Automotive Refinishing Pollution Prevention Outreach Program
This page last reviewed March 11, 2011
Simply put, transfer efficiency is
the amount of material coming out of the spray gun that actually ends
up as a coating on the desired surface. Increased transfer efficiency
means overspray is decreased, less coating materials are used, and you
and the environment are healthier because there are fewer emissions!
Transfer efficiency greatly depends on the technician's skill and
spraying techniques, so emissions released during painting are directly
related to the skill of the spray gun operator.
Select the recommended air pressure
and tip sizes for the products and equipment used.
Always hold the gun perpendicular
to the surface being sprayed, using parallel strokes. Never arc
the gun.
Feather the trigger at the beginning
and end of each pass.
Use a 50 percent overlap for each
pass. This technique may need to be altered slightly when
applying high-metallic, high-solids basecoats and some
three-stage systems.
If blending is necessary, keep the
blend area as small as possible without jeopardizing the appearance of
the blend.
Spray the border edges of the
substrate first (banding). This will assure all edges are covered
without extending the spray pattern well beyond the borders of
the object.
For a printer friendly copy of this fact sheet, click here.
Contact Ms. Nancy Adams for additional information regarding the Automotive Refinishing Pollution Prevention Outreach Program.
