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Automation will help break the finishing bottleneck

In this five-part series, Cefla America will provide readers with some of the automation choices available to make the transition from manual application of finishing materials to automation, if even on a limited basis.

Automatic spraying machines

The previous article in this series stated that many companies look to automation of their finishing process as a means to overcome some of the many problems associated with manual spray applications. The necessity to increase production, decrease rejects and improve material costs, as well as a shortage of qualified finishing personnel, encourages automation as a finishing solution. These all lead to “bottlenecks” in productivity and shipping.

Spraying machines are the most common method of finishing since they are the most versatile and the most compatible with current hand-spraying materials and techniques.

There are three types of automatic spraying machines:
• Widebelt – where the parts are placed on a horizontal conveyor.
• Vertical – the parts are hung on an overhead monorail.
• Moulding – long narrow parts are placed on a narrow conveyor and passed through fixed position spray guns at high speeds. Due to space limitation this editorial will only deal with the most common of these three, the widebelt, since the other two types are more specialty applications.