OpenThrottle Troubleshooting
Check our some common powder issues and how to fix 'em
| Issue | Cause | Remedy |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Poor impact resistance or flexibility | 1a Under-cured/over cured 1b Poor cleaning or pretreatment 1c Film too thick 1d Change in substrate thickness or type | 1a Run oven profile to determine if recommended time at temperature is achieved; amend oven temperature or amend line speed or dwell time 1b Check pretreatment equipment and concentrations. Consult pretreatment supplier. 1c Reduce film thickness by adjusting application equipment 1d Check substrate with supplier |
| 2 Poor adhesion | 2a Under-cured 2b Poor cleaning or pretreatment 2c Film too thick 2d Change in substrate | 2a Run oven profile to determine if recommended time at temperature is achieved; increase oven temperature or decrease line speed/increase dwell time 2b Check pretreatment equipment and concentrations. Consult pretreatment supplier. 2c Reduce film thickness by adjusting application equipment 2d Check substrate with supplier |
| 3 Poor corrosion resistance | 3a Poor cleaning or pretreatment 3b Under-cured | 3a Check pretreatment equipment and concentrations. Consult pretreatment supplier 3b Run oven profile to determine if recommended time at temperature is achieved; increase oven temperature or decrease line speed/increase dwell time |
| 4 Poor pencil hardness; poor abrasion resistance | 4a Under-cured | 4a Run oven profile to determine if recommended time at temperature is achieved; increase oven temperature or decrease line speed/increase dwell time |
| 5 Chipping | 5a Cure schedule 5b Film thickness 5c Poor substrate | 5a Increase oven temperature and/or dwell time. Make sure that the object itself reaches the correct cure temperature for the correct time 5b Reduce film thickness by decreasing spray time and/or air pressure. 5c Ensure parts are properly cleaned and pretreatment system is in good working order. |
Hoses and Pumps
| Issue | Cause | Remedy |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Impact fusion | 1a Build-up of powder due to inadequate maintenance 1b Too much feed air pressure 1c Moisture in the compressed air supply 1d High relative humidity in application area | 1a Clean and if necessary, replace wear parts; implement proper maintenance procedure 1b Reduce air pressure setting on gun and transfer pumps 1c Ensure the air supply is clean and dry 1d Apply powder in controlled area with a humidity of 50% ± 10% |
| 2 Not enough powder being fed | 2a Powder is not fluidizing properly 2b Blockage in the powder supply 2c Squashed hoses, or kinks in hose line 2d Pump ventures are worn 2e Not enough air pressure | 2a Check the IFS fluidizing section 2b Clean and check pick up tubes, pumps and hoses. Replace if necessary; Check sieve screen for proper operation and tears. Fix/replace if necessary; Ensure no foreign objects/materials in powder supply 2c Replace squashed hoses; remove kinks and replace if necessary 2d Replace worn parts, implement proper maintenance procedure 2e Check air supply for blockages; check and adjust the air settings to pumps |
| 3 Static (tribo) charging | 3a Low humidity in the application room 3b Inadequate grounding of equipment | 3a Ensure humidity is controlled to required specification for your system 3b Ensure that all the application and recovery equipment has a good ground |
| 4 Surging, spitting or interrupted powder flow | 4a Not enough volume or supply pressure of air 4b Kinks in the powder hose lines 4c Pump venturi tubes, hoses or guns blocked with impact fusion 4d Too much humidity in the powder area | 4a Check and ensure constant air supply 4b Remove kinks from hoses 4c Ensure tubes, hoses and guns properly cleaned; ensure air supply if free of oil or moisture 4d Ensure proper humidity levels in the application area |
Powder Feed – Fluidizing issues
| Issue | Cause | Remedy |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Powder is blowing around and out of the hopper | 1a Air pressure too high 1b Powder level too High 1c Powder too fine (mix of virgin & reclaim powder) 1d Powder too fine (only virgin powder) 1e Blocked hopper or poor venting | 1a Reduce the air pressure into the fluidizing bed 1b Remove excess powder from the hopper – the hopper should be 2/3 full when fluidized 1c Adjust the mix of virgin to reclaim powder 1d Contact IFS Coatings 1e Clean the hopper and vent and if necessary increase the vent size |
| 2 No air percolating through the surface of the powder | 2a Insufficient air pressure 2b Plugged membrane 2c Blocked membrane 2d Powder too fine 2e Powder has become compacted | 2a Check the air supply; increase the amount of air; check the airline to be sure it is supplying a suitable volume of air 2b Check the fluidizing membrane and if damaged or contaminated with oil or water replace with new membrane 2c Check the bottom of the fluidizing bed and clear of blockages 2d Adjust the mix of virgin to reclaim powder (mix of virgin & reclaim powder should be 50% to 50%) 2e Loosen the compacted powder with a clean wooden stirring device and fluidize the powder with clean dry air (care must be taken not to damage the fluidizing membrane at the bottom of the hopper with the stirring device). |
