Audatex Directions March 2010 by Mike Anderson

The refinish processes at ABSS have also been redesigned to eliminate waste. The company does not use any solvent-based paint, only the environmentally friendly and more expensive water-based varieties. While Naidoo’s  paint costs average 22 percent more than solvent based products, less time is spent on mixing,matching and blending. To further reduce costs and improve quality, ABSS developed a complex process to ensure the driest possible conditions in the paint booth, while minimizing the amount of paint used in the refinish process. It starts with a large compressor pumping air into refrigerant dryers connected to a wet tank. From there, air is passed through desiccant dryers followed by particle cleansers, with a nitrogen generator connected to nitrogen storage tanks.Prior to entering a USI paint booth equipped with a Pro Cure airflow acceleration system (to keep contaminants away from the vehicle), the nitrogen is pre-heated to 158 degrees, producing the driest and cleanest environment in which to paint a vehicle.During the filtration process, other smaller molecules (hydrogen, oxygen, carbon) are filtered out, leaving only the larger-sized nitrogen molecules. This allows for a larger volume of paint per molecule, less overspray and a 30percent reduction in the amount of paint used. According to Neal Frederick, a refinish technician in the shop, “The investment in the nitrogen technology, along with the complex heating and ventilation system, yields up to a 30 percent reduction in cure time for the base coat, as the cure process starts as soon as it leaves the gun.All the air is done right: You’re never fighting the equipment or the environments.”  click her to read the complete article Continue reading “Nitroheat in Audatex Directions” »