WOHLEN, Switzerland — Surface One, the new flagship machine for thermal spray coatings developed by Oerlikon Metco, is the winner of two international design awards.

Both the Red Dot Design Award and the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA) recognize the Surface One design for its contribution to the quality, efficiency, usability and safety of the thermal spray process.

“Breaking the mold in regard to design in order to enhance the effectiveness and user-friendliness of the technology — this has been superbly achieved by Surface One,” said the Red Dot Design Award jury. The statement reflects Oerlikon Metco’s aspirations for the next generation thermal spray-coating machine. “Our customers expect productivity improvements, consistent quality and process safety. And they want their coating process to be ready for the factory of the future,” explained Dr. Martin Tempus, Oerlikon Metco’s head of Equipment Business.

Surface One provides a compact design that fits in a shipping container, occupies 20% less floor space and can readily be relocated elsewhere on the shop floor or to another facility. The machine offers full modularity that simplifies system upgrades or reconfiguration An intuitive, customizable user interface with integrated operator guidance eliminates operating errors, increases operational efficiency, reduces training requirements and is ready for Industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things. Safety and usability improvements limit operator exposure to the thermal spray environment, make part lifting and handling easier, minimizing maintenance downtime and reducing system-cleaning efforts.

Surface One was officially launched in March 2018 and immediately created strong demand. “We are honored by the trust of key customers worldwide who have directly ordered Surface One machines,” said Dr. Wolfgang Konrad, Head of Oerlikon Metco. “I am very happy about the positive feedback from our customers, which confirms that Surface One really meets their requirements”, he added.