Industrial Building Protective Equipment, or PPE, refers to anything used or worn to protect workers from potential risks in an industrial setting, including fall harnesses, safety shoes, gloves, ear plugs/muffs/ear muffs/hard hats/face shields/respirators and respirators. PPE should always be considered the last resort when employers cannot eliminate or control health and safety threats in other ways.
Yet, incorrect PPE may fail to provide sufficient protection and even add new hazards for employees. Protective coating spray equipment is essential for protective equipment; if not correctly maintained, it will present risks for workers’ health and safety.
A Guide to Coating Application Sprays
Industrial coating spray systems and application techniques come in all forms and varieties; selecting the ideal one for your specific project depends on a number of factors including surface type, coating material choice and desired final appearance.
Air spray systems employ compressed air to “atomize” coating fluid as it exits their nozzle, thus helping reduce overspray of paint or coating material.
When installing a spray system, always follow the manufacturer’s directions to ensure consistent film build and optimal results. They will also give valuable guidance as to how best to operate your particular spray gun.
Air spray guns require their operators to “trigger” at the beginning and end of each pass in order to create a uniform coat and avoid heavy areas or “holidays”. In cases involving edges or corners, SSPC’s Paint Application Guide No. 11 recommends employing a half-lap technique that ensures adequate coverage without overspray.
Protective Coating Spray Equipment
Protective coatings have various chemical and physical properties that protect structures from damage, such as abrasion resistance, fireproofing or water resistance. A protective coating system may also decrease maintenance costs while simultaneously decreasing wear-and-tear, leading to reduced downtime for maintenance purposes and maintenance costs.
Applying protective coatings requires using various equipment. Spray guns and pumps atomize paints, adhesives and other liquids for application to surfaces being coated; this process may be completed manually or automatically depending on application needs.
A Graco XM plural component system, for instance, is specifically designed to pump, mix and atomize polyurea materials quickly with precise ratio control for quick application and precise ratio atomization – as well as store and download spraying data history for greater jobsite efficiency. Other portable systems like Contractor King air-powered properties coating sprayer or gas GH Big Rig spray foam truck offer portability and ease-of-use even in challenging environments.
Spray Guns
Spray guns use compressed air to atomize and direct liquid paint onto surfaces, either manually or automatically, with interchangeable nozzles for different spray patterns.
HVLP or High Volume Low Pressure guns are an effective solution for architectural coatings or interior decor painting applications, offering high atomization using lower air pressure to limit overspray pollution and material waste. Users must size their compressor appropriately in order to use these guns successfully.
Low Volume Low Pressure (LVLP) guns work similarly to HVLP models but with reduced air pressure (10 PSI maximum at the air cap). Lower air pressure enables greater transfer efficiency while still providing effective atomization.
Airless spray guns are intended for heavy-duty outdoor and industrial applications and come either automatic or manually. They work by impinging high-velocity turbulent air onto filaments or films of liquid, which causes them to collapse into small droplets. Furthermore, airless spray guns offer fast painting speeds while being compatible with viscous fluids.
Spray Pumps
Sprayer pumps are at the core of any spray rig, providing pressure and flow for application. There are various pump options to consider such as centrifugal, positive displacement or diaphragm pumps.
Centrifugal pumps are an economical and streamlined choice for low-pressure, high-volume sprayers. Their hydraulic mechanism, known as an impeller, increases fluid output from within its casing by rotating blades inside. Ideal for use with powders or chemicals that don’t absorb liquid easily such as asphalt.
Maintenance tasks vary depending on the type of pump in use. Gasoline-powered models need periodic fuel monitoring while battery-operated ones require periodic oil changes. All pumps should have an inline strainer to protect spray hoses from becoming clogged up with debris; injection pump style sprayer pumps (known as “fertigation”) specialize in precise chemical metering with single and three phase models featuring variable stroke pistons to assist with easy metering capabilities.
