Often a customer has a specific need or even an innovative idea. It is our competence to test the different feasibility aspects of this need or idea on both lab and pilot scale. Hence a thorough study of the process/product relationship can be performed outside of the eminent industrial risks. Extra characterization, alternative solutions, fast screening and modelling means can drastically decrease the time-to-market. Many industrial partners appreciate our specific upscaling skill with respect to metallic coating.

Thanks to our pilot annealing and galvanization line we have been able to master and improve the galvanization process under conditions close to industrial practice. New types of coating compositions, specific annealing and environment conditions, management of the molten Zn bath, control of the wiping and cooling, have all been fine-tuned thanks to our unique galvanization pilot line. Our combined experience in metallic coating, line management and sensor control has led to both incremental and breakthrough technologies and processes. Although this traditional Zn coating technology exists for many decades our projects are even more in line with societal challenges like lower environmental footprint thanks to higher yield and lower energy consumption. A combination of characteristics fully in line with our Energy Shift and Circular Economy platforms. In addition this pilot line, as well as many others, is equipped with in-house developed sensor improving the Digitalization potential of each of the project run on these pilot lines. Our pilot lines are the perfect tool to tackle those challenges whilst upscaling new processes with lower risk and time-to-market.

Annealing & galvanizing pilot line
AI image processing applied to compact on-line microscope data

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