BevSTion will cane . PAINT APPLICATION Paint technology is advancing rapidly and specialised equipment and materials are being introduced into the industry on a regular bases. However, conventional paint application methods still apply. The three main basic methods are: - ° Brush * Roller © Spray Brush application C moj rure. Curing fo ly vrothons) 7 Brushing is relatively slow, labour intensive, produces coating of uneven thicknesses, but is more environmentally friendly, results in less waste material and virtually no spotting or over = see spray damage to adjacent areas. eee eee Various types and quality of brushes are used, the most common being the “flat” brush, as opposed to the round headed variety called tar brushes, (and a variety of other names dependant upon geographical areas). The quality of the brush depends mainly upon the type of bristle, or filling used. Natural bristles have a scaly surface, taper along the length, and split at the end. These factors allow the Brash to hold more paint and-sprea-itiiore evenly fora beter finish’ Synthetic Howes heve eneah surfaces and are of uniform thickness for the full length. Oe eee Ttwas considered that brush application had a more personal shearing action and “worked” paint into the profile, and any dust or other fine detritus present on the substrate worked into the film. (Spray application deposits atomised droplets over the particles, entrapping air, which results in pinholes and loss of adhesion. Moder specifications usually state, “as per manufacturers recommendations”. Roller application —Rellers Only for woker bane pest ery To A. Rollers are available in several materials eg. mon Se ool Iponge, and in several different designs, jumbo rollers for large areas, radiator rollers for conBiiGe spaced, prossure fed rollers to avoid recharging, and extension rollers which increase access, Curved rollers are supplied for pipe work and roller pile material is even made in glove form for areas of difficult access. However no matter what, they all have the same advantages and disadvantages. They enable paint to be applied quickly but do not give a uniform coating thickness and leave distinct pattem” known as roller Stiple. Roller application doesn’t work the paint into the Substale and mivaniably 1S Wot mentioned s an approved application method of specification’. TEis a method used “at the discretion of the engineer”, and is certainly not suitable on internal comers, welds, toes, bolts, rivets and plate over laps. In areas of this nature a stripe coat must be applied. eels ee Painting inspection Grade 3/2. Rev I April 2004 “TWI worwo cewrne ror Paint Application 15.1 MATERIALS JOINING Copyright © 2003, TW1 Lid ULM vecuno.ocySpray application Paint spray equipment can be divided into two distinctly different types. © Conventional spray. * Airless spray. Conventional spray Conventional spray systems can be subdivided into three different types of equipment which all have the same atomisation meta a iqe id In bo mgt —alevm|'gati Oy 1 Suction feed ‘The paint container is underneath the gun, usually aluminium about one litre capacity, and the paint is drawn up by venturi principle to the gun, 2 Gravity feed ‘The paint container is above the gun and paint feeds to the gun by gravity. 3 _Remote pressure pot. # Paint out to / * oun f ——— Pressurised air volume Paint —___{ | Figure 13.1 Remote pressure pot Remote pots are supplied in several sizes and have the advantage of having a much greater capacity than the above and much bigger areas can be painted before refilling is required. A container (pot) is charged with paint and then sealed with a lid. Air from a compressor is fed into the top of the pot and the paint is forced out through a line to the gun, Airin___| ead Painting Inspection Grade 3/2, Rev | April 2004 TW woxp canine ron Paint Application 152 77 Bee Copyright © 2003, TWI Led TECHNOLOGY¥ Tepe Cy size op Sima 4op3 At the gun, when the tigger is operated, a tapered needle is drawn back opening the aperture, out of which the paint exits in a continual stream. Approximately 25 mm in front of the aperture, two air channels, from lugs on the cap, diametrically opposed, blow air to converge at the paint stream. At this convergeance the paint is atomised into very minute droplets, and conducted onto the workpiece. 7 SS ee tog fe ee Figure 13.2 Conventional gua Airless spray With an airless spray the fluid (paint), is pressurised by means of a pump. Electric motor pumps and bydraulie pumps are sometimes used but the most common is the pump operated b compressed air_These units operate by increasing the compressed air inlet eae by pened ratio, €.g 35:1, by means of two pistons on a common shaft. For instance, if an air driven piston has a surface area of 35 Square inches and is exposed to a pressure of 100 psi, a piston at the other end of the shaft with a surface area of one square inch will exert’a pressure of 3500 pei, As the piston is driven down to pressurise the paint, the one way valve at the paint inlets Toreed to close position and the paint out port is opened. When the piston reached the bottom of its stroke, the air circuit reverses and forces the piston back upwards. As this happens the outlet port is closed and the inlet port opens to refill the cylinder with paint. At the top of the stroke the air circuit reverses again and drives the piston down again, ai dyiven bw 1 Commen Shoe With a Pisron When tepiston goo clown b4 comp abe - pangs owe paant— Br TeveseS — pul pre pisbon ve Sock Pre pouig ing Inspection Grade 3/2. Rev | April 2004 WORLD CENTRE FOR Paint Application 183 MATERIALS JOINING Copyright © 2003, TWI Ltd TECHNOLOGYThe outlet pressure can be adjusted by reducing the inlet pressure from the compressor. eee eee air