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Finishing is an essential step in preparing fabricated metal parts and components for assembly and/or sale. The quality of the finish, including the application of protective coatings, will have a monumental impact on the product’s ultimate performance and longevity.

In other words, you need a mass finishing and coating partner you can trust, without fail, every single time.

We are proud to offer key advantages that will not only improve the quality of your products but help you cut costs and streamline your production as well!

1. One-Stop-Shop For Mass Finishing & Mass Coating

Latem Industries offers a full range of mass finishing processes, including parts washing, ultrasonic cleaning, blasting, peening, vibratory finishing, tumbling and sanding. We have close to a dozen vibratory units, multiple barrel tumblers, blasting and peening machines, two drum washers and what is quite possibly the largest commercial ultrasonic cleaning set up in Ontario.

Through our sister company Plastico Industries, we can also offer you numerous mass coating solutions. All our coating processes, including spray nylon and dip nylon coatings, Plastisol coatings, and Polyarmor coatings, are engineered to meet demanding automotive, heavy equipment and military specifications.

2. Smooth Pick Up and Delivery

Our 45,000 sq. ft. mass finishing and coating facility is conveniently located just off Highway 401 in Cambridge, Ontario. You’ve probably spotted our big blue sign on your commute!

Because of this location, we are able to offer shipping at a very competitive rate from the Kitchener area to the Greater Toronto Area.

For help with your trucking needs, call our Logistics Department 519-740-0292 ext. 247.

3. Industry-Leading Staff Expertise

With an ever-changing workload, experienced staff is a must. We invest in our employees through continuous education and training to stay ahead of the curve on all our processes and equipment.

You can count on Latem for a consistent, time-efficient finishing process each and every time.
 

4. Flexibility On Process and Volume

You’ll benefit from our flexibility in both sides of our businesses! Plastico and Latem Industries run two shifts a day, and many of our employees are cross-trained on a vast array of equipment and processes. This flexibility enables us to offer finishing and coating services for small runs, one-offs and prototypes in addition to mass production.

5. High-Quality Assurance

We have achieved recognition as an ISO 9001:2015 certified metal coater and finisher, demonstrating our commitment to the high level of quality and consistency our customers expect. Our most recent ISO audit was conducted in 2019 by The Registrar Company, a trusted certification body accredited by the ANSI-ANQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB).

See the ISO 9001:2015 Certificate of Registration for Plastico Industries and Latem Industries Ltd.

6. Experience and Technical Capability

Latem and Plastico have been in business for a combined 50+ years, polishing our processes and rounding the burrs that have come up along the way. We have plenty of experience putting out every kind of ‘fire’ that can pop up in mass parts manufacturing: sharp edges, rust, oil...the works!

Whether you’re dealing with a common manufacturing flaw or a brand-new product, you can count on us to come up with an ingenious solution.

7. Rapid Processing Time

You’ve got deadlines to meet! Finishing and coating are just two parts of a much bigger picture, and we know you can’t afford any delay.

With our well-trained staff and ample equipment, we’re able to commit to speedy processing times. We’re heavily automotive-based, so we’re well-acquainted with tight turnaround and the need for urgency.

Let our scheduling department impress you with what we can do!

8. Location, Location, Location

Did we mention we’re just minutes off the 401 in Cambridge, Ontario? Latem set up shop here for a reason! Not only are we able to deliver impressive shipping rates throughout the Greater Toronto Area, but we’re located in the heart of Southern Ontario’s manufacturing centre.

Latem Industries is proud to be the premier metal finisher in Southern Ontario.

9. Transparent, Competitive Pricing

To put it simply, we wouldn’t have stayed in business this long if we weren’t competitive! From closely watching efficiencies to improving processes and cycle times, Latem Industries is committed to offering competitive rates that help keep your production costs in check.

10. Environmentally Aware

Did you know our nylon powder coating is derived from Castor bean oils? Our Aquence coating is also environmentally sustainable, containing no heavy metals and very few volatile organic compounds (VOCs.) We also have an extensive wastewater treatment system that’d make a small city jealous!

Plastico and Latem Industries are committed to sustainability and constantly improving our environmental awareness.

