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Spray gun and equipment cleaning
system suppliers
Cleaning paint guns manually is time consuming, labor intensive, exposes workers to harmful solvents and paints, and can generate significant quantities of solvent waste. An alternative to traditional cleaning methods is an automatic cleaning system. Automatic gun washers can reduce the amount of solvent used and the amount of paint solvent waste generated by up to 80% compared to manual paint gun cleaning. Because automatic gun washers are sealed units, worker exposure to hazardous materials during solvent handling, volatile organic compound (VOC) and hazardous air pollutant (HAP) emissions are greatly reduced.
Using an automatic cleaning system cuts the time required for paint gun cleaning by 90 %, and can save you money on solvent purchases, paint rags and solvent disposal. The washers can be used to clean conventional air spray, high volume/low pressure, electrostatic, airless and air-assisted guns.
Automatic cleaning systems are similar to conventional home dishwashing machines, except that the thinners and solvents in the automatic washers are not heated in the process. The piece of equipment to be cleaned is attached to a nozzle within the washer and the machine is sealed. Most washers can wash two to three paint guns at a time. The exterior of the equipment is cleaned with atomized paint thinner sprayed using an action similar to a dishwasher spraying water. Circulating solvent through the nozzle attachment cleans the interior of the paint gun. The average size of a one- or two-gun automatic cleaning system is 1.5 x 2 x 1.2 feet.
Used solvent is collected in a reservoir where impurities, such as paint solids, are filtered out. The filtered solvent is then reused. Regular removal of the paint solids increases the life of the solvent, reducing the amount of new solvent used and waste generated. The typical solvent capacity of a spray gun washer is three gallons. Changing the washer solution every three to eight weeks may be necessary. But, the solution may last longer depending on use.
Automatic Cleaning
System
To help you determine if an automatic cleaning system is right for your shop, the Iowa Waste Reduction Center (IWRC) has developed the Gun Wash Unit Cost Calculator. The cost calculator requires you to enter the amount of thinner used at your shop per year, then it calculates your savings and payback.
MnTAP maintains the following list of spray gun and equipment cleaning system suppliers as a service to Minnesota companies. This is not a complete list of available suppliers and does not represent an endorsement by MnTAP. MnTAP, by providing this list, does not guarantee that the services or products provided by these suppliers do or do not comply with applicable environmental and safety laws in any specific application.
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