Paint Finishing Systems

A system for coating products, which can be simple or complex according to the product requirements; products are coated to achieve the level of finish that the customer requires.  This may be a protective coating, to prevent damage by for example  oxidisation, but where the product finish is of less importance.  Alternatively the required finish may be decorative, and then depending on the actual product (usage, location etc) it may also require protective coating.

When considering paint finishing systems for direct sale a good starting point is the paint manufacturer who will review your finishing requirement and make recommendations based on your product, the material used in manufacture, and the type of performance you may wish to offer with your   product.  Where the paint finishing requirement is for components parts, the end user may already have a painting specification, or alternatively have a performance requirement; again the paint manufacturer should be involved at an early stage.

The paint finishing system may require a number of different material coatings to produce the finish required, these can include:

• An under-coat, this may be a sealer to pre-coat a porous or semi-porous surface; or a primer that begins the coating build and may if required by sanded after drying to hide product imperfections.
• One or more colour coats may follow, depending on the film build required; and in some cases colour coats may be followed by a clear coat (lacquer).
• Each different material will need to be applied in a protected painting environment.  Some material may be coated “wet-on-wet”, usually with a short flash-off time between coats; others will require each coating to be dried before any further applications can be made.

<-- Part of a multi-coat system for vehicle wheels A series of  large wet-paint booths for aircraft wings -->

The choice of paint finishing systems may be seen as extensive; for some product an “off the shelf” solution may be available, for others a finishing system tailored to individual need.  The same choice applies to the actual application of the paint; from a simple manual operation through to a fully automated coating plant. 
The determining factors usually take account of:

Product to be coated-volume of production - complexity - quality of finish, and repeatability.

And finally, the environmental impact of finishing systems:
Paint finishes comprise of pigment and resin suspended in a carrying agent that gives adequate dilution to enable the material to atomise and provide a controllable coating on the surface of the product.  For many years the carrying agents have comprised mainly of volatile organic solvents (VOC’s), these can include cellulose, Xylene, Tolulene, amongst others and are generally described as “paint thinners”.

Pengrave Engineering Ltd, off Delta Way, Bridgtown, Cannock, Staffordshire WS11 0DJ
Tel: 01543 577142 Fax: 01543 577930 Email: sales@pengrave-engineering.co.uk