From hotpotting to plural-component spraying for increased production and quality control

Founded in 1975, Snashall Steel Fabrication is a British manufacturer of steel frame structures for a variety of businesses.

Their existing paint process was based upon hotpotting of materials via a low-pressure single-leg pump. With increasing production and a growing business, Snashall identified the need to move from hot-potting to plural-component spraying.

Efficient coating of steel structures

The local Graco distributor, Elmbridge Supplies, arranged a demonstration of a plural component sprayer, the XP70, configured to the ratio of paint being used. Snashall understood that the use of 2 component equipment would allow faster coating of steel structures and a reduction in waste. The process change would also enable the material to be supplied in 200-litre barrels. Following successful tests with the XP70, Snashall commented on the ease of use, increased production levels and improvements to their overall process. However, there was also the possibility that the material needed to be heated and there was a potential demand for a change of material mix ratio.

A FULLY CONFIGURABLE SYSTEM

Elmbridge Supplies, therefore, suggested Graco’s XM70 high-pressure plural-component sprayer which allows a variation in material ratio, precise ratio assurance and enhanced reporting of the painting process. The fully configurable XM70 system was installed with a 5:1 feed pump, a single post ram, drum cover and agitator. Snashall commented, “the traceability of each job enables us to provide an additional level of quality control to our painting process, as we can now ensure precise ratio spraying.”

MORE INFORMATION

For more information about spraying steel structures and pipelines or Graco's XM plural-component sprayers, fill out the form below.