With almost 30 years of expertise in the field, KARL HUGO designs and builds lacquer heads (Coil Coaters). They are recognised for their excellence and cutting-edge technology.

The Coil Coater allows a coat of paint to be applied to sheet metal at a speed of up to 240 metres per minute. Novelis, which is active in the aluminium sector, called on KARL HUGO's know-how to bring its coating heads into line with new standards. "The central part of the machine has been retained," explains Thomas Reuter, Project Engineer at KARL HUGO. “We will retrofit the upper and lower paint heads as they no longer meet current safety regulations.” After the first measurements were taken in July 2021, the engineers made sketches and then presented a proposal in the form of 3D drawings, before the project was approved by the customer.

“We started production of the different parts in our workshops in mid-March, 2022," adds the project manager. “We are monitoring every step of the production process right up to pre-assembly.” The parts then left the company to be delivered by the engineering team to the customer. The mechanical assembly of the upper head has taken place during the Easter holidays under the supervision of the engineers. Electrical and safety tests had then to be carried out before the machine was put back into operation. The lower head will be replaced at Christmas 2022 when the machine is next shut down for maintenance. "Designing and installing new lacquer heads while maintaining the central part of a machine that is over 40 years old was a real challenge," the engineer concluded.