Executive Summary

In today’s coil coating operations, time is money—and quality is everything. Conventional quality control (QC) relies on manual sampling and offline laboratory analysis, creating delays between production and actionable feedback.

The CMX™ In-Line Multi-Element Analyzer from Cianflone Scientific represents a new era in quality assurance. By providing real-time, in-line coating analysis directly on the coil line, CMX along with the benchtop Portaspec enables immediate process control, continuous verification, and complete traceability.

The Challenge: Reactive Quality Control

For decades, coil coating QC has depended on a cycle of sampling, testing, waiting, and adjusting. This conventional workflow introduces inefficiencies:

• Latency — Results may take 30 minutes to several hours, allowing off-spec production to continue if there is no action over a required adjustment.
• Sampling error — Small, periodic samples may fail to capture full process variability.
• Reactive adjustments — Corrections often arrive after material is already produced.
• Limited traceability — Analysis on small sections of coil cannot precisely correlate to the entire product.

The Solution: The CMX Advantage

What is the CMX?

CMX is a fully integrated, in-line multi-element analyzer designed for continuous process monitoring on coil coating lines. It performs elemental analysis in real time, enabling 100% inspection of coated material without interrupting production.

Key capabilities include:

• Real-time elemental measurement across the strip
• Singular top probe head or dual top and bottom probe heads
• Available points of read — static or section
• Automatic data logging and tolerance tracking
• Custom integration for line width, speed, and coating analysis parameters
• Immediate process feedback for automated or operator adjustments
• “Proof-of-quality” documentation for every meter produced

Learn more at cianflone.com/products/cmx.

How CMX™ Works

1. In-Line Measurement — The system is positioned to analyze the coated substrate directly.
2. Data Processing & Visualization — Measurements are rapidly processed, mapped, and displayed in real time.
3. Full Traceability — Every reading is logged, creating a complete digital record of coating weight performance.

Measurable Benefits

1. Save Time — Eliminate delays in coating parameter adjustment.
2. Save Money — Control chemistry consumption by maintaining tighter process control.
3. Improve Production — Move from reactive to proactive process control.

Implementation Overview

Cianflone custom-engineers each CMX system to the customer’s coil line specifications. Implementation typically includes:

• Site Assessment & Design — Evaluate physical layout, process flow, and integration points.
• Calibration & Validation — Establish baseline accuracy and correlate to existing QC benchmarks.
• Control System Integration — Connect to current network for necessary material data and analysis parameters.
• Training & Operational Support — Equip operators and QC staff with system understanding, safety, and software training.
• Ongoing Support — Remote diagnostics, preventive maintenance, and performance monitoring.

Conclusion

The CMX™ is more than an analyzer—it’s a process improvement tool. By bringing real-time, in-line elemental analysis directly to the production floor, manufacturers gain:

• Faster decision-making
• Lower operating costs
• Continuous proof of quality

The result is a leaner, smarter, and more profitable coil coating operation.