Curry Supply Company, manufacturer and dealer of commercial service vehicles, has made some significant improvements to its paint department procedures.
The first major change involves converting the paint process from conventional spray to electrostatic adhesion. The transition, which happened over a period of several months, has been completed and is now being used on all new and restored commercial service vehicles.
Painting using electrostatic adhesion is a process in which specially formulated paint is given a positive charge. The surface to be painted is then grounded. When sprayed, the paint is attracted to the surface much like a magnet to metal. Unlike conventional spray, there is very little overspray due to the magnetic quality of the paint being drawn to the surface. This means that the paint process is faster and covers more surfaces with greater uniformity. Paint can be applied at a higher film build resulting in better coverage. For the recipient of the painted vehicle, that means superior rust and corrosion protection.
The electrostatic painting process requires sophisticated application tooling and specially-trained technicians, but it was an investment that Curry Supply felt was worth making.
“The finished product looks better and last longer than if it had been painted using conventional methods,” according to Jack Dodson, Curry Supply Paint Department Manager. “Our customers appreciate the extra effort.”
The second improvement: All Curry Supply water and vacuum tanks are now being manufactured with an interior protective lining. During the manufacturing process the lining is affixed using a two component reactor unit sprayed with a fusion gun and using polyurea material. This extra manufacturing step is intended to extend the life of the tank.
“The interior lining that we apply is a minimum of 18 mils thick, which is more than double the industry standard for interior lining,” said Stephen McConnell, Curry Supply Director of Quality. “It is just one example of the steps we take to ensure that ours are the best built, longest lasting, tanks available.”
Curry Supply is an ISO 9001 and ASME certified manufacturer.