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The Wagner Tips & Tricks: Standard application values

By: Martin Krssing, Manager WAGNER Applications Technology

In my capacity as manager of the Applications Technology Department at WAGNER, I have visited customers all over the world. In this column, I would like to tell you about the most frequent problems I have been confronted with and - more particularly - about the solutions to these. Just take a regular look; it will definitely be worthwhile.

Gun Performance The gun performance describes the area which a spray gun can coat in one minute.

This is how the gun performance is calculated:

Powder Output Measurement This measurement is of interest if you want to find out how the wear on wearing parts affects the powder consumption , or whether the individual guns deliver an equal amount of powder at the same setting. In order to measure the powder output an empty powder measuring bag is weighed and fixed to the gun. Then powder is sprayed through the gun for precisely one minute. At the end the powder bag is weighed.

Die Dsensysteme Fan spray nozzle The Fan spray nozzle is widely used in modern coating plant. The reason for this is the more uniform coating and the greater effective depth.

Deflector cone Deflector cones tend to generate a picture frame affect. The smaller the deflector plate the less critical is this effect.

Wide fan spray nozzle This nozzle system, also known colloquially as a duck's bill, is used for larger outputs of powder due to its geometry.

Tips & Tricks no. 1 - The choice of the right nozzle system

It is found again and again in practice that work pieces are being coated with completely unsuitable nozzle systems. The result is usually an inadequate coating quality or an excessive consumption of powder.

Fan spray nozzle (gap) for Corona und Tribo For complicated and deep objects

Powder output max. 150 - 200 g/min (Corona) Powder output max. 100 - 150 g/min (Tribo)

Wide fan spray nozzle for Corona and Tribo

For surfaces and recesses

Powder output max. 300 g/min (Corona) Powder output max. 250 g/min (Tribo)

Deflector cone for Corona und Tribo

For coating surfaces

Powder output max. 300 - 400 g/min (Corona) Powder output max. 200 250 g/min (Tribo)

When determining the correct nozzle system, the depth profile of the work piece is of decisive importance. To get the best out of your coating equipment you should also attach great importance to the correct powder output. The following illustration shows how to choose the optimal setting of your equipment for your work pieces:

Tips & Tricks no. 2 - The electrically conductive powder hose

Who hasnt had it happen to them? You pick up a powder hose and suddenly its literally like being struck by lighting! The problem: During the coating process powder flows through the hose. Due to the friction caused by this, the hose becomes electrostatically charged. Since it is not earthed, it discharges as soon as the opportunity arises. An unsuspecting operator can quickly become just such an opportunity. The solution: To resolve this problem the hose needs to be earthed but normally plastic is not electrically conductive. This is why those resourceful people at Wagner have come up with a powder hose with an electrically conductive core, a vein of carbon running along the whole length of the hose. When the new powder hose is used with a suitable injector (PI-P1 or PI-F1), the discharges described above finally become a thing of the past. With a few adaptations older injectors of Types PJ-2020PRS and PJ-D1 are also compatible with the new electrically conductive powder hose.

Tips & Tricks no. 3 - The Venturi principle, or how does the powder injector work?

The diagram below shows a cross section through a WAGNER powder injector:

The functional principle Compressed air from the feed air connection is pushed through the injector nozzle (also known as the Venturi nozzle) into the collector nozzle. The small diameter of the nozzle ensures a high air velocity. On its way through the injector the feed air passes across the powder suction tube where it sucks in powder due to the vacuum. The air and the powder now continue to flow at a high velocity through the collector nozzle into the powder hose and finally to the spray gun.

Good to know: The powder particles must be delivered at a speed of around 12 m/sec in order to achieve a uniform powder delivery and a soft cloud.

The secret of the air flows The feed air is responsible for the powder quantity. In order to influence the powder velocity, dosage air is also required. The air flow rate which you set on the controller consists partly of feed air and partly of dosage air. The ratio of dosage air to feed air has a great influence on the amount of powder delivered: feed air high / dosage air low = large flow of powder

feed air low / dosage air high = small flow of powder

The sum of both air flows, i.e. the total air, and the powder velocity in the tube remain the same.

