Tikkurila Coatings Oy has developed an economical ultraviolet light (UV) curing coating method for chairs and other three-dimensional (3D) components for replacing existing solvent-borne coatings in the furniture industry.
The method consists of water-borne LUMINOL UV-curing coatings, a spray booth with a recovery system and UVITEC, a new 3D UV-curing device, in which curing of water-borne UV lacquer takes place under inert atmosphere in carbon dioxide. Benefits of the new method are:
- Low VOC emissions in production.
- Low energy and carbon dioxide consumption
- Low investment costs: it is possible to upgrade existing production lines.
- Possibility to save 40–50% of costs in material and waste management.
- Equal or lower process costs compared with existing products/production.
- Equal or better surface properties than achieved with solvent-borne products.
- Reduced throughput time in production. Products are immediately ready for packaging.
- Low curing temperature, suitable for heat sensitive materials such as pinewood, plastics, etc.
Chair producers typically use polyurethane, nitrocellulose and acid-catalyzed products. These coatings perform very well, but due to their low solid content, larger producers in the EU region are not able to meet the requirements set out in Directive 1999/13/EC with these products after 2007.
The advantages of a system based on curing UV lacquers under inert atmosphere have been actively demonstrated during the last few years, when three-dimensional components have been coated. In cooperation with its technological partners, Tikkurila Coatings has developed the idea further, and is now introducing the UVITEC UV curing device. The water-borne LUMINOL UV-curing coatings used in this method have been developed by Tikkurila. The first industrial-sized device based on this concept is ready, and customer trials will start Q4/2005.
Tikkurila Coatings Oy is part of Tikkurila, which is responsible for the paints and coatings business of the Kemira Group. Tikkurila is the leading paint company in North-East Europe with net sales of EUR 440 million and 2,300 staff. With production in seven countries, Tikkurila manufactures decorative paints, industrial wood finishes, paints for the metal industry, protective coatings and coil coatings.
For more information, please contact:
Kari Soljamo, Vice President, R&D
Tikkurila Coatings Oy
Tel. +358 9 8577 4423
GSM +358 400 423 300