Electrostatics Ltd 2012©
Electrostatic Spraying
Electrostatic Paint Spraying Process
Electrostatic paint spraying process was used in the car industry for many years, until the introduction of robots. Car makers found that electrostatic painting methods produce a uniform layer of paint with excellent adhesion.
Less paint is needed to cover any given surface, and overspray (the visible cloud of drifting paint particles that land outside the painting surface) is almost totally eliminated. Additionally, the overall finish is far superior than previously achieved.
SO HOW DOES ELECTROSTATIC PAINT PROCESS WORK?
Very simply, paint is fed through a spinning ceramic disc at the end of a paint applicator. Before it reaches the disc, it is given a positive electrostatic charge. Then as soon as it comes into contact with the spinning disk the paint becomes atomised.
The surface to be painted is given a negative electrostatic charge, and, like magnets, opposites attract and the paint becomes adhered to the surface.
Once the positively charged paint has been attracted to the negatively charged object, the magnetism is dispelled. However, any remaining negatively charged paint will seek out any area that remains positively charged.
It is this phenomenon that allows electrostatic painting to provide a much more universal uniform coverage than conventional spraying.