If you’re currently using a Single leg sprayer, you will no doubt be processing two buckets. The smaller one going into the larger one, then mixing it.
Mixing:
If you are under time pressure, you may not spend the time required to mix materials thoroughly. This can result in changes of viscosity, which can lead to inconsistencies in spray quality. Materials that are not mixed well will often push the operator to use more pressure than they actually need.
Feeding:
Once mixed you will feed the machine via either the cypher or the hopper. If you have thicker material or material that is not well mixed, the paint may not fully load so always use the hopper in these circumstances.
Disposing of containers:
If you’re working on a larger job, you may have ordered several containers, which will need to be disposed of properly. Depending on ‘pot life’, materials such as epoxies and most polyurethanes may be wasted if you take a break or need to return to a job the next day. You will also need to flush out the whole system, using solvent.
If you are experiencing any of the issues outlined above, you’re probably using the wrong spray machine for the job.
Plural component machines can deal with large quantities of material, through feed pumps that independently feed you’re A and B material.
Plural component spray machines, take materials into a mixing block. Material is not mixed until this point so flushing out materials suddenly becomes a lot quicker and uses less solvent so its ideal of using shorter ‘pot life’ materials.
If you do go over your ‘pot life’ and materials harden, you won’t lose more than your mix line and your gun. With a single material machine, you would need to replace: the cypher tube, mix tube, pump, spray hose and your gun.
To increase your efficiency, broaden the range of materials you can use, reduce waste and the requirement for solvents, there are two pieces of Plural spray equipment to be aware of:
XP – fixed ratio (smaller). If you want to change the ratio to match a coating, you have to change out the lower fluid section. 1:1 2:1 or 3:1. By changing the size we can achieve a different ratio.
XP’s come in a standard size and high flow, or XP-hf. Standard has 6500cc air motor. The XP-hf has a 10,000 cc motor. The air motor size correlates to the air fluid section size. On the XP high flow machine, the fluid sections are much larger and therefore the better choice for the most demanding jobs. The benefits of this are threefold:
- The ability to use multiple spray guns
- Longer hose lengths
- You can use larger tip sizes
XM- variable ratio. Uses dosing valves. Factor in coatings intermittently. Anything from 1:1 to 10:1. Change the ratios on the display unit on the fly. Beneficial if you have lots of different coatings to spray, one after the other, much more efficient way to do it. Plus, you have more ratio options.
If you would like advice about the best plural component machine to use for the jobs or project you are working on, please get in touch with out experts today. You can also find out more about Plural Spray machines via our Graco Spray Machine and Hire pages.