Advances in Plural-Component Equipment Technology

Eric RennerfeldtProduct Marketing Manager

Graco Inc.

May 1, 2013

Agenda

Protective Coatings Applications

• Shipyards

• Rail shops

• Tank linings

• Oil and gas facilities

• Offshore platforms

• Steel fabrication

• Pipe coating

3

Plural Component Protective Coatings

• Two-Part Materials– Two-part epoxies– Two-part urethanes– Hybrid, quick setting

urethanes– Polyureas

4

Reasons for Hot-Potting

• The majority of two-component materials are applied with single-component sprayers

• Why?

– Smaller up-front equipment investment

– Easy to use

– Comfort level

– Some kits are pre-measured whichgives a level of confidence

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Single Component Sprayer

• 1 motor drives 1 pump lower to pump pre-mixed material

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Air Motor

Pump Lower

Fluid inlet

Fluid outlet

Operation of a common 2-Ball Piston Pump

Up stroke (Fill stroke)

Piston ball checks

Lower ball opens

Fluid fills the pump

1st - ½ volume is pumped out

Down stroke

Lower ball checks

Piston ball opens

2nd - ½ volume is pumped out

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Drawbacks of Hot-Potting

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• Chance for human error when measuring

– Partial kits or forgetting to add the catalyst

• High solvent costs

– Requires more solvent to flush entire system

• High labor costs

– Especially for larger projects

• Less Ergonomic

– Physical strain when mixing

Drawbacks of Hot-Potting

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• Coating performance

– More solvent may be used to thin material and extend pot life

– Solvent increases cure time, which reduces productivity

– Hot-potting may not be suitable for the most advanced materials

• Material waste

– Throw away unused mixed material at end of day

– Need to flush entire system before every break

• Higher VOCs

– More solvent in the environment

Coatings are Evolving

• Less solvent to help the environment

• Faster cure times

• Shorter pot life drives need for advanced equipment

• Material advancements create better performing end product

• Coating performancedrives demand for two-component equipment

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Advances in Two-Component Equipment

Old Fixed-Ratio Systems• 3 legged systems

• 2 materials, 3 pumps

– More hardware, more difficult, more wear parts

New Fixed-Ratio Systems• 2 legged system

• 2 material, 2 pumps

– Easier to understand

11A B A A B

Fixed Ratio Fluid Theory

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Advances in Two-Component Equipment

• Importance of ratio assurance systems

– Failure points will cause a change in pressure

– Balanced A & B pressures are necessary for ratio assurance

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Piston shaft

Piston seat

Piston ballPiston seals

Throat seals

Lower ball

Lower ball seat

Cylinder wall

Fluid supply

Advances in Two-Component Equipment

• Improved ratio assurance systems monitor both A and B pressures

– Capable of preventing coating failures caused by:

• Worn seals, plugged filters, running out of material, leaking valves, etc.

– New systems are difficult to bypass until problem is fixed

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Dosing Technology (Variable Ratio Systems)

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A and B dosing

Dosing Technology (Variable Ratio Systems)

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A metering valve B metering valve

Mix manifold

Dosing Technology Advancements

Old• Alternating Dosing

– A and B alternate back and forth at the same pressure

• Okay for lower flow rates

• Requires longer integration hose for proper mixing

New• Injection (continuous) Dosing

– A runs continuously while B injects into A at higher pressure

• Allows for higher flow rates and shorter integration line

• Higher precision ratio accuracy

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Advances in Two-Component Equipment

• Data Reporting Advances

– Standard on many systems

• Confidence the job was done right

• Diagnostic support

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USB Port

Advances in Two-Component Equipment

Advances in Two-Component Equipment

• Simplicity

– Most manufacturers have out of box solutions to go from hot-potting to two-component systems

– Focus on ease of operation and ratio assurance

• Accessories

– Accessories have evolved to handle higher pressures, temperatures and flow rates

– Hoses, heaters, gun and manifolds

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Selecting Two-Component Equipment

Items to consider:

•Properties and type of material being sprayed

– Epoxy, Urethane, Hybrid Urethane, etc.

– Mix ratio, pot life, solvent content, viscosity

•Recommended spray temperature and pressure

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• Production requirements

– Tip size, number of guns, distance to substrate

Selecting Two-Component Equipment

More items to consider:

•Material handling

– Container size? 5-gal (20L) or 55-gal (200L) drums

– Does the material need to be pre-heated or agitated?

