Continous Spray - Tunnel Type: - (Pictures 1, 2 & 3)
Power spray Pre-treatments are the most popular method of performing surface preparation. These machines, usually conveyorised, are readily adaptable to many applications and are preferred for high production lines.
Tunnel Type (spray Pre-treatment) uses an uses a multi-stage water-based process. In the case of small/large items, this involves hanging the parts on racks or hooks suspended from an overhead conveyor. The parts then pass through the pre-treatment, where various solutions are sprayed over the parts. The solutions are recirculated through storage tanks located next to each stage. Some of the solutions require heating to approximately 60 degrees Celsius.
Immersion - (dip Tanks)
A variation to the spray washer is the immersion arrangement. The dip Pre-Treatment may be required with complex parts that do not lend themselves to good cleaning by spray only.
The Begining of a High Quality Finish
The most critical step in obtaining a quality finish in any Finishing activity is the effective pre-treatment (e.g. Cleaning) of the product. The quality of the surface preparation process and equipment sets the standard for all subsequent operations in a finishing system.
The majority of industrial coatings require the thorough cleaning of all dirt, oils, and contaminants from the product surface and treating the product surface with an iron phosphate or conversion coatings to prevent corrosion and increase paint/powder adhesion.
Batch Loaded Semi-Automatic Parts Washers (also called cabinet washers, spray washers)
These provide increased cleaning production and cost savings through manual or indexing batch loading units. Similar to a dishwasher, the unit is loaded, door is closed and cycle is set. Cleaning is done with rotating turntables or baskets and cleaning product is applied via spray bars. When the cycle is complete, the parts are clean and ready for the next step. Many standard units are available in both top load or front load styles. These units reduce worker time spent on cleaning, therefore reduce worker safety risks as well.