Description
This manual has been prepared for the Super Yacht – and Boat Building Industry by ICOMIA. It is intended is to provide information on a new paint application system. If adopted, the Super Yacht – and Boat Building Industry will have the opportunity to modify their paint application process, which will result in positive economical and environmental effects such as: * Reduction of costs of the application process * Return of investment in a relatively short period * Reduction of emissions to the surrounding environment * Reduction of exposure to paint applicator Tests were carried out at the facilities of a well-known Super Yacht Builder, starting in Summer 2007 and finalized at the end of 2008. All tests were in coordination with the paint experts of the Yard and an experienced paint application consultancy. The ICOMIA Environment Executive was involved from the start of the project. This new system employs electrostatics. In the most common types of electrostatic systems, electrical charges are applied to the coating material and the target is grounded, creating an electric field. The charged particles of coating material are drawn by the electric field to the surface of the grounded target (the boat or yacht, equipment, interior parts etc.) because of the attraction of opposing electrical charges, but unlike earlier systems it functions solely with internally generated power, not requiring electric cables to be attached to the spray gun or target object. However with this new system, electrical charges are still applied to the coating materials and the target must be grounded