DFM-ALPHA – the world’s first online paint thickness instrument featuring integrated closed-loop control (CLCTM). ALPHA adjusts the coater, keeping the product on specification. CLCTM continually monitors the coating thickness, and the roll coater is adjusted at the first sign of drift. Coater adjustment is quick and precise, and the product stays on target. Coater roll speed, metering roll speed, line speed, and measured DFT are continually streamed to the advanced DFM-ALPHA algorithms. Paint properties within the coater related to viscosity, volume solids, and coater roll leakage are derived in real-time and used to adjust the coater precisely. Only DFM-Alpha provides this leading-edge capability. DFM-Alpha monitors coating thickness 24/7 and fine-tunes the coater in the event of even the smallest drift, and impressively, it does this without the need for expensive or complex coater head modifications. This ability comes from Alpha’s unique artificial intelligence. Your product will never be out of specification again. Set up the coater, start painting, dial up the target, and let DFM-Alpha do the rest. DFM-Alpha quickly and continuously optimizes your coatings. CLCTM does this while safeguarding the quality of your paint finish. The coater roll is kept within strict parameters to maintain the high-quality appearance and smoothness of the paint finish.

DFM Operation

DFM-Alpha and DFM-Ultra are the world’s most advanced, easy-to-use, and accurate online systems.

DFM technology uses patented direct measurement technology (DMT). DMTTM is the most scientifically sound principle for accuracy in film thickness measurement.

A major benefit is that it is calibration-free regardless of the paint or substrate type.

At the start of every new coil, the INTENSE MEASURE feature takes up to 40 precision measurements of the first 2 metres of painted product. Then, DFM measures at user-definable pre-programmed intervals, typically every 20 to 90 seconds. DFM communicates with the line PLC, so it knows when painting starts and when it stops. In AUTO mode DFM starts and stops measuring without operator involvement. Operation is simple – the only operator input needed is the TARGET THICKNESS.

Coil Report Features

Coil reports can be generated by going into the production database and selecting the required coil numbers.
• The reports includes the coil start and stop time, the length painted, and the line speed,
• A graph shows paint thickness including the upper and lower control limits, and
• The coil report requires coil numbers at the DFMTM computer for each coil during production.

Principle of Operation

A laser is used to ablate an extremely tiny 170 micrometre-wide measurement point to the surface of the metallic substrate. A high-precision laser sensor measures the depth at the spot, which equates precisely to coating thickness. The spots are almost impossible to find and do not affect product performance; an independent coating manufacturer’s lab has verified this.

Coil-coating paint systems are designed to perform well with end-product features such as bends, cut edges, laps, scratches, and fasteners.

DFM measurement of the product guarantees quality and assurance that the coatings will perform to specification and meet paint thickness standards.