Kodak Reintroduces Ektachrome.

[markjwyatt]

I think there's up to 8 layers available on each head - tricky to tell exactly from the image - and it's definitely curtain, not bead coating - Ilford, Agfa/ Inoviscoat, Ferrania use slide bead coating as far as is known.

Yes, I suspect Kodak was the biggest volume coater (I imagine Agfa was quite significant at some point), and curtain coating at wide widths is the way to get volume. These curtain slide type dies can be assembled with extra sections to add another layer pretty easily. I see 7, but you are right there could be another.

 

[AgX]

I've got a question as there are some people who seem to know a bit about Kodak here :

- Film's now a niche, and it seems it became a stable one. Why won't Kodak size down their real estate to only one small building to do everything in it like Ilford does ? As they may save a lot.
I understand the Rochester plant is a lovely place, yet how much does it costs to them ? Kodak may future proof themselves more by sizing down on every aspect ?

Please understand that those are uneducated questions, I'm only a curious amateur photographer.

see for the whole complex here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastman_Business_Park


Furthermore you cannot compare companies as Agfa, Fuji or Kodak to a company as Ilford. They are far, far more complex. Film making, once their initial business, has developed to one business amongst others. It already has been put in a seperate department. To scale it down and run it as a niche business necessitates an optimistic outlook on the film market and its profits and enthusiasm. Enthusiasm by who? Young managers who got no relation to that business? Chemists and engineers at the verge of pension?

Kodak already reduced years ago their production to pictorial photography, whereas Agfa still serve the complete non-consumer photographic market.

And Iford, though being a small manufacturer, but still with too big premises, does not produce economic figures industry investors are dreaming of.

 

[twelvetone12]

I see 7, but you are right there could be another.

When I visited the facility I was told that the maximum was 10 + 10 layers in two passes, but right now it was limited to 9 + 9. The coating heads are interchangeable and changed for each product. If I recall correctly max speed was 900ft/minute, and they have a huge red button to instantly stop coating operations ("a small mistake can be very expensive very quickly"). Truly one of the most amazing places I've ever put foot into.

 

[mshchem]

see for the whole complex here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eastman_Business_Park


Furthermore you cannot compare companies as Agfa, Fuji or Kodak to a company as Ilford. They are far, far more complex. Film making, once their initial business, has developed to one business amongst others. It already has been put in a seperate department. To scale it down and run it as a niche business necessitates an optimistic outlook on the film market and its profits and enthusiasm. Enthusiasm by who? Young managers who got no relation to that business? Chemists and engineers at the verge of pension?

Kodak already reduced years ago their production to pictorial photography, whereas Agfa still serve the complete non-consumer photographic market.

And Iford, though being a small manufacturer, but still with too big premises, does not produce economic figures industry investors are dreaming of.

Eastman Kodak spun off Eastman Chemical , apparently EK thought making plastic was just a commodity business. Eastman Chemical had the expertise in polyesters. When Bis Phenol A became a health concern, Eastman Chemical was ready with Tritan brands of BPA free plastic . Eastman polyester went from being the cheap alternative to polycarbonate to a premium high profit material. When you have people willing to pay 30 dollars for a water bottle .

 

[Photo Engineer]

There are coating machines at EK with up to 3 coating heads and capable of all methods of coating. This is done by control of viscosity. Turn around is effected by means of an air bearing which can cause up to 90 degrees of change in direction at speeds of over 1000 ft / min. BTDT.

PE

 

[RattyMouse]

Eastman Kodak spun off Eastman Chemical , apparently EK thought making plastic was just a commodity business. Eastman Chemical had the expertise in polyesters. When Bis Phenol A became a health concern, Eastman Chemical was ready with Tritan brands of BPA free plastic . Eastman polyester went from being the cheap alternative to polycarbonate to a premium high profit material. When you have people willing to pay 30 dollars for a water bottle .

Eastman Chemical has been very successful. It is inexplicable that EK got rid of that business. It was Fujifilm's chemical business that played a big part in the resurrection of that company. It is absolutely amazing that the executives at EK did not look carefully at how Fujifilm re-invented themselves. They were going through the *exact* same crisis at the exact same time. Such brazen hubris on EK's part to not learn from others.

