Samarth Airtech Pvt. Ltd.

Work Instruction for Spray Coating

PFC: WI/SC/01 Revision No. 00 Date 01/12/11 Page no.: 1 of 3

Work Instruction for Spray Coating

Prepared by: Top Management Reviewed & Approved by: Top Management Issued by: MR Issued To Controlled Copy No.

Production & QC

1. Select your paint. Oil based enamels are most easily used with a compressed air sprayer, but acrylics and latex paints can be sprayed if they are modified with a suitable conditioner. This will thin the paint so that it will flow through the siphon tube and out the orifice. 2. Prepare the area where you will paint. For "fixed" projects, like the one illustrated here, you will need to protect adjacent surfaces, and make sure you have adequate ventilation. Protect nearby surfaces from "over spray" with masking or painter's tape and painter's paper or newspapers. 3. Prepare the surface to be painted. Grind, brush, or sand off rust and corrosion from metal, removing all oil, dust, or dirt, and make sure it is dry. Wash the surface: for oilbased paints, use mineral spirits; for latex or acrylic paints, use soap and water, rinsing thoroughly. 4. Prime the surface, if required. You can use the sprayer to apply the primer, following the steps below as if it were paint, or it may be applied with a brush or roller, then sanded smooth if needed. 5. Set your paint and thinner on a suitable surface so that spills will not damage anything. Place a drop cloth, sheet plastic, scrap lumber or other material on the ground, floor, or a table for mixing. 6. Turn on the air compressor. You will use some air for priming and testing your sprayer, so let it build up pressure while you get your paint ready. The compressor should have a regulator to allow you to set the pressure for the sprayer correctly, otherwise, fluctuations will occur as the pressure rises and falls while you are spraying.

Samarth Airtech Pvt. Ltd.

Work Instruction for Spray Coating

PFC: WI/SC/01 Revision No. 00 Date 01/12/11 Page no.: 2 of 3

7. Adjust the regulator on the compressor to between 12 and 25 PSI (pounds per square inch), depending on your sprayer. Attach the air hose coupling to the sprayer. Make sure it is tight, and you may wrap the threads with Teflon tape to insure an airtight seal. This does not apply if your sprayer and hose are equipped with quick connect couplings. 8. Pour a small amount of thinner into the paint cup, (the reservoir attached to the bottom of your spray gun). Use just enough to submerge the siphon tube in it. 9. Open the metering valve slightly. This is usually the lower of two screws above the handle (pistol grip) of the sprayer. 10. Mix enough paint to do your project. After opening your can of paint, mix it thoroughly, then pour enough of it to do the job into a separate, clean container. If the paint has been stored for any length of time, it is a good idea to strain it through a paint filter to remove any lumps of hardened paint which may have formed. These lumps can stop up the siphon tube or the metering valve, causing the flow of paint to stop. 11. Thin the paint you have poured with a suitable thinner, to allow it to flow freely through the siphon tube, metering valve (fluid) assembly, and out the nozzle. Different sprayers are calibrated and the orifices are differently sized, but usually the paint should be thinned about 15 to 20% for a good flow. Notice how thin the paint looks when you use an aerosol spray paint and it will give you an idea of what you are looking for. 12. Prime the sprayer. Aim the nozzle into a waste bucket, and squeeze the trigger. It usually takes a few seconds for the sprayer system to prime with liquid, so at first, only air will come out of the nozzle. After a moment, you should get a flow of paint thinner. If no thinner comes out of the nozzle, you may have to disassemble the sprayer to check for stoppages or loose seals in the siphon tube assembly. 13. Empty the spray cup of any remaining thinner. A funnel helps, here, so you can return it to the original container. Mineral spirits and turpentine (two common thinners) are flammable solvents, and should only be stored in their original containers. 14. Fill the paint cup about 2/3 full of paint, and lock it on to the sprayer. Whether the spray cup attaches to the bottom of the sprayer with a clamping assembly and hooks, or is threaded, be sure to attach it securely. You do not want the spray cup to drop off suddenly while in use. 15. Hold the sprayer about 5-10 inches from the surface. Begin moving the spray gun in a side to side, or up and down sweeping motion, parallel to the surface. If you have never used this type of paint applicator before, practice holding and swinging it for a moment, to get a feel for the balance and weight of it. 16. Squeeze the trigger to spray the paint. Keep the sprayer moving whenever the trigger is squeezed, to avoid drips and runs caused by over application. 17. Overlap each pass slightly, so the "feathered" edge at the edge of the spray pattern gets an equal coverage of paint. Watch for drips and runs, moving fast enough to keep the paint from getting too thick as you spray.

Samarth Airtech Pvt. Ltd.

Work Instruction for Spray Coating

PFC: WI/SC/01 Revision No. 00 Date 01/12/11 Page no.: 3 of 3

18. Refill the paint cup as needed, until the project is done. Do not allow the sprayer to set with paint in it. If you need a break, remove the cup, and spray some thinner through the sprayer before leaving it unused. 19. Clean the sprayer by pouring out the unused paint. If you have a significant amount of paint left, you can return it to the original can, but remember the amount you return to the can has already been thinned, so the next time you use it, you may need to adjust the amount of thinner used. While you have the spray cup removed, rinse it with thinner, along with the siphon tube, and wipe any excess paint off of and out of it. Next, fill the spray cup about 1/4 full paint thinner, slosh it around in the spray cup to rinse the inside, then spray it through the sprayer until it comes out clear. If there is too much paint left in the cup or the spray assembly, you may have to repeat this step 2 or more times. 20. Allow the paint to dry, then re coat if desired. For most paints, a good, even "wet" coat is sufficient, but a second coat may give a more durable finish. Sanding between coats is recommended for varnishes, polyurethane finishes, and other glossy paints, to improve the bond between the coats. 21. Remove all masking tape and paper as soon as the final coat is dry. Leaving the tape on the surface for an extended period will allow the adhesive to "set", making it difficult to remove.