Technical article
August 2010
Passing the test in practice: Bonderite CC 40 in use at Norpe
Cleaning and corrosion protection in one step
To boost the efficiency and quality of conversion coating, the Norpe company
has chosen Bonderite CC 40 from Henkel for corrosion protection during metal
pretreatment. The process combines the benefits of nanotechnological
pretreatment with simultaneous cleaning in a single step.
By eliminating numerous process drawbacks and improving eco-efficiency, nanobased pretreatment systems are increasingly replacing traditional iron phosphating
as the industry standard. Even companies with small coating lines now have the
chance to enjoy the benefits of the new pretreatment technology, as the example of
refrigeration equipment manufacturer Norpe in Finland shows.
The company stands for high-quality refrigeration technology which can be found in
supermarkets, gas stations, cafes and snack bars all over Europe. Through a
concerted innovation policy, Norpe has achieved above-average sales growth in
recent years and has thus been able to expand its leading market position. This has
been accompanied by investments in progressive environmental technology which
has brought about significant improvements in the production process.
At its Porvoo production site near Helsinki, Bonderite CC 40 from Henkel, the
nanoceramic conversion process that combines cleaning and corrosion protection in
a single step, has been in use since summer 2009. Operational performance has
demonstrated that the changeover has delivered improvements in terms of economy
and ecology as well as quality.
New coating technology put to practical test
The main reason for the now accomplished changeover from iron phosphating to the
Bonderite CC 40 nanoceramic process was Norpe’s wish to improve corrosion
protection. “Anyone investing in a Norpe product expects a high-quality and durable
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refrigeration unit that still works impeccably even after 20 years,” says Pekka
Silvennoinen, responsible for the painting process at Norpe. The quality of surface
treatment is an important factor, because refrigeration systems are exposed in
service to an elevated risk of corrosion due to high humidity, condensation and the
use of aggressive cleaners.
In its search for an improved pretreatment process offering greater corrosion
protection paired with lower process costs, the company found what it was looking for
at Henkel. On the metal surface, the novel process generates a high-density
nanoceramic conversion layer that gives long-term protection from corrosion creep
and improves paint adhesion. Today, Bonderite CC 40 is utilized at Norpe as a
cleaner coater in a 3-stage process including rinsing baths and final rinse. The multimetal process enables the coating of different substrates on the same line. Surface
degreasing and coating take place simultaneously in the first spraying zone of the
pre-treatment tunnel with a contact time of 90 seconds. Some 250,000 m2 of metal
are coated this way per year.
Extensive tests confirm high quality
Before its introduction on the spraying line, Bonderite CC 40 first underwent
extensive laboratory tests. The results exceeded the expectations of Raimo Tyyskä,
who works in Norpe’s R&D department: “We had salt spray tests carried out by
Henkel and by an independent paint manufacturer in order to find out if the finished
coating meets our high standards. The final evaluation showed that the quality of
corrosion protection is appreciably better than that of the previously used iron
phosphating method.” For instance, in the salt spray test lasting 720 hours on steel,
corrosion creep of only 1 mm was measured. On aluminum, there was no evidence
of corrosion even after 1,000 hours.
The last practical test on the line also proceeded without a hitch. During the summer
break, technicians from Norpe and Henkel cooperated closely in order to ensure a
smooth switch-over to the new process. “Henkel helped us enormously by providing
intensive on-site support during the first few weeks to tune the process to our exact
requirements,” says Pekka Silvennoinen. After thorough cleaning of the installation,
the Bonderite CC 40 process proved to be completely stable on the existing line,
without needing any new engineering investment.
Resource-efficient production
Besides the improvement in surface quality, the fact that Bonderite CC 40 also
overcomes other process shortcomings was a major factor in choosing the new
method to optimize the coating line. Pekka Silvennoinen stresses one positive aspect
that pays off for Norpe in both economic and ecological respects: “Abandoning iron
phosphating significantly reduces the burden on the environment. Compliant with the
local regulations, Bonderite CC 40 avoids any phosphate issue in waste waters, and
doesn’t generate toxic heavy metals or organic substances, which had to be
disposed of at great effort and expense in the past.”
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Corporate Communications
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A year after implementation, the benefits of the new system can be summed up as
follows: Norpe’s cleaner-coater tank volume is 6,000 liters. “We used to have to
change this entire volume of water roughly three times a year in order to ensure
stable iron phosphating,” Silvennoinen reports. Thanks to its far lower conductivity
Bonderite CC 40 extends bath life considerably and reduces overall water
consumption. At the same time, the company no longer has to purchase the license
required for the use of phosphates in industrial processes in Finland. Equally positive
on the expenditure side is that fact that maintenance work has been reduced to a
minimum. “Since no phosphate sludge was generated at Norpe in the past year,
there are no visible signs of contamination in the installation today,” Silvennoinen
adds. The line is now cleaned once per year for preventive reasons only.
Low energy consumption reduces operating costs
Norpe has also achieved substantial savings as regards energy consumption.
Classical phosphating usually takes place at an operating temperature of 55°C. For
Raimo Tyyskä, a reduction in the bath temperature by over 10 degrees Celsius is
therefore another powerful argument for recommending Henkel’s process. “In times
of slack business when the economy is weak, reducing operating costs is becoming
a vital necessity for companies. With Bonderite CC 40, Norpe has managed to cut
gas energy costs alone by about 30 percent.”
Based on the good results obtained in refrigeration equipment manufacture where
the nanoceramic process has now been running smoothly for a year, Norpe will soon
be switching the second production line over to the new technology. “Besides
improving the quality of our products, we have been making considerable efforts over
the past few years to make our production processes more sustainable. The new
coating process from Henkel makes a key contribution to this.”
Henkel has been committed to making people's lives easier, better and more beautiful for more than
130 years. A Fortune Global 500 company, Henkel offers strong brands and technologies in three
areas of competence: Home Care, Personal Care and Adhesive Technologies. Each day, about
50,000 employees worldwide are dedicated to fulfilling Henkel's claim "A Brand like a Friend”. In fiscal
2009, Henkel generated sales of 13,573 million euros and adjusted operating profit of 1,364 million
euros.
Contact
Christoph Schmidt
Phone: +49 211 797 - 9933
Fax:
+49 211 798 - 11458
Christoph.schmidt@henkel.com
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Corporate Communications
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The following images are available
The nanotechnological conversion process Bonderite CC 40 is used for coating metals at Norpe.
Cleaning and corrosion protection take place in a single step.
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Corporate Communications
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The switch to the new efficient and resource-conserving pretreatment system has dramatically
reduced energy consumption.
The dropping test confirms the high adhesion of the cured powder coating on the conversion coating.
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Corporate Communications
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The characteristic golden shimmer of the Bonderite CC 40 coating facilitates visual inspection of the
surface protection on the components.
Refrigeration units from Norpe can be found all over Europe.
Henkel AG & Co. KGaA, Corporate Communications
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