in 4 Air driven piston Lubricant Packing ——-¥ Paint to gun | | — Paint pressurising piston One way ball valves Paint inlet a Figure 13.3 Airless spray These systems are called airless because air is not used for atomisation. Atomisation occurs by forcing the paint at extremely high pressure, usually 2000 to 2500 psi through a very small aperture, 12 to 23 thou diameter, into a volume of. air eon SIS the paint flow. As the air end paint meet, the paint atomises. Most tips used on airless spray equipment have a facility for reversing the flow of paint through the tip. Blockages can then be cleared by turning the tip through 180°, triggering to ground or a container to clear the blockage, then reverse the tip agaiiffo its original position, A type of airless spray tip exists with an adjustable aperture size, called a Titan Tip, The aperture can be closed up or opened by tuming a small knurled protrusion, which positions a small steel pin into the aperture to control the size. Pigments and extenders, especially MIO and metallic pigments can be quite abrasive and the tips are subject to wear. Some are sleeved with tungsten carbide to give a loner life. Painting Inspection Grade 372. Rev 1 April 2004 TW wows cameron Paint Application 1s (MATERIALS JOINING Copyright © 2003, TWI Ltd TECHNOLOGYDor You # psi- Data sheets for a prochict will eommend spraying pressure and tip sizes although each sprayer will have his/her own preference. Typical recommendations would be: Pressure PST Chlorinated Rubber High Build Epoxy Zinc Rich Epox; Orifice sizes for conventional guns are quoted in metric, Airless spray application is much faster than conventional and more than one gun can be operated from a single pump. The manufacturers container can be used to supply the “wet end”, the inlet pipe, as there is no need for a pressurised container. = Notable differences ‘Conventional Airless, Slow application due to fluid delivery. Excellent application rates. ‘Low air pressure 40 — 75 PST Can need 100 PSI to operaie the pump. Delivery pressure greater than 20 PSI Delivery pressures greater than 6000 PSI, dependant on pump ratio. Need special paint containers. Uses manufacturer's containers, Guns can be unwieldy, two lines to supply | Single line supplies pressurised paint. the gun. Basic equipment needs very little Needs more maintenance due to high +| maintenance, pressure and moving parts. Easier to clean afier use. Equipment needs Hushing well to remove all twaces of paint, Expensive replacement. Safety considerations Always observe manufacturers recommendations. Wear recommended safety equipment. Always depressurise the system before even minor maintenance. Regularly check fluid lines for wear and leaks. Ensure that swivels and couplings are properly tightened. Always engage the safety catch when the gun is not in use. Never point the spray gun at yourself or other people cece roe Painting Inspection Grade 3/2. Rev I April 2004, WORLD CENTRE FOR aint Application 155 MATERIALS JOINING Copyright © 2003, TWI Lid TECHNOLOGYSea pagily OSA: v0 Electro-statie spray - a ‘lao no ve oveespamy : oc Both liquid and powder paints can be electro-statically applied. For liquid paints a small air diiven urbine is MOUNIET St treme ome ee tip. The current is usually on a thumb control for adjustment and operates in the region of 85 kv. Powder paints in general are charged electro-statically by spraying the powder through an area of ionised air. In either case the component to be coated is earthed into the same circuit and thus becomes negatively charged. The coating material is positively charged and is attracted to the component. As the coating thickness increases it has an insulation effect and the coating material is then drawn to other charged areas. The voltage can control the thickness, especially when using powder coatings. Wastage is significantly reduced and it produces a more uniform coating, Electro-static application is widely used in industry for components such as kitchen white goods, office cabinets and line pipe. (When powers are used the components are either pre heated or post heated. Line pipe and other substantial section components can be pre heated, but thin stee! plate components will not maintain sufficient heat and so are electro-statically coated and then post heated). Other paint application methods —_ NO QuéTiav0 Industrial anti-corrosion systems are generally applied by the systems discussed previously, however various other accepted methods exist. Viz. Dip coating Padding A component is dipped into paint and hung to dry. Mainly DIY Pads of mohair or foam are used to apply paint. Large pads like plaster hawks for large areas and small ones (about 25 mm square) for cutting in around door furniture and putty lines on windows. Hot spraying When paint is heated it reduces in viscosity (flows easier) and the cure ‘or drying starts quicker. It is therefore easier to apply and wets out “belle, and TEUCES THE NEEd for solvent addition. Spin rotating - Usually called a spinner, the equipment, consisting of a three-legged frame, each with a wheel at the end and a centrally mounted spinner is drawn along dispensing paint from the spinner. Ideal for internal coatings on line pipe sections. Flow coating/ - Bitumen and Coal Tar enamel pipeline coatings, when used, are curtain coating applied hot, about 200%, to the 12 o'clock position of a pipe, the material flows down both sides to meet at 6 o'clock. The material being thermoplastic hardens as it cools and coats the pipe. Aerosols - Pressurised cans operated by push buttons, car paint touch up kits among other used. Painting Inspection Grade 3/2. Rev | April 2004 TW I somo centar ror aint Application 156 MATERIALS JOINING ULM recimouscy Copyright © 2003, TWI Lid