Cleaning the Kremlin Airmix system

Solvent recycling methods and hose products to help decrease the cost of cleaning and maintaining the Kremlin Airmix system. November 21, 2000

Q.
My company recently purchased a Kremlin Airmix 20.25 spray system. Our old system was an Apollo 800 HVLP with turbine. The new Kremlin performs infinitely better than the old, although we seem to go through three times the solvent to clean the unit after each use. I am aware of the additional material in the fluid lines, pump and hopper but I am wondering if there is a trick to using less solvent to clean the system?

Forum Responses
Just a few questions can solve this problem for you.
1) Are you using more than one product in the pump?
2) What type of coating are you using?
3) How often do you change over to other products, daily/weekly?

Depending on your answers I can possibly lower your thinner useage and clean-up time.



From the original questioner:
1) Yes, we use relatively thin sealers/lacquers and heavy primers/paints.

2) We use catalyzed vinyl sealer (T67F5), cat. conversion varnish (V84F88), cat. primer (E63W5) and pigmented lacquer (H66 type). All from Sherwin Williams.

3) We change between sealer and top coat every other day (occasionally we change in the middle of a day) and from clear finish to pigmented once a month.




If using a cat product, obviously you can`t leave it in your line over night. However you can recycle your thinner. Simply keep an empty 5 gallon container around for waste and flushout purposes. This should be changed weekly--the cat solution will be weak enough that it won`t stop up your lines overnight. I do recommend you leave your line full of thinner overnight. I have 70 or so customers using this method on a regular basis with no complaints or problems.

Your changeover from clear to pigmented seems minimal but I would keep a seperate container just for white--this will ensure that no pigment crosses over to your clear.

As far as what to do with your waste, disposal companies may or may not be available in your area. If not, you can let the waste containers air out until completely dry (completely) and toss them in the dumpster with no worries. If you're using drums (55 gallon) contact your rep to see if they will take them back.

I hope this info helps you and your company. Everyone should be cognizant of the amount of HAPs and VOCs they are using.



Besides the helpful suggestion of re-using your clean-up solvents, I have two other suggestions. Smaller inside diameter 1/8" air assisted airless hoses are available in any length with the special thread Kremlin uses. These 1/8" and 1/4" Kremlin type hoses are available from us. Not only do small inside diameter hoses have less coating to flush, they also clean with less solvent because the scrubbing action in an 1/8" inside diameter hose is quicker, especially when removing a pigmented coating. Flushing with a solvent and alternating with air also saves on clean-up solvent. A photo of this hose is shown on our website under supplies/airmixed hose.

http://www.finishsystems.com