Batch Carts

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All powder coating systems require some method of moving the part from one location to another. Parts must be properly positioned for each part of the process. In the washer, parts must be held firmly so that they will not fall off and they must be positioned for good drainage. In the application area the part needs to be hung in a good position for coating that provides good access to the important surfaces. Good rack design and stable movement of the parts is important to overall quality and productivity. Batch operations usually use a cart with some hooks or racks to hold parts. Some batch operations use a hand-push type conveyor system. Batch systems can be used for any size of part. They are usually designed for low volume production situations. Automated systems use hooks or racks suspended from a conveyor. Automatic conveyor systems come in a variety of sizes with different features. A powered conveyor allows the system to produce a lot of volume at a consistent pace.

Batch Carts

Carts used for batch powder systems should have be sized to define the maximum work area within the oven. The width, depth, and height of the cart are the effective work area inside the oven that can be filled with product. The cart should have two stationary wheels and two that pivot. The stationary wheels lead the cart into the oven along a guide track; the pivoting wheels allow the cart to be maneuvered into the guide track. The guide track has stops at the back of the oven so that the cart stops in the same position every time. The wheels should be steel or similar high-temperature materials. For flexibility, the cart can be designed with removable hanging bars so that parts can be loaded efficiently. For tall parts, some of the hanging bars are removed to allow them to hang freely. For parts that do not take up much space, the extra hanging bars can be put in place and allow more dense vertical racking. In a batch operation, parts will be coated and then moved to the oven by hand. The design of the hooks, racks and carts should consider the

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Racking

need to avoid excessive swinging. If the parts touch each other when they are moved or in the oven they will have a surface defect. A minimum of three carts is needed; one for parts being coated, one in the oven, and one with parts that are cooling.

Racking

The first determination that must be made when designing a powder rack is the best position of the part for drainage in the washer and for good powder application. For proper drainage, the part should have all holes, pockets or shelves on a downward angle whenever possible. Sometimes it is necessary to make a change in the manufacturing process to add holes for drainage. For proper coating, the A surfaces of the part should be presented to the guns as squarely as possible. The most important part of the rack is the clip or contact point. There are times when universal racks with simple hooks will work well. But many times, a specially designed clip will offer four advantages. 1. The part can be held rigidly so it will stay on the rack better in the wash and the powder booth. 2. The clip will touch the part in the same location every time, keeping it free of powder and improving ground. 3. The parts can be positioned firmly for efficient racking with better yield and minimum open space. 4. Parts can be grouped in a pattern that provides the best possible rack density. Good contact must be maintained between the part and an earth ground to ensure that charged particles are attracted to the target part and not to a more prominent ground. Efficient ground is measured as less than one megohm of resistance between the part and ground. If the parts are not properly grounded airflow and gravity can overcome the electrostatic attraction and prevent the particle from reaching the part. Also, the powder particle does not have a brain; it will go to any good ground such as the booth wall, the conveyor, the gun barrel or the arm of the operator.

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Powder Coaters Manual 1/98