The Association of Industrial Metallizers, Coaters and Laminators (AIMCAL) will hold its annual Fall Technical Conference Oct. 18-21, 2009, at the Amelia Island Plantation in Amelia Island, Fla. Organized under the theme, “Getting Back to Business,” the conference features a dual-track schedule with presentations devoted to coating/laminating and vacuum web coating. Led off by a keynote address on photovoltaic (PV) solar electricity by Dr. Winfried Hoffmann of the Energy and Environmental Solutions Group at Applied Materials Inc., the event will also include presentations related to sustainability, Six Sigma/lean practices and new technologies. 

The conference’s Coating/Laminating track will focus on Downgauging and Cost Reduction, Process Optimization and Product Improvements. Downgauging and Cost Reduction topics include discussions on contract manufacturing, roller selection and cure acceleration. Discussions in the Process Optimization session include dryer technology, static dissipation, troubleshooting silicone coating problems, hot melt slot die coating and web tension control. Product Improvements topics include advanced cylinder design, surface modification for inks, coatings, and adhesives, radiation-curable pressure-sensitive adhesives and polyurethane dispersions.

The Vacuum Web Coating track is divided into Vacuum Materials and Vacuum Process segments and includes materials sessions on thin films, photovoltaics, solar power concentration, antimicrobial deposition, and barrier materials such as high-barrier polylactic acid film. Vacuum Process topics include automated inspection, magnetron design, roll-to-roll deposition for organic light-emitting diodes, advanced material deposition and quality control via ellipsometry.

AIMCAL
800-802-7820;www.aimcal.org