• Login
    • Join
  • FOLLOW:
  • Subscribe Free
    • Magazine
    • eNewsletter
    Checkout
    • Magazine
    • News
    • Research
    • Markets & Technologies
    • Raw Materials
    • Top Companies
    • Directories
    • Jobs
    • Events
    • Microsites
    • More
  • Magazine
  • News
  • Research
  • Markets & Technologies
  • Raw Materials
  • Top Companies
  • Directories
  • Jobs
  • Events
  • Microsites
  • Current / Back Issues
    Features
    Business Corner
    Editorial
    Digital Edition
    eNewsletter Archive
    Our Team
    Editorial Guidelines
    Subscribe Now
    Advertise Now
    World Reports
    eBook
    Top Features
    Mixing Equipment Directory

    The Wood Coatings Market

    Antimicrobial Coatings Market

    Additives Update

    Pigment Supplier Directory
    Breaking News
    Online Exclusives
    Distributor News
    Financial News
    Paint & Coatings Manufacturer News
    People In the News
    Price Increases
    Product News
    Video Bites
    Raw Materials & Equipment
    Suppliers News
    Live From Shows
    Top News
    Mule-Hide Products Co. Promotes Steven Litaker to Territory Manager

    Terra Firma, Wanhua Announce New Distribution Partnership

    Gelest CEO Elected to National Academy of Engineering

    PPG Appoints Tony Wu as VP, Automotive Refinish, Asia

    PPG Appoints John Bruno as VP, Investor Relations
    Top Companies report
    Market Research
    White Papers / Tech Papers
    Technical Papers
    Product Spec Sheets
    World Reports
    Adhesives and Sealants
    Aerospace Coatings
    Architectural Coatings
    Automotive Coatings
    Automotive Refinish
    Business Operation
    Color Trends & Forecast
    Construction Chemicals
    Corrosion Control
    Industrial Coatings
    Laboratory Equipment
    Marine Coatings
    Market Trends & Forecast
    Powder Coatings
    Production Equipment
    Radcure Coatings
    Special Purpose Coatings
    Wood Coatings
    "Green" Coatings

    Nippon Paint Marine Wins Korea Export Award

    ECOS Paints Launches Lisa Tharp Colors

    BYK-Gardner Launches VMA-Getzmann TORUSMILL

    Sensory Analytics Announces Issuance of Broad New Patent Covering Coating Thickness Measurement

    Union Process Develops Attritor for Inks, Coatings Supplier
    Additives
    Binders
    Pigments
    Solvents

    OQ Chemicals Increases Carboxylic Acids, Esters Prices

    Arkema Reports Full-year 2020 Results

    New Increase in Kynar Fluoropolymer Capacities at Arkema's Chinese Site

    Emerald Kalama Chemical Acquired by LANXESS

    Raw Material Suppliers, Distributors Part of Recent M&A Activity
    Buyers Guide
    Company Capabilities
    Distributor Guide
    Add New Company
    International Buyers Guide Companies
    Pilot Chemical Company

    Eagle Specialty Products

    Active Minerals

    Shepherd Color Company, The

    Keim Additec Surface USA LLC
    Industry Events
    Webinars
    Live From Show Event
    Top Events
    Surface Finishing Mexico 2021

    Cleveland Coatings Society Zoom Meeting

    Cleveland Coatings Society Zoom Meeting

    PCI Powder Coating Week

    Southern Society for Coatings Technology Annual Meeting and Technical Conference
    Companies
    White Papers/Tech Papers
    Product Spec Sheets
    Equipment
    Literature/Brochures
    Videos
    International Buyers Guide Companies
    Siltech Corporation