At Latem Industries, we can say with confidence that you can count on us for your coating and finishing needs. You don’t have to take it from us - ask any of the hundreds of North American manufacturers who partnered with us over the years!

Call us at 1-866-543-3334 or reach out online to learn more about our mass coating and mass finishing services in Southern Ontario.

Vibratory Finishing is a generic name given to the process of improving the surface of metal using vibrational forces. This process is highly effective in removing burrs or edges (deburring)  from metal components that appear after stamping or forming. removing sharp edges.

Vibratory finishing can also be used to clean and polish metal surfaces before the parts are coated or delivered to your customer.

What is a Burr or Edge?

A burr is a ‘leftover’ piece of material that protrudes from an edge of a metal component after machining (grinding, milling, stamping, turning, etc.)

Burrs are known to cause numerous problems for manufacturers: interfering with edge fitting in product assembly, jamming along the assembly line, increased wear on parts, improper seals where edges meet, and safety concerns for workers who handle the parts along the line.

Needless to say, burrs are a persistent thorn in the manufacturing industry’s side!

3 Common Types of Burrs (Edges)

Unfinished parts often come off the line with sharp edges, rough surfaces, and protruded metal burrs in corners and on edges. These burrs come in many shapes and sizes ‒ some even too small to see with the naked eye (and impossible to fix manually!) Whether large or small, burrs or sharp edges are a significant quality concern as they compromise the performance of the part or component.

The following are the most common types of burrs that can appear on a formed or machined metal parts:

1. Roll-over burr: One of the most prominent types of burrs, a roll-over burr is an unwanted piece of material at the end of a cut. Roll-over burrs form when material is pushed out of the tool’s path instead of being sheared off. They are more likely to occur on pliable or ductile metals, like copper, especially when the cutting edge is dull.
    
2. Poisson burr: Named for Poisson’s ratio, a Poisson burr occurs when metal bulges outward under the strain of the cutting or forming, creating a raised edge rather than a smooth cut. It often appears when turning or drilling a part or component.
    
3. Tear burr: As the name implies, a tear burr is material that tears loose from the part or component. A dull blade or a die in need of repair is a common culprit of tear burrs, as the metal wraps around the dull corner and tears. Tear burrs most often occur in punching operations.
    

Vibratory Deburring: How it Works

First, the products are placed in a large vibratory bowl with a capacity of up to 100 cu. ft. The bowl is partially filled with media, which is the name given to particles in the vibratory chamber. The media may be comprised ceramic pre-formed shapes incorporating abrasive particles or polishing agents to improve the surface finishes of the metal components introduced into the media.

When in operation, the machine generates vibrational forces by rotating an off-balance device at between 1,500 to 3,000 RPM. The rotator is bolted to the vibratory bowl mounted on coil springs or rubber mounts.

The result of the motor and spring arrangement will activate the media mass causing it to rotate within the vibratory bowl. This movement creates a “scrubbing” action, enabling the media to attack the metal components, thereby removing metal and creating a deburring effect on sharp edges produced when the metal components were formed or machined.

While vibratory finishing is most often used to break an edge or to deburr, it can also be used to produce a burnished, almost polished finish. This is achieved by changing out the ceramic media for porcelain, stainless steel balls or organic media.

Depending on the application, cycle times can vary from just fifteen minutes to several hours. With proper preparation and media selection, the parts should emerge from the vibratory finishing process unscathed, save for the removal of burrs. In general, vibratory deburring is gentler on parts than barrel tumbling.

Latem Industries - Canada’s  Mass Finishing Experts

From large and complex to small and delicate, Latem Industries offers a cost-effective solution to remove burrs or sharp edges from any component. To discover more about the many options we offer and to receive a no charge quotation, contact us online or by phone at 1-866-543-3334.

As of September 6, 2018, Plastico Industries is officially recognized for conforming with the ISO 9001:2015 standard in our industrial metal coating services.

For Plastico Industries (and our parent company Latem Industries), ISO 9001:2015 certification means:

• Plastico Industries’ top management demonstrates leadership and commitment to upholding a Quality Management System that meets ISO 9001:2015 standards.
• Our Quality Management System comprehensively addresses risks, opportunities, changes and quality objectives.
• We have plans and processes in place to meet our customers’ requirements for our services.
• All our employees have the training and resources they need to support our Quality Management System.
• The roles and responsibilities necessary to uphold this commitment have been assigned, communicated and understood.
• We continuously monitor, measure, analyze, and evaluate our Quality Management System with an aim to improve wherever we can.

