The Most Important Investment in Your Product's Final Finish.

Finishing wood products requires specialized spraying equipment due to the nature of the substrate and the coatings used. The application is often done on a "flatline" system, where parts move on a flat belt conveyor. The spray guns are typically mounted on a reciprocator that moves back and forth over the conveyor. Because wood coatings often cure very quickly, the fluid delivery systems must be designed to handle catalyzed or fast-flashing materials. Most critically, the curing part of the spraying equipment is often an infrared (IR) or ultraviolet (UV) oven, which can cure the coatings in minutes or even seconds with minimal heat, preventing damage to the wood.

This is a common myth that is no longer true. While you cannot directly charge water, modern electrostatic spraying equipment for water-based paints works through a method called isolation. The entire fluid handling system—the pump, hoses, and the gun itself—is isolated from electrical ground. The system then charges the entire paint supply to a high negative voltage. As the paint is atomized, the charged droplets are drawn to the grounded part just like a solvent-based system. TIMS COATING can provide expertly designed electrostatic spraying equipment that allows you to get the high transfer efficiency of electrostatics with the environmental benefits of water-based coatings.

The choice between robotic and manual spraying equipment comes down to volume, complexity, and quality requirements. Manual spraying is ideal for low-volume, custom work where flexibility is key. However, it is inherently inconsistent. Robotic spraying provides absolute repeatability. A robot will follow the exact same path, at the exact same speed, with the exact same trigger points on every single part. This leads to a more uniform finish, reduced material waste (often a 15-30% savings over manual spraying), and higher throughput. For any medium- to high-volume production, a robotic spraying equipment system from TIMS COATING will provide a rapid and significant return on investment.

The nozzle tip is a small but incredibly important component of your spraying equipment. Choosing the right one is critical for a good finish. Nozzle tips are identified by a three-digit number, like "517". The first digit ("5") when multiplied by two gives you the spray fan width at 12 inches away (a 10-inch fan). The last two digits ("17") indicate the orifice size in thousandths of an inch (0.017"). You should choose a fan width that is appropriate for the size of the part you are spraying. You should choose an orifice size based on the viscosity of the material you are spraying—thicker materials like primers require a larger orifice, while thinner materials like stains require a smaller one.