Harnessing the interactive capability of our mobile
devices, there are several applications (apps) that
bring the powder coating world closer together and
allow access to information for new projects as well as to
solve problems with old ones.
Mobile technology has transformed the way we live our
everyday lives. Smartphones allow the user to search for a
good movie, watch the trailer, read dozens of reviews, navigate
their way to the theater, and even pay for tickets. Now,
this ability to search for information, gather data, interact
remotely, and connect to other devices is beginning to change
powder coating as well.
This article reviews some recent mobile apps intended to help
prospective powder coaters better understand the benefits of the
technology, and help existing users operate more efficiently.
While the introduction of powder coating apps is fairly
recent, and this survey may not include all of the apps that
are available, the pace of app development is accelerating so
that more exciting developments are likely to be just around
the corner. The apps world is also very dynamic, so some
apps may come and go, or be updated to new versions from
time to time.
Apps to Find, Purchase Powder Coatings
A number of mobile apps are designed to describe powder
coating products and provide technical information and
pricing quotes.
AkzoNobel’s powder coatings business has introduced an
Interpon® app that allows customers to purchase powder coatings
directly from their mobile phones or tablets. AkzoNobel
customers can browse the entire collection of ready-to-ship and
RAL products. App users can search and sort these products
by color, chemistry, technical specifications or performance
criteria. The app then provides access to product data sheets
and pricing for over 400 products in the AkzoNobel powder
coatings catalog. According to Steve Kiefer, AkzoNobel’s
North America business director for powder coatings, the app
(available for both the Apple and Android operating systems)
provides a powerful interactive mobile tool to access product
information and make purchases 24/7.
Arkema Inc. has deployed the Rilsan® Fine Powders mobile
app to connect powder applicators with customer service and
technical experts, to access detailed product literature and
helpful videos, and to download technical data sheets. Prospective
users can submit requests for follow-up information,
receive primer and powder recommendations, and request
customized price quotes. An online questionnaire allows Arkema’s
engineers to understand each customer’s specific project
requirements to provide a targeted, informed recommendation
about which primer and powder products best fit the
user’s needs. App users can then submit a request for a price
quote directly to Arkema’s customer service team. For existing
projects, the app’s technical support function provides a quick
troubleshooting guide. Applicators who are having technical
problems, or need individual advice, can get fast answers
directly from engineers, which helps cut down on valuable lost
production time and defects. An illustrated troubleshooting
guide provides suggested fixes for common problems and advice
for improving powder coating efficiency. The Arkema app
also provides access to an extensive library of videos, literature
and product data sheets.
Jotun Powder Coatings has developed the iRise mobile
application, a sales tool for making presentations to Jotun’s
clients. The app provides an easy-to-navigate showcase of successful
projects from commercial buildings to iconic landmarks
that use Jotun powder coatings. Each case study describes how
Jotun technology helped the end-user achieve their goals. App
users can choose from among a large selection of projects to
get detailed information, including the specific powder coatings
used, the owner and applicator details, and the year the
project was completed.
Other mobile apps are being independently developed to
help smaller custom coaters run their businesses. For example,
the Powder Coating Sales Order—Deluxe Mobile App
(https://www.gocanvas.com/mobile-forms-apps/4046-PowderCoating-Sales-Order-Deluxe)
offers a simple tool that helps powder coaters track orders that use a range of industrial
coating products. The app replaces paper forms, making this
information accessible from any smartphone or tablet. App
users can track orders and powder coating jobs, including customer
contact details, email address, company location, order
number, details of goods ordered, and more. Once completed,
the sales order form can be converted to a standard company
invoice and saved for their records.
Calculators and Other Tools
Another breed of mobile app helps powder coaters calculate
various useful numbers.
For example, the Powder Coating Institute (PCI) has
launched a mobile version of the popular powder-to-liquid
coating comparison tool. This calculator is a simple but effective
tool for evaluating and comparing the material costs for
powder and liquid coatings. After entering some simple information
(such as the percent volume of solids, specific gravity,
application or reclaim efficiency, product cost and applied
thickness) the app calculates and compares the cost of each
type of coating, and offers a visual comparison of the powder
and liquid material costs. It can also be used to evaluate powder
coating materials individually or side by side. Aside from
these helpful calculations, the PCI app also offers information
about the advantages of using powder coatings, upcoming
technical and training events, and links to additional resources
that can be accessed directly from the app.
Parker Ionics has launched a similar powder coating calculator
that features easy-to-use touch screens to calculate powder
coverage (in square meters per kilogram or square feet per pound)
and calculates the cost per pound (or kilogram) of powder.
A calculator designed by CWS Powder Coatings of Duren,
Germany, performs several additional calculations to help applicators
optimize automated powder coating lines. By entering
key parameters such as the price of their powder, conveyor and
reciprocator speeds, the app calculates the user’s applied cost (in
either price/square meter or square meters/kilogram of powder),
powder consumption per part, reclaim efficiency, production
rate, and powder use per spray gun.
