Problem:
A manufacturer of hardwood flooring needed to intermittently spray a pigment into the groove of individual floor boards as they moved on the conveyor line. Because the tongues and grooves of the floorboards are not stained after installation, this color helps to hide minor installation imperfections.
The manufacturer previously used a system that included an air brush gun but the nozzle tip was prone to clogging and the spray application was inconsistent. Plugging and shut-off problems were so frequent that nearly constant attention was required from workers and hourly shutdowns were typical. The spray quality was poor and drips from the nozzle on the production line caused scrap problems.
Solution:
Spraying Systems Co.’s solution uses an air atomizing nozzle controlled by an AutoJet® Modular Spray System. Pigment is supplied to the system by a 10 gallon (38 liter) pressure tank. The AutoJet Model 1550 Modular Spray System triggers the nozzle to spray whenever the conveyor is in motion and an object sensor detects a floor board. No spray is triggered if the conveyor stops or when no board is present. A 1/4JAUCO automatic air atomizing nozzle provides precise, consistent coverage of the floor boards and is equipped with a clean-out needle to prevent plugging of the nozzle orifice. The nozzle also provides positive shut-off to prevent pigment from dripping onto the production line.
Results:
The AutoJet® Spray System has improved production efficiency and has saved the manufacturer money. Because of the reliability of the system, operators that previously monitored the spray system have been deployed to other tasks. The spray system is now able to operate for 8 hour shifts between routine maintenance. Scrap has been reduced by 50% since the installation of the new spray system. Together, these factors have saved the manufacturer more than US$3,000 per month, providing a payback of less than two months on the investment in spray equipment.
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