    Pilot Chemical Company

    Active Minerals

    Shepherd Color Company, The

    Eagle Specialty Products
    • Magazine
      • Current / Back Issues
      • Features
      • Editorial
      • Business Corner
      • Digital Edition
      • eNewsletter Archive
      • Editorial Guidelines
      • Subscribe Now
      • Advertise Now
    • Breaking News
    • Directories
      • Buyers Guide
      • Distributor Guide
      • Corporate Capabilities
      • Trade Associations
      • Add Your Company
    • Markets & Technologies
      • Adhesives and Sealants
      • Aerospace Coatings
      • Architectural Coatings
      • Automotive Coatings
      • Automotive Refinish
      • Business Operation
      • Color Trends & Forecast
      • Construction Chemicals
      • Corrosion Control
      • Industrial Coatings
      • Laboratory Equipment
      • Marine Coatings
      • Market Trends & Forecast
      • Powder Coatings
      • Production Equipment
      • Radcure Coatings
      • Special Purpose Coatings
      • Wood Coatings
      • "Green" Coatings
    • Raw Materials
      • Additives
      • Binders
      • Pigments
      • Solvents
    • World Reports
      • Africa Report
      • China Report
      • India/Asia Pacific Report
      • Europe Report
      • Latin America Report
      • Market Research
      • Russian Report
    • Top Companies
    • Online Exclusives
    • Slideshows
    • Experts Opinions
    • Blog
    • eBook
    • Infographics
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
    • Whitepapers
    • Jobs
    • Microsites
      • Companies
      • White Papers/Tech Papers
      • Product Spec Sheets
      • Equipment
      • Literature/Brochures
      • Videos
    • Events
      • Industry Events
      • Live From Show Event
      • Webinars
    • About Us
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
      • Advertise With Us
      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms of Use
    Breaking News

    Evonik Introducing Coatings Industry's 1st Digital Lab Assistant

    COATINO is expected to be available to the entire coatings industry in 2020.

    Evonik Introducing Coatings Industry
    Evonik Introducing Coatings Industry
    Related CONTENT
    • Evonik Closes Sale of Methacrylates Business
    • Evonik Expands Fumed Silica Capacity
    • It’s Time to Protect all of the Surfaces
    • Sumter Coatings' Austin Floyd Retiring
    • BCF Representing UK Coatings Industry at ChemCon Asia 2019
    08.06.19

    Evonik is introducing the first digital lab assistant for the coatings industry – COATINO.

     

    Head of the Coating Additives Business Line at Evonik Dr. Gaetano Blanda wants to turn voice-controlled digital assistants from simple helpers for daily life into chemistry experts and use them in a place where a comprehensive amount of specialized knowledge is needed and a technical language is spoken: the laboratory.

     

    His team specializes in formulations for the coatings industry and the associated additives. To exactly meet the customers’ wishes for color, gloss, and durability, the experts have to create complex mixtures in the lab which they supplement with the right additives. Thousands of combinations are possible.

     

    The idea for COATINO was born during a strategy meeting at Coating Additives.

     

    “We talked about new ways in which business could develop,” says Dr. Oliver Kröhl, head of the Strategic Business Area Development at Coating Additives and the project’s manager. “Innovations are no longer just limited to finished products or processes. Instead, you need to demonstrate your ability to come up with solutions in the form of new services and business models.”

     

    The researchers focused on everyday challenges for the formulation of coatings and paints and soon decided that they could use a voice-controlled digital formulation assistant.

     

    The scientists coated an empty can of paint in the company’s colors. They then put it into the laboratory, where they filmed a discussion between a colleague and the can. In the video, the user asked the can about a suitable waterborne anti-foaming agent for a wood coating. The can gave its reply, provided the lab employee with a selection of products, and ordered a sample.

     

    “Back then, the questions were answered by a colleague who stood behind a wall,” Kröhl said. “Although this was rather ad hoc, we wanted to tangibly test our idea with customers and quickly get feedback.”

     

    The video was shared with several customers and the team also conducted structured interviews.

     

    “We’re experts for paints and coatings, but not for voice-controlled assistants,” Kröhl said. “That’s why we knew that the project might not work. However, we and our customers thought it had such great potential that we were willing to take the risk.” The aim was to develop a prototype assistant in time for the European Coating Show.

     

    This was no easy task because conventional voice-recognition systems were unable to handle the specialist vocabulary.

