Current Designs For Facility Paint Booths
An automotive equipment supplier that was building a new plant in Mexico, required an environmentally efficient high tech paint line. The first system called for two water wash paint booths that would be enclosed and support a robot in each booth. After working on the design, it was decided that a water curtain would be a great advantage with the high production needed.The booths were about 6 Ft apart and were connected by a flash tunnel. There is a conveyor that runs through the booths, first the primer and then the finish coat. Both booths were designed according to the paint loads and paint application being used. Accentually, the centrifuge and the sludge recovery system were designed to handle the water volume and filtration needed to keep the booths clean. Although both booths were independent of each other, the centrifuge was able to handle them both at the same time. The booth design as far as pump modifications, tank configuration, internal piping and the back section washers were to create the very best water wash scrubbing possible. Along with the air flow, this was all essential in the design for a complete operating system. We started out with the first paint line in 2003 and are currently working on the fifth.
We worked with another facility that handles a good portion of the painting for a large and well known motorcycle company. They were building a new plant a few miles from the original site.
In this application there was a great concern with keeping the entire booth clean because of the quality needed in the final finish coat.
The parts move through the booth on a “chain on edge” conveyor and they have a painter inside painting the parts with a HVLP gun. But,because of the painter getting a little over anxious in getting ahead of the line, it turned out to be a big problem. Although the booth had a flood sheet and front water curtain which knocked down the paint in that area, the side walls had a considerably amount of paint on them at the end of the day. They would power wash the booth walls every night which was very time consuming. These booths were also equipped with Palin units that were not operating well enough to keep up with the paint loads. The company has asked PRT to review the paint sludge recovery system and submit a proposal on switching over to a centrifuge system with the necessary booth modifications.
This paint line booth design is completely new along with water curtains on all three sides, flood sheets and the Envirotech back sections. These booths will capture well over 99% of the particulate producing an air contaminant level less than 3 grains per 1000 cam.
There are three booths are apex 12 FT apart. Each supports it’s own newly designed high efficient centrifuges, Envirotech back section, tank and piping arrangements. These all together contribute to a very successful painting and sludge system removal.
As discussed earlier in the web site introduction, it is crucial that all these aspects are addressed and designed into the complete paint line system.
PRT has extensive experience and the ability to bring it all together. If there are any questions concerning a booth or sludge system application for a specific need, please feel free to contact us and we will be happy to get you started with new ideas.