Glasurit Training Courses focus on paintshop efficiency

The Paint Shop

Glasurit has just released its latest training calendar, detailing a comprehensive range of courses that cover all aspects of passenger car and commercial vehicle refinishing.
BASF Coatings technical manager, Jamie Panter, says all the courses in the Glasurit training calendar have a common thread running through them -- a focus on helping customers improve efficiency and reduce costs.
"We don't just focus on the correct use of paints," says Panter.
"We look at the total process and show how paintshops can reduce downtime and maximise profits by making better use of existing and new technologies and improved workflow processes."
This approach is typified in Glasurit's RATIO ProFit course, a comprehensive three-day course that covers all aspects of the Glasurit Ratio-HS (direct gloss) and Ratio-CLASSIC (clear-over-base) painting systems, as well up-to-the-minute refinish technologies including HVLP, dry sanding, polishing systems, fast masking and infra-red curing.
Other in-house courses offered at Glasurit's state-of-the-art Wetherill Park Training Centre, in Sydney, include:
* Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) courses for specific makes of passenger cars and commercial vehicles;
* Colour courses that suit all repairers, designed to streamline the otherwise time-consuming colour matching process;
* RATIO-TRUCK (RT), specifically tailored to the repair of multi-substrate commercial vehicles using the proven RT painting systems;
* RATIO Spot Repair, a course that introduces paintshops to an entirely new business opportunity focusing on the efficient and timely repair of small defects, such as scratches and chips.
The August-December 2002 Glasurit Training Calendar, with course details and dates, has already been sent to Glasurit dealers and customers. Copies can also be obtained by phoning 1800 010 010.

Infra-red for all budgets
Australian Warehouse Distributors is the Australian agent for the Itech range of infra-red drying systems. Itech manufactures high quality cost-effective infra-reds designed to match all types of bodyshop requirements. From the entry-level Spot 700 to the feature-packed soon-to-be-released Kronos 3000, quality and performance are second to none. Itech systems are short wave intensity, designed for extra-quick curing of today's modern finishes.
Australian Warehouse Distributors is also excited to announce the arrival of the Infratech by Sharpe range of medium wave intensity systems. Infratech by Sharpe are also of high quality but are priced to suit the budget-conscious.

Enquiries, tel: (03) 9553 1977, fax: (03) 95531225, email: stork.awd@bigpond.com.au.

Versatility from Technolift
Italian infra-red specialists Technolift, exclusively distributed in Australia by Amek, has a wide range of infra-red systems for the modern bodyshop. Both short wave and medium wave mobile systems are available, utilising lightweight aluminium structures, long-life bulbs and low power consumption.
These mobile dryers allow up to 90 per cent cost reductions over baking in conventional ovens when drying spot or local panel repairs. Both systems are ideally suited to waterborne coatings as well as two-pack paints. Cassettes can be easily positioned by means of a locking gas damper in numerous settings. Even drying of a 90( positioned surface is possible. Technolift dryers can be moved up to 2400mm from the ground in order to dry the roof panels on off-roaders or truck sides. Both short wave and medium wave systems are available in a variety of models based on differing power requirements, lamp numbers and cassettes.

Enquiries, Amek Australia, tel: (08) 8331 9424, fax: (08) 8331 9895, website: www.amek.com.au.

Fast Track from Monarch
The Fast Track system by Monarch Industries allows repairers to gain the full benefits of a high quality booth environment for approximately half the cost, says the company. The Monarch Fast Track open-ended booths are specially designed and built to perform multiple tasks including spot repairs and rubbing down. Monarch has calculated that a 20 per cent time saving is gained over using a conventional booth but the unique ventilation system means dust or overspray is confined to the Fast Track booth. The in-floor ductwork draws plastic vehicle covers down over the sides of the vehicle and holds it in place, meaning the rest of the car does not need to be masked while a localised repair takes place.
"It works like an operating theatre," says managing director John Milton. "Technicians are able to operate just in the area they are working on, saving time and materials." The Fast Track System means techs do not need to spend time moving vehicles from the prep area to the booth. It is not capable of just spot repairs; the system allows for the whole front end of a car to be prepped and painted and utilising the rail-mounted infra-red system, also allows for other areas of the car to be repaired without moving the vehicle. When not in use, the IR system can be folded up and turned against the wall, out of the way.

Enquiries, tel: (08) 8295 2633, fax: (08) 8294 8723, email: monarch@bettanet.net.au.

Infrarr provides the solution
CMC Services Australia offers a complete range of infra-red and spray booth solutions for the Australian market including the Infrarr infra-red systems. Featuring aluminium frame technology, easy manoeuvrability and handling, and extremely long-life fast-medium-wave infra-red emitters, the Infrarr range is well-suited to any bodyshop wanting to increase efficiencies.
The range includes the flexible cassette and suspended rail system as well as mobile units and a vertical rail system. Infrarr infra-red systems are computerised and can be pre-programmed with six drying times, standard or personal programs.

