Revolutionary software co-developed by coatingAI (Winterthur, Switzerland) and the powder coatings business of AkzoNobel (Amsterdam, The Netherlands) is using artificial intelligence (AI) to help customers improve application processes while reducing their carbon footprint.
The industry-first technology, called Flightpath, optimizes equipment settings to reduce defects and overspray and improve powder consumption. According to the companies, this helps to reduce costs, avoid rework, and saves time and energy.
“The collaboration with AkzoNobel has helped to accelerate our vision since day one,” says Marlon Boldrini, CEO of coatingAI. “Our solution, built on the power of artificial intelligence and AkzoNobel’s technical expertise, will not only increase efficiency for their customers, but also drive greater sustainability.”
The AI-based software has been in development for two years, with an exclusivity agreement recently signed by both parties. The collaboration initially began when the groups crossed paths during AkzoNobel’s “Paint the Future” start-up challenge in 2021.
“We’re delighted to team up with coatingAI and strengthen our technical service capabilities,” says Remco Maassen van den Brink, marketing director of AkzoNobel’s powder coatings business. “We proactively look for ways to support customers in becoming more sustainable in their operations and this will significantly improve our ability to help them get better results—while contributing to our own ambition of halving carbon emissions across the value chain by 2030.”
The software enables customers to optimize equipment settings such as gun motion and achieve more uniform, consistent coverage with fewer flaws, all thanks to the AI-powered recommendations. The software does not require complex integration and, as conditions change, it continually adapts its recommended parameters.
“Collaborating with a startup like coatingAI, who are pushing boundaries to transform the coatings industry, means we can accelerate our own powder revolution and provide services like no other,” Maassen van den Brink says. “It’s the latest example of how we constantly innovate and look for new ways to offer customers the most progressive and sustainable solutions.”
Earlier this year, AkzoNobel’s powder coatings business was the first in the industry to launch an openly accessible online energy savings calculator for all users of powder coatings. It is designed to help customers better understand how even making small changes in the coatings process can lead to a big impact in energy efficiency.
Source: AkzoNobel, www.akzonobel.com.