What We Do Wednesdays: Plastic Painting

Manufacturers frequently use the phrase ‘innovate or evaporate’ since they cannot afford to waste paint due to poor transfer efficiency. Rotating atomizers, or bells, as they are more generally known as, may deliver incredibly high levels of transfer efficiency to the component using electrostatics (in many cases, above 90 percent, depending on the surface topography). The end result is a large reduction in waste at the point of origin, which is the best kind of waste reduction.

Depending on the type of material being dispensed, robotic solutions can be created for solvent-borne, waterborne, 2-component, and 3-component applications. Due to the low temperatures needed, 2-component paints contain a mixture of resin and hardener, and are commonly used to paint plastics. These 2-component paints frequently contain an isocyanate ingredient that, when atomized, often has the propensity to be carcinogenic, raising concerns about occupational health and safety for your team. Deploying robotic technology for painting 2-component icocynate based paints means that operators can be removed from these potentially hazardous environments. In addition, the repeatability of a robotic application means that you can achieve a uniform film thickness with the right path development, reducing the amount of extra paint needed to meet minimum film build requirements, and at the same time, producing a much more even colour.

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