Closed Loop Flow Control Adds Quality Assurance

CUSTOMER: Aluminum extrusion manufacturer

GRACO EQUIPMENT: ProControl 1KE Plus

CHALLENGE: An aluminum extrusion manufacturer struggled with wasted material, inconsistent finish, and rework. Their production line sprayed extrusions with one-component materials. They had no control over things like fluid pressure or atomizing air.

Every operator adjusted the manual regulators differently. There was no way to keep settings consistent between shifts.

Most of the time, fluid pressure and atomizing air were set too high. This caused paint runs, overspray and rejected parts.

To combat inconsistencies, they used a manual regulator with a lock. However, each material had different requirements for flow rate, fluid pressure, and atomizing air. Human error continued to rear its ugly head.

SOLUTION: After consulting their local distributor and Graco representative, they agreed to try the new ProControl 1KE Plus.

The upgrade provided closed loop flow control, an uncommon feature for single-component fluid handling equipment. If the fluid pressure went out of range, the equipment would automatically correct itself.

RESULT: With closed loop flow control – and the ability to preset flow rates and atomizing air for different materials – human error was taken out of the equation. Paint usage dropped 13 percent, and finish quality has improved greatly.

Factoring in the paint savings and quality improvement, the manufacturer expects the ProControl 1KE Plus to pay for itself in less than a year.