Eco-Friendly Stripping
Transcript of Eco-Friendly Stripping
20 www.finishingtodaymag.com July 2008
Filtech, Inc., a manufacturer/finisher of automo-
tive oil and air filters based in Findlay, OH, uses
automated electrostatic powder coating equip-
ment from Nordson Corp. to apply a quality
powder coating to its products. Unfortunately, the pow-
der coating also builds up on the racks used to carry parts
through the finishing operation.
The company originally cleaned its racks in burn-off
ovens, but as production requirements grew and energy
costs increased, this process became too labor-, energy-
and time-intensive. Filtech investigated allowing the same
racks to pass through the powder coating process up to six
times and then replacing them with new racks, but this op-
tion presented a cost concern. To remain competitive, the
company needed to find another way to remove powder
coating from its paint line racks and occasional powder
coating rework in-house.
An Eco-Friendly SolutionAfter evaluating a number of different options, Gary
Burns, project engineer at Filtech, selected Miles Chemi-
cal Solutions based in Rochester Hills, MI, to fabricate
ABOVE: Racks at Filtech are immersed in an eco-friendly chemical solution at 180 to 200°F and are then rinsed, dried and ready to be placed back on the powder coating line. The entire process takes just 60 to 90 minutes.
An eco-friendly chemical stripping solution has allowed Filtech to improve rack
stripping and powder coating rework.
ping solution has allowed Filtech to improve ra
StrippingEco-Friendly
The eco-friendly stripping solution allows Filtech to economically handle occasional rework on its oil and air filters.
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An eco-friendly chemical stripping sAn eco-friendly chemical strippin
Stripping
July 2008 www.finishingtodaymag.com 21
custom stripping equipment and provide eco-friendly
chemical stripping solutions. Miles Chemical Solutions’
founder, Samuel L. Miles, first patented methods in April
1999 and October 2001 to strip paint and remove coatings
from aluminum and galvanized substrates with a soap-
based stripper that is 99% free of volatile organic com-
pounds (VOCs). More recently, the company has devel-
oped environmentally friendly, low-VOC paint strippers
that also save energy by operating at lower temperatures
(<205°F/96°C), as well as proprietary technologies and
methods to salvage and recycle paint rework, thus avoid-
ing parts disposal.
Burns was impressed with the company’s capabilities.
After receiving the initial stripping equipment layouts
from Miles Chemical Solutions, Burns provided a few of
his own engineering improvements that were incorporat-
ed into the Filtech stripping equipment design. The equip-
ment was installed in spring 2008.
The stripping process at Filtech is operated daily on
two production shifts. The powder coating racks are al-
lowed to pass through the paint line only twice prior to
stripping and cleaning. This restriction maintains a cured
powder coating film build of no greater than 5 to 6 mils
for optimum chemical stripping index times of 60 to 90
minutes. The racks are immersed in the chemical solution
at 180 to 200°F (82 to 93°C) and are then rinsed, dried
and ready to be placed back on the powder coating line.
The plant uses three sets of parts racks; while one set is in
production, the second set of racks is in the stripping solu-
tion and the third set is clean and ready to replace coated
production racks.
Powder coating rework is subjected to the same pro-
cess. The technology restores substrate surfaces to like-new
condition with the original surface quality, allowing the
company to achieve “zero-tolerance” paint quality without
having to reprocess sanded and paint-repaired parts.
Improved StrippingAccording to Burns, the in-house powder coating rack
stripping process presents a number of advantages com-
pared to other stripping methods. Stripping in-house al-
lows the racks to be stripped and returned to service the
same day, versus three to five days for outsourcing, and
it provides greater control over the quality of the pow-
der coating racks. It minimizes rack replacement and is a
more operator-friendly process compared to corrosive or
higher-heat methods of paint removal. Additionally the
undercutting and lifting action of the stripping chemis-
try creates powder coating “skins,” which are easier to re-
move from the stripping solution process tank compared
to dissolving chemistries. As a result, the technology has
an increased stripping solution bath life for a more cost-
effective operation.
For Filtech, the technology has provided the stripping
solution the plant needed to optimize production while
minimizing its labor and energy costs and reducing its en-
vironmental impact.
For more information about Filtech, Inc., call 419.424.9713,
e-mail [email protected] or visit www.filtechusa.
com. For more information about Miles Chemical Solu-
tions, call 248.765.9946, e-mail sam@mileschemicalsolu-
tions.com or visit www.mileschemicalsolutions.com.
Filtech’s stripping equipment was customized to meet the needs of the plant.
PAINT STRIPPINGECO-FRIENDLY TECHNOLOGY
The P/S Factor
PROBLEM: Powder coating
buildup
on Filtech’s racks was caus
ing a
production bottleneck. Bur
n-off
methods were too labor-,
energy-
and time-intensive, and pu
rchasing a
continuous supply of new r
acks was
too costly.
SOLUTION: Custom strippin
g equipment
and low-temperature, eco-
friendly
chemical stripping solutions
allow the
company to strip racks in
60 to
90 minutes while minimizing
labor,
environmental impact and
energy
consumption compared to o
ther
stripping methods.
prood daily ony on
g racks are al-e al-
only twice prior tonly twice prior to
iction maintains a curedction maintains a cured
f no greater than 5 to 6 milsno greater than 5 to 6 mils
stripping index times of 60 to 90tripping index times of 60 to 90
are immersed in the chemical solutionimmersed in the chemical solutio
F (82 to 93°C) and are then rinsed, dried82 to 93°C) and are then rinsed, dried
y to be placed back on the powder coating line.to be placed back on the powder coating line.
plant uses three sets of parts racks; while one set is inlant uses three sets of parts racks; while one set is in
production, the second set of racks is in the stripping solu-roduction, the second set of racks is in the stripping solu-
tion and the third set is clean and ready to replace coation and the third set is clean and ready to replace c
roduction racks.duction racks.
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