Measuring Fluid Properties to Improve Coated Appearance, 2003 PLACE Conference & GLOBAL HOT MELT Symposium
Curtain coaters have no machine components to mechanically smooth the coating. Instead curtain coaters
rely solely on fluid properties to wet, level, and create the ultimate coated uniformity or appearance. New
fluid measurements have been developed that forecast the curtain coater’s operating performance – the coat
weight range versus speed where high coated uniformity is achieved. These same measurements have been
used to improve coated appearance in die, Meyer rod, and gravure coatings as the same forces govern
spreading and leveling in all coating processes.
To correlate any measurement to the actual process requires that process be simulated in terms of the type
of flow field or deformation, the extent of deformation, and the process duration. A brief examination of
these conditions follows.
Measuring Fluid Properties to Improve Coated Appearance, 2003 PLACE Conference & GLOBAL HOT MELT Sym