Q&A: Composites Exec Automates Process, Improves Air Quality

Gregg Fore, President and CEO of RV panel-manufacturer Vixen Composites

Vixen Composites is a newly established affiliate of RV product manufacturer Dicor Corporation. It specializes in composite structural and exterior panels for the recreational vehicle and commercial trailer industries, with plans to invest more than $6 million in machinery and equipment to lease 98,000 square feet of space.

How do you fit into the composites industry?

We are in the exterior component part of the RV industry. We hatched a plan two-and-a-half years ago as we looked for other ways to focus on the exterior of RVs. Our goal was not just RVs, though that’s the main thrust, but also to look for potential components to spread to other industries such as marine, transportation (step van, smaller vehicles), residential applications like sunrooms, potential military portable structures. We’ve done research in those areas, because it was important to understand where to go with the process outside the RV industry.

What is your manufacturing process?

It’s a continuous manufacturing process, which means it’s controlled by computers and runs continuously, as opposed to hand lay-up. We believe we have some unique capabilities because of the scale of the panel we can produce, which is 10-feet wide and unlimited in lengths (at least what’s transportable). We don’t know if anyone is doing that today, but if there are, there aren’t many.

Why do you focus on RV?

We picked the RV industry first for several reasons. It’s an industry we’re very familiar with, 80 percent of the production is within 50 miles and lastly, because the finish required makes it one of the hardest products to manufacture. We felt strongly about doing the hardest one first. Some of the others require a smaller level of exterior finish. If the panel is more structural than decorative, the finish isn’t as important.

How do you see the role of composites changing in the RV industry?

There’s a time coming where there will be more ways to make those products lighter and more durable while utilizing less wood. The RV needs to get wood out of its product, and it’s moving in that direction, albeit somewhat slowly because wood is relatively inexpensive. Issues with wood include degradation, humidity and water absorption which lead to mold and mildew. The performance of the vehicle will be much better with less wood because it isn’t necessarily structurally sound.

Why is RV production more difficult?

The current products in RV are gel-coat fiberglass. Some are termed composites, some are not. It’s a gel-coat finish much like a boat. It’s highly automotive, reflective and smooth—those are difficult characteristics to meet in almost any process. It’s a combination of the produced surface and the coating that’s required to provide the end product. On a structural panel in marine applications, such as decking or structural walls, you don’t have to have an automotive mirror finish. It has to be nice, but not highly polished. We had to accomplish that difficult finish first, which we’ve done.

How did you accomplish that?

Part of it was product chemistry in our process to produce the panel. Mating that chemistry with the proper paint and clear coat finish to the proper application so that the chemistry and curing worked in a production atmosphere where production line is moving. We accomplished that at a high rate of line speed so that when the panel comes off coated and finished, it’s cured. We’re not atomizing any finish at all, which is important. From a standpoint of EPA at least, we work to keep under the air pollution requirements.

Was focusing on air quality a conscious decision or a response to business trends?

It was a focus for a number of reasons. The northwest section of Indiana is probably the worst air-polluter in the state, based on Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) measurements. As a result, the requirements have become more stringent. We could have done it a different way, but from an air quality standpoint in the facility, a number of things are important. The more you atomize, the more you spread through the ambient air. I don’t know if it’s a serious health issue or not, but it’s at the very least an annoyance to employees. We also focused on air movement by cleaning and filtering the air so we have access to some of that air movement in the facility, especially in winter.

Over the last 10 to 15 years, because of pressures from EPA and state quality boards, there’s been a rapid change in technology that allows people to produce products in different methods. The newer you are in your methods, the less likely you are to pollute. I don’t think anyone wants to pollute, but those that might be doing it more are using technology that was available when they installed their production. It’s not only expensive to update, but can require an overhaul of the manufacturing process.

What about manufacturers who can’t afford automation? What can they do?

Components in composite products have advanced so rapidly, so sometimes you can do a chemistry change because of the advanced technology that provides the same product characteristics, but the chemistry works different enough so that by itself, it minimizes the pollution problem.

Over the years, people have developed resin-injection systems which inject resin directly into the process as opposed to liquid resin being sprayed. Fiberglass people have developed rolled fiberglass goods that take the place of strands and spraying gel-coat or resins. All of those are becoming used to a greater extent by forward-thinkers. Those processes are cleaner, not only physically in the plant but also air-quality wise. If you choose a different resin system and it’s not hazardous, you can eliminate that. On a coating process, some coatings are 100 percent solid and don’t require any carrier. Chemistry changes can go from wet solvent coating to a dry coating and not only eliminate atomization but also control waste.

How did you conduct your testing?

We had an independent lab conduct our testing. We were concerned about the reflective qualities of the panel, coating adhering, panel strength, impact resistance in both the finish and structure, heat aging, UV degradation and temperature inversions from rapid cool down to heat-up. The mechanical qualities of the product have to be consistent or it’ll aesthetically fail in the field.

What will be the challenges in starting up the Vixen branch?

The scale of the product is by far the major challenge. When you make a scale of that size, the consistency of fine tuning the equipment and chemistry to make sure your carrying physical and aesthetic properties across a great range of sizes is the biggest challenge. But we feel confident entering the marketplace. We’ve done tremendous testing over the last two years, so we’re comfortable with the mechanical and long-term properties of the product.

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