Process Required Spraying Fast-Evaporating Solvent for 50 Milliseconds Every Two Seconds
 Spray Gun Had to be Fast, Compact and Offer Low Flow Rates
PROBLEM: This OEM manufacturer was designing a new custom machine for an electrical sub-assembly workstation. A fluoroether gel is sprayed onto the sub-assembly prior to an electrical component being pressed into place. Spraying the fluoroether gel quickly was important since this solvent-based lubricant evaporates almost instantly. The sub-assembly parts are sprayed for 50 milliseconds every 2.4 seconds as parts move to the next workstation.
Low flow rates were important since the parts are small and a standard spray gun would apply too much lubricant. Space was also a consideration, since the OEM manufacturer wanted to keep the machine design as compact as possible.
SOLUTION: Although there were a number of spray nozzles that Spraying Systems Co.'s sales engineer could have specified, none were able to offer the speed of the 28JJAU Compact Electric Automatic spray gun. Four of these high-speed spray guns were mounted to the equipment, delivering a quick, precise spray. The four guns deliver less than one gallon (3.8 liter) per hour of flow, meeting the low flow requirement.
In addition, the 28JJAU Automatic spray gun is compact. The profile of the gun is kept to a minimum, since all connections are located at the rear of the gun. This also simplifies maintenance since the gun's quick-change fluid module allows for replacing worn parts with minimum downtime. All guns were operated by a programmable logic controller (PLC).
The Spraying Systems Co. sales engineer worked with the OEM manufacturer to ensure the success of the system, beyond specifying the correct spray gun. For example, the sales engineer was concerned about potential swelling of the spray gun's standard internal EPDM O-rings. He suggested the manufacturer test the EPDM O-ring by dropping it in the fluoroether gel material. The O-ring did swell, which lead to specifying O-rings constructed of Viton®. A serious potential problem was avoided since the EPDM O-rings could have resulted in internal nozzle leakage.
The Spraying Systems Co. sales engineer also provided assistance with the line set up, spray gun mounting, as well as providing information on accessories to complete the system, including air filters and air and liquid pressure regulators and gauges.
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