Many automotive paint shops often only have a single sanding machine with one working stroke for coarse, intermediate and fine sanding.
Usually only the abrasive grit is changed. Many people do not realise that when they perform different sanding tasks with only one device, they are missing out on the higher material removal rate of a longer sanding stroke.
This inevitably means longer sanding times and higher process costs.
The analysis of process costs is becoming more and more important and one thing is crystal clear: time is money.
This is why the Festool system works with three different sanding strokes: 11 millimetres for coarse sanding, seven millimetres for intermediate sanding and three millimetres for fine sanding.
Festool carried out a test in the lab for clarification purposes. The testing department observed the three different sanding strokes of the compressed air eccentric sander LEX 2 150 under normal working conditions and compared the results.
It found that correct application of the sanding strokes led to a considerable reduction in sanding times.
Even the joint use of the seven- and three-millimetre sanding strokes resulted in time savings of 38 per cent.
With the use of all three sanding strokes (11, seven and three millimetres), a 53 per cent time decrease was achieved with top surface quality.
The undercoat is thus perfectly prepared in half the time. The one-time acquisition of the different machines pays off very quickly and permanently reduces the sanding times.
Coarse, intermediate and fine sanding with the three machines with different sanding strokes makes work significantly more efficient.
Festool therefore recommends the use of three sanders with different sanding strokes.
In the coarse sanding stage, the high material removal rate of the 11 millimetre sanding stroke (LEX 2 150/11) allows the car body painter to quickly prepare the undercoat for the intermediate sanding stage and achieve a coarse sanding pattern.
In the intermediate sanding stage, repair compound surfaces can be removed and smoothened with the seven-millimetre sanding stroke (LEX 2 150/7). Scratches and sanding marks are thus minimised and the undercoat is ready for fine sanding.
In the fine sanding stage, the three-millimetre sanding stroke of the LEX 2 150/3 guarantees a top surface quality when sanding the filler. Body paint shops can therefore substitute time-consuming, wet manual sanding and minimise the sanding time and cleaning work.
Contact Tooltechnic Systems at www.festool.com.au or phone 1800 063 900.