +++ +++

Ability of recoat + ++Products cleaning +++ ++

EB Design for Coil Coating

Reference Sites: FR, US (Cleveland Steel Container)

Benefits:• Leverages Integrated Shield / Chill Roll Design• Fixed strip position ensures uniform dose at low voltages• Minimizes volume/area for N2 inerting

EB Design for Coil Coating

Additional Benefits:• Support structure & bearings sized to handle strip tensions• Automated open function to clear stitches / welds• Large roll diameters to avoid coil set

EB Design for Coil Coating

Emerging Applications3D Curing & Narrow Web Inkjet

Genesis: • In June 2015, Tetra Pak announces the global launch of an

ebeam-equipped E3 platform of filling machines containing compact ebeam Lamps from COMET.

• The lamps replace hydrogen peroxide as the method to sterilize the packaging material and allow customers the ability to reduce their environmental impact and increase production speed (by over +60%) and significantly reduce operating costs.

Source: June 24, 2015 COMET Group press release found at:http://www.comet-group.com/Meta/News/Tetra-Pak-launches-ebeam-equipped-filling-machine

Emerging Applications:3D Curing & Narrow Web Inkjet

Clam Shell Down Fire Design

Side Fire Beam Absorber3D-EB (Rotation)400 mm Narrow Web

3D-EB (In-Line)

Emerging Applications:3D Curing & Narrow Web Inkjet

Max Target Object Dimensions 63.5 mm diameter x 270 mm cylindrical shape

Cavity Capacity Up to 4 cavity rotating index system

Beam Performance

100 keV, 10-25mm curved gap 1325 kGy m/min/kW

Power Supply Capacity 2.2 kW

Available Dose 2915 kGy m/min

Required Dose 3 MRad / 30 kGy

Maximum Throughput 97 m/min.

Maximum No. of Cylinders @ 100% duty 487

Max Number of Cans @ 100% duty 48.7

Beam Orientation Vertical or Angled

Nitrogen Inerting 10X with exhaust in curing chamber

Demonstration Unit Specifications

Note: Specifications dependent on customer specific system requirements

Emerging Applications:Electron Beam 3D Curing

Open / Closed View of CE Series for Narrow Web

Identified Target Applications:

Narrow Web EB Inkjet

Adhesive Curing / Crosslinking

Pilot Line for Surface Curing, Crosslinking, Grafting application.

Emerging Applications:Narrow Web Inkjet

Proposed Operating Voltage Range 80 kVUniform ebeam Lamp (Curing) WidthMaximum Web Width

380 mm400 mm

Estimated Surface Dose Rate TargetTarget product line speed

2.4 MRad at 100 mpm (at 80 kV) at 3mm from surface100mpm

Access for Thread-Up / Cleaning Web handling components stay fixed, lamp portion moves for threading / cleaning access

Mounting Structure Base frame with linear rails under lamp portion

Web Support Integrated Shield Roll (Chill Roll)Shield RollMax chill roll surface operating temp

8 inch diameter water cooled chill roll, all stainless steel 40 deg C

Product Clearance 1.5mm from rolls to closest surfacesEB Window to Product Distance 3mmUniformity – Cross-web +/- 10%Nitrogen Inerting Level Target 200 ppm of O2Radiation (Maximum Level) 0.1mR/hr (1 μSv/hr) at 2 inches from all

surfaces0.2 mR/hr (2 μSv/hr) at 2 inches from all slots

Estimated Utilities Required Electric: Less than 20 A @ 240 VAC @ 60 Hz Cooling Water: 100 psig and 12 gpmNitrogen: 2 to 6 scfm flow; 100 psig to 150 psig pressure; filtered to 5 microns; less than 10 ppm of oxygen (99.999% purity)

Estimated Size See diagrams (Right) in inchesEstimated Weight 300 kg – EB system 78 kg –Power Supply

Frontal View of System Integration and Shield Roll Design

Shield Roll

Shield Roll

Electron Beam Housing

Top Down Design View

ebeam lamp window width = 400 mm. Provides 90% beam uniformity 10 mm from window.

Emerging Applications:Narrow Web Inkjet

80 kV electron penetration with 30 kGy dose

Emerging Applications:Narrow Web Inkjet

80 kV ebeam components for narrow web penetration with 30 kGy dose

Emerging Applications:Narrow Web Inkjet

Conclusion:Low energy EB technology for industrial surface curing:

- offers substantial energy and carbon footprint reductions

- can be used in combination with or as a replacement for conventional curing technology.

- is supported by a broad value chain of co-supplier offerings

- will continue to miniaturize, improve in affordability and be integrated into new applications where low migration/VOC and the ability to cure highly filled systems is greatly desired.

Thank You

Anthony CarignanoSales & Marketing Specialist

PCT Engineered Systems, LLC

E-Mail: awcarignano@teampct.com