FOCUS ON AUTOMATION TO INCREASE PRODUCTION AND EFFICIENCY

Achieving the right balance of precision and automation for each spray application is important. Precision Spray Control (PSC) achieves this balance by using a spray controller and electrically-actuated spray nozzles. The controller turns the nozzles on and off very rapidly to control the flow rate. In fact, this cycling is so fast that the flow often appears to be constant. With traditional nozzles, flow rate adjustments require a change in pressure that also changes the nozzle’s spray angle/coverage and drop size. With precision spray control, pressure remains constant and this enables flow rate changes without changes in spray performance.

Benefits of using PSC systems:

• Increased productivity

• Reduced reliance on hard-to-find labor

• Reduced maintenance time

• Improved worker safety

• Less waste

To learn more about PSC, click here.

It is important to get a system that offers the exact features you need and provides the value you want. That's why our AutoJet® spray control systems offer a high level of user configurability. Systems are available with basic, intermediate and advanced levels of control and automation and a wide range of liquid delivery components, air control packages, sensors, mounts and accessories.

To see an AutoJet spray control system can be configured to your exact requirements, click here.

Food processors need to uniformly apply ingredients, flavorings, coatings and release agents. However, the manual application of food coatings or using the wrong type of nozzle without the right spray controller can result in the waste of costly coatings, misting, excessive maintenance downtime and high scrap rates. Precision Spray Control (PSC) can help eliminate those problems and apply the exact amount of coating required directly on the target – even when high-viscosity coatings are used.

Some food processing applications using PSC systems:

• Spraying oil, butter and flavorings on dough prior to baking to improve taste and appearance
• Applying release agents to pans and conveyors to prevent products from sticking

• Adding viscous coatings like glazes, sugar slurries and cinnamon to breakfast foods, snacks and desserts
• Applying antimicrobial agents to ensure food safety
• Coating products with preservatives and mold inhibitors to extend shelf life
• Applying moisture to products to help ingredient adhesion
• Adding water to foods to balance moisture loss from freezing
• Misting fruits and vegetables to ensure product stickers remain affixed after application
• Applying corn syrup to cake plates on packaging lines to minimize product movement once placed
• Applying a precise coating of oil to maintain a consistent calorie count
• Scoring bread
• Spraying yeast slurry on baked goods before packaging to extend shelf life

See how other food processors have benefited from PSC systems in these food processing case studies:

• Increased line speed by five-fold and achieves payback in under three months
• Eliminated downtime while reducing personnel time to monitor and clean the system by 75%
• US$130,000 saved annually and maintenance time reduced by 75%

To learn more about PSC systems for food applications, click here.

When coating, moistening and lubricating operations are optimized, lines keep running and productivity is high. When they are not, problems like these are common: unscheduled downtime, costly scrap and waste and a hazardous production environment. Automating coating and lubricating operations with Precision Spray Control (PSC) systems can make the difference between productivity and waste.

Here are some the applications for PSC systems:

• Coating wood chips with resin in the production of engineered wood panels
• Coating flat glass with zinc citrate on float line to prevent corrosion
• Coating aluminum or steel strips with oil to prevent corrosion
• Spraying de-dusting oil to prevent fibers from becoming airborne in the production of fiberglass insulation
• Applying release agent to prevent concrete building materials from sticking to molds
• Spraying wax in wood chip blender in MDF production

• Adding moisture to panel boards before pressing
• Applying adhesive for tail tie of tissue rolls
• Spray nonskid coating to packaging materials to prevent movement during shipping
• Spraying fire retardants on textiles
• Applying release agents mats, cauls and press belts in board production
• Spraying lubricants on metal sheets before stamping
• Adding fragrance to kitty litter
• Spraying release agent onto metal belts to prevent plastic pellets from sticking
• Applying moisture to textiles to properly control dyeing and finishing operations

See how other manufacturers have benefited from PSC systems in these industrial case studies:

• 80,000 pounds of rework eliminated each month
• US$92,000 saved annually and lubricant consumption reduced by 70%
• Daily oil use reduced by 70% and production increased by 20%

To learn more about PSC systems for industrial coating applications, download our bulletin.

If you’re unsure about the need for a Precision Spray Control (PSC) system in your operations, these questions will help determine the answer:

Do you want to increase throughput and minimize manual labor?

Are you challenged to find workers?

Is production limited by the manual application of chemicals, coatings, release agents?

Do you experience waste and scrap due to inconsistent application of costly coatings or chemicals?

Do you have issues with the application of coatings or chemicals during line start-up or shut-down?

Do you have quality problems caused by over- and under-application?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, contact your local Spraying Systems Co. spray specialist to learn more about the benefits of PSC.