Every project presents different challenges, but in the powder coating industry, there is no room for error if you want to keep the customer! Advanced Finishing (AFUSA) has been able to solve problems that others in the industry could not, and as a result, it has earned them continual business with a large commercial fan manufacturer.

The Client:

A large commercial and residential fan manufacturer

The Challenge:

The company has a very high-end product with very exacting quality requirements that is sold to customers at a steep price tag leaving no room for error—simply put, the product must be perfect. Five years ago, the client came to AFUSA after going to several other companies that had been unable to provide defect-free finishes and challenged us with figuring out how to do it. Due to the geometry of the parts AFUSA receives from the manufacturer, the process that AFUSA executed with the woodgrain dye-sublimation finish took ingenuity, and trial and error, as it was very difficult to achieve the required defect-free finish.

The Solution:

What AFUSA did is utilize their expertise in finishing, coupled with our knowledge of engineering mixed with our creative abilities to come up with solutions. AFUSA developed a process with tooling, fixturing, and materials that enabled them to provide the level of quality the client was looking for. Since then, they have expanded their relationship with AFUSA to include standard powder coating, solid colors, and a broader product line beyond just the woodgrain.

There were stumbling blocks AFUSA President, Greg Yahn shared, “The physics of the process made it very difficult. Without getting into the details, the woodgrains printed on a two-dimensional film, and you are trying to put a two-dimensional film over a three-dimensional product. And there is just no way of doing it without getting wrinkles, and wrinkles are defects. So that’s kind of where the rubber meets the road.”

Despite those challenges, AFUSA was able to deliver a defect-free solution when others could not, which has not only solidified the relationship with the client, but AFUSA has grown them as a client over the past five years. AFUSA continually gets perfect scores on their scorecards for quality, delivery, and zero defects which has helped them maintain their trust. “We’re very responsive, we’re very proactive. And that has helped keep the company happy with us and working with us to deliver on their pinnacle product.” Yahn says.