What Is Electrostatic Wet Painting?

What is ABT?

ABT, comprised of board members Atilla Çağlı, Gürhan Gülle and Alkan Çağlı, was established in 2017 as a "second-generation family company" with over 30 years of experience. The letters A, B and T in our company name stand for Akışkan and Boya Teknolojileri (Fluid and Paint Technologies). Our company primarily operates in spray application solutions and maintains an extensive product range related to spray technology. We primarily conduct work on electrostatic applications. Additionally, we are a company that produces turnkey engineering solutions for our customers for the transfer, dosing and controlled application of all types of fluids.

What is "Electrostatic Wet Coating"?

The "Electrostatic Spray" method, commonly used in facilities worldwide that perform manual and robotic wet coating applications, is the process of applying electrically charged paint particles to a grounded material with the aid of pressurized air. Generally, paints in liquid form are negatively charged (–) during spraying and the conductive surface to be painted is grounded. When electrostatic coating technology is mentioned, the first thing that comes to mind is powder electrostatic coating applications. However, it is also possible to perform wet coating applications in the same way using electrostatic technology, providing transfer efficiency of up to 90%.

What are the Advantages of Using Electrostatic Technology?

It is the most efficient wet coating spray technology. It provides much better coverage effect. The electrostatic "wrap" effect allows more material to be coated with less paint. Optimal transfer efficiency is achieved: - Reduces your paint and thinner consumption, - Reduces your booth maintenance burden, - Lowers chimney VOC emissions, - Reduces waste paint costs.

How Does Electrostatics Interact During Coating?

Paints charged with electrostatics adhere wonderfully to the surface and provide efficiency of up to 70% in production. - Negatively charged ions penetrate the paint. - The surface of the grounded product to be painted creates an opposing charge effect. - Negative and positive ions attract each other. Unlike conventional methods, negatively (–) charged ions are loaded onto the paint in the air during spraying and low-current voltage-charged paint particles adhere better to the grounded conductive surface. This in turn increases efficiency and coverage. In other words, more products can be coated with less paint.  

Electrostatic Spray Technology is Primarily Suitable for Coating What Types of Materials?

In this application method, ensuring surface conductivity is essential. However, besides metal surfaces, it is also suitable for coating glass, wood, leather, fabric and plastic surfaces.

Why Should It Be Used?

We observe that many SME manufacturers, particularly those coating metal, are unaware of electrostatic technology and operate under very poor conditions at high costs. As the ABT family, we endeavor to reach more and more customers each day and produce tailor-made solutions that will add value to our customers' coating and paint applications. For our principle of "a greener environment," we strive to promote awareness of responsibility towards nature, which is inherently green, in cooperation with our valued industrialists. Above all, to convey that we are environmentally conscious, we absolutely recommend its use.

Coating is Expensive!

Losses in spray coating operations are quite substantial. At a time when operating costs are showing serious increases day by day, electrostatic technology is the most effective solution in reducing spray paint consumption. With evolving environmental policies worldwide, many industrial establishments use electrostatic coating technology in their manufacturing facilities to prevent global pollution and protect the environment. Today, electrostatic technology is the most efficient and most economical spray technology.

If you are doing spray coating, you are indirectly paying 4 times over:

1. You pay the invoice when you purchase the paint, 2. You pay a monthly salary to the person applying the paint, 3. You spend time cleaning the booth and pay to remove contaminated paint, 4. You pay fees, fines, charges, etc. to relevant authorities for your paint waste.

Which Facilities Should Use Electrostatic Wet Coating Technology?

• Virtually all facilities that coat metal surfaces. • Facilities seeking solutions to reduce paint consumption. • Facilities seeking solutions for booth contamination. • Facilities wanting to reduce waste costs. • Facilities seeking solutions for quality improvement through more uniform distribution on coated parts.

What Types of Paints are Suitable for Use with Electrostatic Wet Coating Equipment?

Can be used with single or multi-component Epoxy, Polyurethane, and Alkyd type wet paints that have high electrical resistance. In order to apply the paint at the correct voltage, the resistance of the paint to be applied must definitely be measured before application. This is because the system infrastructure is created based on the paint's resistance.

Many liquid coating materials can be applied with electrostatic technology.

- Solvent-based paints, - Water-based paints, - 1K, 2K and 3K paints, - UV paints, - Adhesives, - Lubricants, - Mold release agents.

Which Brands Do You Prefer in Your Electrostatic Application Solutions?

Our company houses Sames-Kremlin and Ransburg brands, which are widely referenced electrostatic equipment manufacturers worldwide. Additionally, with our domestic design and manufacturing solutions, we can offer more affordable solutions to our customers. Besides electrostatic solutions, our company cooperates with firms engaged in turnkey paint mixing and preparation room installation and wet coating booth manufacturing.

Is it Suitable for Use with Water-Based Paints Having Very Low VOC Emission Values?

Yes. Due to efforts to prevent global pollution and protect the environment, water-based paint technology has begun to gain prominence in recent times. Water-based paints are extremely conductive compared to most solvent-based paints. Electrostatic sprayers are manufactured in 2 types: "internal voltage charging" and "external voltage charging." Both are suitable for use with water-based paints. If the external charging model is preferred, there is no need to insulate the line, but if internal voltage charging sprayers are used, the paint line must be very well insulated.

Is it Possible to Coat Plastic Parts Using Electrostatic Technology?

Since plastics widely used in industry are generally insulators, there is no advantage to applying electrostatics directly. However, if a conductive primer is used, electrostatic application can be performed on this surface. Only plastics with carbon granule additives are suitable for electrostatic spraying. However, they are not preferred due to high costs.

Is it Suitable for Use with Solvent-Based Paints Having Flammable and Explosive Properties?

Yes. Solvent-based and solvent-free paint technologies containing very small amounts of solvent (2–3%) are continuing to be used primarily in the global industrial sector due to their price/performance comparison advantages. Since most solvent-based paints have flammable and explosive properties, certain safety precautions must be taken beforehand. Electrostatic wet coating equipment installation must be performed only by specialists in the field, and operator training must be provided comprehensively.

What Should Be Most Carefully Observed in Electrostatic Wet Coating Application?

• The part to be coated must be very well grounded. • Hangers and jigs must be cleaned at regular intervals. • Cleaning and routine maintenance of the spraying equipment must be performed regularly. • Worn spare parts must absolutely not be used. • If spraying is performed manually, in addition to the above points, the following matters require additional attention. • The operator must wear an anti-static suit, conductive gloves and shoes. • An anti-static air hose or anti-static paint hose must be used to ground the coating equipment. • The static charge on the operator's body must be discharged with a grounding plate before entering the booth. • Regular floor cleaning must be performed to ensure conductivity on the floor.        

What are the Positive Effects on Worker Health and Safety?

It has positive effects on worker health because there is less overspray during coating. Especially in paint booths where solvent-based paints are used, operators are exposed to excessive solvent vapor even though they wear masks. Operators using electrostatic sprayers are exposed to 2 times less solvent vapor. Since electrostatic sprayers are made of plastic to be insulating, operators experience less fatigue due to their light weight.

Electrostatic sprayer types:

  Alkan Çağlı Business Development Manager ABT Akışkan and Boya Teknolojileri A.Ş.