NEW CORONA AND PLASMA TREATMENT SOLUTIONS HOW TO GAIN PRODUCTIVITY

Transcription

1 SURFACE TREATMENT : NEW CORONA AND PLASMA TREATMENT SOLUTIONS HOW TO GAIN PRODUCTIVITY

2 Dec 2011 : creation of STTS, only French Corona equipment manufacturer and specialist of surface treatment solutions for more than 35 years. More than 4000 sysems currently running mainly in France and worldwide (Europe, Japan, USA & South America, Rep. Tchèch Republic, Canada, China ) SYSTEMES ET TECHNOLOGIES DE TRAITEMENT DE SURFACE Numerous partnerships with intégrators and machine manufacturers, glue, ink and paint companies, Research centers, laboratories, universities etc... Stand alone or on-line integrated solutions thanks to a pre-study and customs made designs made in close relationships with our customers 2

3 CORE COMPETENCE : SURFACE TREATMENT FACTS : Surface energy, specifically those of plastics materials, can be too low to allow a good adhesion Layer deposit (paint, varnish, adhesive, metal ) on a solid support puts in presence together two layers of thin thickness situated on the extreme surface, as well on the substrate than than on the deposit. Their thicknesses are of few nanometers and determine therefore a zone currently called interface. This is the location where we find or not adhesive links. Mechanically, the surface energy (or tension) is expressed as a force fighting against a surface growth and related to a length unit. The higher the surface energy of the substrate is, more the interfacial interactions are important and increase the adhesion coefficients. You can either use the old industrial denomination called DYN/cm2 or express it in mn/m. 3

4 HOW TO MESURE THE SURFACE TENSION? In laboratory : contact angle measurement of a water drop Avant activation Après activation Mesure d angle de contact de goutte d eau Goniomètre électronique During tests (Design of Experiment) or in production (on line) : normalized reactive liquids Réactifs de mesure de tension de surface en flacons Réactifs de mesure de tension de surface en stylos 4

5 WHAT ARE WE LOOKING FOR WITH A PROCESS OF SURFACE TREATMENT? TARGET : To glue but also print, paint, varnish, foam or coat on plastic materials In other words : make a product bond.. 5

6 On a diversity of materials and substrates PP, PE and all other thermoplastic polymers et tous types de polymères Elastomeres, rubbers Composites matetials Metal, carbon materials Glass. And even leather, wood 6

7 On all simple or complex foms / profiles Films, labels, paper Flexible and rigid plates, thin or thick 3D parts (injected, thermoformed, extruded ) Profiles 7

8 In all industrial domains such as Automotive/Aerospace and Aeronautic Packaging Electronics / technical parts Medical / Pharma / Cosmetc Construction / building Household appliances 8

9 WHICH ARE THE CURRENTLY USED PROCESSES? Surface Abrasion : improvement of the roughness (mechanical anchorage) Main drawbacks : Possible Alteration of the aspect (fragiles, translucent surfaces ) Creation of dust or surface pollution Chemical cleaning: chimical solution baths UV + Primers Flame teatment Use of chemicals not ecological The use of certain chemicals is against certain European REACH directives. Costs : permanent consupmtion (cost to permanently impact on part price) Risks of «over-treatment», deformations, warpage (overheat) Not constant quality of results : constraint of settings, If flame use (sometimes necessary), secured systemss are mandatory ( insurance costs, necessity to have a secured gaz input & exhaust..) 9

10 OTHER METHODS CAN BE USED : THE ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE TREATMENT CORONA OR PLASMA CORONA treatment Atmospherical Plasma Treatment 10

11 PHYSICAL AND CHIMICAL SURFACE REACTION DURING ELECTRICAL TREATMENT The surface bombing of polymers with particles (ions, électrons, radicals ) coming from electro-magnetic discharges separate the covalent carbon-hydrogen and carbon-carbon links to mainly create free radicals. These radicals can be saved, recombine between each other, react with oxygen and bring the formation of chimical polar sites and/or begin a graft reaction, in presence of an appropriate composed gaz (other gazes than air). The durability of treatment (time interval between treatment and application of the material) is directly linked to the life time and of the becoming of the free radicals created on the surface. 11

12 PHYSICAL AND CHIMICAL SURFACE REACTION DURING ELECTRICAL TREATMENT The corona effect is an electrical discharge created in a very high tension electrical field and through a space where no temperature is generated. In this environment, the electrons, ions, radicals are grafting on the surface, among others, oxygen and nitrogen particels present in the air.. diélectrique masse The plasma discharge is an electrical arc created in a torch in which we will have generated specific conditions allowing the creation of a plasma environment and where the turbulences are created with a gaz (air, othes). These turbulences allow to create a plasma jet controlled which is coming out of the nozzle in a very concentrated way with effect of polar sites creations on the surface, with other chemical properties on the surface if we use other gazes than air. 12

13 CONVENTIONAL AND INNOVATIVE CORONA TREATMENT Classical CORONA treatment : - The direct CORONA treatment - The ceramic CORONA treatment - Blower Sparks CORONA treatment CORONA TREATMENT : Innovation - The Indirect CORONA treatment 13

14 CONVENTIONAL CORONA TREATMENT Several conventional Corona treatment are currently used : each of them are chosen following the application and specifications of the production process Direct Treatment Ceramic Treatment Blower Sparks Treatment 14

15 CONVENTIONAL CORONA TREATMENT SURFACE Direct type Corona treatment Principle : the material to be treated goes inbetween an electrod and a counterelectrod (cylinder, mandrel or mask) films, sheets, parts on mandrel (-6mm thickness) parts on metalic mask Applications : Printing, food films gluing, lables, electical wires, syringes, Caps, Tubes. 15

