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curtain coating
Kodak applies light-sensitive coatings to film using a precise, multi-layer "curtain coating" process in complete darkness. This involves liquid emulsions flowing in laminar streams from a complex hopper onto a moving plastic base, which is then chilled and dried.
- 💧 The "curtain coating" uses laminar flow, where liquid layers flow parallel without mixing, to apply up to 12 layers simultaneously.
- 💡 The hopper, made of titanium for stability, has precisely spaced slots that control the flow rate of each chemical layer.
- 🌑 The entire coating process occurs in total darkness to prevent light from exposing the film prematurely.
- 💨 Drying involves blowing conditioned air onto the film, which floats on air currents to avoid touching the delicate emulsion.
- ⚙️ The machinery is built with extreme precision, with tolerances as tight as 50 millionths of an inch, and the entire facility is isolated from vibrations.
A man holds up a strip of film in front of a Kodak factory, with text overlaying the image indicating it's part 2 of 3 about coating.