Following the successful experience of sister company API Foils Lawrence with its own General metallizer, when API Foils decided to upgrade the metallizing operations at its Rahway, New Jersey, location in the USA, it, too, turned to General Vacuum Equipment for a new machine.
Metallizing is a key process in API's production, and with increasing business, the Rahway operation chose GVE’s high productivity EHF 2,250mm web width vacuum web coater. The EHF is specifically designed for high volume metallizing of a wide range of plastics films ranging from BOPP, PET and CPE to LDPE, UPVC and nylon. GVE claims “robust reliability” combined with high coating quality and process control at speeds up to 840m/min.
The machine’s ‘closed loop’ automatic deposition control system is said to provide precise coating thickness and evaporation conditions. Gas wedge injection lowers rewind temperatures for improved product quality and the evaporation source is ergonomically positioned for easy cleaning and maintenance.
Joe DeParto, general manager at Rahway, comments: “We wanted a machine that would provide product consistency and improve our manufacturing capabilities. All of our products require a high quality, automatically controlled process that produces consistent quality metallized films from run to run. The EHF not only produces batch controlled aluminum metallizing, but also provides the High Refractive Index coatings needed for our diffraction and holographic products,” he explains.
The EHF has an advanced winding system for precise control of the web tension and a touchscreen computer control system for easy operator interaction. Loading of uncoated rolls is also said to be quick and simple to perform.
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