Over the past several years, Ground Effects, Ltd. (“GFX”) has developed a highly capable 12-stage electrophoretic painting process coupled with in-line powder coating to provide an efficient manufacturing solution for both small and large steel and aluminum parts in Windsor, Ontario. The capability of the line is impressive with individual part capacity of over 150 square feet (14 square meters) and part length of over 90 inches (230 cm) by utilizing a large submersion tank of 20,000 US gallons (755,000) liters. The line exceeds 1,800 feet in length (550 meters). 
 
As with all GFX operations, focus is on product quality through robust controls including a 7-stage cleansing and pre-treatment process to comply with automotive OEM standards for external coating applications. Output is world class with first time quality more than 99.3% and production efficiency factor of 94.4%. New investment into automation and new solution controls will drive considerably more performance.
 
Recently, GFX has invested into new coating techniques including aliphatic polyurea top coating for heavy-duty and functional applications while providing favorable aesthetics. Investment has also begun on high-volume dielectric film application for specific EV components to meet the critical protection requirements associated with the assembly of high-voltage battery packs. Manufacturers often apply dielectric materials to various elements of battery cells, cooling plates, and adjacent components.
 
Additional line capacity will by introduced by late 2024 and allow GFX to double the current output across a broad range or products.