16 CONVENTIONAL CORONA TREATMENT SURFACE Ceramic type Corona treatment Principle : the material, all or partly conductive, is treated by a ceramic electrod Treatment on metal support Treatment of partly or totally conductive Treatment of rubber, material containing carbon Applications : Carbon profiles for automotive, metal panels with epoxy coating, fine Polymer parts on metal lines, metal films for decoration etc 16

17 CONVENTIONAL CORONA TREATMENT SURFACE Blower Sparks type Corona treatment Principle : Low frequency system applied on two electrod in one treatment head in which the discharge is blown on the surface. Treatment of flat or hollow parts Treatment of parts with light or complex relief Treatment of profiles Applications : Ink jet printing, pad printing, cosmetic, automotive, glasses, connectors Household parts etc 17

18 INNOVATIVE CORONA TREATMENT SURFACE THE INDIRECT DISCHARGE TYPE : a unique feature Principle : the quality and efficiency of the «classical» corona discharge without any width limit, without any thickness limit (runs without any counter electrod). 18

19 INDIRECT DISCHARGE CORONA TREATMENT Principle : Treatment on very large zones, thick parts in complete integration on production lines Applications : Profiles, foam plates, full or hollow pannels, honeycomb, doors panels, PP panels for clean rooms or industrial buildings, special floors in PVC, polycarbonate panels for sandwich doors etc 19

20 INDIRECT DISCHARGE CORONA TREATMENT Principle : treatment of parts which the profil do not allow any counter electrod in semi-automatic or full automated processes On 3D parts with low relief on the zone to be treated : Applications : Connectors, automotive parts, aeronautic, household, cosmetic, Packaging, medical and pharma. 20

21 IMPLEMENTATION The implementation is usually made in line but can also be made off line (laboratory, mobile unit, etc ) Every application is studied and the industrial conception made specifically to fit the improvement requirements of the adhesion coefficient and the industrial constraints : need to propose complete solutions. Application examples : 21

22 CONVENTIONAL AND INNOVATIVE PLASMA TREATMENT Atmospheric Plasma torch PLASMA Treatment Piezoelectical PLASMA Treatment 22

23 CONVENTIONAL PLASMA TREATMENT Atmospherical pressure Plasma Treatment : Features : - Very concentrated plasma jet - Very low conductivity of the treatment - System settings very flexible depending on the applications : Frequency, power, gaz - Temperature regulation : 3 different nozzles allow to choose the surface temperature : low for sensitive surfaces, medium for activate quicker, very high for surface cleaning - Flexible and really easy to integrate - Use of air or other gazes in order to get different surface properties or to accelerate the activation - Very DOE friendly! - Quality control available 23

24 PLASMA SURFACE TREATMENT Designed for : Groove for insulation joints gluing Local treatment at very high rate Complex or simple profiles Conductive as well as non conductive materials. 24

25 «CONVENTIONAL PLASMA TREATMENT Examples of industrial applications : Composites materials on metal adhesion Cosmetic lipstick parts for printing Plastic card printing at very high rate Cable / Tube printing at very high rate Automotive bodywork for insulation material gluing Heating body metal plates for innovative solid glue adhesion Contact lenses individual eyedropper for printing 25

26 «CONVENTIONAL PLASMA TREATMENT Composites materials on metal adhesion 26

27 «CONVENTIONAL PLASMA TREATMENT Examples of industrial applications : Cosmetic lipstick parts for printing 27

28 «CONVENTIONAL PLASMA TREATMENT Examples of industrial applications : Plastic card printing at very high rate : 28

29 «CONVENTIONAL PLASMA TREATMENT Examples of industrial applications : Cable / Tube printing at very high rate 29

30 «CONVENTIONAL PLASMA TREATMENT Examples of industrial applications : Automotive bodywork for insulation material gluing 30

31 «CONVENTIONAL PLASMA TREATMENT Examples of industrial applications : Heating body metal plates for innovative solid glue adhesion 31

32 «CONVENTIONAL PLASMA TREATMENT Examples of industrial applications : Contact lenses individual eyedropper for printing 32

33 PLASMA SURFACE TREATMENT Surface cleaning PCB activation Before overmolding LDPE powder vaporisation for polymer / metal adhesion 33

34 INNOVATIVE PLASMA TREATMENT PIEZOELECTRICAL PLASMA TREATMENT 34

35 PIEZOELECTRICAL PLASMA TREATMENT 35

36 BENEFITS OF THE ELECTRICAL DISCHARGE TREATMENT : QUALITY AND EFFICIENCY OF THE TREATMENT PROCESSES Surface quality identical after treatment : no alteration, neither aspect modification of the surface, cleanliness Treatment efficiency : quality stability in time = reliability of the process Enegy consumption : stable and controlled Technical reliability : robust equipment with very low need in maintenance Industrial equipment customs made designed for production integration Ecological technologies (without solvants) and very friendly to use (simple use for operators) SPECIFIC INNOVATIONS : Corona Indirect Discharge, Piezoelectical Plasma FLEXIBILITY AND ADAPTATION allow to enlarge the possibilities and opportunities for new applications and new processes! 36

37 THANK YOU FOR YOUR ATTENTION Nathalie SENINCK - President Mobile : +33 : n.seninck@stts-surface.fr Place de la Mairie La Ferté S/Chiers FRANCE Tél : +33 (0) Fax : +33 (0) Iain Ford CONTACT Geschäftsführer - Chemisch-Technische Produkte Nathalie SENINCK Managing Director - Chemical & Technical Products Tel +43 (0) DW 40 i.ford@ulbrich.at ULBRICH Maschinenbau- und Export-Import Betriebsg.m.b.H. Josefsthaler Strasse 34 A-2512 Tribuswinkel / Austria