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"...stable paint viscosity produced dramatic reductions in viscosity-related defects such as orange peel, gloss and sag, and temperature-related defects such as dry spray."
- Roush, First-tier auto supplier
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Case Study #1
The Opportunity
Roush, a well known mid-west supplier of first-tier and after-market performance auto parts was experiencing very low first-pass yield numbers from their paint process. Though utilizing advanced robotic systems to apply primers, solid and metallic colors, and clear-coat paints to their bumpers, fascias, and other custom body components, they were plagued by excessive rework to address orange peel, gloss, dry spray, and sag issues. Small lot sizes drove frequent color changes, and the wide swings in ambient temperature associated with their mid-west location (60°F - 100°F) resulted in wide variations in paint viscosity from run to run. Studies performed by the customer revealed that a change in paint temperature of as little as 3°F resulted in unacceptable orange peel. The customer turned to SCS for help.
The Solution
Working with the customer, SCS built and installed a multi-station, multi-color paint-temperature-control system specifically designed to eliminate fluctuations in paint temperature, thereby stabilizing the paint viscosity. Inserted in the circulation loop and mounted on the wall of each booth, this system maintains each paint at a user-selected set-point temperature all the way to the point of application, independent of process influences and changes in ambient temperature.
The Results
The customer immediately achieved consistent, repeatable paint temperature independent of changes in ambient temperature. The resulting stable paint viscosity produced dramatic reductions in viscosity-related defects such as orange peel, gloss and sag, and temperature-related defects such as dry spray. Furthermore, the ability to select the optimal temperature for a specific paint formulation allowed reductions in solvent usage for viscosity adjustment. By making temperature a definable and repeatable system parameter from run to run, set-up times and first-piece scrap were also significantly reduced.
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