Wear The abrasive effect of the powder/air mixture wears the collector nozzle over time. The powder speed decreases with Increasing wear of the collector nozzle. The result is a reduction of the Venturi effect and consequently of the powder output.

New collector nozzle

Worn collector nozzle

In order to maintain the desired powder output the experienced powder coater increases the feed air at this point. Normally, this measure works until the collector nozzle is completely worn and must be replaced.

Typically, the life span of a collector nozzle lies between two weeks and one year (depending on the powder characteristics, the feed air quantity used etc.) Tip: Dont forget to reduce the feed air again, as soon as you start using the new collector nozzle. Otherwise, there will be a significant wear right from the beginning.

Tips & Tricks Nr. 4 - The importance of the correct powder velocity

A wrongly set powder velocity in the powder hose can result in serious consequences. Too high a powder velocity means:

Increased wear in the injector and in the gun (nozzle wedge, nozzle body, gun attachment) Blow off effects when coating. Problem areas will be poorly coated due to poor air flow. Unnecessarily high air consumption.

If the speed is too low this will give rise to:

Powder deposits in the hose. Irregular powder output (spitting)

Only with the correct powder velocity do we get a homogeneous powder cloud.

So far so good. Now, how high is the correct powder velocity? How do you calculate the total air quantity necessary for this? And how do you set this on the control unit? Find the answers in the next issues of our Tips & Tricks.

Tips & Tricks no. 5 - How to calculate the correct total air quantity

As a rule the ideal powder velocity to is 10 - 15 m/s. To achieve this result you must calculate the total air. The two crucial factors in this are the values for:

The internal diameter of the hose The velocity of the powder

For the sample calculation below we assume a powder velocity of 12 m/s and an internal hose diameter of 9 mm (r = 4.5 mm).

This is the formula:

and here's the calculation:

In real terms this means that you must set a total air figure (feed and dosage air together) of 2.7m3/h. To make things a little easier for you we have already calculated the total air quantity for the most common internal hose diameters:

Internal hose 9 mm 10 mm 11 mm 12 mm

Powder velocity 12 m/sec 12 m/sec 12 m/sec 12 m/sec

Total air 2.7 m3/h 3.4 m3/h 4.1 m3/h 4.9 m3/h

Learn how to set the total air in the next issue of our Tips & Tricks.

Tips & Tricks no. 6 - How to adjust the air flows

After we discussed how to calculate the correct total air quantity in the last issue of our Tips & Tricks, it's now time to have a closer look at the setting procedure of the results we have obtained. Remember: The correct total air with different hose diameters Internal hose 9 mm 10 mm 11 mm 12 mm Systems with automatic regulator (AFC in m3/h) Here all you have to do is enter the total air through a keypad or by turning a swivel knob. The regulation then takes place automatically. The system operator can adjust the feed air, as required, to influence the size of the powder cloud. Powder velocity 12 m/sec 12 m/sec 12 m/sec 12 m/sec Total air 2.7 m3/h 3.4 m3/h 4.1 m3/h 4.9 m3/h

So that the velocity in the powder hose is kept constant, the dosage air is automatically regulated to suit. First total air setting of manual coating systems Injectors with orifice The total air of plants with manual pressure control valves is somewhat more complex to adjust, depending on the configuration installation. Let's take a look at it on the basis of a concrete example with the following values:

Injector: Hose length: Hose inside : Powder velocity: Total air: Powder:

PI-PF with orifice (recognizable from the black or partly black dosage air fitting) 6m / 20ft 11 mm 12 m/s / 40 ft/s 4.1 Nm3/h Epoxy Polyester (E/P)

Target powder quantity 100 g/min 1. 2. 3. 4. Adjust the feed air until the desired powder cloud is obtained (e.g. 1 bar / 14.5 PSI). Check the feed pressure on the pressure gauge. The corresponding feed air quantity in Nm3/h can be read on the outer scale of the pressure gauge. Calculate the dosage air quantity: Total air (4.1 Nm3/h) - feed air (2.0 Nm3/h) = dosage air (2.1 Nm3/h) Now find the equivalent of the dosage air quantity on the pressure gauge and adjust accordingly (2.1 Nm3/h = 1.5 bar / 21.75 PSI).