We’d like to take a moment to explain what it means to be an ISO 9001:2015 certified industrial metal coater and why it matters to us and our customers.

What ISO 9001:2015 Certification Means

ISO stands for the International Organization for Standardization. It is an independent, international organization that sets quality, safety and efficiency standards for products, services and systems.

Both the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) and the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) are membership bodies of the ISO.

The purpose of the ISO’s universal standards is to encourage manufacturers (and other organizations) to consistently meet customer expectations and regulatory requirements, and to enhance customer satisfaction by effectively applying a quality management system.

So, what does it mean to be ISO 9001:2015 certified?

In short, it means the organization has a proven commitment to providing quality and consistency to its customers.

To an industrial metal coater like Plastico, ISO 9001:2015 certification means delivering quality coatings that hit the deadline and meet or surpass our customer’s expectations every time.

To our customers, it demonstrates that our promises are backed up by a universally-recognized quality management process. We put lots of time and effort into ensuring our work meets the ISO standards from beginning to end.

How Plastico Earned ISO 9001:2015 Certification

Although the International Organization for Standardization develops these standards, the task of auditing organizations for compliance falls to independent certification bodies.

Plastico Industries passed an audit by The Registrar Company (TRC). TRC issued Plastico’s Certificate of Registration for ISO 9001:2015 on September 6, 2018. TRC is a trusted certification body accredited by the ANSI-ANQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB) for over twenty years.

ISO 9001:2008 vs. ISO 9001:2015

If you’re already familiar with the previous standards set in 2008, you’ll find few changes in the ISO’s current criteria. What has changed is:

• New structure (expanding from 8 clauses to 10)
• Renewed focus on top-level accountability, involving the highest levels of management in implementing and maintaining ISO standards
• Emphasis on risk management throughout the organization, using the system as a preventative tool that encourages continuous improvements to process
• More flexibility for organizations like Plastico to develop ISO documentation in a format that meets our needs as a industrial metal coater
• Alignment with other key management system standards

Work with a Certified Metal Coater

Plastico Industries is proud to produce results that meet internationally-recognized quality standards. Start working with an ISO 9001:2015 certified industrial metal coater today.

A-coating and E-coating are two industrial metal coating technologies used to apply a rust and corrosion-proof coating to metal parts. Both are dip-coating processes that see wide use in the automotive and heavy machinery industries as a means of coating large components.

Despite these similarities, there are important differences to consider when selecting the correct industrial metal coating process.

What is A-Coating?

A-coating is a colloquial term for coating with Aquence, a Henkel® specialty coating product. Aquence was previously marketed as Autophoretic coating.

Aquence or A-coating is a waterborne poly coating that bonds to iron on contact. When a part made of ferrous material is dipped in a tank of liquid Aquence, the product bonds to the part with a chemical reaction. Next, manufacturers place the part in an oven to cure the coating.

A-coating has gained recognition in the automotive and heavy industrial manufacturing industries as a reliable metal coating technology. It has unlimited throwing power, and excellent corrosion and scratch resistance.

Aquence is also environmentally sustainable, containing no heavy metals and very few volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Any wastewater resulting from the A-coating process can be treated and disposed of in an environmentally-friendly way.

There are two types of Aquence coating available:

Aquence 866 leaves a matte-like finish and cures at low temperature, enabling manufacturers to coat full assemblies without affecting plastic or rubber bushings.
Aquence 930 is an epoxy acrylic coating with a semi-gloss appearance, ideal as Class B finish or primer coat.

Plastico is the only industrial metal coating company in Canada to offer A-coating in both Aquence 866 and Aquence 930 coatings.

What is E-Coating?

E-coating refers to electrophoretic painting or electrocoating, a metal coating technology developed to apply anti-corrosive coating.

The e-coating process involves immersing the part in a series of dip tanks, first to pre-treat and apply zinc phosphate and then to coat, clean, rinse, and condition it. When the part is dipped into the coating materials, the manufacturer activates an electrical current that passes through the tank using the part as an electrode. This electrical activity causes a layer of resin to adhere to the part, coating all surfaces exposed to the substance.