Enquiries, tel: (03) 9482 9222, fax: (03) 9482 9333, email: cmcaust@ozemail.com.au.

Inhab: total paint shop solutions
Inhab Australia, the first company in Australia to introduce infra-red systems into the collision repair industry, back in the early 1980s, markets a wide range of equipment for the modern paint shop, including infra-red heating systems, spray booths, filters and safety equipment. Director Goran Andersson is also an expert in paint shop layout and design consultancy.
The Inhab infra-red systems are all fitted with gold-plated primary reflectors because of gold's IR radiation reflective capabilities. The reflectors can also be replaced without also having to replace the IR tube. Inhab medium-wave IR lamps need about 45-60 seconds to power up from zero. This 'slow start' is very important to let the solvent pass out of the paint layer before the surface closes.
The Swedish-designed Inhab range includes several cost-effective infra-red arch systems including the Robot 8161 which is designed solely for the curing of paint on parts, bonnets, guards and bumper bars. Also available are a range of mobile systems and overhead and side rail systems for use within booths or prep bays.

Enquiries, tel: (07) 5571 5788, fax: (07) 5571 5876, email: inhab@gldnet.com.au, website: www.inhab.com.au.

Spectratek: something for everyone
Seetal distributes the full range of Canadian-designed Spectratek infra-red systems in Australia. Available on mobile dollies or overhead, floor or wall-mounted rail systems, the company says there is a model to suit every need. The high-temperature halogen lamps, unique reflector and lamp array are all positioned for absolutely uniform heat distribution over the largest curing area. In addition, individual lamps can be angled to more closely match the curve of the vehicle.
Available on the 'S' series of Spectratek systems, the unique Thermal Integrated Sensor System (TISS) takes the guesswork out of some of the most critical aspects of proper curing with the use of an ultrasonic positioning sensor.
The Spectratherm Overhead Track System was specifically designed to maximise vehicle throughput. Utilising the short wave curing process, it combines lamps, unique reflectors, lamp array and TISS to significantly reduce standard curing and drying times. The curing heads are suspended from an overhead track system using an easy glide bridge assembly for effortless positioning of the heads. Variable options are available, floor mount, ceiling mount or a combination of both.

Enquiries, Seetal, tel: (03) 9729 8733, fax: (03) 9720 5684.

IRT: quality and experience
IRT Sweden is a pioneer of infra-red curing technology with over 25 years experience in supplying infra-red curing systems to the refinish industry.
IRT works closely with paint companies and OEM manufacturers, which has assisted with the development of the most advanced infra-red curing systems available today. IRT Systems are installed in all major paint company training centres worldwide and are installed in the production lines and refinish operations at many OEM manufacturing plants and pre-delivery centres. IRT Systems are recommended and approved as garage equipment worldwide by such manufacturers as Audi, BMW, Chrysler, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, Volkswagen, Peugeot and Renault to name a few.
IRT Systems offer the refinish industry the opportunity to achieve enormous time and energy savings. Imagine the bottleneck in your paint shop disappearing by curing primers in eight minutes and topcoats in 10 minutes. Imagine genuine energy savings by not having to run your spray booth for 50 minutes to cure a bonnet and guard. Imagine the additional booth time you can sell. Imagine rectification due to sink back and loss of gloss disappearing with the high quality finish offered by IRT Systems.
There is an IRT product to suit any size refinish operation from the top of the range IRT7000 fully-automated Paint Curing Arch, suspended rail systems for prep areas and spray booths, various size mobile units and handheld dryers.

Enquiries, Sydney Automotive Paints & Equipment, tel: (02) 9568 2233.

Tips for efficiency gains: Sikkens
Before you can improve the efficiency of your paint shop, you first have to know where to start, says Martin Ruigrok of Sikkens.
Is the spraybooth in the right location with direct access to the mixing-room? This will avoid unnecessary dust contamination and help avoid delays created when technicians cross and re-cross the workfloor.
Do you have work stalls with dust-extraction, infra-red and air extraction? These facilities will allow for priming and minor repairs to be completed without moving the vehicle to the spray booth.
The free-track (between work stalls) should be wide enough to enable you to drive a car into a workstation in one go. This will prevent moving cars which causes interruptions to productive work.
Ruigrok suggests every person have their own trolley with all the tools/equipment needed. This makes each technician self-sufficient and eliminates time wasted.
Planning/scheduling boards should be set up that are easily visible to everyone, both in the office and on the shopfloor. This is important so that everybody knows the current repair status and expected completion dates for all vehicles.
Tracking systems should be implemented to measure delays or problems such as excessive polishing time, paint waste control, parts supply (in time, right parts). If you identify what is causing delays or waste, you can minimise or eliminate them.
Allocate real times to each job so that technicians have target times to work to. Set individual department performance indicators.

Enquiries, Martin Ruigrok, Sikkens, tel: (03) 9646 5988.