Hammonds upgrades automatic paint line

Hammonds, the Fitted Furniture Company, based in Leicestershire, design, manufacture and retail tailored fitted storage solutions nationwide. Through their website customers can arrange for a designer to visit your home and design a tailored storage solution to meet your storage needs, whether that’s through fitted wardrobes in the bedroom, office solutions in your study or storage for the lounge, they’ve got a solution to maximise space throughout the home. They offer a wide range of both vinyl and painted furniture.
 

A challenge in the paint shop

Hammonds, is renowned for producing quality furniture and opened their painted factory in 2016, a first for the company. Over the years they’ve worked extensively on their painted facility constantly looking to improve their manufacturing technics to the benefit of both the customer and the business.

Hammonds automated paint plant utilises flat line multi-spray gun coating systems to apply Ultra Violet light curing 2-component paint to wooden components. Hammonds wanted to improve on its existing process of manually weighing and mixing the 2-component paint which is then supplied to the spray guns from a single pump through a hopper or “hot potting” in a bid to reduce wastage, improve quality and consistency as well as efficiencies which would allow them to increase production capacity.

In an attempt to find a solution, Hammonds contacted Graco and asked for some assistance. Dave Blurton of Graco visited the site to see in person the situation and advise what solutions Graco could offer. After the initial meeting, an authorised Graco distributor Fluid Technologies Ltd located in the Midlands were introduced to Hammonds. Martin Cresswell and Steve Smith from Fluidtec provided a solution incorporating Graco Promix 2KS Electronic Mixing System and Merkur Supply Pumps.

Graco’s Promix 2KS Electronic Mixing System is a tried and tested, reliable, accurate system for the on-ratio mixing of 2-component paints. The system is ideal for a wide range of solvent-borne, water-borne and high-solids materials including in this case UV curing paint. The Promix 2KS was installed using the non-contact Coriolis flow meter for the UV curing base paint, this meter has no moving parts in contact with the material. The simple integration into the automated spraying system made possible with the EasyKey controls of the Promix 2KS.

Graco’s Merkur Pneumatic High-Pressure Supply Pumps were used to supply the paints, hardener and flushing materials to the Promix 2KS at the pressure and volume required for multiple spray guns on the automatic flat-line spraying machine. The hardener utilised the Merkur Bellows Pump featuring a fully enclosed piston packing, this eliminates problems with the moisture curing hardener drying on the piston rod causing leaks.

Immediate results

Fluid Technologies Ltd installed one Promix 2KS, four Merkur and one Merkur Bellows pumps and the necessary supply lines on a skid frame assembly for quick installation. The new paint system was installed and commissioned together with re-instating the Air Assist function of the existing spray guns on the flat line machine.
Hammonds are very pleased with their new paint supply and mixing system. “The Graco Promix 2KS system gives the mix ratio accuracy we need for our application, saving on time and waste. This has allowed us to increase production and improve product quality by improving paint laydown on the component and paint performance for our customers. We also saw an improved application by being able to use the Air Assisted Airless spray guns as they should be,” explains Steve Fitter Paint and Finishing Operations Manager. “With the Promix 2KS controlling the cleaning cycle for the mixed material means we use the minimum flushing material every time”.

More information

If you are interested in using any of these Graco products in your own paint line, contact Dave Blurton who would be delighted to discuss your specific requirements.