| 3 Large air holes being blown through the surface of the powder | 3a Powder level is too low 3b Packed or moist powder 3c Damaged or plugged membrane | 3a Add more powder – the hopper should be 2/3 full when fluidized 3b Unplug by manually loosening and fluidizing powder by stirring with clean dry instrument or clean, dry air; Ensure the compressed air and application room are free of moisture or high humidity 3c Check the membrane for plugged pores, cracks or holes and replace as necessary |
| 4 Fine and coarse powder particles separating into different layers | 4a Powder level too high 4b Powder too fine (mix of virgin & reclaim powder) 4c Powder to fine (only virgin powder) | 4a Remove powder until the hopper is around 2/3 full when fluidized 4b Adjust the mix of virgin to reclaim powder 4c Contact IFS |
Application
| Issue | Cause | Remedy |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Poor charging, low film build, insufficient wrap | 1a Inadequate kV settings 1b Poor grounding 1c Too much powder delivery 1d Too much/little humidity in application room 1e Powder too fine (virgin/reclaim mix) 1f Powder too fine (virgin powder) | 1a Check voltage at electrode, cable and power supply; Replace missing or broken electrodes; Clean and remove build up from electrodes 1b Check ground from conveyor through hanger to part (maximum ground is less than 1 Megohm at 500 volts); Clean and remove build-up of insulating materials (including powder) from conveyor, load bars and hangar 1c Reduce air pressure to allow the powder to charge properly and maintain a good gun to part distance 1d Too much humidity can reduce the charge on powder particles. Ensure humidity is controlled to the proper specification for your system 1e Maintain a proper virgin/reclaim mix 1f Contact IFS |
| 2 Poor penetration (powder not penetrating into faraday cage areas e.g. corners and recesses) | 2a Poor voltage (too high or too low) 2b Powder/air velocity too high 2c Poor grounding 2d Inadequate application technique and/or poor automatic gun placement 2e Poor spray pattern 2f Powder too fine (virgin/reclaim mix) 2g Powder too fine (virgin) 2h Too little powder delivery | 2a Adjust voltage and Micro Amps so powder can build evenly especially at edges and corners 2b Control air pressure to prevent powder from being blow out of recessed areas 2c Ensure adequate grounding (1 Megohm or less resistance to ground at 500 volts) 2d Ensure that gun to part and gun to gun distances are suitably for proper powder charging 2e Use different nozzle or deflector (check with equipment manufacturer) 2f Adjust virgin/reclaim mix 2g Contact IFS 2h Increase rate of powder flow if needed |
| 3 Back ionization/kV rejection – powder rebounds from the part | 3a KV settings – voltage too high 3b Spray distance too close 3c Poor grounding 3d Humidity levels too low 3e Powder too fine (virgin/reclaim mix) 3f Powder too fine (virgin) 3g Excess film thickness | 3a Reduce kVs (voltage) and check for adequate ground 3b Recommended spray distance is approximately 8-12 inches away from your product, depending on your equipment settings and part configuration. 3c Confirm all your equipment is properly grounded. 3d Control/adjust humidity to proper specification 3e Adjust virgin/reclaim mix 3f Contact IFS 3g Reduce film thickness by decreasing spray time and/or powder flow air pressure. |
| 4 Guns spitting, surging and inconsistent powder feed | 4a Not enough air pressure or volume 4b Hoses kinked, crushed or too long 4c Hoses, pumps, pick up tubes or guns with impact fusion 4d Powder too fine (virgin/reclaim mix) 4e Powder too fine (virgin) 4f Powder not properly fluidizing | 4a Check equipment specifications and ensure air supply lines are correct size; Increase feed and/or atomizing air pressure 4b Replace worn hoses; ensure no sharp bends or excess hose runs; use the shortest hose runs possible and/or practical for manual and automatic guns 4c Check and clean hoses, pumps, pick up tubes and guns; Ensure compressed air supply is clean and dry; Ensure humidity is set at correct specification for your system 4d Adjust virgin/reclaim mix 4e Contact IFS 4f See fluidizing section |
| 5 Poor spray pattern | 5a Gun parts worn beyond equipment suppliers recommendations 5b Blockage caused by impact fusion 5c Hoses, pumps, pick up tubes or guns clogged by impact fusion 5d Not enough powder feed or atomizing pressure | 5a Check and replace worn out nozzles, deflectors and electrode sleeves 5b Clean and remove any impact fusion from parts; Implement standard maintenance procedure 5c Check and clean hoses, pumps, pick up tubes and guns every day or on every shift. Ensure the compressed air supply is clean and dry; Ensure humidity is at correct specification for your system 5d Adjust the feed and atomizing air pressure to the application equipment for a consistent spray pattern |
