Text Box: The ATmaP® Equipment:

The Combustion Unit

The Operator Control Panel

The Fluid Mixing Station

The Fluid Dispenser On Side Of Robot

The Cirqual® Burner

ATmaP® (Accelerated Thermo-Molecular Adhesion Process)

ATmaP® is the innovative and newly patented process for treating a range of polymeric and metallic components prior to painting without the need to use Adhesion Promoting Primers, or alike. ATmaP® is an acronym for; Accelerated Thermo-molecular adhesion Process.

ATmaP® is the process of bonding a ‘water-borne’ coupling agent into the surface of a material via the atomization and vaporization of a nitrogen based coupling agent through the center of a Cirqual® gas burner. When the Cirqual® flame (with the atomized and vaporized coupling agent) contacts a component being treated, it chemically bonds oxides of Nitrogen into its surface. ATmaP® is an environmentally friendly process, with no discharge of solvents (VOCs) and therefore, no need for expensive abatement systems.

Current technologies, such as adhesion promoters, conventional flame treatment, corona discharge and plasma chambers are unable to match the levels of adhesion achieved by ATmaP® treated components. ATmaP® exceeds all current OEM requirements for industry standard adhesion tests such as; Stone-chip Resistance, Gasoline Soak, Mandrel Bend, Water Jet, Thermal Shock, Humidity, Lap Shear, and Cross Hatch etc.

The ATmaP® Process Offers The Following Benefits:

• Increased Adhesion without the use of Adhesion Promoters
• Cost Reductions
o Reductions in Energy Consumed in Production Process
o Faster Process Time
o Allows for Material Substitution (recyclable and lower cost materials)

o Opportunity to salvage scrap products / components
o Reduced Maintenance Costs
o No Required Abatement

• Possible Weight Reductions (material substitution)
• Reduced use of Solvents
• Recyclability (by material substitution)
• Improved 'First Time Quality'
• Reduced Warranty Claims
• Environmental Improvements
• Reduction in Total Manufacturing Cost verses most Current Technologies.

What is ATmaP®

ATmaP® is an acronym for; Accelerated Thermo-molecular adhesion Process

ATmaP® is a patented, one-step process that uses a Cirqual® gas burner (also patented) attached to a robot arm in order to surface treat both flat and three dimensional surfaces alike. However it is not the same as traditional flame treatment. A technical description of ATmaP™ is detailed below.

• A highly controlled flame delivered by the Cirqual® burner, using either natural gas or propane, is generated with control of oxygen content in the range of 0.2% - 1.7% depending on the material being processed.

• A diimine compound is soluablized in water at less than 1.0% mix ratio. This “water-borne” solution is atomized into the flame via an internal mix spray gun, located in the center of the Cirqual® burner. The spray gun is highly modified to generate low velocities yet high atomization. The highly atomized liquid is vaporized within the flame and generates an active ‘chemistry’ which in turn is carried to the surface of the material / molding, by the flame itself. The total volume of liquid sprayed is no more than 25ccm.

• The atomizing media used is Nitrogen (oxygen free) at volumes of no more than 12 – 15 l/min. Nitrogen is used because it is an inert gas and therefore does not affect the O2 content of the flame itself. Nitrogen is also capable of, and reacts to, changes in polarity. One of the effects of combustion is to generate a small electric current. This ‘charge’ becomes an integral part of the overall chemistry generated which is transferred to / integrated with, the surface of the substrate. The net effect is to increase the polarity of the substrate and condition it for use in current electrostatic painting operations.

• Hydroxyl, Carboxyl, and diimine-derived functionality's (oxides of Nitrogen) are chemically bonded into the surface of the substrate being treated.

• These functional groups cause variations in electro-negativity across the surface of the part, which enhances adhesion (for painting/bonding & laminating etc.)

• More than 65 individual chemical reactions take place within the flame and on the surface of the substrate.

• The chemical bond is permanent and treated parts can be stored and painting/bonding delayed for up to 12 months.

• The application traverse speed can be up to 1000 mm/second with treatment coverage being approximately 200 mm wide per pass.

• There are no EPA issues (no VOC’s are used or produced by the ATmaP® process and no abatement is required).

(United States Patent #: 6,582,773 B2) - Further US and Foreign Patent Applications Pending

(United States Patent #: 6,716,484 B2) - Further US and Foreign Patent Applications Pending

(New Zealand Patent #: 528869)

(Canadian Patent # 2,444,722)

(Australian Patent # 2002338647)

(Singapore Patent # 100333)

(Eurasian Patent # 5485)

(South African Patent # 2003/8069)

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