     

    “The usual assistants simply can’t understand our language,” Kröhl said. "They quickly reach their limits when you ask them about dispersion, rheology or silicone resins, for example, and they can, at best, only supply general information."

     

    The high-throughput experimentation unit for the testing of coating recipes at the Coating Additives Business Line provides an important pool of data for the coating industry’s digital assistant. This unit, which is housed at Evonik’s Goldschmidtstrasse location in Essen, doses raw materials, formulates them to create coatings and characterizes the finished coatings. All of this runs fully automatically according to a precisely defined program that can be reproduced at any time.

     

    As a result, the unit can formulate an average of 120 samples in 24 hours. The results can be called up and reproduced at any time. If this data is linked with COATINO, customers will receive daily updated data about individual coating formulations.

     

    “They have to be able to do a lot more in order to formulate a coating,” Kröhl said. “If they don’t know the components’ properties and how they interact, they won’t be any help in the laboratory.”

     

    Paints, lacquers, and other coatings basically consist of four components: solvents, binders, pigments, and additives. A solvent keeps a wall paint in a liquid state, for example. The solvent evaporates after the paint is applied, causing it to dry. Pigments give the paint the desired color. Binders are used to ensure the paint remains attached to the wall and is effective. This component is colorless and bonds the paint with the substrate. Additives make up the smallest percentage of a formulation. Although their share is less than five percent, they nevertheless play a key role. Additives eliminate foam when paint is applied. They also prevent the paint’s pigments from agglutinating. They make coatings thixotropic, i. e. they make them easy to apply, but prevent them from forming runs when they dry on vertical surfaces. Other additives make coatings more scratch-resistant, for example.

     

    The various components influence each other’s effects, depending on the mixture. The number of possible combinations is immense. Even if only 10 curing agents, 10 binders, 10 pigments, and 10 additives are considered during the development of a coating recipe, these numbers translate into 10,000 possible combinations. And this doesn’t even take into account variations in the ratios of the components used.

     

    “Customers have very precise ideas about the capabilities that a product should have once it’s finished,” Blanda said.

     

    To develop a functional voice-controlled assistant for the coatings industry, the researchers at first began to structure all of the available information and feed it into a huge database. In the next step, they made it possible to call up this information using a voice-control function.

     

    COATINO had to learn that “additive” designates a certain category of coating components. In the next step, the assistant has to access its data, search through it, create suitable links, and assign the data to a possibly relevant result. To do so, it first breaks down the sequence of sounds into their smallest components and conducts a data search based on characteristic properties. A special challenge for the assistant is that COATINO has to be able to understand not only German nouns in the nominative case but also in other cases. The researchers also want to make sure that the speaker’s dialect or accent won’t hamper the result. The ultimate aim is to enable COATINO to understand customers’ pronunciations worldwide.

     

    Added to these challenges are the speakers’ different talking speeds and pitches as well as the specific context of a discussion.

     

    “The training process is very nerve-wracking,” Kröhl said. “And after the trial run with our colleague in Shanghai was finally successful, it went wrong with our colleagues in Essen.”

     

    For almost two years now, COATINO has been jointly developed and trained by the business line and an external development company

    from Berlin. The assistant passed its first important development test when the prototype was demonstrated at the ECS.

     

    When asked about suitable additives, it not only presents a list of products but also prioritizes them.

     

    “COATINO can tell me which additive would be best suited for my formulation and my requirements. It can thus give me well-founded recommendations,” Blanda said.

     

    Once a user has found the desired product, he or she can issue a voice command to tell COATINO to order a sample, directly call up the pertinent technical datasheet by e-mail or have a conversation with an expert arranged.

     

    The COATINO prototype was ready just in time for the start of the European Coating Show.

     

    “We immediately presented it to a select group of our customers,” said Blanda.

     

    Instead of a can, the users imparted their wishes to a tablet via a microphone.

     

    “The feedback was even better than we’d hoped. We were able to gain some of the customers as first users who will test the assistant," Blanda said. “We wanted to get the customers involved at an early stage. Such a project can only work if customers also think it benefits them.”