Go-Go-Gadgets
The most advanced mobile powder coating apps developed
so far allow you to connect to various devices that gather data,
monitor or even control powder equipment in real time.
For example, the EdgeScout remote monitoring technology
from RRAMAC Connected Systems offers a mobile app
designed to monitor industrial OEM equipment like washers
and cure ovens. The system can send system operators and
supervisors an email or text alert when there is a system fault
or a key parameter falls outside a preset operating range. The
app provides graphic dashboards that permit staff to monitor
critical parameters like temperatures or pressures at a glance,
including historical data trends and an archive history of
system alarms, downtime reports, predictive maintenance,
and the use of consumable parts like spray gun tips, filters, or
chemicals. The RRAMAC system communicates directly with
the powder system PLC or other controllers, and transmits
encrypted data to RRAMAC’s hosted server via customer LAN
or cellular modems.
DeFelsko Corporation has developed a new device, PosiTector®
SmartLink, that wirelessly connects DeFelsko’s line
of PosiTector film thickness, surface profile, and dew point
probes to an Apple iOS or Android smartphone via a free
mobile app. The app transforms the smartphone into a virtual
full-featured PosiTector film thickness gage. Using Bluetooth
technology, measurements are instantly transmitted to the
mobile phone screen as far as 30 feet from the probe. Operators
can also save PDF reports, including photos taken with
their smartphone or from a photo library, and they can add
text notes from the keyboard or voice notes using the phone’s
microphone. The software provides real-time data graphing
and statistical analysis. No internet is required for these features,
but with an internet connection, production data can be
shared and archived, and the reports can be emailed or saved
to the cloud.
Axalta Coating Systems has tapped the power of the cell
phone camera. The company’s color-matching mobile app,
Axalta AXS, provides powder coaters with access to a large
collection of colorful powder coatings with a click of the
mobile phone’s camera. Axalta AXS allows users to scan any
surface to match its color with an Alesta stock powder coating.
This self-contained, rapid color measurement tool increases
productivity by eliminating the need to order a powder coating
sample or a set of prospective color chips. Once the app
finds a color match, users can obtain the product codes and
chemistry details for the powder, and order the proper color
chips. According to Kristen Boyd, Axalta’s marketing manager
for powder products, “The AXS app provides the powder
coating industry with a quick and simple way to scan a color
and select the best Axalta powder product match.”
Perhaps one of the most sophisticated measurement tools
is MeasureColor MobileTM platform app from PPG Industrial
Coatings. MeasureColor Mobile is a cloud-based color
platform developed jointly by PPG and the creators of the
MeasureColor Mobile technology. It integrates a mobile
color-matching app with a small, highly-accurate MeasureColor
handheld scanning device. The system allows the user
to match a scanned color to a vast library of PPG liquid or
powder coatings. The PPG MeasureColor Mobile system dramatically
improves the speed and accuracy normally required
for color selection. Currently, the system is available to PPG’s
sales and service team members and PPG customers on a
subscription basis.
MeasureColor Mobile users begin by placing a small Bluetooth-enabled
handheld scanner on the surface of any desired
source (including metal, plastic, leather, fabric, drywall and
other materials). The color measurement is then compared to
color-match systems that are used around the world, such as
MUNSELL COLOR™, RAL® and Federal Standard 595C along
with thousands of architectural paint colors that can be instantly
cross-referenced to a corresponding PPG coating color.
The software calculates the color difference (Delta-e) for
each potential match, and reports the PPG findings on the
MeasureColor Mobile app. Color matches are displayed by
color name, product code, product category, gloss range and
resin type. Clicking on a recommended product codes gives
users access to product data sheets, safety data sheets, cure
conditions and inventory status.
The MeasureColor Mobile platform increases productivity,
improves customer responsiveness and cuts costs by
streamlining the color-matching process. “The MeasureColor
Mobile scanner provides immediate feedback,” says Shelley
Verdun, PPG powder product manager, industrial coatings, “so
customers can place orders for the products on the spot saving
valuable time compared to doing color matching in the lab.”
Undoubtedly, these outstanding mobile apps are the first of
many to be developed that harness the interactive capability of
our mobile devices. Such apps bring the powder coating world
closer together and allow 24/7 access to information for new
projects and to solve problems with old ones. But, hopefully
the technology also makes us more productive and efficient so
we can occasionally kick back and enjoy that movie we found
on our mobile device.
Paul Mills is a marketing and business development consultant
to industry chemistry and equipment suppliers. He has been a
writer for the powder coating industry since 1994. Paul can be
reached at 440-570-5228 or via email at pmillsoh@aol.com.