The Coater

October 2014, Issue 2

Making the Winstar World Casino, OK a sure bet.

Thermal Windows and IFS coatings make The Winstar World Casino, OK a sure bet.

Building the largest Casino and hotel complex in the US is no mean feat. With a world class retail experience, 16 restaurants and 1500 luxurious rooms, the developers needed to be confident that those windows would look great and stay looking great for years to come. That's why they chose Thermal Windows, protected and decorated by IFS Architectural Coatings, to do the job.

The chosen powder product was a Fluoroset White (FRSS 81885), the IFS AAMA 2605 compliant 100% Fluoropolymer powder coating. Fluoroset comes in a wide range of solid, metallic an anodic style colors and will meet and exceed AAMA 2605 performance criteria.(including 10 years Florida testing and 4000 hours of salt spray). Fluoroset powders are environmentally friendly and provide excellent UV, abrasion and chemical resistance as well as great mechanical performance.

Thermal Windows Inc. has 35 years of quality window design and the production of energy-efficient aluminum and vinyl windows, sliding glass doors and terrace doors. Many of Thermal's products meet Energy Star performance levels and all are shipped throughout the USA. Dennis Lane, Thermal Windows President commented "We're proud of our product and we were extremely happy to be chosen to provide windows to such an exciting and memorable project. We wanted to make sure that the coating complemented the strength in our windows, and stood up to elements, was long lasting and looked great. Fluoroset was the perfect choice, helping to make sure the AAMA 2605 specification was met and that the color was perfect."

Trouble Shooting Gallery

Having problems on your line? The IFS and Polychem technical team is always willing to help. Here's their approach to an issue that sometimes crops up.

Q. The gloss is deviating from the required levels...help?

A. If the gloss is too high, it could be because the powder is under-cured. Increase the oven temperature and or time and make sure that the object itself reaches the correct cure temperature for the correct time, not just the air.

If the gloss is too low, a possible cause may be contamination. Make sure the gun, hopper and spray booth is completely cleaned and that the powder was stored correctly .Alternatively it may be that the part is over cured, in which case decrease the oven temperature and/or time and make sure that the object itself reaches the correct cure temperature for the correct amount of time.

Frighteningly good powder coatings

Your business. Your coating. Your choice.

With Halloween just around the corner, Polychem is offering some spooktacular powder coatings. Matte blacks, ghostly whites, blood red, Frankenstein green and pumpkin orange are just some of the scarily good powder coatings available. In fact, Disney used the Polychem Hammered Bronze to ensure its guests got a terrifyingly good experience in the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror at both the Paris and California adventure parks. 13 color collections, nearly 200 RAL shades, and an excellent color matching service, not to mention batch sizes as low as 5lbs and industry leading lead times make Polychem a frighteningly good powder coating choice for any coater. What's more, you can ensure your customers know the choices available to them, while decorating your wall space with nearly 400 of these colors with the Polychem wall boards. Ask for details.

The Coater Page 2

Subtle Shifts

What colors will your customers be asking for?

Following on from the first article into the IFS current color trends, "Subtle Shifts" explains the second global trend, shaping the colors that will be used in the next year or so.

As our world continues to change and evolve, over the last few years it has become apparent that individuals are becoming stronger and taking back power. This is partly down to technological advancement that means the individual can connect with the masses easily, and without being present. That individual no longer needs enormous financial backing, or a wealth of connections to be heard. The internet is doing that for them, and so slowly and quietly we see subtle shifts and the power of the quiet individual coming through. It's not about being loud and abrasive, but dripping ideas, thoughts and behaviors. This is also linked somewhat with the idea of being nice, being happy and ethical behavior, all of which have been brought into focus over recent years. The "pay if forward" campaign is a great example. The first time Pay it Forward (a charity) CEO decided to pay it forward was at a gas station. He bought a coffee and a donut for a guy there. It probably only cost him $3. Then he handed the guy a bracelet that said 'pay it forward'. The idea is that you do something nice for other people, and they then pay it forward and do something nice for three more people, with the bracelet acting as a reminder. It's now live in 132 countries and has reached millions of people. Whilst we all know we should do this, these ideas seem to have made a bigger dent on our consciousness in recent times and are shaping what we do. Take the Happiness project. This is a book and project by journalist Gretchen Rubin. Whilst sitting on a bus one day she looked around her and asked herself, am I as happy as I can be? I'm not unhappy, but could I be a better, happier person? The book tells of the different ways she trialed this over a year and underlines this trend nicely.

