TPT November 2010

B lasting , C oating & G alvanizing

Universal gloss on Michigan Seamless Tube line

MICHIGAN Seamless Tube, for over 80 years the producer of the broadest range carbon and alloy seamless cold drawn pipe and tube in US industry, has added a new UV coating line to its South Lyon facility, offering 100% solid UV coatings with increased corrosion resistance and enhanced product appearance. Using a unique vacuum system for achieving consistent film thickness all around the tubular product, MSTube is now able to provide its customers in distribution, transportation, energy, heavy equipment and original equipment manufacturers with an added six months or more of corrosion resistance. The new coating line has been built using a system installed by UK coating equipment manufacturer Universal Finishing Systems. Universal has beenmanufacturing integrated modular pre-treatment, coating and drying systems for the world tube industry for 15 years, with exports accounting for up to 80% of sales. Tasked with the demand of applying a black-pigmented high gloss UV coating,

Universal combined an Ultra-Vac vacuum coating machine together with an 8-lamp Supa-Cure UV curing system. With coating thickness controlled by consistent vacuum pressure and incoming air speed, the system gives an immediate cured finish all round the tube and 100% transfer efficiency, minimising costs by recycling all the coating. MSTube is now able to provide 100% solid UV coating to add to services, which includes supplying a full line of mechanical and pressure products to ASTM, ASME and

API including heat exchanger, condenser, boiler, IPS pressure pipe, and oil production tubes. “The new line was up and running on schedule,” says MSTube’s engineering and maintenance manager David T Wellhofer. “And Universal was very helpful in the start up and training of our personnel.” Universal Finishing Systems – UK Fax: +44 1244 288102 Email: info@universalfinishing.co.uk Website: www.universalfinishing.com

Universal system at MSTube

102

N ovember 2010

www.read-tpt.com

›