Improving Consistency with an Oxide Preventative Coating System
Automated tumble spray machines dramatically improve the consistency, quality and efficiency of adhesive application.
CHALLENGE
A global leader in aerospace manufacturing was looking to expand their offerings to their OEM and tier 1 customers.
The customer has a strong background in manufacturing structural and airframe components, composite bonding, molding components, and the forming of precious metals to the industry.
They wanted to increase their services by being able to apply a lubricant to both sides of a titanium substrate without disturbing the coating in the process of transitioning the piece.
The customer requested minimal operators to interact with the machine from start to finish. They also wanted additional safety measures for employees on the manufacturing floor. While all these requests were well-developed systems Arnold Machine had built before, the challenge was consistently coating 100% of the substrate and transporting the substrates through each process without interfering with the coating on each side.
SOLUTION
Arnold Machine collaborated with the end users using multiple conceptual models and designs to determine the best method for transitioning and transporting to each process.
Based on their feedback, we designed and manufactured four independent pieces of equipment, integrated together, to achieve the safety standards and consistency required to effectively coat both sides of the substrate.
- The system is made up of:
- Chemical Mixing Cabinet
- Coating Booth
- Powered Conveyors
- Two Ovens
The system utilizes an enclosed cabinet for precise mixing of two proprietary chemicals. The chemicals are transferred from a 55-gallon drum and a 5-gallon pail to a mixing tank. Transferring the materials requires precise shot sizes to avoid solvent shock and this is achieved by utilizing a flow sensor to verify fluid volume.
Within the mixing tank, Arnold Machine utilizes a proprietary design for viscosity control and automated correction. These readings are all controlled and monitored through a Human Machine Interface (HMI). The final mixture of material is then automatically transferred to a pressure vessel and applied in a nearby coating booth.
The coating booth consists of four automatic spray guns. Each spray gun utilizes a flow sensor to ensure the correct amount of material is being applied. Electronic proportional regulators allow for automatic recipe adjustment for both the spray guns and pressure vessel. The final batch recipe is saved to specific part numbers for production runs and collected in the customers plant data collection system.
DATA
The machine was able to effectively coat 100% of the substrate. The throughput and quality exceeded what one or two operators could have achieved.
RESULTS
The system has proven to be efficient and provide a consistent and repeatable end-product.