Surface-treatment system supplier Pillar Technologies begin full operation of a newly renovated Technical Laboratory at its Hartland, Wis., headquarters. Overall floor space is increased by 20 percent, and customer samples can now be run on production-speed and sized equipment.

"By separating the lab areas, we were able to organize the space for more efficient use of materials and equipment," says Dick Washebeck, director of engineering. Among the new systems available are a Preferred Systems, Inc., unwind/rewind stand; Montalvo brakes and tension controllers; a Rockwell Automation digital drive; Simco static bars; and an Accuweb digital web guide.

The new test line treats material at speeds of 25-1,000 fpm in widths from 12-60 in. Pillar Technologies units include a Universal treater, Blown Film treater and a Gas Atmosphere treater to handle all requirements. A smaller unwind/rewind is available for narrow-web applications, equipped with a new Unitized Narrow Web treater with a digital P6000 power supply.