Space Assessment
The TCS Shipwright & Joinery in Cairns, North Queensland, is known for its exceptional blast and paint services, catering to high-specification requirements for naval and other marine vessels. The main spray booth, measuring 4m x 4m, is designed to deliver flawless finishes for naval contracts. However, achieving consistent and timely drying paint in this controlled environment was a challenge for TCS’s production staff, particularly with the tight timelines required for applying multiple coats. The team sought a safe and efficient heating solution to enhance productivity while ensuring contract compliance.
The conventional process in TCS’s spray booth was inefficient for drying paint. It required longer drying times, which increased the risk of poor quality. More importantly, the need to apply multiple coats further extended turnaround times, as the heating method warmed the surrounding air rather than directly targeting the painted surfaces. This led to uneven drying and unnecessary energy waste, making it difficult to maintain an efficient workflow.
Solution: ATEX short-wave infrared heater solution for drying paint
Upon discussion TCS Shipwright agreed to put five EHSAFE ATEX short-wave infrared heaters in two spray booths. Four went into their main booth. These are European Standard ATEX certified for use in Class II potentially explosive gaseous conditions such as spray booths. These industrial short-wave infrared heaters deliver high-intensity radiant heat, reducing energy costs while ensuring effective and uniform drying. Unlike conventional heating methods that heat the surrounding air, short-wave infrared technology directly warms the painted surface, cutting down overall curing time.
To maximise coverage and efficiency, the EHSAFE short-wave infrared heaters were strategically mounted on the walls, providing instant, targeted, on-demand heat exactly where and when it’s needed, resulting in significant energy savings, yet improving production efficiency. A massive advantage is that they will work with ventilation because they primarily heat objects, not air.
Why Choose EHSAFE ATEX short wave infrared heaters?
Energy efficiency and cost savings: Short-wave infrared heaters directly heat objects rather than the air around them, meaning less energy used even with ventilation in use.
Throughput improvement: Faster drying time without quality loss improves speed of painting and utilisation of spray booth. In TCS Shipwright’s case this meant two coats of paint were possible within a standard working day.
Process improvement: Uniform heating helps in achieving a high-quality finish by minimising the risk of uneven drying, which can lead to defects in paint application.
Safety and Compliance: EHSAFE ATEX short-wave infrared heaters are ATEX certificated ensuring safety in spray booths classified as hazardous environments, crucial for compliance in industries like marine ship painting.
Result
The EHSAFE ATEX short-wave infrared heaters provided an immediate and efficient solution for TCS’s paint drying process. These ATEX certified heaters successfully raise substrate temperature to 50°C even with ventilation fan running – reducing drying time by 20%. The increase in productivity easily justified the investment.
“The ATEX heaters in TCS Shipwright’s spray booths have proven absolutely effective and have cut the ‘dry time’ down dramatically, aiding TCS to push out the work faster still with a great quality finish that maintains success of the business as well as the reputation of meeting short time frames. The heaters are automatically heating when switched on and heat a wide distance covering all material. The lamps heat the materials rather than the air and ventilation can remain without reducing the effectiveness of the lamps”.
Conclusion
The installation of EHSAFE short-wave infrared heaters significantly improved the paint drying process at TCS Shipwright & Joinery. The company has enhanced productivity while maintaining the highest quality standards as required in marine component painting. For businesses looking to improve their paint drying processes, EHSAFE heaters are the most efficient choice. Get in touch with us today to learn more.