– Will it require a transfer pump from the container?

•Fixed ratio or variable ratio?

– Fixed – ideal when dedicated to one material

– Variable – change ratios quickly or hit odd ratios

•Safety requirements

– Hazardous location approvals

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More items to consider:

•Frequency of use

– Is this equipment for one job or many jobs? Rent or buy?

– Is this a 24-7 operation? Is it a simple job that happens 1-2 times a month?

•Ratio assurance

– If off-ratio conditions exist, is auto shutdown important?

– Am I required to verify that the coatings were applied properly and on ratio?

– Am I required to provide a report?

•Technical support

– Will my crew ever need technical support?

Selecting Two-Component Equipment

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Basic Unheated System

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B

A

Pro

port

ione

r

Mix line

Gravity Feed

S

• Ideal for long pot life materials• No heat system• Lowest investment (about 2 times

the price of a large airless rig)

Note: Static mixer size and placement may change depending

on application and proportioner type (pertains to all systems)

Basic Heated System

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• Good for heat-assisted spray• Shorter pump-to-substrate distances• Medium investment

B

A

Pro

port

ione

r

Flu

id H

eate

rs

Mix line

Gravity or pump feed

S

Spray Gun

Heated – Remote Manifold System

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• Ideal for material requiring heat to spray• Longer pump-to-substrate distances• Higher investment

S

A

B

Dual Heated hose

Pro

port

ione

r

Flu

id H

eate

rs

Mix line

Volume-balanced hoses

Gravity or pump feed

Max length depends on pot-life

Spray Gun

Heated Supply, Remote Manifold System

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A

B

Dual Heated hose

Pro

port

ione

r

Flu

id H

eate

rsGravity or pump

feed heated supply

Volume-balanced hoses

S

Max length depends on pot-life

Mix line

• Higher production heated applications• Longer pump-to-substrate distances• Higher investment

Spray Gun

Mix-at-gun applications

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• Ideal for similar viscosity, fast setting materials• Short or long pump-to-substrate distances• Higher investment

A

B

Dual Heated hose

Pro

port

ione

r

Flu

id H

eate

rsGravity or pump

feed heated supply

Volume-balanced hoses

S

Static mix or impingement

gun

Who Benefits From 2-Component Equipment?

• Owners

– Improved productivity

– Higher quality

– Less material waste

• Environment

– Less material waste

– No thinning required

– Lower VOCs

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• Painters

– Consistent pattern

– Less fatigue

• Spray at lower pressure

• No hand-mixing required

• Mechanics

– Easier repair

• No catalyzed material in pumps

– Longer pump life

• Coating Suppliers

– Confidence in quality

Case Study - Epoxy for Water Tanks

• Producer of high quality water tanks

– 5-gal kits are mixed by hand and sprayed with airless pump

– Material: 2-part epoxy

– Pot-life: 4-hrs at 75F

• Results

– Material savings

• Day one resulted in 69% decrease of waste

• Annual savings estimate was $15,000

– Improved quality

• Improved mixing accuracy

• Consistent and repeatable coating thickness

• Lower spray pressure with less overspray

• Reduced the number of coatings from two to one

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Benefits of Two-Component Equipment

• Spraying materials accurately and on ratio results in:

– Less rework – more even coating

– Faster curing – heated coating

– More even film builds, less sagging

– Coating flows better on substrate

– No surging or high spots

• Ensures coating suppliers that their materials achieve the desired results

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Make more money!

• Expand your business

– Allows you to bid on projects that require advanced fast-curing materials

• Reduce costs

– Less paint waste - mix only what you need

– Less solvent waste

• Increased productivity

– Finish jobs sooner, less cleanup at the end

– Less downtime rebuilding and cleaning pumps

• Reduced liability

– Rework costs due to off-ratio mistakes

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Summary

• In recent years, two-component equipment has evolved to meet the demands of advanced two-component coatings

• The majority of protective coatings are two-component, yet the majority of equipment used to apply them is single component

• Advances in two-component equipment technology:

– Allow for simplified, reliable use of two-component sprayers

– Provide confidence that two-part materials are applied accurately and on-ratio

– Improve overall profitability

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Questions?

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Thank you!

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