We are fortunate enough to have some of the most knowledgeable and tenured experts in the industry within the Carboline family. We share our knowledge with our customers daily, from our Technical Service Engineers to our Sales Reps. Although this has been our practice since we started in 1947 we wanted to take it a step further. On October 20, 2020, we launched the Solution Spot. The Solution Spot houses articles brought together by the best technical minds in the coatings industry to address any problem (both new and old) an owner, engineer, specifier or contractor could encounter. By combining these common and uncommon topics in our industry into one centralized blog, we have brought the solutions to life.
In the world of industrial coatings, the old saying rings true: “Time is money.” The correct answer to a coatings problem could mean the difference between a project maximizing your profitability or the cause of never-ending, daily headaches. Your most scarce asset is your time. Here at Carboline, we put that priority as paramount. With that ideal, we offer you a brief sampling of your new resource, which will lead the way in maximizing the efficiency of your employees, resources, money, and, most importantly... time. Please take a moment to browse some of the newest content, featuring monthly articles, of the Carboline Solution Spot. Excerpts are included below, with the full posts available at the Solution Spot blog.
4 Basic Questions to Consider When Selecting the Right Coating
“Coatings recommendations are one of the most highly debated—and even misunderstood—aspects of the industrial coatings industry. Many different factors go into making the right selection. For instance, have you ever called a coatings manufacturer for a recommendation, only to have your question answered with even more questions? Although it can seem counterintuitive, this initial research is a critical first step to making a proper coatings recommendation. With hundreds of industrial coatings options out there, the list must be narrowed down to the “best fit” selection by first considering a variety of factors…”
FDA-Approved Coatings vs. USDA-Approved Coatings: What’s the Difference?
“… accidental mix-ups can occur if proper identification isn’t given. This blog post will explore one of the most common misunderstandings in the industrial coatings world—the difference between coatings that are approved by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) versus those approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)…”
Using Thermal Insulative Coatings for Condensation Control
“…When it comes to industrial environments, a variety of condensation issues can occur on process vessels, piping, gas lines, storage tanks or even the sides of metal buildings. In fact, it’s not uncommon to see “sweating” occur on the north sides of storage tanks or the bottom half of railcars during the morning hours, before the sun has warmed the steel substrate. When wet pipes or vessels drip on floors, this can present significant workplace safety issues—particularly if microorganisms begin to thrive, making the floors extremely slippery. Cyclic wet/dry exposures or the constant presence of water can lead to corrosion of the steel substrate unless properly protected…”
Industrial Coating Systems for Secondary Containment
“…This blog post will explain what secondary containment is, the EPA’s guidelines surrounding it, and the impact that spills involving hazardous waste can have on companies and their communities…”
4 Best Practices to Avoid Common Concrete Coating Pitfalls
“… The same idea applies when it comes to coating concrete. It is essential for an applicator to not only understand the potential pitfalls that can occur during a concrete coatings project, but to be able to remedy these problems quickly to avoid costly, time-consuming mistakes…”
Part 1 of 2 Part Series: How Industrial Coatings Play a Part in Shrinking the Carbon Footprint
“If the driving purpose is to play a key role in shrinking the carbon footprint on a global scale, this blog post series will help equip those involved in coatings decisions with the knowledge needed to implement informed strategies. In addition, the series will offer a variety of ways that VOCs emissions can be reduced in coating applications and explore the impact that protective coatings have on greenhouse gas emissions…”
How to Choose the Right Exterior Railcar Coating
“… This blog post explores the various factors that should be considered when selecting a coating for the exterior of your railcar fleet to ensure it’s the best choice…For example, let’s compare an epoxy coating that costs $29 per gallon, but requires repainting every 10years,to an epoxy that offers a 20-yearservice life at$40 per gallon. Which one is the most cost-effective option over a 20-year period...”
Hot-Dip Galvanizing vs. Inorganic Zinc-Rich Primers—Which is Best?
“... So, if both hot-dip galvanizing and inorganic zinc-rich primers offer such exceptional corrosion resistance, when should one coating option be used over the other? In order to determine the most cost-effective method for corrosion protection, two main factors must be considered…”
The Power of Cross-Link Density in Polymer Tank Linings
“… To understand the answer, it’s important to have a basic understanding of the chemistry behind polymers—the basic building blocks used in high-performance, industrial coatings… The higher the cross-link density of a polymer, the lower its absorption rate. To illustrate this point, a simple analogy is to compare chicken wire to mosquito screen. The chicken wire keeps chickens in, while allowing flies and mosquitos to enter as well. Though the mosquito screens also keep chickens in, the mesh is small enough that it prevents flies and mosquitos from entering...”
Visit Carboline.com to find the Solution Spot Blog. A new article is released the third Tuesday of each month.