North American Paint Applications

Specializing in Industrial Paint Process Optimization

 

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Products & Services

  - Paint Process Optimization

  - Paint System Audit

  - Paint System Specification

    a Paint Color Change Efficiency

    a Paint Shop Throughput

    a Paint Overspray Reduction

    a Painting Robot Paths

    a Paint Finish Quality

    a Paint System Troubleshooting

    a Painting System Automation

  - Paint Supply & Delivery Systems

    a Dead Head Paint Supply

    a Recirculating Paint Supply

    a Flexible Colors Paint Delivery

    a Piggable Paint Supply System

    a Self-Flushing Paint Systems

    a Oil Free Paint Supply

    a Paint Sheer Reduction

    a Spray Booth Waste Collection

  - Paint Flow Control

  - 2 or 3K Paint Dispensing Systems

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

We design and install the most efficient robotic paint application systems available.  We can significantly improve the performance of most existing systems.  If your business includes robotic, semi-automated, or fully automated production line painting processes incorporating ABB, Fanuc, Kawasaki, Motoman or other robots, NA Paint encourages you to examine your process using the following guidelines.  We can support you at any level in this and can suggest and implement methods to significantly improve the efficiency of your automation.

 

 

THE PAINTING ROBOT

 

Painting robots can have a tremendous impact on the efficiency of paint application processes.  Like any tool, however, it is only as efficient as the person using it.  Robots helpful characteristics are their strength, speed, accuracy, repeatability, and endurance.  If the owner can utilize these advantages in an efficient method of paint application, his or her system can often be dramatically more productive and economical, with less environmental impact than other types of automation.  

 

Often though, programmers are not painters and visa versa.  Or, with time, the system has experienced a decline in operational efficiency.  Whatever the reasons, North American Paint Applications can help you get out of your existing robots the highest levels of  productivity, quality, and consistency that are attainable.  We can likely make your system considerably more efficient than the day it was installed.

 

 

Robot Support Requirements

 

A robot can move from Point A to Point B at the same speed repeatedly.  To apply paint efficiently and consistently, more is required.  First, the target, including its style, movement, and location, must be known.  Second, the flow rate control of paint should be accurate, adjustable, and responsive to the application process.  Third, the size and shape of the spray pattern should be controllable, adjustable, and responsive to the application process.  Fourth, on/off trigger time for the applicator should be very fast and repeatable.  Fifth, transfer efficiency should be consistent.  Lastly, spray booth conditions ought to remain relatively consistent.

 

Variations in any of these support systems reduce the overall efficiency of the paint application process to the extent that it affects the worst case condition.  For example, suppose the flow rate of dispensed paint cannot be controlled with accuracy.  To prevent light sprays, flow rates must be increased to a level for worst case.  This increase then affects the entire cycle, resulting in the use of more paint, variations in spray patterns that affect transfer efficiency and quality, and an increase in overspray.

 

Discussions regarding color change, overspray, finish quality, and paint supply systems can be found on other pages of this site.

 

 

System Integration

 

Robotic or other paint application automation requires efficient integration with every other supporting paint process system to achieve good performance.  To achieve the highest quality finish in the most economical and productive way requires a broad and special knowledge of paint process control that typical control companies and engineers do not possess.  All systems must be inter-supporting and set-up for best performance.  

 

Despite owning and using the best equipment available, without good system engineering and integration, you may not achieve even an acceptable level of paint application performance at any cost, and your system will certainly never achieve the highest level of performance or productivity.  

 

If for any multitude of reasons your robots do not achieve first time yields and up time in the high ninety percentile range, then your process can be improved.

 

 

Robot Path Economy

 

Whether your automation support systems are reliable or not, there is much that can be done in the programming and set-up of the robot to increase overall system efficiency.  Triggering paint off the part or triggering when no part is present, improper head to target distances, improper angles of application, excessive mechanical force in abrupt turn around points, excessive atomization, and large spray patterns are some of the control variables that affect the application efficiency of automated systems.

 

A robot fault, for any reason, can often severely impact both up-time and first time yields.  Robot faults associated with any movements, singularities, line stops, or applicator operation are preventable.  

 

In addition to poor transfer efficiency, throughput and cycle times are adversely affected by needless wait commands and movements of the robot when it is not painting the target.  These should be minimized.

 

When two or more robots paint the same target, with perhaps door openers incorporated, a well conceived and orchestrated application program can have a dramatic impact on overall process efficiency and quality.

 

 

 

 

  

 


 

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North American Paint Application Co.

info@napaint.com

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