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IPG Partners with Coatings Developer AkzoNobel

Photonics.com
Apr 2025OXFORD, Mass., April 22, 2025 — IPG Photonics and AkzoNobel have established a partnership that focused on the application of laser technology to the curing of powder coatings. A process that involves calibrating AkzoNobel’s powder coating formulations for optimal results with laser curing solutions from IPG is central to the partnership.

The companies said in a press release that the method will offer a faster and more energy-efficient alternative to conventional curing methods. The companies have signed an agreement for the partnership to serve customers in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa regions.

The curing process involves lasers selectively heating the applied powder in a so-called “cold oven,” a system in which no heat escapes onto the factory floor and no energy is wasted heating the atmosphere or the curing enclosure. High-intensity laser heating also enables curing times to be reduced to just a few minutes, compared with the 15 to 20 minutes currently required using traditional curing methods. The process also enables curing to occur in less than half the space required by a traditional oven.

Laser curing as a standalone technology offers multiple advantages; it can be used to preferentially heat a coating, as opposed to heating the underlying substrate. Additionally, it is suitable for temperature-sensitive substrates and eliminates the long cool-down waiting times evident in typical production lines. In a high-volume environment, manufacturers could see reductions of more than 50% in both investment and operational costs while drastically reducing carbon footprint and energy consumption, the companies said.More news & features