×
INTELLIGENT WORK FORUMS
FOR ENGINEERING PROFESSIONALS

Log In

Come Join Us!

Are you an
Engineering professional?
Join Eng-Tips Forums!
  • Talk With Other Members
  • Be Notified Of Responses
    To Your Posts
  • Keyword Search
  • One-Click Access To Your
    Favorite Forums
  • Automated Signatures
    On Your Posts
  • Best Of All, It's Free!
  • Students Click Here

*Eng-Tips's functionality depends on members receiving e-mail. By joining you are opting in to receive e-mail.

Posting Guidelines

Promoting, selling, recruiting, coursework and thesis posting is forbidden.

Students Click Here

Jobs

Paint Removal on Assembly Line - What is efficient and safe?

Paint Removal on Assembly Line - What is efficient and safe?

Paint Removal on Assembly Line - What is efficient and safe?

(OP)
My company paints large axle housings with a VOC-compliant air-drying coating to a dry film thickness of 2-3 mils. Areas not requiring paint are typically masked prior to entering the paint booth.

I now have an issue with one of our customers, who has requested that no paint be evident on a particular surface that historically has never been masked for any of our customers. This particular area is difficult to mask and still operate an assembly line efficiently.

The leadership at my company does not want to use any grinding or flapper wheels to remove the paint due to the dust generation. Also I do not want to introduce any aggressive (e.g. chlorinated) solvents either due to permitting concerns. Also this is a manual spray operation.

I don't know if I'm asking for the miracle paint remover, but I am interested in what is available out there that generates minimal dust and does not produce hazardous vapors. Any insight on this would be most appreciated!

RE: Paint Removal on Assembly Line - What is efficient and safe?

Ask your paint supplier what solvents might be used and then determine which, if any, are environmentally friendly for the plant. On masking, if it comes to that, is the area conducive to using some sort of re-usable silicone rubber mask?

RE: Paint Removal on Assembly Line - What is efficient and safe?

There are systems that use liquid nitrogen or dry ice to remove coatings.

Regards,

Cory

Please see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips Fora.

RE: Paint Removal on Assembly Line - What is efficient and safe?

Another option might be a brushed on plasticol type coating which could be easily peeled off after painting.

RE: Paint Removal on Assembly Line - What is efficient and safe?

Our company designs custom masks for difficult-to-mask areas - we'd be happy to take a look at the part and see if we can help you, or even refer you to a specialized firm if necessary.  If we couldn't help you out, they certainly could.

RE: Paint Removal on Assembly Line - What is efficient and safe?

(OP)
magic612,

Yes I would be interested. Keeping in mind what is not allowed in postings, I'm not sure how we can proceed. Perhaps one of the members can advise us.

Everyone,

Thanks for all of your input. In addition to masking we are also considering the cryo option.

RE: Paint Removal on Assembly Line - What is efficient and safe?

Hi dbooker630,
Wouldn't you need to mask anyway, if stripping, to protect the adjoining paint??  Masking to prevent the unwanted paint is the usual practice.  
Here are some masking suppliers (dbooker630, it's OK to give company info as a response for solving a poster's problem. If I missed your co., just post the link):

Shercon http://www.shercon.com/home/masking/
Viadon LLC http://www.viadon.com/
Argon Masking Corp. http://www.maskingsupplies.com/products.htm
Tolber Chemical Division http://www.tolber.com/

RE: Paint Removal on Assembly Line - What is efficient and safe?

dbooker630 - I'm a Viadon (Dave), but any of the other companies can help you too.  Tolber only carries liquid maskants, the rest of us design molded and die cut masking.

Red Flag This Post

Please let us know here why this post is inappropriate. Reasons such as off-topic, duplicates, flames, illegal, vulgar, or students posting their homework.

Red Flag Submitted

Thank you for helping keep Eng-Tips Forums free from inappropriate posts.
The Eng-Tips staff will check this out and take appropriate action.

Reply To This Thread

Posting in the Eng-Tips forums is a member-only feature.

Click Here to join Eng-Tips and talk with other members!


Resources