Feed air

Dosage air

Increasing the powder throughput 1. 2. 3. Increase the feed air until the desired powder cloud is obtained (e.g. 2 bar / 29 PSI). Check the feed pressure on the pressure gauge. The corresponding feed air quantity in Nm3/h can be read on the outer scale of the pressure gauge. Total air (4.1 Nm3/h) - feed air (3.2 Nm3/h) = dosage air (0.9 Nm3/h) Now find the equivalent of the dosage air quantity on the pressure gauge and adjust accordingly (0.9 Nm3/h = 0.7 bar / 10 PSI).

These settings apply to our example and can significantly vary depending on the hose length, the specific weight of the Powder and other parameters.

Feed air

Dosage air

Injectors without orifice Injectors without orifice are generally used with automatic air flow control. They are less suitable for systems with manual air adjustment. The setting range of the dosage air is very narrow here and adjustments become a rather painstaking task.

This is how the dosage air would have to be set for the two examples above:

2.1 Nm3/h Dosage air

0.9 Nm3/h Dosage air

Bibliografia: http://www.wagnersystemsinc.com/portal/powder_tt06_us_wag,46820,,,,pfad_seite+1.html

he Powder Cycle

<="" p=""> 1. The Powder Center Coating powder is best conveyed to the sprayguns if it is fluidized first. This is done in the Powder Feed Center, whose suction system (2) submerges into the container and ads fluidizing air to the powder. The container is placed on a special shaker table. As soon as it begins to vibrate a homogenous powder-air mixture forms.During the normal coating process powder is consumed, which leads to a lowering of the powder level inside the container. A probe measures the level and lowers the suction system when required in order to ensure a continuous powder flow. In the case of powder shortage, an alarm is triggered. Depending on the type of powder feed center, the consumption of coating powder is compensated either automatically or by manually adding fresh powder into the container. 2. Powder Delivery The fluidized powder is fed by the suction system (2) from the container to the injectors and finally to the sprayguns by means of fluidizing air. The amount of powder that flows to the guns can be increased by applying more feeding air. The addition of dosage air speeds up the powder flow. If the feeding air is turned off and the dosage air is opened completely, the powder supply to the guns stops, while the powder hose will be flushed with air. As soon as the feeding air is turned on and the dosage air is set to a normal level, the powder starts flowing again. 3. The Sprayguns Depending on the application, Tribo or Corona sprayguns are used for industrial powder coating. The powder particles are charged inside the gun and then applied evenly to the object to be coated. Different shapes and objects like wire goods, gratings or aluminum cross sections require different powder clouds for high quality coating. This is why sprayguns must be able to be equipped with a great variety of nozzles systems, such as deflector cones, fan spray nozzles etc. 4. Powder recovery A considerable amount of powder does not stick to the object during the coating process. The so called overspray is sucked from the spray booth through the exhaust air conduct (4) and conveyed to the cyclone (5). 5. Separating the powder-air mixture The cyclone sets the powder-air mixture in rotation. This creates centrifugal forces which push the powder particles outwards onto the cyclone walls. The powder subsequently slides onto the screen surface of the screening unit, where coarse impurities are held back. By means of a peristaltic conveyer, the recycled powder is finally supplied back to the container in the powder feed center. 6. Filtering of the exhaust air The cyclone sets the powder-air mixture in rotation. This creates centrifugal forces which push the powder particles outwards onto the cyclone walls. The powder subsequently slides onto the screen surface of the screening unit, where coarse impurities are held back. By means of a peristaltic conveyer, the recycled powder

is finally supplied back to the container in the powder feed center. 7. Control To control the complex workflows within a powder system, several types of controls can be applied. The requirements for customer specific systems which are completely designed for special coating requirements are rising; systems need to be flexible and modular. Therefore WAGNER offers a wide range of modular control systems that guarantee the perfect control technology for each customer.