In the design world we see this as a return to understated design. The powder of the individual also allows a unique twist or approach to be used, be that from a warming of the more traditional color hues, to playing with scale or the viewers perception. The baby caf� in Tokyo, by Nendo is a great example. The play area is designed to look like an enormous couch, and the doors in and out of it are toddler size - designed for the people that will use it, while simultaneously challenging our perception of the space.

In architecture over the years we have seen a lot of very extrovert architecture, the use of color becoming more and more accepted, then pixelated. Now we are starting to see a lot of white again - almost full circle, though now there is a feeling that anything goes. Conformity is not essential, and these simpler colors are being used in conjunction with unusual shapes. From the AA library in XX, where the only color comes from the books themselves, to the XX museum in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, with its white exterior reminiscent of a bath tub,

Unsurprisingly the color palette that accompanies this trend uses soft, off whites and warm neutrals with a hint of color, that are subtle and soothe. There are also some deeper taupe greys and damsons to add depth.

Trend 2: subtle shifts

Creating more time for you - buy online with Polychem

Your business. Your coating. Your choice.

Everyone is busy. Work, family, hobbies, friends, social events, keeping fit (well, some of the time)...the list goes on. We understand that many of our Polychem customers are busy working on the powder line or with customers all day, and that really doesn't leave a lot of time for the other things that keep our business going - like admin, paperwork and reordering. That's why we've added the ability to order online to our Polychem website, removing the paperwork, and allowing you to place your order when it's convenient to you - even if that is 10pm!

It's a simple process that allows you to input the product code or choose from a selection online and add the quantity. The order is then received by the Polychem team and will be processed, with an email going back to you to let you know when it's been done and when you can expect your order.

Of course, our first class customer service team is still available, 8am-5pm CET, Monday through Friday, on 940.612.0401 and is ready to take your order, answer any questions you might have, or explain our industry leading color matching service to you. We're committed to building flexibility and choice into everything we do, and our online ordering capability gives you the flexibility to order at your convenience. Check out www.polychemcoatings.com/purchase-now

Your quick guide to AAMA and IFS Powder Coating

The American Architectural Manufacturers Association AAMA has a set of specifications that help architects, developers, designers, and coaters know exactly what they can expect of a compliant coating. There are three specifications for architectural aluminum - AAMA 2604, AAMA 2604 and AAMA 2605. These specifications apply to both liquid and powder coatings. To say that a coating type meets the AAMA specs, the coatings are put through a series of mechanical, chemical and weathering tests, including UV weathering, salt spray, corrosion and impact testing. If the coating passes the tests outlined in each specification, then it is compliant.

Below is a brief outline of some of the key AAMA specification tests and which IFS products meet and exceed the performance requirements of each:

Test/AAMA specification	AAMA 2603	AAMA 2604	AAMA 2605
UV weathering - Florida exposure	1 year testing in Florida	5 years testing in Florida	10 years testing in Florida
Color and gloss retention	Slight change in color and gloss	Color>5DE Maintain a min. 30% gloss	Color>5DE Maintain a min. 50% gloss
Salt spray resistance	1500 hrs 1-2mm creepage Blisters size 8	3000hrs 1-2mm creepage Blisters size 8	4000hrs 1-2mm creepage Blisters size 8
Humidity resistance	1500 hrs Few blisters	3000hrs Blisters size 8	4000hrs Blisters size 8
IFS PRODUCT	Ecuracote	Ecoset	Fluoroset

IFS Coatings 3601 N Interstate 35

940.668.1062 Gainesville, TX 76240
www.ifscoatings.com