Laboratory and pilot plant for coating application by wet route.

DESCRIPTION

(Electro)chemical surface finishing

Fully equipped laboratory for (electro)chemical processes with electrochemical cells of different volumes (up to 10 L), potentiostat-galvanostats, dip-coating, spray-coating, glove box, thermostatic baths, controlled atmosphere sintering furnaces, ultrasonic probes, ICP, IC, Z potential and TOC, among other equipment. Semi-industrial pilot plant that consists of:
• Tanks up to 250 L capacity with several heaters, cooling coil, mechanical agitation, air agitation, the possibility to place counter-electrodes in different positions, level probe, lid and suction hood.
• Electrochemical simulation and modelling software (COMSOL Multiphysics) that allows understanding, optimizing, and controlling electrodeposition processes.
• Planned to acquire a monitoring and control software for the electrochemical pilot plant that facilitates the connectivity of the plant with a MES (Manufacturing Execution System) from which the manufacturing plant of the components as a whole will be managed.

Ceramic coating protection

A cutting edge technology based on novel ceramic coating protection for metal components (carbon steel, stainless steel, high and cast alloys), subjected to industrial extreme conditions (chemical, temperature, pressure). This technological approach gives an efficient and environmental friendly solution, protecting components from critical degradation and keeping the energetic efficiency by avoiding fouling and corrosion phenomena.

The ceramic coating protection is supported by a suitable thickness (±150 µm) and chemical bonding to the metal substrate, with a smooth surface avoiding ashes, sub-products and liquids fouling & corrosion degradation. Easy to clean properties, high emissivity, chemical resistance to the most common industrial acids and salts products (hot & cold) and thermally resistant up to 800ºC (metal substrate temperature) combined with a high abrasion resistance and hardness (64HRc - 840Hv) are also key properties for this ceramic protection technology.

Printing technology

Cidetec´s printing technology is based on a semi-automatic shuttle table screen printing machine with moving print table for printing on rigid and flexible materials as used in electronic applications:
• Print size (mm): 550x750.
• Max. Substrate thickness (mm): 20.
• High precision screen printing and easy operation on the highest technological level, max. adjustment to the print requirement.
• The whole machine concept allows short set-up times and economic handling.
The anti-drip feature provides perfect print quality and works well with translucent ink applications.

Sol-gel coatings

CIDETEC’s facilities for the application of sol-gel and functional coatings include dip coaters, various spray guns to be used to treat big size samples (up to 30 x 40 cm). Thermal, IR and UV curing can be carried out depending on the type of formulation or process requirements.

A specific area of the laboratory is designed to accommodate project-specific scientific equipment for the development of sol-gel coatings and many techniques (DSC, FT-IR, viscosimetry, thickness measurement by interferometry…) are available for the proper characterization of the properties of formulations and coatings.

Characterization laboratory

Moreover, surface characterization laboratory that allows the analysis of the physical, mechanical and chemical properties of coatings (roughness, morphology, microstructure, thermography, corrosion, wear, tribocorrosion, hardness, wettability, brightness, colour, etc.) and some equipment’s, such as heating microscope, high temperature tests, microscopy, microhardness, etc.