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Solutions
Polluted coastal waters cost the world economy more than $12.5 billion annually in death and disease. At least part of the problem stems from the burning of fossil fuels, which account for 80% of the world’s total energy supply. It is estimated that the shipping industry alone uses 350 to 410 million tons of fuel annually, resulting in millions of tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Global emissions of carbon dioxide from shipping are believed to be twice the amounts emitted from aviation. Reducing the amount of fuel used by ships could therefore have a significant impact on pollution, while also substantially reducing costs. One way to achieve this goal is to use coatings that prevent the growth of marine organisms. By eliminating the surface resistance caused by the buildup of these organisms on the hulls of marine vessels, such coatings can reduce the amount of fuel needed to propel the vessel. New powder coatings and thermal spraying devices are making it easier and more cost-effective to apply these coatings to today’s marine vessels…
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In This Issue:

Product of the Week: Flexible, Precise P-250iA/15 Robot 
PPG PMC Debuts Waterborne Acrylic Topcoat 
Nickel-Oxide Coating Improves Solar Cell Efficiency  
Enthone Opens Advanced Plating Applications Lab 
FANUC Launches Robot Training Program 
Chrysler Names PPG Top-Performing Supplier 
DuBois Chemicals Earns Recognition from John Deere 
PDA Deems 9th Annual Conference a Success 
Rohm and Haas Promotes Sustainable Coatings 
Polyamide Powder Facilitates Thin-Film Electrostatic Coatings 
Polyurethane Coating Prevents Mildew Growth on Steel 
Sanding Disc Absorbs Dust, Lasts Longer 
Nano-Coatings Conference to Explore Emerging Applications 
WESTEC 2008 Focuses on "Workforce Development" 
Southern Metal Finishing Opens Registration for 2008 Event 
FT Online: Seaworthy Solutions
Plating Q&A 
Finishing People 

PRODUCT OF THE WEEK

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FANUC Robotics’ P-250iA/15 Coating Robot
FANUC Robotics’ P-250iA/15 robot is a reliable and precise solution for coating consumer and automotive products, including plastic, metal and fiberglass parts. The six-axis, high-speed P-250i A/15 features a hollow wrist design and ‘best in class’ work envelope, offering flexibility and easy system integration for a wide range of paint process equipment. Floor and invert mounting, a slim arm and wrist, and multiple hose routing options allows the robot to access unusual or hard-to-reach parts, even in small workspaces.

1-800-iQ-ROBOT
marketing@fanucrobotics.com
fanucrobotics.com

FINISHING BUZZ

Nickel-Oxide Coating Improves Solar Cell Efficiency
A team of Northwestern University researchers has developed a new anode coating strategy that significantly enhances the efficiency of solar energy power conversion. The approach employs a laser deposition technique that coats the anode of a plastic cell with a very thin (5 to 10 nanometers thick) and smooth layer of nickel oxide.
Want to Know Why This Works Better Than Conventional Approaches?

Enthone Opens Advanced Plating Applications Lab
Enthone Inc., a business of Cookson Electronics, recently celebrated the grand opening of its advanced plating applications laboratory located at the company’s West Haven, CT, facility. The state-of-the-art applications laboratory houses multiple high-performance plating lines that enable processing of Enthone functional, decorative and electronic coatings.
Want to Know the Goals for the New Lab?

FANUC Launches Robot Training Program
FANUC Robotics America, Inc. recently introduced the Certified Education Robot Training (CERT) program, a new certification available to qualified high schools, community colleges and universities. The program certifies instructors at educational institutions to train their students to program FANUC robots.
Want More Information?

Chrysler Names PPG Top-Performing Supplier
Chrysler LLC recently named PPG Industries the top-performing supplier of exterior systems in the automaker’s 2007 Supplier Pentastar Awards. PPG, a leading supplier of coatings and glass products to Chrysler, was honored for performance based on Chrysler’s External Balance Scorecard, which rates suppliers on quality, technology, cost and delivery.
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DuBois Chemicals Earns Recognition from John Deere
DuBois Chemicals has earned recognition as a Partner-level supplier for 2007 in the John Deere Achieving Excellence Program. The Partner-level status is Deere & Co.’s highest supplier rating. This is the second year in a row that DuBois has received this award from John Deere.
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PDA Deems 9th Annual Conference a Success
Polyurea Development Association (PDA) hosted its ninth Annual Conference February 12-15 at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta, GA, with the theme, "Polyurea: Where Technology Shapes Solutions." According to conference organizers, the event was a success.
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Rohm and Haas Promotes Sustainable Coatings

Rohm and Haas Co. helped sponsor the "Sustainable Chemistry, Innovative and Competitive Companies conference held in Barcelona, Spain, February 21-22, 2008. During the conference, the company presented a paper titled, "Innovation and Management Methodology for a Sustainable Paint and Coatings Market."

Want to Know What the Methodology Involves?

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FINISHING INNOVATIONS

PPG PMC Debuts Waterborne Acrylic Topcoat
Pitt-Tech Plus is a new waterborne acrylic topcoat from PPG Protective and Marine Coatings (PMC). The product has a VOC content under 100 g/L, making it ideal for areas with stringent regulations. It has been formulated for direct-to-metal application and primer use on multiple substrates, including steel and concrete.
Want More Information?

Polyamide Powder Facilitates Thin-Film Electrostatic Coatings
VESTOSINT® is a new polyamide 12 coating powder from Essen, Germany-based Evonik Industries. The black powder for electrostatic application processes can be applied with commercially available tribo and corona spray guns at relatively low coating film thicknesses, down to 40 µm.
Want More Details?

Polyurethane Coating Prevents Mildew Growth on Steel
Interthane 990 UHS from International Paint LLC, an Akzo Nobel company, is a new low-VOC polyurethane technology that contains additives to help prevent the growth of mildew on the surface of exposed coated steelwork. The high-performance, two-component white acrylic polyurethane was specially designed as a solution for the booming petrochemical ethanol market.
Want More Information?

Sanding Disc Absorbs Dust, Lasts Longer
The Joest Superpad P, available through a partnership between Webb Abrasives and Joest, is perforated across its entire surface. This patented design reportedly allows for continuous dust extraction and prevents filling and clogging of the disc. As a result, the sanding pad wears more evenly over the abrasive surface and lasts up to four times longer than conventional discs.  
Want More Details?

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FINISHING AGENDA

Nano-Coatings Conference to Explore Emerging Applications

"Nanotechnology in Coatings: Emerging Applications" will be held March 26–28, 2008, at the Caribe Royale, in Orlando, FL. This conference will explore emerging applications in nanotechnology and discuss ways that these technologies will impact the user by providing competitive advantages in the development of new coatings products.

Want More Information?

WESTEC 2008 Focuses on "Workforce Development"

The Society of Manufacturing Engineers' WESTEC 2008 Exposition and Conference will take place March 31-April 3 at the Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, CA. This year, WESTEC will launch an all-new Back-to-Basics theme, highlighting a workforce development program, offering pathways to manufacturing careers, including educational sessions.

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Southern Metal Finishing Opens Registration for 2008 Event
Southern Metal Finishing, an annual metal finishing conference held each year in Charleston, SC, has announced that registration is now opened for its September 14th-16th, 2008 conference and tradeshow.
Want More Information?

Visit our online Agenda for a complete list of upcoming industry events.

Do you know of an event that should be added to our calendar? Please e-mail Kristi Grahl.

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