Quick Finish Changeovers at Superior Cabinets
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Quick Finish Changeovers at Superior CabinetsSuperior Cabinets, though larger than many custom woodworking shops, has adopted a finishing technology that could be scaled up or down. Superior, based in Saskatoon, SK, Canada introduced its Fusion line of finishes for MDF cabinets in 2010, offering just a few colors.

“Fusion is a chalky stain that looks like a five-piece wood door on MDF product,” explains plant manager Brent Boechler, which plays right into the trend toward cleaner design. Despite being a more affordable cabinet option, Fusion/MDF met resistance in the marketplace at first. Over time, however, consumers have warmed up to Fusion’s look and advantages. When humidity changes, the proprietary finish does not expand at the joints, Boechler explains. “We don’t see cracking or warping,” he notes. “Not only is Fusion more affordable, but it is a more consistent look.”

When the competitively priced offering caught on, it fostered expansion of color choices.

“We went to 17 different colors from four, which we had mixed by hand into fivegallon containers,” Boechler recalls. “With up to 10 color changes per day, there was a lot of waste.”

A solution developed by its design engineering team and Kremlin-Rexson was implemented in June 2013, using a Kremlin plural component mixing system that allows the finish to be mixed at the spray gun instead of in batches. The system uses less finish – only what is needed is sprayed.

The Cyclomix Micro dosing machine allows the user to dose, mix and continuously deliver two component paints or adhesives. The mixing process works by catalyst injection into a constant flow of base material. The catalyst is injected in the center of the stream at a very high frequency. Cyclomix Micro does not require an additional premix chamber. The optimized conception of the static mixer ensures accurate mixing, even if both components have really different viscosities.

Cyclomix Expert can manage a total up to 24 components (bases, catalysts, flushing solvents). It can handle mono-, bi- or tri-component materials. The dosing process – featuring an ultra-fast injection valve – offers precise and consistent mixing quality and dosing accuracy. The machine can handle two working stations simultaneously. Electronic programming technology enables complete monitoring and followup of actual material consumptions as well as the traceability of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

Broad Finish Palette
Superior Cabinets’ finishes are supplied by Sherwin-Williams, which also lends technical expertise in addition to providing more than 85 finishes, including conversion varnishes, spray stains, glazes and sealers. Sherwin-Williams also helped analyze Superior’s mixing operation and contributed to the development of the solution with Kremlin-Rexson.

Established in 1980 by Charles Larre, Superior Cabinets has been a steady recipient of the Best of Houzz, winning badges for Design and Service in 2014.

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