Summary: Advanced Technical Products (ATP) embarked on a transformative journey with a long-standing customer, a titanium forger based on the East Coast, to address their unique need for more efficient coating processes. By leveraging breakthroughs in R&D, ATP developed custom high temperature forging coatings, including a single water-based formulation that combined the functionalities of two existing coatings into one, offering a more economical and simpler application process. This strategic enhancement not only yielded significant cost savings but also improved the customer’s productivity through reduced application time and complexity. This success story demonstrates ATP’s commitment to continuous improvement and customer-centric innovation, highlighting the impact of their solution on the customer’s manufacturing efficiency and bottom line.
Industry: Titanium Forging
Category: Product Innovation and Process Improvement
Processes: Advanced Coating Development, Supplier Evaluation, Continuous R&D for Product Improvement
The challenge began with the customer’s existing process, which required the application of two separate coatings. Recognizing an opportunity for improvement, ATP set out to develop titanium forging protective coatings that could consolidate these processes, thereby reducing costs and streamlining operations for their client. Similar application-specific requirements arise in heat treatment, where water-based stop-off coatings for metals help protect selected surfaces from unwanted hardening.
ATP’s approach involved rigorous evaluation of new, current, and old suppliers for raw materials, aiming to enhance the quality and efficiency of the coating. The breakthrough came when ATP identified a formulation that not only combined the benefits of the two previous coatings but also proved to be more cost-effective and simpler to apply. This development allowed ATP to provide custom high temperature forging coatings tailored to the customer’s existing production requirements. Other specialized formulations, including boron nitride coatings for metals, are used in demanding manufacturing applications where lubrication, release properties, and surface protection are important.
The transition to the new coating was seamless, facilitated by ATP’s provision of updated Technical Data Sheets and Safety Data Sheets, supporting compliance and ease of integration into the customer’s existing processes. The result was a remarkable improvement in operational efficiency, with significant time savings during the coating application process. This improvement not only enhanced productivity but also contributed to a more sustainable manufacturing practice by reducing material usage and waste. The simplified application process also made the new titanium forging protective coatings easier to incorporate into daily production without the need for two separate coating applications. In other metal processing operations, water-based stop-off coatings for heat treatment provide a practical way to control surface hardening in selected areas during case-hardening processes.
The impact of ATP’s innovative solution on the customer was profound. The new, single-coating process not only reduced costs by streamlining the supply chain and reducing raw material needs but also significantly enhanced the customer’s productivity through simplified application procedures. These improvements underscore ATP’s dedication to delivering value-added solutions, including custom high temperature forging coatings, that address the specific needs of their customers, reinforcing their position as a manufacturer of water-based glass/ceramic coatings.
