EDITOR’S CHOICE
EXCIMER TECHNOLOGY
IST METZ
LOOKING FOR ABRASION-RESISTANT MATT SURFACES?
IST Metz, winner of
accolades for its UV
technology, uses the
excimer process for bright
matt results across a range
of industrial applications.
IST Metz is a global specialist in UV curing
and coating systems which now offers
excimer technology to produce matt
surfaces with high scratch and abrasion
resistance. This technology is widely used
for the cleaning and modification of surfaces
in the manufacture of displays and touch
panels, bleaches in the textile and cellulose
industry, disinfection of air and water, and
the matting of plastic parts.
After over 40 years in UV, IST Metz is a very
well-established player. It started out in, and
continues to serve, the printing industry but
subsequently diversified into much wider
industrial applications, recognising the
benefits it can bring to many sectors with its
coatings expertise. Currently it is generating
great interest in its excimer technology.
IST entered the excimer (a shorthand for
excited dimer) field 20 years ago, seeing the
appeal of a matt surface finish. Its purpose is
to create a roughened surface so that, when
light strikes it, it is not reflected in a definite
direction. That means the surface will look
bright and the same from any direction, in
other words matt.
IST uses very short-wave radiation and high
energy to penetrate a very thin layer of a
varnish coating. Xenon excimer lamps are
used as the short-wave source. The surface
dries very quickly causing shrinkage and
a wave effect on the surface which is then
preserved by applying long wave radiation
using a medium-pressure lamp. It is a system
that gives high processing speeds and can
be used on large surfaces.
IST customer Klebchemie has seen the
benefits of excimer technology for wood
flooring applications. Rainer Kampwerth,
sales manager for industrial coatings at
Klebchemie, says: “We are currently seeing a
slight stagnation in high-standard, high gloss
coatings. On the other hand, a rapid rise in
ultra-matt surfaces is becoming apparent,
Thanks to excimer technology, we are the
market leader in this sector and were the first
to push ahead with industrial installations
for engineered wood boards. We now have a
dozen such installations worldwide.”
He believes that chemical matting materials
will continue to have their place but that
physical matting, excimir technology, has
added levels of matting that been thought of
as extremely difficult or impossible until now.
“The gloss levels are now highly scratch-
resistant and have anti-fingerprint and
anti-grease properties thanks to excimer
technology. In short, the surfaces are more
matt as well as more resistant to scratches
and grease,” says Mr Kampwerth.
Last year IST Metz was awarded the
title “Global Market Leader 2018” in the
Mechanical and Systems Engineering sector
and in the category for Drying Systems
based on Ultraviolet, Infrared and Warm Air.
The Global Market Index 2018 listed 461
companies and those chosen for awards
were selected based on a ranking by the
University of St Gallen. This award IST sees
as recognition of its innovation and practical
commercial solutions.
IST Metz, which is based in Nürtingen near
Stuttgart, was founded by Gerhard Metz
in 1977 and today employs about 500 staff
and has 15 subsidiaries around the world. Its
UK subsidiary, IST (UK), is based in a 400m²
facility in Skipton which includes training
and presentation areas, systems and spares
storage as well as being the main base for
the sales and service team. Joint managing
director Simon Mitchell is responsible for
industrial applications of UV technology and
can be contacted on 07771-614487.
www.ist-uv.com/en/
Issue 37 PECM
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