What looks like a short term supply issue may yet turn into an important challenge to Just In Time and Lean manufacturing. In the current uncertain business climate many are experiencing either shortages or unreliable supply of raw materials. Last minute changes to delivery times and quantities are forcing companies to carry greater stock than they would like while facing disruption to production scheduling, testing management’s resolve over their approach to LEAN manufacturing. Companies in the middle of the supply chain are coming under the greatest pressure. They are being squeezed between customers refusing to carry high stocks and suppliers taking advantage of the strength of their position.
Is it time the coatings industry re-visited its approach to production? Does this area of a manufacturing company hold the key to profitability and success? Are we really equipped to meet the challenges of the next ten or twenty years?
Dispersing fillers and pigments is one of the most important steps during paint manufacturing. This fundamental step is often understood as art more than as a scientific technology meaning the beaking down of pigment agglomerates and their distribution in a liquid phase. Dispersion is among other techniques performed by using attrition mills, which can be vertical or horizontal. Which of these designs is the best divides opinions.
Posted at: 7 October 2010 15:34:00 | Posted by: Sonja Schulte, Vincentz Network DOE- useful or not?
Design of experiments (DOE) is quite often a topic of hot debate in discussions with coatings experts. In my opinion DOE is good tool to reduce the time required to develop novel coating systems. On the other hand I am doubting that this tool is really used by paint manufacturers, especially by SMEs. Most of the formulators believe that personal experience in coatings development is more important than anything else. Those people do not believe in statistics and software. What is your preference?
