Mark's Coating Matters

Particles in Fluid Coating

Published: August 12, 2014, By Mark Miller

With the modern coating era upon us, the need to coat functional materials has grown exponentially. Whether you are looking to coat flexible electronics, solar panels, optical films, or energy storage devices, the need for fluids that provide transmission of energy is important. So how can fluids provide this superior performance? Particles.

Slot Die Coating Technology

Published: July 17, 2014, By Mark Miller

Slot die coating technology is a function of the coating process, auxiliary system and fundamental technique. The decision to utilize a coating technology needs to be analyzed against these functions to determine best fit. In the era of clean, thin and precise converting operations, a customized coating system is necessary to have a technical edge. Building the system from the material up to the process sets the stage for a high precision tool designed around the process needs.

Interfacial Dynamics

Published: June 17, 2014, By Mark Miller

When describing fluid flow onto substrates to people not living in the world of converting operations is like trying to explain rocket science to a pig. Very few people ever wonder how the glue on tape is placed, or how plastic sheets focus light on a TV screen. I guess we are some of the lucky few!

Streak Formation

Published: May 14, 2014, By Mark Miller

Streak formation is misunderstood and misdiagnosed in the world of coating. Understand how streaks are formed and how to eliminate them.

Agglomerates

Published: April 24, 2014, By Mark Miller

Agglomeration is a dispersion issue that can cause headaches for coating operators. Fundamentally, an agglomerate is a collection of particles that stick together and create a larger particle that can get stuck in narrow gaps or cause coating defects. Why is this such an issue?

Top Five Things To Remember in Fluid Coating

Published: February 18, 2014, By Mark Miller

The development of coating, curing and converting for the fluid industry leads the individual process engineer in the direction of choices within boundaries. Do your operational choices allow for the future?

Slot Die DOs and DON'Ts

Published: January 31, 2014, By Mark Miller

When equipment is mishandled and damaged unnecessarily, these nicks and dings are both expensive and avoidable. Here's what a maintenance manager can do.

Dispersions Revisited

Published: December 14, 2013, By Mark Miller

The forces involved in developing a stable coating on a substrate require viewing key features from an internal perspective of the fluid to understand which forces work for us and which against us.