     

    In 2020 the researchers plan to make COATINO available to the entire coatings industry.

     

    “When you use digital assistants, you continually come up with ideas for new features,” said Kröhl.

     

    For example, COATINO could conceivably not only supply existing formulations but also suggest its own new mixtures. The scientists could directly test these mixtures in the lab and enhance them for their own use.

     

    “Our COATINO might one day become an artificially intelligent entity,” said Blanda. “But we still have a long, long way to go until then.”

     


     
    Related Searches
    • coatings
    • waterborne
    • dispersion
    • additive
    Suggested For You
    Evonik Closes Sale of Methacrylates Business Evonik Closes Sale of Methacrylates Business
    Evonik Expands Fumed Silica Capacity Evonik Expands Fumed Silica Capacity
    It’s Time to Protect all  of the Surfaces It’s Time to Protect all of the Surfaces
    Sumter Coatings Sumter Coatings' Austin Floyd Retiring
    BCF Representing UK Coatings Industry at ChemCon Asia 2019 BCF Representing UK Coatings Industry at ChemCon Asia 2019
    PPG’s Kevin Braun Discusses Future of Coatings Industry in Eastern Coatings Show Keynote Address PPG’s Kevin Braun Discusses Future of Coatings Industry in Eastern Coatings Show Keynote Address
    Eastern Coatings Show Honors Technical Innovation Eastern Coatings Show Honors Technical Innovation
    Evonik Brings REWOFERM SL ONE, TOMAMINE Coupling Agents to AOCS 2019 Evonik Brings REWOFERM SL ONE, TOMAMINE Coupling Agents to AOCS 2019
    Axalta Brazil Receives Toyota Global Contribution Award Axalta Brazil Receives Toyota Global Contribution Award
    Evonik Demonstrates Revolutionary New Digital Lab Assistant at the European Coatings Show Evonik Demonstrates Revolutionary New Digital Lab Assistant at the European Coatings Show
    Eight Individuals Being Honored at CPCA’s 106th Annual Conference & AGM Eight Individuals Being Honored at CPCA’s 106th Annual Conference & AGM
    BYK-1786 to Showcase at ECS 2019 BYK-1786 to Showcase at ECS 2019
    BCF: Coatings Industry Warns of Serious Consequences of a BCF: Coatings Industry Warns of Serious Consequences of a 'No Deal' Brexit
    Evonik Evonik
    Evonik Showcases Anquamine 728 Curing Agent at European Coatings Show Evonik Showcases Anquamine 728 Curing Agent at European Coatings Show

    Related Breaking News

    • Breaking News | Distributor News
      Terra Firma, Wanhua Announce New Distribution Partnership

      Terra Firma, Wanhua Announce New Distribution Partnership

      Terra Firma will be representing Wanhua's line of aliphatic isocyanates technologies in the former's Southeastern geography.
      Anthony Locicero, Associate editor 03.02.21

    • Breaking News | People in the News
      Mule-Hide Products Co. Promotes Steven Litaker to Territory Manager

      Mule-Hide Products Co. Promotes Steven Litaker to Territory Manager

      Litaker will cover the newly created West Central and Southwest Florida territory.
      Anthony Locicero, Associate editor 03.02.21

    • Breaking News | People in the News
      Gelest CEO Elected to National Academy of Engineering

      Gelest CEO Elected to National Academy of Engineering

      Election to the NAE is “among the highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer," according to the organization.
      Anthony Locicero, Associate editor 03.01.21


    • Breaking News | People in the News
      PPG Appoints Tony Wu as VP, Automotive Refinish, Asia

      PPG Appoints Tony Wu as VP, Automotive Refinish, Asia

      Will succeed Pauline Yuen, who has announced her intent to retire, effective March 19.
      Anthony Locicero, Associate editor 03.01.21

    • Breaking News | People in the News
      PPG Appoints John Bruno as VP, Investor Relations

