Reducing friction on production equipment and packaging lines.
A bottle guide on a high-speed packaging line may be a small part, but it can leave marks on thousands of containers if the contact surface starts to wear. Adhesive buildup on a removable fixture can send operators back to the same cleaning job at every changeover. Jerry Stokes, Chief Commercial Officer of Nanize, is looking for manufacturing customers and partners who can put a number on these problems and evaluate a different surface.
Stokes has spent much of his career commercializing materials-intensive products. At Norwegian solar manufacturer Innotech Solar, where he served as CEO, the business used proprietary technology to restore the performance of solar cells and put them into modules. At Nanize, the comparable commercial test is whether a change in material improves a measure the plant can track and fits its production process.
A fast curing coating for industrial surfaces
Nanize develops PFAS-free polysilazane coatings and the technology used to cure them. Polysilazane can form a dense, ceramic-like coating on a suitable surface. The company develops formulations for properties such as low friction, release and easier cleaning on substrates that include metals and selected plastics.
Nanize reports curing in under a minute below 100 °C on tested metal substrates. For equipment manufacturers and contract coaters, the cure step is one part of a larger production decision. Surface preparation, application, handling and inspection all contribute to the time and cost of a coated part. A pilot can show whether the complete process fits the supplier’s throughput and quality requirements.
Applications on packaging and assembly lines
Nanize identifies bottle handling as one application. Containers can rub against guide rails at transfers, around curves and wherever a line merges. A comparison on a removable guide would let a plant check whether lower sliding friction leads to fewer scuffed containers or fewer stops. The plant can record the results at its normal line speeds and inspect the guide for wear after cleaning and extended use.
Assembly and converting lines have a different problem when adhesives, sealants or other residues build up on exposed surfaces. A coated fixture or splash shield could be evaluated for easier cleanup between runs. Operators can record the time it takes to return a fixture to service and inspect the finish after repeated contact with the plant’s cleaning products. Tooling suppliers can use those findings to decide whether an easy-release finish belongs on a part they already sell.
The economics can be worked out from maintenance and quality records. The relevant numbers might include minutes lost to cleaning, rejected products per shift or the replacement interval for a guide. A manufacturer can compare those savings, if measured, with the cost of applying, inspecting and replacing the coated part. The business case becomes clearer when engineers evaluate the specific contact surface and production loss together.
Manufacturing and investment inquiries
Nanize is looking for new manufacturing clients, equipment and coating partners, and investors. Stokes welcomes discussions with packaging companies, production engineers, machine builders, contract coaters and distributors that can help bring a validated finish to market. A first discussion can start with a component drawing or sample, the substrate and the cost of the current problem. Investors can contact Nanize to discuss its industrial commercialization plans.
Jerry Stokes, Chief Commercial Officer | js@nanize.com | www.nanize.com
Sources Nanize leadership · Nanize coating technology · Nanize applications · Global Solar Council biography