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Powder feeding with injectors

WAGNER powder supply systems for spray guns rely on the Venturi principle. In these powder injectors, air (feed air) is blown into a collector nozzle via a so-called injector nozzle. A special geometry generates a vacuum that sucks in powder and conveys it downstream. Dosing air is fed into the powder current in addition to the feed air. The total quantity of air generates a homogeneous powder/air mixture. The air quantity is dosed in such a manner that a suspension feed is generated in the powder hose that prevents the powder from settling. This is a requirement for constant powder delivery, homogeneous atomisation and optimal coating results without spitting. WAGNER offers the right system for every application. The standard injectors excel in a high delivery rate. An alternative is provided by the HiCoat ED system with its optimized geometry within the injector. This patented system leads to a considerable reduction in the required air quantity and thus an enhanced transfer efficiency. The feed systems are operated on a convenient control unit that automatically uses the right mixing ratio between the feed and dosage air, allowing the user to concentrate fully on the coating process. Charging systems 1. Corona charging Bei der Coronaaufladung setzen sich negativ geladene Luftionen whrend des Zerstaubungsprozesses an die Pulverteilchen. Die Luftionen werden an der Hochspannungselektrode der Pulverpistole erzeugt. Die Erzeugung der Hochspannung erfolgt mit Hilfe einer Hochspannungskaskade, die in den Pistolenkrper eingebaut ist. Die Hochspannung kann dabei in einem Bereich von 30 - 100 KV variiert werden. Die Hhe der Spannung ist zugeschnitten auf die Geometrie der Werkstcke bzw. das verwendete Pulverlacksystem. Die aufgeladenen Teilchen bewegen sich nach der Aufladung entlang der Feldlinien auf das geerdete Werkstck zu. Da die Feldliniendichte an den Kanten der Bauteile hher ist als auf den Flchen, kommt es hier zu hheren Pulverschichtdicken. Umgekehrt gibt es bei dreidimensionalen Bauteilen Bereiche, in die keine Feldlinien eindringen. In diesen Bereichen, den sogenannten Faraday'schen Kfigen, wird daher Pulverlack nur sehr begrenzt abgeschieden. Bei der Abscheidung der Pulverlackschicht werden auch Luftionen mit in die Schicht eingelagert . Hierdurch kommt es bei einer zu hohen Ladungsdichte zu sogenannten Rcksprheffekten. Ziel ist daher, die Minimierung dieser Luftionen, welche z.B. durch den Einsatz einer zustzlichen Erdung auf dem Pulverzerstuber erfolgt. Die genannten Effekte konnen durch die modernen WAGNER Sprhsysteme HiCoat-C4 uber umfangreiche Einstellmglichkeiten der Hochspannung, der Strombegrenzung und der Kaskadenkennlinie auch bei komplizierten Werkstcken reduziert werden. HiCoat-Pistolen sichern so ein optimales Beschichtungsergebnis.

2. Die Triboaufladung Das Tribo-Verfahren bedient sich der Reibungsaufladung. Hierbei wird das fluidisierte Pulver-/Luftgemisch in einem Pulverrohr, zumeist PTFE, durch Reibung an der Rohrinnenwand positiv aufgeladen. Der Werkstoff PTFE eignet sich auf Grund seiner niedrigen elektrischen Ladungseigenschaften (negativ) zur Aufladung und wegen der sehr guten Antihafteigenschaften zur Vermeidung von Ansinterungen an der Wandung. Bei der Reibungsaufladung im Pulverrohr entsteht eine gleichmige Aufladung bzw. Ladungstrennung. D.h. bei einer bestimmten Menge an positiv aufgeladenen Pulverteilchen bleiben im Pulverrohr exakt gleich viele negativ aufgeladene Teilchen. Diese negative Ladung muss aus dem Sprhgert abgefhrt werden. Sie wird ber eine Messzelle geleitet und gibt als Tribo-Strom eine Aussage ber die Qualitt des Pulvers und der Aufladung. Auf Grund der Aufladung durch Reibung bentigt dieses Verfahren ein spezielles Tribo-Pulver. Bei WAGNER Tribo-Pistolen kann mittels einer speziellen Tribo-Luft diese Aufladung beeinflusst bzw. verstrkt werden. So kann z.B. auch nur schwer aufladbares Pulver trotzdem gut appliziert werden.

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