STEAM Week 2025 At Harmony!

STEAM WEEK 2025 AT HARMONY

STEAM Week is a dedicated celebration that promotes learning and innovation across five key disciplines: Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Mathematics. The week is designed to inspire students, educators, and professionals to explore how these fields intersect in the real world — especially in industries like manufacturing, design, and environmental sustainability.

During STEAM Week, participants engage in hands-on activities, educational workshops, demonstrations, and collaborative projects that highlight creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving. It’s not just about textbooks or theories — it’s about showing how STEAM fields come together to solve real problems, fuel innovation, and shape the future of our world.

For companies like Harmony Enterprises and Harmony Kids Learning Center, STEAM Week 2025 is an opportunity to spotlight how engineering, technology, and design contribute to building sustainable solutions, like recycling balers and waste compactors — tools that support a cleaner, more efficient planet.

Benefits of Using DTM Paint On Balers & Compactors

Last year, the HKLC students learned about how machines are welded together to form strong bonds, allowing our long lasting equipment to compact and save our customers valuable time, space, labor, and money managing waste and operational by-products.

This year, our STEAM Week 2025 included a tour of our production facility (adjacent to the learning center) and our focus was on the importance of using high quality DTM paint on our recycling balers and trash compactors. The students learned all of the benefits of painting our steel, including:

• UV Protection
  – Shields the paint from fading, chalking, and deterioration caused by sunlight exposure
  – Helps preserve the bright yellow color and visibility of the baler over time
• Heat Reflection
  – Reduces surface temperature, especially in sunlit or high-heat environments
  – Minimizes heat-related stress on hydraulic systems, seals, and electrical components
• Corrosion Resistance
  – Creates a barrier against moisture, chemicals, and dust
  – Prevents rust and extends the structural integrity of the machine
• Scratch and Impact Resistance
  – Protects against daily wear-and-tear from forklifts, material loading, and general use
  – Helps maintain a clean, professional appearance on the plant floor
• Low Maintenance and Long-Term Durability
  – Reduces the need for frequent repainting or touch-ups
  – Supports longer service life and better resale value of the equipment
• Enhanced Branding and Recognition
  – Maintains Harmony’s signature yellow color for strong visual identity
  – Reinforces brand consistency and professionalism across all equipment in the field
  – Makes equipment easily identifiable for operators, service teams, and customers

In addition to these benefits, the students saw first hand was was needed to prep the metal for painting in our paint booth including, but not limited to:

1. 1. Deburring: Remove all sharp edges, weld splatter, and burrs from welding or cutting operations using grinders or files. This prevents uneven paint buildup and rough spots.

   2. Grinding/Sanding Welds: Smooth weld beads and rough patches to create a consistent surface. Use an angle grinder with appropriate sanding discs or flap wheels. Feather edges where welds meet base metal to avoid paint thickness differences.

   3. Rust, Mill Scale, and Contaminant Removal: Remove any rust, mill scale, or oxidation present on the steel. Use wire brushes, sanding, or abrasive blasting (if available). For light rust, hand sanding or wire brushing might be enough.

   4. Cleaning/Degreasing: Thoroughly clean the surface to remove oils, grease, dust, and dirt. Use solvents like acetone, mineral spirits, or commercial degreasers. Wipe with clean cloths; avoid leaving lint or residue.

   5. Washing/Rinsing: Rinse with clean water if water-based degreasers were used, then dry thoroughly to prevent flash rust.

   6. Surface Drying: Make sure steel is completely dry before painting.

   7. Surface Inspection: Check for any remaining imperfections, contaminants, or rust. Re-clean or sand if necessary.

   8. Masking: Mask off areas not to be painted.

   9. Apply DTM Paint: Apply per manufacturer instructions, typically with spray equipment or brush/roller if appropriate. DTM paint often includes corrosion inhibitors and can act as both primer and topcoat, so no separate primer is needed unless specified.

STEAM WEEK 2025 Activities

Following their visit to our factory, the students were given AI generated photos of balers and compactors to color they way that they would create and market their own equipment! Some of the students chose Harmony branded yellow, brown, and gray, while others chose their favorite colors like blue, pink, green, and black.  Some of the students even made rainbow colored machines!

Harmony Enterprises is proud to collaborate with HKLC on STEAM Week 2025, an exciting initiative that perfectly aligns with our core purpose of advancing careers, strengthening community, fostering a positive culture, and building a thriving company. By partnering with HKLC, we are investing in the next generation of innovators and problem-solvers, inspiring young minds to explore science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. This collaboration not only supports educational growth but also reinforces our commitment to creating meaningful opportunities, nurturing talent, and contributing to a vibrant community where everyone can succeed together.

If you would like to learn more about Harmony Enterprises, Harmony Kids Learning Center, or ways that you can partner with children to celebrate STEAM week, search our blog posts, call us at (507) 886-6666, or contact us today!