Dr. William Lewis, the founder of California Hardcoating Company, offers advice and training related to hardcoatings and other chemical and engineering processes.
Take a look at our white paper on starting a hardcoating operation and contact us with your questions and needs.
Consulting, Contract Research, Expert Witness
Dr. William Lewis has been involved in chemical research and consulting for over 30 years. With a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from University of California, Davis, and full-time employment at E. I. DuPont, Swedlow Inc. (now GKN Aerospace), Optical Radiation Corp. and American Optical, he has particularly broad expertise in polymers and protective coatings, including manufacturing, processing and analytical issues. Dr. Lewis has been Senior Scientist, Director, Vice President, Partner and President in these and other ventures. He is sole author of 3 patents and a co-author of 5 others, as well as an author or co-author of various publications.
The breadth of his experience, expertise and interests may be seen in the following examples of consulting and development projects that Dr. Lewis has completed:
- Legal and Patent Consulting
- Facility / Equipment / Process Design and Training
- Clear Coatings Consulting and Development
- Colored Coatings Consulting and Development
- Adhesives and Other Resins Consulting
- Other Consulting and Development
Legal and Patent Consulting
Patent analysis and re-examination relating to UV-cured in-mold optical coatings for scratch resistance. Demonstrated a successful alternative process to eliminate royalties. Optical Radiation Corp, Orcolite Division, Azusa CA.
Technical consultant for lawsuit regarding high temperature resistance of silicones used as baking molds. Confidential client, L.A. CA.
Witness and nominal party in 8-year lawsuit between partners of Galic/Maus Ventures, probably the most expensive and longest-running partnership lawsuit in Minnesota.
Technical consultant for patent challenge defense relating to novel UV-curable coatings. Confidential client, Sacramento, CA.
Facility / Equipment / Process Design and Training
Process/equipment for color filter laminates for backlighted switches used under night vision (IR screened) requirements. Ducommun Inc., Carson CA
Design assistance, equipment sourcing and startup training for a new dip-coating operation to coat lenses. Addicks Engineering, Bell Gardens CA.
Consulting package for startup of a flow coating operation to hardcoat large acrylic domes. Confidential client, Missassauga, Canada.
Consulting for design and setup of aircraft window flow coating process. Perkins Aircraft, Fort Worth TX.
Consulting in process development, technical documentation, and installation of turn-key systems for injection molding and hardcoating lenses using a modular, robotic process. Also provided project management assistance and customer service. Three start-up companies and an established lens producer purchased the twelve systems sold in 5 years for nearly $10MM. Galic/Maus Ventures, MN.
Design and construction of a roll coater for UV-curable hardcoating application to decorative cast polyester wall panels. McKee Button Co., Muskateen IA.
Development of improved thermoforming technique to allow tighter bend radius for hardcoated thermoplastics. GE, Schenectady NY.
Consulting and training in start-up of eyeglass lens casting and coating factory. SRF Ltd., New Delhi, India.
Development of a silica fiber spinning process. Argosy Int’l, NYC, NY.
Consulting for hardcoat manufacturing process improvement. Spartech Polycast, Stamford CT.
Design and procurement of automated equipment for flow coating plastic film and lenses. Confidential client, Asia.
Consulting for acrylic casting, stretching and hardcoating processes and facility. Confidential client, China.
Clear-Coatings Consulting and Developments
Development and application of a coating qualified to military specifications for chemical warfare agent resistance, for armored tank components. Jay-El Products, Carson, CA.
Tintable, scratch resistant, UV-curable eyeglass lens coatings for manufacturing labs that grind, polish, and edge the lenses. Optical Coatings Unlimited Inc.
Development of anti-fog hardcoating for paintball sport goggles that eliminated the staining of prior art coatings. JT USA, Chula Vista, CA.
Development of a super-hard coating for polycarbonate that resists even very coarse steel wool. Vision-Ease Minneapolis, MN.
Development of a hardening additive for sublimation ink transfer coating. Confidential client, Maricopa, AZ.
Development and production of an abrasion-resistant coating for wood floors. Wasatch Hardwood floors, SLC, UT.
Development of glass bulb encapsulant coating for containing fragments after breakage. National Electric, Huntington Beach, CA.
Development of a UV-absorbing coating for automobile headlamp lens restoration. Certified W/S Repair. Venice, FL.
Development of a 100% solids scratch protective UV-curable hardcoating for polycarbonate domes. Criterion Domes, Thomaston, GA.
Anti-fog hardcoating for scratch protection of polycarbonate glazing sheets, with post-cure thermoformability and weathering resistance. Altuglas Intl. / Arkema Corp., Philadelphia, PA.
Development of a high-elongation hardcoating for pressurized aircraft windows. PPG Industries, Inc., Pittsburgh PA.
Development of a high refractive index hardcoating for polycarbonate eyeglass lenses which eliminates interference fringes (Newton rings). Polycore Inc., Reno, NV.
Development of coatings for basecoat and scratch-resistant topcoat for vacuum metallization of plastics. Pintavision Oy, Helsinki, Finland.
Basecoat and topcoat for vacuum deposition of conductive gold layer for heating laminated aircraft windshields. Confidential client, USA.
UV absorbing coating for glass, to protect sensitive artwork and other materials. Confidential client, Europe.
Development of a UV-curable hardcoating for optical lenses that facilitates adhesion of thin film overcoatings. Confidential Client, USA.
Colored Coatings Consulting and Development
Optical filters to increase color discrimination capability for sufferers of color vision deficiency. Dr. Hillier, Lemon Grove CA.
Development of high temperature resistant black marking paint for aerospace application. Lockheed-Martin, Bethesda MD.
Development of a color-shifting coating for diamond color enhancement. Confidential client, NYC NY.
Development of colored coatings for glass, for a stained-glass appearance. UltraGlas Inc., Chatsworth CA.
Adhesives and Other Resins Consulting
Optical adhesive for aircraft window laminates to bond structural plastics with elastic interlayers. Sierracin-Sylmar Corp., Sylmar, CA.
Development and production of new optical diffuser materials for undersea environmental measuring equipment. Biospherical instruments, San Diego, CA.
Development of a flow coatable adhesive as an alternative to a troublesome sprayed adhesive. Perkins Aircraft, Fort Worth, TX.
Development of urethane formulation for “add-an-add” stick-ons for eyeglass lenses. Neoptx, Redmond WA.
Development of surface resin for “white boards” that does not stain and allows easy removal of “permanent” ink. Storm 2000 Inc., Chula Vista CA
Other Consulting and Development
Development and production of high-purity, high refractive index liquid and hardware for liquid-filled fiber optic flexible light guide. Aurora Group, Carlsbad, CA.
Development and production of an in-office teeth-bleaching system that does not require light-activation for optimum results. Lumalite Inc. Spring Valley, CA.
Development of anti-fog wipers for cleaning and restoring anti-fog performance of sport goggle lenses. JT USA, Chula Vista, CA.
Development and production of environmentally-friendly, non-corrosive aqueous coolant formulation for machining and grinding. D&D Tool, San Diego, CA.