AFIP Brings Drying To The Fore Douglas Gray -Sales Director douglas.gray@natgraph.co.uk >4200 Installations >35 years leadership DSC Testing Deep Knowledge Experience Know - How
AFIP Coating Brings Drying To The Fore Natgraph Company Background Our Company What we do We know AFIP Market Position Market Direction Applications Drying Solutions Centre Measured UV Power 1 61 121 181 241 301 Time PEAK VALUE = PEAK POWER
AFIP = Advanced Functional & Industrial Print Typical Applications Textiles Printed E-Textiles 3C markets Medical Automotive Conventional Self driving Security Print Glass Force Sensitive Resistors Sensing Dental Medical Automotive
Our Company Established in 1979 50 colleagues 4,000m 3 Factory in Nottingham UK Over 4200 dryer installations globally 70% Export Approximately 80 dryers per year Global footprint
Our Company Constantly Improving, everything!! Best in Class performance Levels Reduced Lead-times Fast Product Development We invest in Our People Our Products Our Processes Profitable & sustainable Here to support your investment for the long term
What we do We design Performance into every dryer Precision & Control Drying Curing Energy State of the art design software Full CADCAM capability In-house machining & fabrication
We know AFIP >4000 dryer installations around the world 60% of builds are special purpose Our machines in the labs The most demanding applications Narrow operating windows Most challenging substrates Safety & life critical applications Many thousand of testing hours in DSC Massive body of expertise A culture of problem solving & innovation >4200 Installations >35 years leadership DSC Testing Deep Knowledge Experience Know - How
Market Position Focused on the Technology End of Market Precision & Control are key Narrow Process window High unit value products High yield is essential Partnering to develop processes We work closely with customers Drying Solutions Centre Defining processes Zero risk Simulation Market Technology Others Precision & Control
Market Direction The challenge from digital technology continues The threat from digital drives innovation in screen printing Screen printing has a place It can do things that digital can t Conductive Adhesive Metal effects 2.5 D features Screen remains a cost effective process for: Core product manufacture Applying a functional feature to an end product The Internet of Things is creating opportunities for our industry Flexible circuits offer much that rigid cannot
Advanced Functional Coating Brings Drying To The Fore Textiles Printed E-Textiles 3C markets Medical Automotive Conventional Self driving Force Sensitive Resistors Sensing Dental Medical Automotive Screen printing makes all this possible!
AFIP Brings Drying To The Fore What does this mean in terms of the screen print process? Many things in respect to ink processing and handling, press settings, deposition but the most crucial is the drying. Functional inks need excellent drying in order to.function Factors influenced by drying include: Adhesion Solvent retention Conductivity Durability Appearance Formability Substrate marking/blocking Yield at subsequent processing Without excellent control, precision and drying stability you will struggle.
AFIP Brings Drying To The Fore Example Conductive Ink Testing in Natgraph DSC 3 hot modules Variables Temperature Belt Speed Air Speed IR Intensity (0-35%) Measuring conductivity
AFIP Brings Drying To The Fore
AFIP Brings Drying To The Fore Competitor equipment in place 5⁰ across belt Ramp is not smooth (control?) Inefficient cooling Natgraph 0.5⁰ across belt Controlled & clean ramp Efficient cooling
AFIP Brings Drying To The Fore Example Water Based Ink Textile Transfer Testing in Natgraph DSC 3 hot modules Variables Air Speed IR Intensity (0 & 35%) Fixed Belt speed (8m/min) Temperature (125⁰C) 3 hot modules Variables Air Speed IR Intensity (0 & 35%) Test Module 1 Module 2 Module 3 Cooler Air Speed Result Speed Temp. IR Temp. IR Temp. IR 1 8 m/min 125 non 125 non off off on STD.(22m/s) Very tacky - FAIL 2 8 m/min 125 non 125 12 @ 50% off off on STD.(22m/s) Very tacky - FAIL 3 8 m/min 125 non 125 12 @ 80% off off on + chiller STD.(22m/s) Tacky - FAIL 4 8 m/min 125 non 125 12 @ 50% 125 12 @ 50% on + chiller STD.(22m/s) Good result - Pass 5 8 m/min 125 12 @ 50% 125 12 @ 50% 125 12 @ 50% on + chiller STD.(22m/s) Good result - Pass 6 8 m/min 125 non 125 12 @ 50% 125 12 @ 50% on + chiller HIGH (36m/s) Excellent result - Pass
AFIP Brings Drying To The Fore Example Conductive Ink Testing in Natgraph DSC 3 hot modules Variables Temperature Belt Speed Air Speed IR Intensity (0 & 35%) Measuring conductivity
AFIP Brings Drying To The Fore Press and dryer balance is changing Equipment decisions have traditionally been press first, dryer second. The needs of these functional applications mean that drying is the most critical consideration in your equipment decisions.
AFIP Brings Drying To The Fore Your dryer needs to be: Correctly specified Partnership Experience and expertise Testing Controllable and precise Belt Speed Air Speed Temperature UV intensity IR intensity Able to process the most demanding substrate Stable Feedback loops for all process elements Other considerations Data logging for traceability Operations/Production data Future proofing Expandable Real time alarm monitoring of all process variables
Drying Solutions Centre State of the art facility $700k investment Designed to define, specify & optimise your drying process Test, optimise, confirm & specify No risk Cylinder & Flat Bed Press Installation includes the world s most knowledgeable and experienced team on drying
AFIP Brings Drying To The Fore Questions?