      PPG Appoints John Bruno as VP, Investor Relations

      Had served as CFO for the Asia Pacific region and director, investor relations before this promotion.
      Anthony Locicero, Associate editor 03.01.21

    • Breaking News | Paint & Coatings Manufacturer News
      AkzoNobel Kicks off Paint the Future Startup Challenge in China

      AkzoNobel Kicks off Paint the Future Startup Challenge in China

      The deadline for submissions is May 15, 2021.
      Anthony Locicero, Associate editor 03.01.21


    • Breaking News | People in the News
      Hempel Hires Global Head of Renewable Energy

      Hempel Hires Global Head of Renewable Energy

      In line with Hempel’s new Double Impact strategy and its ambition to double the company by 2025.
      Anthony Locicero, Associate editor 03.01.21

    • Breaking News | Marine Coatings | Paint & Coatings Manufacturer News
      Nippon Paint Marine Wins Korea Export Award

      Nippon Paint Marine Wins Korea Export Award

      Part of annual event celebrating companies that have collectively contributed $500 billion to the country’s economy.
      Anthony Locicero, Associate editor 02.26.21

    • Architectural Coatings | Breaking News | Green Coatings | Product news
      ECOS Paints Launches Lisa Tharp Colors

      ECOS Paints Launches Lisa Tharp Colors

      Collaboration "taps into surging consumer demand for healthier homes and spaces."
      Anthony Locicero, Associate editor 02.26.21


    • Breaking News | Product news
      PPG Introduces Premium Iso-free Primer Surfacer, Catalyst

      PPG Introduces Premium Iso-free Primer Surfacer, Catalyst

      The new technology provides an exceptional foundation for the DELTRON basecoat system, PPG said.
      Anthony Locicero, Associate editor 02.26.21

    • Breaking News
      Universal Display Corporation, PPG Expand Global Production of UniversalPHOLED Materials

      Universal Display Corporation, PPG Expand Global Production of UniversalPHOLED Materials

      PPG is the exclusive manufacturer of UDC’s UniversalPHOLED emitter materials.
      Anthony Locicero, Associate editor 02.26.21

    • Additives | Breaking News | Price Increases
      OQ Chemicals Increases Carboxylic Acids, Esters Prices

      OQ Chemicals Increases Carboxylic Acids, Esters Prices

      Due to supply and demand.
      Anthony Locicero 02.25.21


    • Breaking News | Production Equipment | Suppliers Corner
      BYK-Gardner Launches VMA-Getzmann TORUSMILL

      BYK-Gardner Launches VMA-Getzmann TORUSMILL

      Uses a single, closed-container for both pre-dispersion with an impeller disk, and subsequent milling with an integrated basket mill.
      Anthony Locicero, Associate editor 02.25.21

    • Breaking News | Laboratory Equipment
      Sensory Analytics Announces Issuance of Broad New Patent Covering Coating Thickness Measurement

      Sensory Analytics Announces Issuance of Broad New Patent Covering Coating Thickness Measurement

      Patent covers the methods and systems for Sensory’s exclusive ruggedized optical interference (ROI) technologies.
      Anthony Locicero, Associate editor 02.25.21

    • Additives | Breaking News | Financial News
      Arkema Reports Full-year 2020 Results

      Arkema Reports Full-year 2020 Results

      "2020 was ultimately a year of major qualitative progress for Arkema," Chairman and CEO Thierry Le Hénaff said.
      Anthony Locicero, Associate editor 02.25.21

    Trending
    • Hempel Announces Global Price Increase
    • Hempel Hires Global Head Of Renewable Energy
    • Raw Material Price Increases Pile Pressure On Paint Manufacturers
    • Hempel Launches Sustainability Framework: Futureproof
    • AkzoNobel Kicks Off Paint The Future Startup Challenge In China
    Breaking News
    • Terra Firma, Wanhua Announce New Distribution Partnership
    • Mule-Hide Products Co. Promotes Steven Litaker to Territory Manager
    • Gelest CEO Elected to National Academy of Engineering
    • PPG Appoints Tony Wu as VP, Automotive Refinish, Asia
    • PPG Appoints John Bruno as VP, Investor Relations
    View Breaking News >
    CURRENT ISSUE

    February 2021

    • Mixing Equipment Directory
    • The Wood Coatings Market
    • Antimicrobial Coatings Market
    • View More >

    Cookies help us to provide you with an excellent service. By using our website, you declare yourself in agreement with our use of cookies.
    You can obtain detailed information about the use of cookies on our website by clicking on "More information”.

