Surface Aluminium Technologies and Sierra Aluminum are joining forces to install a fully automatic anodizing line in North America.

SATRobert SmithRobert Smith says the line will be one of the biggest and most innovative in the area. Sierra Aluminum has a facility in California.

SAT is an Italian company part of the American group Graco, based in Italy but with a well-established organization in the U.S. The focus of the company is the engineering, installation, and service of lines for aluminum extrusion surface finishing.

Sierra Aluminum, a division of Samuel, Son & Co., is a vertically integrated aluminum extrusion mill providing standard, custom, and OEM aluminum products for an extremely wide range of different industries.

Sierra went through an extensive due diligence process which included visits to operational lines in Europe. During these visits, Sierra closely observed the state-of-the-art SAT technologies. In particular, SAT’s implementation of a fully automatic anodizing line was a key differentiator for the U.S.-based Company.

“SAT was the most reliable partner for a highly automated solution which allows us to maintain strict control of all the process parameters,” says Robert Smith, Director of Manufacturing and Growth Strategy at Sierra.

The high level of automation of SAT lines is the result of internal software engineering development that is ideal for making software and hardware work in close synergy.

“Thanks to the customized Supervision Software, it will be possible to constantly check and collect all data from the working tanks and then link this information to each anodic bar. In this way, at the end of the process, every load will be accompanied by a specific and thorough production history,” said Andrea Trevisan, SAT CEO.

The automatic management of the whole process will guarantee a high level of productivity with a reduction of downtime, fine-tuned dosing of chemical products, and constant monitoring and thermoregulation of the process tanks.

“We’re very proud to announce this new partnership between SAT and Sierra for this first SAT Anodizing Line in North America,” Trevisan says. “We are sure this collaboration represents a fundamental step for both companies, and I really look forward to seeing the line in operations.”