With the recent introduction of “high solids” coating systems into the U.S. Navy shipbuilding and ship maintenance community, both new construction and repair activities are searching for the best equipment and best processes to apply these new products. These coatings have been specified by the U.S. Navy and others because of the two very significant improvements they provide; 1. Reduced VOC emissions since they contain very little or no solvents and 2. Increased corrosion resistance due to chemistry, increased coating thickness without solvent entrapment, and edge retention properties. The application of these coatings provides several challenges, including increased viscosity (some 3 to 4 times thicker than previous products), reduced pot life, along with temperature range sensitivity. Application of high-solids coatings by methods designed for materials with very different properties is not the best answer. Processes must be redesigned and outdated equipment replaced. With the right equipment and processes in place, the above challenges can be virtually eliminated and both a production schedule and cost savings realized.

Subject
Spray equipment, Costs, Coating application, Coatings, Materials, Viscosity, Solids, Spray coating, Solvents, Mixing, Equipment, Pot life, Paints
© 2001 Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP). All rights reserved. This work is protected by both domestic and international copyright laws. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of AMPP. Positions and opinions advanced in this work are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of AMPP. Responsibility for the content of the work lies solely with the author(s).
2001
Association for Materials Protection and Performance (AMPP)
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