Overview
A leading roofing and siding materials manufacturer faced challenges in achieving consistent and high-quality primer coating on their fiber-based siding boards. Unevenly coated siding boards entering the paint-drying oven resulted in excess primer buildup, frequent conveyor cleaning, and increased maintenance requirements. Seeking to improve primer coating quality, reduce liquid primer drag out, and extend maintenance cycles, the manufacturer turned to Sonic for an innovative solution.
Solution
Sonic proposed a cutting-edge Coating Control Air Knife System powered by a single Sonic Air Blower and equipped with two Sonic Coating Control Air Knives. This system aimed to replace the existing Air Blast blower and air knife system, providing higher air velocity for removing the excess paint left by the flood coater.
Result
The implementation of Sonic's Non-Contact Coating Control Air Knife System yielded remarkable results. The system ensured precise coating thickness on each panel while effectively removing excess paint, particularly from the bottom edges of the siding boards, preventing conveyor buildup. The Sonic air knives also facilitated the initial drying of the primer by discharging hotter blower air. The customer achieved improved primer coating quality, enhanced blow-off efficiency, optimized coating drying, and reduced conveyor maintenance. Additionally, the customer experienced energy savings as they could reduce the power required for the final drying oven, further improving overall efficiency.
