Automaker improves productivity by solving air motor icing and a leaky lower

CUSTOMER: Automotive manufacturing assembly plant

GRACO EQUIPMENT: 6500 XL Motor, Sealed 4-Ball Plus Lower

CHALLENGE: Air motor icing and leaky lowers in the paint kitchen were cutting productivity at a large automotive plant.

Compressed air exhaust condensed on pump motors, freezing valves and causing ice-induced stalling. Stalling pumps slowed down paint shop capacity and quality along the high volume assembly line.

Abrasive paint with fine metal particles damaged the packings in the enclosed wet cup four-ball pump lowers, causing excessive leaking. The maintenance manager tried torquing the wet cups to keep the packings in line. But large buckets were still needed at the base of each pump to catch the worst of the leaking material.

SOLUTION: The maintenance manager agreed to try a new pump package: a 4000cc Sealed 4-Ball Plus Lower powered by a 6500 XL Motor.

The motor’s thermally isolated poppet valves and remote exhaust tubing eliminated ice-induced stalling.

The lower’s leak-free bellows seal withstood abrasive materials so well that buckets no longer were needed to catch leaked paint. In fact, the area became the cleanest part of the paint mix room.

RESULTS: More than eight months later, the maintenance manager says, “The new pump is awesome. It is truly maintenance free.”

The pump package continues running strong at 14.5 bar (210 psi) with no maintenance issues. Paint kitchen issues no longer slow down the rapid automotive assembly line.