The new location in Wolfsberg is becoming more and more important - among other things, this is ensured by new machine equipment.

In 2020, Anton Paar ShapeTec started its manufacturing operations in Carinthia, and since then a lot has happened in the former Mahle hall in Wolfsberg:

In spring 2022, the new painting and powder coating line was put into operation, and since August, the Carinthian team has not only been responsible for the cutting for the mechanical production of Anton Paar ShapeTec in Wundschuh and Bosnia, but also for the cutting for Anton Paar GmbH in Graz. While there were nine employees in 2021, the site now has 30 employees.

From powdering and coating

The production halls of Anton Paar ShapeTec in Wolfsberg offer 12,600 square meters of space. Since spring this year, 1,200 square meters of this space have been used for the new facility for wet paint and powder coating – around € 1.9 million was invested in the state-of-the-art technology. The system is the first of its kind in Carinthia and consists of several chambers in which production parts are processed according to requirements, as site manager Josef Malle explains: “Depending on the size of the workpieces, from a few to 100 pieces fit on one hanger. The employees then use a crane to move them into the respective chamber for processing.”

In the first step, the production parts are alkaline degreased (= ph value > 7), washed, and passivated in the 5-zone washing system – “In the process, the material is slightly corroded to achieve better durability,” says Josef Malle. In the next step, the parts are dried at 120 °C in the drying chamber. Before the parts are finally coated, two colleagues mask the production parts, i.e., cover small spots of them – regardless of whether they are powder coated or painted. For painting, the hangers go into the combination painting box, where the parts are painted and then also dried at 80 °C. “This is necessary for parts that are used in medicine or aerospace, for example, so that they do not come into contact with any particles,” explains Josef Malle. In the normal process, the painted parts are dried in a separate chamber.

Powder coating uses powder paint, which consists of dry, granular particles. In most cases, the basic materials are special resins. The powder is first sprayed onto the workpiece and later melted and burned in at 210 °C. Compared to conventional painting, powder coating has a number of advantages, according to Josef Malle: “Especially if a product has nesting or many corners and edges, powder coating is easier and more consistent. In general, powder coating is less expensive. Furthermore, the coated parts can be packed immediately after heating in the drying chamber and do not have to dry first.” With the new system, the production facility in Wolfsberg is flexible and can thus perfectly implement the customers’ wishes – either with liquid coating or powder.