 

[bdial]

Popular Science magazine has a nice piece on the production facility:

Inside the facility where Kodak brings film back to life
Welcome back, Ektachrome!

Dead Link Removed

 

[markjwyatt]

There are coating machines at EK with up to 3 coating heads and capable of all methods of coating. This is done by control of viscosity. Turn around is effected by means of an air bearing which can cause up to 90 degrees of change in direction at speeds of over 1000 ft / min. BTDT.

PE

Viscosity control is (amongst other things) used to inhibit mixing of layers, correct?

Thanks. Robert Shanebrook refers to the turn-arounds as "suction boxes" (vacuum rolls?) in his diagram.

 

[bvy]

There's something new in flexible packaging...

 

[Photo Engineer]

Viscosity control is (amongst other things) used to inhibit mixing of layers, correct?

Thanks. Robert Shanebrook refers to the turn-arounds as "suction boxes" (vacuum rolls?) in his diagram.

Angled perforated rollers with air being pumped into them. The support floats on the roller (or bar) by means of the air pressure and the angle leads to the turn. A 45 degree angle will give you a 90 degree turn. Otherwise the rollers are undercut and support the film on the edge.

Viscosity control does prevent mixing, but is quite different in curtain vs slide coating.

PE

 

[iandvaag]

New update from Kodak Alaris on Facebook:

bvy posted the "Part 1" graphic in post #1362

 

[BrianShaw]

Encouraging...

 

[Sirius Glass]

One must be able to get up on all fours before crawling, then get up on two legs to walk, learn balance, build strength and then run. It is not done in one day.

 

[trendland]

New update from Kodak Alaris on Facebook:

View attachment 202847

bvy posted the "Part 1" graphic in post #1362

Nice information -thank you much.
with regards

 

[trendland]

"We're very close to announcing availability."

View attachment 202135

Hope this will definitifly end some neverending dicussions about bunkruptcy a.s.o.
with regards

 

[markjwyatt]

Here are a couple of examples of curtains on some unique fountains near where I live. The two larger fountains are vertical slides. The smaller one in the middle has a short vertical slide and a curtain. It also shows what happens when you do not use edge guides.


Fountain Kids by Mark Wyatt, on Flickr

This curtain appears very stable. Some curtains will become unstable if disturbed.


Curiosity by Mark Wyatt, on Flickr

 

[flavio81]

This curtain appears very stable. Some curtains will become unstable if disturbed.


Curiosity by Mark Wyatt, on Flickr

So this is the EK coating machine? Doesn't look too sophisticated. In fact it looks uncannily like a water fountain on a public park. How the mighty have fallen!! Terrible budget cuts at Kodak!!

 

[Photo Engineer]

Try coating 15 to 20 layers of stuff.

PE

 

[BrianShaw]

Don’t they have child labor laws in Rochester?

I won’t buy Ektachrome until the commit to ethical labor practices. Or at least afternoon naps for those employees.

 

[flavio81]

Don’t they have child labor laws in Rochester?

I won’t buy Ektachrome until the commit to ethical labor practices. Or at least afternoon naps for those employees.

Yes, it's disturbing to see kids operating these curtain coaters. And how will they manage 15 to 20 layers if they're operated by kids? Child labor is not only unethical, it is also risky.

 

[markjwyatt]

So this is the EK coating machine? Doesn't look too sophisticated. In fact it looks uncannily like a water fountain on a public park. How the mighty have fallen!! Terrible budget cuts at Kodak!!

It is a very simple curtain, certainly not a Kodak coating curtain.

 

[markjwyatt]

Try coating 15 to 20 layers of stuff.

PE

That is challenging and the reason that companies like Kodak and Polaroid (and others) were experts.

 

[markjwyatt]

Don’t they have child labor laws in Rochester?

I won’t buy Ektachrome until the commit to ethical labor practices. Or at least afternoon naps for those employees.

Hey, think of it as work/study. The kid seemed to be having fun.

 

[AgX]

So this is the EK coating machine? Doesn't look too sophisticated. ... How the mighty have fallen!! Terrible budget cuts at Kodak!!

But is made from granite. It will last !

 

[markjwyatt]

But is made from granite. It will last !

And it is aesthetically pleasing- very important in photography. Finally, even if the film division shuts down, you can be assured Kodak execs will have nice looking kitchens.