Special products in research, optics and laser technology, aerospace, and other high-tech industries require production conditions that can usually only be created in laboratories or clean rooms. Other items require ESD conditions, i.e., protected areas where electrostatic discharges are controlled. Such working environments place high demands on safety, ergonomics, and hygiene—including for inventory and furniture. With Texon, the Interstuhl brand Bimos has now launched a new chair that not only meets cleanroom conditions but has also won several design awards.
Focus on functionality and resistance
Interstuhl, a family-owned company based in the Swabian Alb, has been manufacturing chairs for the workplace for six decades. The Bimos brand specializes in work chairs for production, ESD areas, laboratories, and clean rooms.
The chair bases, frames, and backrests of the new Texon work chair are made of die-cast aluminum and steel. As specified by the designers and product managers, these components were to have a metallic look in shades of white aluminum and black gray. In terms of technical properties, Interstuhl opted for powder coating in order to achieve maximum functionality and surface resistance. A wet coating, as used on the prototypes, would only have been a stopgap solution for the technical team, as it would not have produced the desired quality.
A suitable coating was required that would meet clean room and ESD requirements. Because Interstuhl has been working with the family-run company Freilacke for many years, the request went directly to them, according to the paint manufacturer.
High resistance to cleaning agents and disinfectants
As Ralf Kerner from Freilacke's industry sales department reports, the development of the powder coating was challenging: "The components were coated with liquid coatings for sampling and now had to be given the same surfaces using powder coating. Furthermore, the powder coatings had to be adjusted for die-cast aluminum with its outgassing properties." Due to the locations of use in clean rooms, ESD, laboratories, and production, further characteristics were required, such as a conductive setting in accordance with DIN EN IEC 61340-5-1, a highly abrasion-resistant surface, and resistance to aggressive cleaning agents and disinfectants. In addition, there was zero tolerance for the formation of effects and surface quality.
Look and feel of a metal surface
The developers at Freilacke succeeded in creating a powder coating surface based on polyester resin that has the look and feel of a matte metal surface. The development process, including readjustments, took around a year, as there were initially problems with the application behavior of the white aluminum. Freilacke modified the coating in several steps in its own laboratory.
The Freiotherm PP5151OI1384 powder coating in white aluminum and the Freiotherm PP5061NRA721 in black gray score well in terms of surface hardness and mechanical resistance and also adhere to the degassing substrate, according to the company. The coatings are applied with corona guns, and Freilacke recommends a layer thickness of around 60 to 80 micrometers.
When it was presented at Orgatec 2024, the Texon was awarded gold at the German Design Award 2025 for its product design. The chair was also named the winner of the German Innovation Award in the #W2 category "Excellence in Business to Business – Machines & Engineering."