Spray Free Coating

2023 Author: Hannah Pearcy | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-26 11:39

Spraying technology has been around for longer than you might think. But until the turn of the millennium, it was considered technically almost impossible to get the spray mist problem under control. At that time, master painter Michael Heil dealt intensively with the subject and approached the manufacturer Caparol

In the network between research institutes, industry and handicraft, the manufacturer managed to overcome the technical hurdles. The Fraunhofer Institute for Business Mathematics at the TU Kaiserslautern developed a mathematical formula for calculating the droplet size and its distribution in machine-assisted airless spraying. Several craft businesses were involved in optimizing the individual process steps to suit the construction site. Caparol developed the coating materials required for this and the sprayer manufacturer Wagner from Markdorf developed the innovative spray system.

From the idea to the implementation

In the beginning it was a rather vague idea that master painter Michael Heil dealt with: spraying paint on facades with machine support - very similar to what is common in the paint shop. However, the coating should not be done in a painting booth, but in the open air - as efficiently as possible and largely without spray. An ambitious project that many experts thought was almost impossible at the turn of the millennium. But that should change soon. Finding out whether, with what, how and under what conditions fog-free spraying with machine support could work was a real challenge for application-oriented research in 2000. When Michael Heil told me about his plan to develop a processI was initially skeptical with which the painter was able to apply paint to external walls more quickly and evenly than with a brush and roller. But the longer I thought about it, the more curious I became,”recalls Dipl.-Ing. Werner Aumann, then a sales consultant in the field, today a regional planner and property manager for the Saarland and Rhineland-Palatinate. So he asked

Dr. Klaus Murjahn, senior manager of the paint manufacturer Caparol, on his assessment of the chances of success. The entrepreneur immediately recognized the market potential of this idea and agreed to a project participation by the DAW group of companies. That was the initial spark for the establishment of an innovation circle with 14 project partners, in which Caparol made a significant commitment both financially and in terms of personnel.

The basic requirements for fog-free spray application are the specially developed Nespri paints, an airless device draws in the paint and builds up the appropriate pressure. A specially heated high-pressure hose ensures a constant temperature of the paint, which is electronically monitored on the sprayer. "As a result, the material always has the right consistency and does not have to be thinned," explains Heinz. The specially developed double nozzle is the last component to ensure fog-free application. For efficient operation, two employees make sense, one who applies the paint and another who rolls on with the roller. The re-rolling enables a uniform surface appearance and an optimal connection of the color to the surface. In 2004, the new system was successfully launched on the market and still impresses the painter's trade: Depending on the size of the object, coating work can save up to a third of the time compared to classic roller coating, which brings a significant productivity advantage.

Today's standard

In the meantime, the Nespri-TEC application with all its advantages has become part of everyday life in many painting companies. According to Siegfried Heinz, it is extremely helpful for every painting company to use this technique. “Especially companies that regularly work on facade surfaces from a size of 200 to 300 square meters should rely on this technology, which also offers convincing advantages for indoor work: The amount of masking work compared to conventional spray application is significantly reduced, the area coverage increases due to the more rational processing, and avoiding the spray mist ensures a clean work environment. For outdoor use, BG BAU confirms that no additional protective measures (e.g. respiratory protection) are required when using Nespri-TEC outdoors. Another advantage:With facade coatings, parked cars, sidewalks or adjacent buildings no longer have to be covered in a complex manner. The technology has proven itself for Siegfried Heinz. “We have had no reason to change the basic technology in the past 15 years. With the exception of minor technical modifications based on suggestions from the painting trade, our main focus was to significantly expand the product range.”to significantly expand the product range. "to significantly expand the product range."

At the start of the system, a facade paint, a pigmented primer and an interior paint were available

Available. “Today we have made a large part of the standard range Nespri-TEC capable. In addition to the primer, we now offer four different facade and three interior colors. These include, for example, two facade colors based on the innovative nano-quartz lattice technology, which keeps facades clean for longer and is also characterized by maximum color stability.”The system is user-friendly and requires little maintenance. Another advantage that should not be underestimated is that it is much more comfortable and less tiring. On the one hand, the employees no longer have to lug heavy paint buckets onto the scaffolding, on the other hand, handling is much more ergonomic and therefore less strenuous compared to conventional paint application with the roller.

The airless device NesprayPRO, the universally applicable hose cart NesprayKIT as well as the Caparol colors for outdoor and indoor use, which are specifically tailored to airless applications, are available nationwide from paint wholesalers. With the purchase of the NesprayTEC system, Nespri-TEC customers receive extensive instruction from the Caparol application technician on site. The Caparol Academy has more information, as well as brochures and information on training opportunities for employees of interested painting and plastering companies.

www.heilm.de/

www.caparol.de/