One giant leap for spray coating technology

Processors using spray coating can slash waste and cut costs further thanks to groundbreaking advances by Spraying Systems involving pulse width modulation (PWM) and novel heating technology.

PWM combines integrated IT systems with electronic control equipment and automated spray nozzles, varying the rate of liquid flow through a nozzle to apply coatings to products, allowing precision coating. It can be used in any area in which spray coatings are used, from covering pizza pans to enveloping foods with chocolate.

The PWM system trumps conventional applications that use liquid pressure to vary the flow rate of liquid coatings. That’s because the standard method changes droplet size and spray pattern, leading to greater wastage and cost, said Spraying Systems. In addition, replacing nozzles slows down processing and nozzles with smaller apertures are prone to blockage.

Spraying Systems has also introduced AccuCoat Heated Spray System for situations in which liquid coatings need to be kept at certain temperatures to be effectively applied. Such materials could include oils or chocolate. Speaking of standard practices, Spraying Systems said: “Minor temperature variations can turn into major waste - ruined product, scrapped batches and lost production time. And coating methods such as enrobing and panning are imprecise, messy and difficult to adapt to different products.”

By contrast, AccuCoat can maintain constant temperature from tank to target, using a hot water jacket that surrounded the length of liquid lines and heated nozzles.