Maximum Acceleration - Collision Repair Magazine

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Volume 6

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Maximum Acceleration

Written by Joe Rayment

Monday, 30 July 2007

With waterborne on the way, one of your most pressing challenges will be adjusting to the curing time. Waterborne requires more time to dry because water has a higher evaporation point than the hydrocarbons used in solvent-based paint. Fortunately, this problem is easily dealt with. A proper air acceleration system can bring curing time for waterborne close to that of a solvent-based paint.

Air accelerators work with downdraft spray booths to speed up airfl ow and disrupt the pockets of dead air t hat tend to form at certain spots around the vehicle. Simply put, more air will pass over the drying paint. Depending on the system you choose, an air accelerator can reduce curing time 30-60 per cent (with some claims being dramatically higher) with both waterborne and solvent base paint. But there are a few things you should know when you’re looking to upgrade.

THE OPTIONS
A ceiling fan system (priced roughly between $6500-$10 000) has several strategically placed fans fixed to the top of the spray booth. Aluminum aerofoil blades (shaped like the blades of a propeller) take the downdraft the booth is already producing and pushes it faster toward the vehicle.

“What it does is it takes the air and it enhances the natural airflow of the booth,” says Roger Turmel of AutoQuip Canada.

“So you’re taking the air from the cleanest part of the booth, which is the ceiling, and you’re accelerating the airflow in the same direction that is natural for the paint or natural for the air.”

A ceiling fan system can increase airflow speeds 100-400 per cent, giving you speeds as high as 500 feet/minute.

A blower system ($10 000-$20 000) consists of four “towers,” one in each corner of the spray booth. Fans blow filtered air horizontally at the vehicle through nozzles. The nozzles can be aimed at particular parts of the vehicle, depending on what kind of job you’re doing. The booth’s downdraft forms a barrier where it hits the vehicle’s surface preventing some of the airflow from contacting the paint.

“What we’re trying to do is disrupt the airfl ow and let the solvents be released from the paint,” says Dick Bannister of R.S. Finishing Systems. As an added bonus, it also creates convection in the booth, which helps even out the temperature across the vehicle and reduce curing time. Handheld drying units can also be used to cure waterborne paints.

INSTALLATION
Both of these types of systems can be retrofitted to most spray booths. Make sure to consider installation time when choosing an air accelerator. A blower system, such as Junair’s QAD system, takes about a day to install while Garmat’s Accele-Cure ceiling fan system can be installed in 4-6 hours.

Both systems use fans to produce airfl ow. The higher the horsepower of the fans the more airflow they’ll produce, but you have to factor in energy costs this will create.

“A couple of systems use compressed air to power their fans,” says Andy Cooke of Turbo-Dry. “That may be a disadvantage to a shop in the sense that their compressor may already be working on its limit.” Make sure to factor in any necessary compressor upgrades if you’re considering a system that uses compressed air.

The system that works best for you will be determined by the type of paint you use and the make and condition of your booth. Your paint company will usually be able to provide recommendations for your specific setup.

“Everyone should have an installer precheck their booth before buying a system because some systems fit in the booth easier than others” says Matt Gibson of Flat Line.

But no recommendation can beat personal experience. A wide variety of companies off er their own variations on air acceleration systems. It’s important to see different systems in action so you can form your own opinion and select the one that’s best for you.

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