Why hotpotting isn’t as fast and inexpensive as you might think

Hotpotting or manual mixing is perceived as a fast and inexpensive method of mixing two components. But in the long term it’s neither.

Hotpotting or manual mixing of two components prior to spraying can result in inconsistent ratios and excessive waste. A plural-component sprayer such as the Graco XM on the other hand, gives you the assurance that you are mixing and spraying accurately and on-ratio every time. The XM family can handle a wide-variety of protective coatings, including sprayers designed for heavy duty or two-part epoxy intumescent fireproofing coatings.

At the heart of the ratio control is Graco's advanced dosing technology. The major component is constantly flowing while the minor component is injected at higher pressures. Advanced sensor technology allows pumps to compensate for pressure fluctuations, resulting in accurate, on-ratio mixing for better yield and less waste.

Ideally suited for marine, bridge, rail and wind energy applications, the Graco XM is fully configurable for your specific coatings job. Start with a base unit. Then select the accessories you need. You get exactly what you need. No more. No less.

So why not move from hotpotting to machine mixing? One of the obstacles is the perceived complexity of a plural-component system. At Graco we have addressed this issue by making the user interface on the Graco XM as intuitive and simple to use as possible. It provides two display modes: “setup” for entering parameters and a basic “run” mode for everyday operation. The user interface monitors and tracks pressure, temperature and flow, and allows you to program maintenance schedules as well. With a conveniently located USB port, you can easily access and download historical spraying data.

Still not sure? Contact us and we will be happy to arrange a demonstration of the Graco XM plural-component system.