Appliance Design - March 2008 - (Page 42)

METALS Sandvik’s Decorex product is very formable and can undergo a range of fabrication operations. Bold colors and special effects increase design options. by larry adams 42 applianceDESIGN March 2008 Using an eye-catching finish has become an increasingly used method to differentiate products from the competition and excite the consumer’s interest. For OEMs using prefinished metals for either cabinets or trim pieces, the options for achieving a new look have also grown. While the idea of using prefinished metals isn’t new, there are new opportunities to exploit them. Those opportunities arise from the introduction of new materials and changing consumer tastes. Today’s consumers are more amenable to colorful designs, but they also have practical concerns, such as fingerprint resistance and finish durability. Using a prefinished metal eliminates a messy production bottleneck for OEMs and reduces some of their environmental compliance issues, but it also increases their choices. Metals can be prefinished in a number of different ways, including the application of liquid or powder coatings; the application of films; surface alteration by use of chemical conversion processes; and the use of various metallic deposi- U tion processes, such as electroplating. All combined, these methods provide OEMs with an unprecedented array of choices for both appearance and texture. These new looks for decorative metal are matched by an improved robustness of both the substrate and surface materials over it, allowing the prefinished metals to be used in a wider range of fabrication methods than in the past. Many of today’s prefinished metals can be formed or joined in ways not possible before because of concern for damaging the finish. Several companies have recently released new decorative metal products such as: Clad-Rex of Franklin Park, Ill.; Corus UK Limited, London; ThyssenKrupp of Duisburg, Germany; and Sandvik Materials Technology of Sandviken, Sweden. Clad-Rex, makers of vinyl-laminated metals such as those used on refrigerators and freezers, now offers a multitude of new looks, says George Liebrock, manager of sales and marketing for Clad-Rex. The vinyl products give designers the opporwww.applianceDESIGN.com http://www.appliancedesign.com

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Appliance Design - March 2008 Contents Editorial Shipments/Forecasts News Watch A New Appliance is Set to Break into Homes Soon - the Micro CHP Unit, which Generate both Heat and Power. Thermally Enhanced Varistors Help Protect Low-Power Systems Against Damage Caused by Over-Current, Over-Temperature and Over-Voltage Faults. Hybrid Controller Reduces Standby Power Consumption and Improves Active-Mode Efficiency. Battery-Management ICs Solve Design Challenges for Cordless Appliances Using High-Voltage, Lithium-Ion Battery Technology. A Semiconductor Solution Protects the Relay in a Temperature Controller for a Cooking Appliance. New Polyurethane Foam Insulation System Optimizes both Insulation Performance and Productivity. Innovations in Decorative, Pre-Finished Metals Expand Range of Design Options for Appliance Designers. Design Marts Association Report: AHAM Advertiser's Index

Appliance Design - March 2008

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