IntelliFinishing is a leading provider of automated industrial powder coating and liquid paint systems. IntelliFinishing is a DBA of Kasa Controls & Automation. Kasa (and therefore IntelliFinishing) is an expert in both simulation and emulation not only in paint finishing but also in the industries of automotive, baggage handling, and parcel automation.

At IntelliFinishing, we realize finishing products can be a complex and challenging process, especially when different finishing recipes are involved. Because it’s crucial for manufacturers to achieve high levels of throughput while maintaining quality and efficiency, we developed a state-of-the-art simulation service for IntelliFinishing that helps manufacturers forecast potential bottlenecks and optimize their system’s performance.

How Does the IntelliFinishing Simulation Work?

To ensure its effectiveness, we require a forecast of the quantity of product per finishing recipe that the system will need to process in a given timeframe, usually within a typical shift. Using this data, we design a system model showing the sequence of operation per carrier based on the ideal recipe for the parts hung on that carrier.

Then, to create the simulation, a CAD layout is used as the foundation where each process step is defined by expected recipe variation parameters. Considering loading time, we then introduce variation into the potential recipes. For instance, some products may require a 30-minute final cure time, while others may require a 20-minute or 50-minute cure time, and there may be variations in color or pretreatment for each part.

Other examples of variations include:

  • Pretreatment options like speed through a blast and timing in various stages of wash
  • Dry oven timing and temperatures
  • Color options and booth selection
  • Booth application timing
  • Cure oven timing and temperatures
  • Unload timing

Finally, all variations in the system are taken into account to run the simulation. This allows you to test the effect each variable has on each part of the system, resulting in determining ideal conditions and maximized throughput.

Benefits of Using IntelliFinishing Simulation

There are many benefits to using simulation. For instance, we can identify system bottlenecks by loading various combinations of parts, recipes, and carrier requirements in advance, thereby improving system efficiency and minimizing downtime. Additionally, simulation can help identify ideal manpower requirements based on various throughput volumes and carriers per hour.

For example, it’s possible you may be experiencing a labor shortage, like so many others in the manufacturing industry. However, with simulation, we can predict the impact of the shortage on carriers and products finished per hour. So, say you use manual painting booths and are understaffed, then impact on the entire system and total throughput can be predicted.

Another area simulation could benefit is predicting the ideal number of system carriers to accomplish a desired carrier per hour rate. Often there is a sweet spot for the number of carriers operating on a large system, which — without a simulation — takes a lot of trial and error, relying more on art than science. But with a simulation, you can manipulate the variables in real time, resulting in hard data that shows a bell-shaped curve effect on throughput up to a certain point. Eventually, the system will get overloaded with carriers, causing a bottleneck and total throughput to diminish — and that is when the sweet spot is identified.

By using a simulation, you’ll gain greater efficiency and cost savings through identifying bottlenecks, optimizing manpower requirements, and predicting ideal carrier counts for a desired throughput.

IntelliFinishing: Your Finishing System and Simulation Partner

IntelliFinishing can help customers make informed decisions about their finishing system, ultimately leading to greater efficiency, cost savings, and confidence in your system’s performance.

As a lead supplier of finishing systems that offers superior performance, energy efficiency, and flexibility, you can achieve the desired level of throughput for your finishing system.

Contact us today to see if an IntelliFinishing system can help you achieve greater throughput!