Ships, yachts, boats, and jet skis are all water-borne vessels that require durable and long-lasting paint jobs. Marine paint must withstand weather conditions, resist corrosion, and combat biofouling to achieve aesthetically pleasing looks. These elements can strip away any vessel’s protective coating and leave it vulnerable. To achieve desired results, and streamline your operations, you must have a finishing system in place that takes emissions, energy, and efficiency into consideration.
Take a look at these 4 spray booth upgrades to improve the application of your marine coatings for a secure and enduring paint job.
Marine coating manufacturers typically disclose the exact standards for air temperature and humidity levels to ensure proper performance. Marine-specific paint booths can require heating and cooling, as well as humidification and dehumidification, to achieve those perfect air conditions. However, this takes an abundance of energy.
As the industry moves to be more energy-efficient, your finishing system must upgrade in the same way. Companies, such as Accudraft, produce an energy-smart control system that can save up to half the energy costs of a traditional system. It offers real-time solutions from its intelligent digital processor. This control system can be integrated into existing finishing equipment with ease.
Marine coatings tend to let off an enormous amount of emissions and therefore need to comply with The National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants, or NESHAP. Proper filtration is a necessity for operations to meet these efficiency requirements, under laboratory conditions, and utilize potassium chloride and oleic acid. Your marine spray booth should have several filter chambers and allow for a pressure reading to occur at each stage and ensure filtration is up to code, maintained, and properly recorded and submitted.
To stay on top of the NESHAP specifications, routine filter checks and maintenance are essential. Pressure issues resulting from dirty or clogged filters are a cause for concern and will need immediate attention to limit the escape of harmful emissions. An upgrade to carbon filtration should also be considered as it can help neutralize elements found in marine coating chemicals.
Mastering the airflow in your marine spray booth is crucial. However, it is also quite tricky. The temperature, humidity, and size of the vessel can negatively impact the airflow pattern and can create undesired coating results.
Your booth should be up to Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standards to ensure proper air circulation. Similar to filtration, MACT will help to reduce air pollutants and ensure safe air quality conditions. To complement these efforts, upgrade to a high-velocity air jet nozzle system that will assist in air filtration and significantly reduce coating drying times. This enhancement can be added as an improvement to your current system.
Your marine booth must monitor its Lower Explosive Limit, or LEL, to ensure safe working conditions and impeccable spray results. Under MACT requirements, the airflow cannot exceed the LEL. The levels should be monitored before, during, and after every spray and coating application. Surveys should not be limited to the booth itself, but also be conducted in paint kitchen or storage areas as well.
When looking to upgrade your marine finishing equipment, be sure your LEL reader is up to date and equipped with the latest technologies. Your operations must comply with MACT standards, and therefore you cannot rely on old equipment.
Marine coating is a refined practice that requires vital health and safety codes to remain in operation. Upgrades should not only enhance the performance and results of your spray application but also consider your technicians’ well-being. To further discuss how your current marine finishing equipment can be upgraded, contact Accudraft today! We’re happy to review and implement available technologies that will complement and augment your existing system.
