Objective
The purpose of the project is to develop a commercially viable and novel coating process which has significant advantages over current technology in the areas of environmental protection, new coating products and reduced process costs. The primary tasks in the project will be to develop new powder formulations for application to timber based substrates which emulate the large variety of appearance and performance properties currently available for metal coating. Encouraging results from a previous feasibility study, have encouraged a GB based SME, Eurotek Office Furniture Ltd to become the Prime Proposer of this project. Eurotek would like to develop a new finishing system based on solvent free materials which would be suitable for the coating of wood based furniture panels. It is envisaged that the project will conclude with the introduction of a new, successful and fully commercial panel coating operation within a furniture and parquet floor component manufacturing site. Significant environmental benefits are predicted as the resultant process will enable manufacturing companies to reduce their Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) by 100%, especially when finishing wood based materials including Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF). In addition major reductions, of up to 90%, in waste from coatings are currently being forecasted. Manufacturing costs will also be reduced significantly due to the advantages offered by a one coat process compared to the more traditional multi coat process which uses solvent based carriers. A recent feasibility report has indicated that SMEs have the potential to reduce their finishing costs by up to 40% in coating application and 95% in energy consumption for the curing of coatings. The proposed project involves both SMEs from the GB and The Netherlands together with relevant research and development expertise at FIL (GB), TNO (NL) and The Buckinghamshire College (GB). Additional SME involvement is encouraged especially from furniture, joinery and other wood based manufacturing sectors throughout the EC.
Fields of science
Topic(s)
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
CRS - Cooperative research contractsCoordinator
PO22 9SB Bognor Regis
United Kingdom