As with A-coating, a part coated with E-coating must be cured after application.

It is possible to control the thickness of the coating by adjusting the electrical current to the tank. A higher voltage will result in a thicker coating.

Differences Between A-Coating and E-Coating

While these metal coating technologies sound similar, the differences between A-coating and E-coating are significant.

A-coating bonds to metal using a chemical reaction, while E-coating bonds through the application of an electrical current.
A-coating equipment requires fewer dip stations and has a much smaller footprint than E-coating equipment. E-coating involves a lengthy pre-treatment process with multiple washing, cleaning, rinsing and conditioning stations.
Since it uses less equipment, the A-coating process consumes significantly less energy than E-coating.

While durable, E-coating is vulnerable to UV rays. A-coating is a durable poly coating that withstands UV.

No metal is completely safe from the threat of corrosion. But it is possible to slow, manage, or stop corrosion before it causes a problem.

There are practical ways to prevent corrosion in metal parts. Engineers can incorporate corrosion control into the design process. Manufacturers can apply protective corrosion barriers. Finally, the people who use the part can take preventative steps to prolong its life.

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What is Corrosion?

Corrosion occurs when a metal reacts with an oxidizing agent in its environment. This chemical reaction can cause the metal to degrade over time, tarnishing its appearance and compromising its structural integrity.

Each type of metal has different electrochemical properties. These properties determine the types of corrosion the part is vulnerable to. For example, iron tools are prone to rust from long-term exposure to moisture, while a copper roof will tarnish under the effects of the weather. While some metals stand up to corrosion better than others (depending on the environment), none are free from every type of corrosion.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution to prevent corrosion of metal parts. With so many types of metal and thousands of possible applications, manufacturers must use various methods to prevent and control corrosion in different metals.

Ways to Prevent Corrosion of Metal Parts

Preventing corrosion in metal parts takes consideration at all stages in the process, from design and manufacturing to finishing and maintenance.

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1. Design

Corrosion control begins at the engineering stage. If the part is for use in an environment where it is susceptible to corrosion, manufacturers should design the part with that in mind.

For example, parts exposed to the elements should allow water and debris to drain off instead of collecting on the surface. To reduce crevice corrosion, designers should eliminate narrow gaps that allow air or fluid to enter and become stagnant. For corrosive environments, such as in saltwater, it may be wise to engineer for a degree of corrosion allowance.

2. Protective Coating

Coatings can provide a layer of protection against corrosion by acting as a physical barrier between the metal parts and oxidizing elements in the environment. One common method is galvanization, in which manufacturers coat the part with a thin layer of zinc.

Powder coatings are another effective way to prevent corrosion in metal parts. With proper application, a powder coating can seal the surface of the part away from the environment to guard against corrosion.

3. Environmental Control

Many environmental factors impact the likelihood of corrosion. It helps to keep metal parts in a clean, dry place when not in use. If you intend to store them for a long time, consider using methods to control the level of sulfur, chloride, or oxygen in the surrounding environment.

Galvanic corrosion occurs when metal parts with two different electrode potentials are in contact along with an electrolyte like saltwater. This causes the metal with higher electrode activity to corrode at the point of contact. One can prevent galvanic corrosion by storing these parts separately. This effect can also work as an anti-corrosion measure, as explained below.

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4. Cathodic Protection

It is possible to prevent corrosion by applying an opposing electrical current to the metal’s surface. One method of cathodic protection is an impressed current, using an outside course of electrical current to overpower a corrosive current in the part.

A less-complex method of cathodic corrosion protection is the use of a sacrificial anode. This involves attaching a small, reactive metal to the part you wish to protect. Metal ions will flow from the reactive metal to the less active part, reducing corrosion at the expense of the smaller piece.

5. Maintenance

Protective coatings, environmental control, and cathodic protection are effective ways of preventing corrosion in metal parts. However, these measures are nothing without ongoing maintenance and monitoring. Coatings can wear over time; even small nicks and scratches can lead to corrosion. Be sure to keep parts clean and apply additional protection as necessary.