    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms And Conditions
    • Contact Us

    follow us

    Subscribe
    Nutraceuticals World

    Latest Breaking News From Nutraceuticals World

    Martin Bauer Group Acquires Majority Stake in Beverage Company Power Brands
    Gencor Announces Positive Results in VeriSperse Bioavailability Study
    PanTheryx Inc. Acquires TruBiotics Brand from Bayer HealthCare LLC
    Coatings World

    Latest Breaking News From Coatings World

    Mule-Hide Products Co. Promotes Steven Litaker to Territory Manager
    Terra Firma, Wanhua Announce New Distribution Partnership
    Gelest CEO Elected to National Academy of Engineering
    Medical Product Outsourcing

    Latest Breaking News From Medical Product Outsourcing

    Axonics Buys Contura to Expand to Stress Urinary Incontinence
    Nurx Appoints Chief Medical Officer
    Median Technologies, UC San Diego to Partner on AI-Based Medical Imaging Technology
    Contract Pharma

    Latest Breaking News From Contract Pharma

    J&J’s Single-Dose COVID-19 Vax Issued EUA
    Icon to Acquire PRA Health Sciences
    Phlow Corp. and USP Form Alliance
    Beauty Packaging

    Latest Breaking News From Beauty Packaging

    Inter Parfums Reports a Strong Fourth Quarter
    Universal Engraving Announces New President
    Raw Sugar Living Expands to Target with New Collection
    Happi

    Latest Breaking News From Happi

    Inter Parfums Bounces Back in Q4
    ACI and CBC Launch Webpage About ‘Quats’
    L’Occitane Launches Hand Cream Inspired by Women
    Ink World

    Latest Breaking News From Ink World

    Access Direct Mail Doubles Revenue with SCREEN's Truepress Jet520HD
    Etiflex Enters New Markets with Nilpeter FA-22 Installation
    Hydrocarbon Solvents Market to Surpass $8.1 Billion by 2030
    Label & Narrow Web

    Latest Breaking News From Label & Narrow Web

    CP Printing adds Colordyne 3800 Series AP – Retrofit
    Edale names SMAG Graphique distributor in France
    TLMI analyzes pandemic's effect on label industry in new report
    Nonwovens Industry

    Latest Breaking News From Nonwovens Industry

    U.S. Nonwovens Rebrands as Radienz Living
    What You’re Reading on Nonwovens-Industry.com
    Texas Medical Technology Partners with My Protect Kit
    Orthopedic Design & Technology

    Latest Breaking News From Orthopedic Design & Technology

    Pandemic Pain: NuVasive's 2020 Sales Fall 10 Percent
    Fusion Robotics Receives FDA Clearance for Spinal Navigation and Robotics System
    Kaia Health Unveils Next-Gen Complete MSK Care Solutions
    Printed Electronics Now

    Latest Breaking News From Printed Electronics Now

    Comercial Kywi Improves Customer Service, Front-Store Operations with Zebra Mobile Solution
    Global Printed Circuit Board Market Projected to Reach $69.32 Billion by 2027
    Global Smart Glass Market to Register 6.8% CAGR Between 2021-28: Grand View Research

    Copyright © 2021 Rodman Media. All rights reserved. Use of this constitutes acceptance of our privacy policy The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Rodman Media.

    AD BLOCKER DETECTED

    Our website is made possible by displaying online advertisements to our visitors.
    Please consider supporting us by disabling your ad blocker.


    FREE SUBSCRIPTION Already a subscriber? Login