| 6 Poor powder thickness or coverage | 6a Electrostatic equipment not providing high enough kV 6b Poor grounding 6c Excessive powder delivery 6d Excessive air velocity of powder feed settings causing the powder to be blown past the part 6e Powder attracted to adjacent parts 6f Too much moisture in the powder application area causing a disruption of the electrostatic charge to the powder particles | 6a Ensure that the voltage is adequate with a voltage meter to properly charge the powder; check and replace missing or broken electrodes; clean electrodes to remove impact fusion; readjust the equipment positions to allow the spray patterns to better cover the parts. 6b Ensure good grounding 6c Ensure adequate space between parts – reduce racking density or change rack design 6d Reduce air setting and/or move gun further back away from the part 6e Ensure adequate space between parts – reduce racking density or change rack design 6f Control/adjust humidity to proper specification in the powder application area |
| 7 Powder Sagging | 7a Incoming part temperature too hot 7b Excess film thickness | 7a Reduce oven temperature and/or time accordingly. 7b Adjust equipment accordingly |
| 8 Foaming of the surface | 8a IR-oven: temperature too high | 8a Increase line speed, or reduce the temperature |
Appearance
| Issue | Cause | Remedy |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Craters/fisheyes, pull away, voids | 1a Oil or moisture in air lines 1b Contamination with incompatible materials 1c Contamination with incompatible powder 1d Poor cleaning or pretreatment | 1a Inspect airlines and ensure air is clean and dry; check filters and drain or install traps; check oil absorption unit for excessive signs of oil 1b Make sure the gun, hopper and spray booth is completely cleaned and that the powder was stored correctly; check for and eliminate incompatible materials throughout the process e.g. silicones and lubricants 1c Clean guns, hoses and hoppers thoroughly after each color change to eliminate cross contamination of different coatings; ensure parts are completely dry before entering spray booth; use virgin powder 1d Check pretreatment equipment and concentrations; consult pretreatment supplier |
| 2 Gloss difference | 2a Over/under cured 2b Contamination with incompatible powder 2c Outgassing or micro pinholing | 2a Run oven profile to determine if recommended time at temperature is achieved; increase/ decrease oven temperature or increase/decrease line speed or dwell time 2b Clean guns, hoses and hoppers; clean hangars; ensure parts are completely dry before entering spray booth; use virgin powder 2c Check and eliminate moisture in compressed air or powder; check substrate for porosity; film thickness too high |
| 3 Poor color | 3a Over/under cured 3b Inadequate oven exhaust 3c Poor natural gas quality | 3a Run oven profile to determine if recommended time at temperature is achieved; increase/ decrease oven temperature or increase/decrease line speed or dwell time 3b Check for obstruction in exhaust stacks; ensure proper fan operation 3c Check with gas supplier for the amount of sulfur in the natural gas supply |
| 4 Poor opacity | 4a Film thickness too low | 4a Increase film thickness – use higher voltage, longer spray time or denser powder cloud |
| 5 Poor flow (too much orange peel) | 5a Film thickness too low 5b Back ionization/kV rejection 5c Oven temperature too high 5d Substrate heat up time 5e Improper storage powder storage | 5a Increase film thickness – use higher voltage, longer spray time or denser powder cloud 5b See application section 5c Reduce oven temperature and/or increase line speed/decrease dwell time 5d Adjust oven temperature and/or time. Make sure that the object itself reaches the correct cure temperature for the correct time. 5e Make sure that the powder has been stored in the proper environment. Storage in high temperature or humidity can excessively age powder |
| 6 Sags | 6a Film thickness too high 6b Oven temperature too low | 6a Decrease film thickness – use lower voltage, shorter spray time or less dense powder cloud 6b Increase oven temperature and/or decrease line speed/increase dwell time |
| 7 Pin holing | 7a Moisture in compressed air or powder 7b Film thickness too high 7c Oven temperature too high 7d Substrate porosity | 7a Check for and eliminate moisture in compressed air or powder 7b Decrease film thickness – use lower voltage, shorter spray time or less dense powder cloud 7c Reduce oven temperature and/or increase line speed/decrease dwell time 7d Check substrate for porosity |
| 8 Contamination: other colors in cured film | 8a Poor clean up between color changes or powder types | 8a Clean feed and spray system; develop a changeover checklist to assure a proper color change is performed |
| 9 Inconsistent film thickness | 9a Inadequate application pattern 9b Booth air flow unbalance causing uneven spray pattern 9c Inconsistent powder flow | 9a Check application procedures 9b Consult your equipment supplier 9c Check for surging, spitting or interrupted powder flow |
Housekeeping
| Issue | Cause | Remedy |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Powder drifting through spray booth (inadequate air flow through booth) | 1a Blinding of filter cartridges 1b Final filters blocked | 1a Clean or replace filters; check pulse air 1b Check for and eliminate moisture/oil in air supply |
| 2 Lumps or packed powder | 2 Improper storage – temperature or humidity too high, or shelf life expired | 2a Screen and sieve powder prior to spraying; consult IFS |