Automated paint coating for the interior and exterior of pipelines

Fully Automated System

Local Graco distributor Verve offered the Graco XM70 sprayer with two 22-gallon XM tanks. The tanks are automatically charged by a 10:1 pump. The base coat and catalyst are heated by two Viscon HP heaters and paired with 20 meter long water heated hoses, which are then divided into two automatic mixing blocks. Each mixing block is connected to an automatic airless spray gun which alternately paints the inside and outside of the pipes.

The selection of the internal / external coating occurs just after the dosing valves where a G6000HR flow meter for the base coat is installed. The signal from the flow meter is processed by a Siemens PLC with custom software that also handles temperatures, pressures, discharges and alarms. All data is easily downloaded.

Since a fully automated system was installed, one of the main challenges was to combine all the information to ensure the consistency of the coating and keep it in a closed loop based on the parameters set by the operator. To do this, the PLC controls and IP transducer regulates the pneumatic pressure to the motors of the XM volumetric pumps. The system is also equipped with remote assistance.

Constant thickness

The results and standards required by IIA were fully met and were considered very satisfactory. A 2 x 12 meter pipe is completely coated (inside and outside) in 30 minutes, including breaks to change application guns. The client was truly amazed at the consistency in thickness (500 microns), considering the abrasive nature of the fillings.