What is a powder paint spray gun?

Powder coating is a method of producing polymer coatings with enhanced protective and decorative characteristics. The technique was developed in the early 50s goals. As a coloring method, powder technology is an alternative to applying liquid varnishes and paints to parts that can be heat treated. One of the tools for applying such coatings is a powder gun

Content:

• The essence of the technique
• Principle of operation
• Equipment
• Some examples of colors

The essence of the technique

Powder paint is sprayed onto a clean metal surface. During spraying, particles receive an electric charge from an external source or are electrified by friction. Due to the electric field, the particles are directed to the metal, which has the opposite charge. Particles that have not settled down are taken into the spray booth and can be used for re-staining. Then the painted part is sent to the polymerization chamber.

When a surface layer is formed from powder paint, a monolithic high-quality structure is created that protects the base material. The coating is formed by heating the painted layer to a melting state. In the course of further refinement of the surface, hardening (in the case of thermoset materials) or cooling (for thermally plastic materials) is carried out. The result of the treatment is the formation of a solid surface film.

Read more about how to perform there. DIY powder coating.

Principle of operation

Regardless of the size of the gun, the scheme of its operation is as follows:

• the spray gun is filled with charged particles of paint material;
• next to the workpiece, an accumulation of charged colored particles is created;
• the product is grounded and processed by attracting particles.

The full scheme contains the following components:

• a chamber for loading workpieces;
• rotary devices for hanging products;
• spray chamber;
• cyclone for the formation and charge of paint particles;
• filter layer;
• unloading chamber;
• lines for feeding parts moving at low speed;
• a chamber for the polymerization of a paint coating;
• fan;
• an automatic process control system that monitors all ongoing processes, detailing what is happening for subsequent analysis;
• a lamp that allows outside to see what is happening inside the system;
• compartment for the preparation of compressed air, which then provokes the release of paint;
• powder paint gun.

The gun itself is based on the following scheme:

• air duct;
• channel for supplying paint;
• ground line;
• charging surfaces;
• powder-air mixture;
• nozzle for dispensing and spraying the composition out.

Equipment

According to the principles of operation, equipment is usually divided into several types:

1. Electrostatic. Allows you to get ultra-thin coatings - in the range of 30-250 microns. Using electrostatic devices, you can also process parts of any shape. The equipment is not labor intensive and economical to maintain. If desired, changing the paint will not take much time. It is also worth noting the lack of need for pre-heating products. The main disadvantage of electrostatic devices is their high cost.
2. Tribostatic. Systems of this type do without a particle generator. During the spraying process, the charge is formed due to the friction of the particles of the paint material against each other. A significant drawback of tribostatic devices is the difficulty with the adequacy of the charge, which is why often need to adjust the primary paint. It should also be noted the dependence of the charging quality on the humidity level, a rapid decrease in charge during operation and not very active deposition of the powder.
3. Fluidized. Equipment of this type is intended for layer-by-layer application of paint. Thanks to this approach, a sufficient layer thickness (approximately 250 microns) is ensured. Moreover, the technology allows you to significantly control the thickness of the spraying. In addition, preparatory work and further operation of the coating are inexpensive. The disadvantages of fluidized equipment include: increased paint consumption, the obligatory preheating and drying of the part, the requirement for simplicity of the shape of the treated surface. In addition, the metal must be resistant to high temperatures.

Advice! Powder paints, although they do not belong to substances requiring increased safety measures, but still contain some dangerous substances. These include lead, cadmium, hardener triglycyl isocyanurate, allergens, epoxies. Therefore, before starting work with powder compositions, respiratory organs should be protected.

Some examples of colors

As an example, two Turkish-made spraying plants manufactured by Promaks are CM-10 and 2CM-10.

Manual spraying system PROMAKS CM10 allows the use of a wide range of paints and varnishes, including metallic and antique. It is also possible to stain glass and ceramic objects. The CM-10 provides a continuous and stable ink supply, making the coating very uniform. The equipment is easy to operate.

Among the technical characteristics of the installation can be identified:

• manual adjustment of electrical parameters of equipment;
• grounding of the powder feed hose;
• pressure relief button;
• fine filter;
• the ability to control the flow of material and the volume of air supplied;
• the minimum indicator of the output current is 130 μA;
• operation from a standard network is possible at 220 V / 50 Hz;
• the device provides a voltage charge of 10 kW, so that all varieties of powder paint can be charged;
• due to the special design of the nozzles, the installation is capable of painting even the most distant parts of the surface;
• if necessary, paint is replaced in a short time;
• the approximate consumption of powder paint is 150 grams per square meter;

For large areas, the Promaks CM10 installation is considered one of the best representatives of this class of equipment.

Promaks also launches the Promaks 2CM-10 installation. It is 2 times more expensive than Promaks CM10 mail: its price reaches 160 thousand rubles. However, the higher cost is justified by the reduced consumption of powder paint (120 grams per square meter), as well as the presence of an additional control module.In addition, the kit includes a second gun with hoses and wires to it.

The gun for applying powder composition is a professional and rather expensive equipment.

If you need to paint a small surface with your own hands for domestic purposes, then there is probably no need to purchase specialized equipment. If regular painting of tens and hundreds of parts is necessary, a professional paint-spraying unit cannot be dispensed with.