News & Events

Powder and electro-coating small parts can be tricky. Since each part must be individually hung for full coverage and grounding, parts can easily be pushed off during a wash cycle or floated off during immersion. A customer came to us for solutions when they were averaging $10,000 a month in parts lost to the bottom of their e-coat tank.

Until now there was not an elegant solution for securing parts without affecting coverage and grounding. CFS created the answer with the patent pending Hook Lock. Designed to fit over the end of the hook, it prevents part loss. This is also a very important safety feature, preventing parts from falling off automated overhead paint lines onto unsuspecting...

Christmas 2022 brought the final production machine to the floor of the Custom Fabricating & Supplies expansion (CFS, Franklin, WI) – a 50 ton compression/transfer molding press. “The past 3 years have highlighted many challenges in the supply chain. The number of requests for in-house custom silicone molding has skyrocketed. We listened”, commented Henry Asik, VP of CFS. This 50 ton press will be available for custom projects for customers who require US silicone molding services and shorter lead times. “We have space for additional molding machines which we expect to bring on-line in the next 12-18 months,” continued Henry.

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After experiencing tremendous growth in 2021 we were bursting at the seams. Navigating supply chain delays and shortages throughout the ‘22 expansion, the final machine arrived just in time for Christmas. When the dust settled we gained 32,000 square feet in our Franklin, WI location, new and renovated office space, and 6 new production machines and an expanded Houston location which tripled the size of that facility.

CFS is always exploring and investing in advanced technologies. The expansion provided us the space to bring on the long-awaited new flagship of our converting operations – a Delta ModTech high speed rotary press equipped with a Flex Edge® laser and MOD-Track® vision inspe...

On the surface it sounds pretty simple – make a tape die cut with an island in the middle that is non-adhesive. Even looking at the final product does not reveal the complexities of creating precise island placement on tapes. Recently CFS had the opportunity to work with a customer on a polyimide die cut requiring zone non-adhesion. This project was completed in our ISO 7 clean room using our Delta ModTech precision rotary press.

Step 1

As a 3M Preferred Converter, CFS has the opportunity to work on very challenging projects which require an extensive knowledge of the intricacies and eccentricities of die cutting VHB and high-performance foam tapes. The properties of these tapes which make them desirable for badge/emblem attachment also make them more difficult to work with than traditional tapes. Our Delta ModTech features advanced technologies making these complex projects possible.

Double-sided pressure-sensitive adhesives like film or foam tapes are extremely popular among vehicle emblem adhesives.  Contrary to the stigma of tape as a “temporary” adhesive, double-sided automotive tapes can be strong enough to...

Chemical Agent Resistant Coating (CARC) is the organic topcoat used on the majority of the armed service’ combat vehicles, aircraft, ordinance and tactical equipment. Its unique formulation allows coated vehicles to be decontaminated in the event of exposure to chemical or biological warfare agents. It also has properties that make coated equipment less prone to infrared detection.

Applied as a wet spray, the process cures in relatively low temperature oven. Given that this coating i...

Powder coating is a dry finishing process that has become extremely popular since its introduction in North America in the 1960s. Representing over 15% of the total industrial finishing market, the global powder coatings market is expected to reach $16.55B by 2024. Applied as a substance which resembles baking flour in consistency, it is easy for the coating to end up in places it would not be wanted. With many different powder coating masking tapes available, it can be difficult to select the best option.

Polyester Tapes (PET) consist of a polyester carrier (the non-adhesive...

A large equipment manufacturer was struggling to trace masking issues through their paint line. They asked CFS if we would be able to produce kit die cuts with QR codes that could be scanned at each step in the paint process. With our new Domino printer installed on the Delta Modtech - this was not an issue! 

For this die cut 3M 401+ Crepe tape was used. First step is to print the QR codes on the tape. Next, the tape runs though the rotary die where it is cut and laminated to the clear liner in one step then the liner is through cut to product sheets. The Delta has the ability to stack those individual sheeted die cut kits in pre-set quantities for easy and accurate packaging. ...

Q. We are having issues with plug loss and leakage during coating. Rework is expensive – how can we mitigate this?

A. Excellent question! There are many factors that influence plug loss or leakage. Here are some recommendations for avoiding plug loss, leakage and rework.

Use the correct plug size
Incorrect plug size selection issues are surprisingly common, especially when manufacturers only convey hole or thread sizes to the purchasing department. In immersion or heat cycles, building pressure can trap large air pockets. If you do not select plugs with this problem in mind, a “perfect fit” on paper may be the wrong choice, and a slightly overs...

Below is an excerpt from a featured article written for pfonline.com. Read the entire editorial HERE.

What differentiates CFS as a masking products supplier is the extent to which work with finishers on finding solutions to process problems. Masks generally fail due to inappropriate application, poor sizing or excessive wear. For these cases the solution is often simply finding a better standard product for the job. But there are other cases where solving a root masking problem requires developing a custom solution.  In either case it requires...