1. International Coating Wood &
Wood Composites Conference
September 13-14, 2011
Charlotte, NC
UV-Curable Powder Coatings
for MDF Substrates
Michael Knoblauch
DVUV Holdings, LLC

2. Discussion Overview
 Market & Applications
 Why UV Powder?
 UV Curing Process
 Advantages
 Value of Powder Coating
 Environmental Benefits
 Questions

3. Coatings Market
 Paints and coatings market
North America paints and coatings market is valued at $21.2 billion.
In 2008, powder coating was a $6.5 billion industry.
Powder manufacturing is a $5 billion industry worldwide.
 UV-cured coating market
UV-curable coatings will grow at a 7.5% rate to $2.41 billion by
2014.

4. Industrial Coatings Market

5. Powder Coating MDF
 MDF or Medium Density Fiberboard
Hardboard made from wood fibers which are glued under
heat and pressure.
 Excellent substrate for UV powder coating
Dense & flat
Low porosity
Homogenous

6. Powder Coating MDF
 Heating the board draws moisture to the surface, making it conductive for
electrostatic powder application.
 2 Types of Application
Corona Spray
Powder passes through highly charged &
ionized corona field, powder picks up negative
charge
High transfer efficiency and applies quickly
Tribo Charging
Powder develops a static charge due to friction
Provides better penetration into recesses
Slower application and lower transfer
efficiency

7. UV Powder Applications for MDF
 Markets
Retail displays, fixtures and P-O-P
Healthcare and medical equipment
Storage and cabinetry
Specialty furniture
 Excellent Finish and Process
Superior wear characteristics
Visual appeal and design innovation
Fast, efficient manufacturing
Environmentally safe production and end-products

8. Why Powder Coat MDF?
 Increased design flexibility
No edge banding
Seamless 360° coverage
 Demand for environmentally
friendly products and processes.
No VOCs, HAPs, or solvents
 Superior wear characteristics
Strong cross-linked finish
Withstands high traffic environments

9. Why Powder Coat MDF?
 Fast and efficient production
20 minute process
1 coat finish
 Ease of material handling
No messy liquids
Ability to reclaim waste powder
 Fast color changes

10. Productivity & Innovation
Melamine
- 1 0 +1
+1
0
- 1
Productivity
Waterborne
UV
High
Pressure
HPL
Solvent
Based
Vinyl
(membrane
press.)
Vinyl
Flat
Paper
Thermoset
UV Powder
Liquid
Lamination
Powder
coating

11. UV Curing
Ultraviolet curing (commonly known as UV curing) is a
photochemical process in which high-intensity ultraviolet light is
used to instantly cure or “dry” inks, coatings or adhesives.

12. Cross-Linked UV Curing
 Separates gel/flow stage
from cure
Ensures complete cure for
extended finish life
Expands potential gloss
range
Enables smoother textures
Eliminates cracking
 Creates cross-linked and
bonded molecular finish
Produces superior surface
that resists damage and
maintains ideal appearance

13. UV-Cured Powder Coating Process
Melt & Flow
1 min
UV Cure
seconds
Powder
Deposition
Finished ProductSubstrate
Pretreatment
Raw Component to Finished Product:
20 Minutes

14. 14Windy City Coatings Conference
April 27 & 28th
, 2011
UV Powder Application System
• A UV powder application
system
Parts are loaded and
prepared
Pretreatment
Electrostatic powder
application
Flow/Melt oven
UV Cure oven
Powder Coating
Application
Environmental
Room
Unload
Area
Load
Area
Pretreatment
Melt
Oven
UV Cure
Oven
Prep
200 feet line – cycle 20 minutes

15. UV Powder System Video

16. UV Finishing Advantages
 Increases production speed & productivity
Liquid finishing requires flash off
Thermal curing requires 30 minutes or more
Thermoset higher temperatures require extra cooling time
 Requires less energy and plant footprint

17. Reduced Manufacturing Footprint
Typical thermal powder plant size
>15,000 sqft
Typical UV
powder plant
size
2,050 sqft

18. UV Finishing Advantages
 Reduces reject rates
Shorter line –– faster response time to fix issues
Reduced number of parts on line
 Improved product performance
Less thermal exposure
Reduces outgassing

19. Speed Wins!
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Finish Time (min)
Liquid Coatings
Thermoset Powder
UV Powder
Part Cycle Time Anaylsis
Thermal Cure Coating Systems (Powder & Liquid)
vs. UV Powder Coatings
Coating Application
Melt & Flow
UV cure
Solvent Flash
Thermal Cure
Cooling

20. The Value of Powder Coating
 Applied material cost advantage
No solvents or liquids
Up to a 95% material utilization
 Shorter process time
Increased finishing capacity, faster ROI
Lower energy consumption
Shorter set-up times, less down time
 Efficient
Requires less energy and plant space

21. The Value of Powder Coating
 Energy Productivity
Requires 1/4 to 1/8 less oven capacity than a solvent borne system
Utilizes gas to power ovens and electricity to power the UV lamp
system
 Solvent - Free
Savings associated to solvent incineration
Reduced waste disposal cost
 Less energy per part

22. ROI Example
System Productive Capacity 3,000,000 Sq/ft/shift
Selling Price $4.00 Per/sq ft
Total Revenue $12,000,000 1 shift
Operating Margin 10%
Net Operating Margin $1,200,000
Net Investment $1,000,000
ROI Year 1 20%

23. Environmental Benefits
 Green Finish Formulation:
No VOCs (volatile organic compounds)
No HAPs (hazardous air pollutants)
No PVC (polyvinyl chloride)
No Solvents
 Powder overspray can be reclaimed up to 95%
 MDF components can be recycled into mulch

24. Environmental Benefits
Environmentally Sustainable Process:
UV curing is extremely energy efficient
 Fast, single-step process
20 minutes from raw MDF to finished parts
 Smaller manufacturing footprint
¼ - ⅓ the size required for other finishing processes
 Reduced energy consumption
40-60% energy savings compared to other finishes

25. MDF and CARB Compliance
CARB
(California Air Resources Board)
In 2007, the California Environmental Protection Agency implemented
limits on the formaldehyde emitted from composite wood panels.
UV powder coating for MDF meets all CARB phase I and II compliances.
Phase I limits emitted urea-formaldehyde to <.21 ppm and <.11 for
phase II.
UV-cured powder coating seals in remaining formaldehyde.

26. 26
Breadth of Pallet - Color & Effect
Metallic
Multi- Component
Full Color Pallet
Opaque

27. Custom Color Matching
 Excellent scratch resistance hardness and chemical resistance
are all possible; together with a wide range of colors.
 UV powder can be matched to meet any color standard
RAL
Pantone Matching System (PMS)
Laminate Finishes
Liquid Paints
Any Supplied Sample

28. Examples
Interactive Retail Display
Healthcare Component
POP Display
Educational Lectern
Architectural Element

29. Conclusion
UV-cured powder coating for MDF provides:
 High speed finishing and increased productivity
 Greater ROI
 Energy and space savings
 Environmentally friendly finishing option
 Durable and high quality product

30. Thank You!
Questions?Michael Knoblauch
President
DVUV Holdings, LLC
4641 Hinckley Ind. Pkwy.
Cleveland, OH 44109
mfk@dvuv.com
216-741-5511