NORDSON Offers Converters Diverse Fluid Coating Technologies Backed by Extensive Expertise and Worldwide Local Support


WESTLAKE, OHIO, U.S.A. — Nordson Corporation now provides a diverse portfolio of fluid coating systems backed by many decades of experience with slot die technologies and supported by a worldwide sales and technical service network, the company announced today, Nordson will feature its expanded fluid coating capabilities at ICE Asia 2014 (Stand C13).  



The Nordson portfolio includes fluid delivery, slot-die application, and die positioning systems for applying hot melts, solvent- and water-based materials, inks, magnetic media, and many other materials. Viscosity capabilities range from 1 to 250,000 cps.  Taken all together, these fluid coating systems have extensive application histories in markets as diverse as automotive, construction, electronics, energy, food packaging, tapes and labels, and textiles.         



The technologies now available from Nordson include well-established slot die systems originally developed by Nordson itself and by EDI, Premier Dies Corporation, and Liberty Coating Equipment. EDI, acquired by Nordson in 2012 and now known as Nordson Extrusion Dies Industries, had previously acquired the Premier and Liberty businesses. Nordson has expanded the international sales and technical service available for these acquired systems through its network of directly operated facilities in 30 countries. The company now manufactures slot dies in the U.S., Europe, and Asia and maintains trial laboratories at seven locations in China, Germany, India, Japan, Korea, and the U.S.



"Drawing on two hundred years of combined experience with high-precision coating systems and on our comprehensive global service capability, Nordson offers converters worldwide the opportunity to discover the many advantages of slot die technology over conventional fluid coating systems like roll coating," said Keith Wheeler, director of Nordson's fluid coating business. "As pre-metered systems, slot dies apply to the substrate all of the coating fluid fed into the die, and as closed systems they do so with consistency and without contamination or emission of volatiles. The greater accuracy and uniformity of slot die application makes possible increased line speeds and improved finished product yields per given quantity of coating fluid." 



Slot die systems now available from Nordson include three types whose application mode is "contact / wipe," in which the die lip is used to wipe the coating material directly onto the substrate, and one "non-contact / draw" system, in which the die exit is a small distance from the substrate and the motion of the backup roll or tension web draws the coating into a thin layer. 



"Premier™ fixed-lip / shim system. Key advantages of this non-contact / draw system include high precision, ease of use, and capability of applying very thin coatings.  Because the lips are fixed, the die provides a high degree of precision and run-to-run repeatability with a minimum of operator intervention. Gap adjustment must be carried out by means of shims. The die can apply coatings with viscosities in the 1 to 175,000 cpm range. Minimum wet coating thickness is 1 micron. Coat weight accuracy is held to +/- 1 to 2%.   



• UltraCoat™ adjustable-lip system. Versatility is a key feature of this contact / wipe system, in which the coating gap and width can be adjusted without having to disassemble the die. Gap adjustment may be manual (UltraFlex™) or automated (AutoFlex™) and makes it possible to offset variations in cross-web profile thickness and process parameters. The UltraCoat system can be used with the full range of fluid coating materials, including hot melts. The shear forces involved in wiping the coating material onto the substrate help to enhance surface quality. The die can apply coatings with viscosities in the 1 to 250,000 cpm range. Minimum wet coating thickness is 12 microns. Coat weight accuracy in non-hot melt applications is held to +/- 1.75 to 3.5%.



• TrueCoat™ TCHP fixed-lip / shim system for hot melts. The key advantage of this contact / wipe system are its capability for quick changeovers and its ease of use. Use of a rotating bar in full-width coating makes possible streak-free coverage and excellent edge control, making the die particularly beneficial for tape and label applications. For stripe coating, fast pattern changes are achieved with quick-change, replaceable slot nozzles. As one nozzle is running in the machine, the other can be prepared with a shim plate, which defines the coating pattern. For larger application widths, a trolley facilitates the nozzle change. The net changeover time is within several minutes. The flexibility and functionality of the TrueCoat TCHP slot applicator is expanded with capability to quickly change between slot nozzle and rotating bar nozzle modes. The die can apply coatings with viscosities in the 1 to 50,000 cpm range. Minimum coating thickness is 12 microns. Coat weight accuracy is held to +/- 5%.



• SpeedCoat™ fixed-lip / shim system for hot melts. This contact / wipe system is designed for intermittent pattern coating and is well suited for short runs and rapid changeovers. The die can apply coatings with viscosities in the 1 to 50,000 cpm range. Minimum coating thickness is 12 microns. Coat weight accuracy is held to +/- 5%.



Along with these slot dies, Nordson manufactures a wide range of related equipment essential for fluid coating accuracy and productivity. Fluid delivery systems provide a non-pulsing, consistent feed of fluid to the die, ensuring consistent coating volumes. Die positioners or coating stations provide repeatability and adjustability. And vacuum boxes help to control the length of the coating bead and the processing window for developing surface properties. Also available are complete modular coating systems for lease or purchase by customers, as well as for on-site customer trials.



Headquartered in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, U.S.A., Nordson EXTRUSION DIES INDUSTRIES is part of the Nordson Corporation Polymer Processing Systems product offering and is a leading international supplier of flat dies, feedblocks, and related equipment for film, sheet, extrusion coating, fluid coating, and pelletizing. The company operates plants in the U.S.A, Belgium, China, and Japan, including capabilities in all four countries for remanufacturing its own dies and those built by other suppliers. Visit www.nordsonedi.com. E-mail: sales@nordsonedi.com.



Nordson Corporation (Nasdaq: NDSN) engineers, manufactures and markets differentiated products and systems used for the precision dispensing and processing of adhesives, coatings, polymers and plastics, sealants, biomaterials and other materials and for fluid management, test and inspection, UV curing and plasma surface treatment, all supported by application expertise and direct global sales and service. Nordson serves a wide variety of consumer non-durable, durable and technology end markets including packaging, nonwovens, electronics, medical, appliances, energy, transportation, construction, and general product assembly and finishing. Founded in 1954 and headquartered in Westlake, Ohio, the company has operations and support offices in more than 30 countries. Visit Nordson on the web at www.nordson.com, www.twitter.com/Nordson_Corp or www.facebook.com/nordson.


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