How to Choose the Right LVLP Spray Gun
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An LVLP (low volume, low pressure) paint sprayer is designed for having very low air pressure, using a much lower strength compressor, giving you a big upper hand in any paint project, and saving you both money and time. If you've got those occasional professional jobs you'd like to complete, this sprayer is your perfect solution. LVLP paint sprayers can either be gravity fed or siphon fed. If you're new to the world of professional paint sprayers, the latter is what this article will focus on. It's an older design that was once considered inferior by today's standards, but that has changed.
LVLP is an acronym for low pressure, high volume, continuous flow. Because of its simple design, no pump is needed to drive the spray head and a gun, and therefore allows for very fast painting. However, because of the design of the nozzle, there is a limitation to the flow of paint and fluid, and the performance can be degraded over time. For this reason, LVLP guns require constant cleaning and maintenance, and the paint cup must be replaced regularly.
LVLP means "low-velocity" air driven paint guns. Because of the air compression required to push the paint into the gun, and the air pressure needed to fill the paint cup, the pump is not needed. Instead, a much larger compressor is used to drive the pump along, and provides the necessary pressure to maintain continuous flow. In this way, it is different from conventional compressors.
There are two basic types of LVLP: belt driven compressors and twin drive or continuous-feed compressors. While belt driven compressors generally have higher running horsepower, they typically use much more material and fuel than do twin drive or continuous-feed compressors. As a result, they cost more to operate and may be unsuitable for small to medium-sized jobs. The twin drive system is similar to continuous-feed, but uses a flywheel to force the paint to the injector and then to the drum. This provides more reliable performance and higher efficiency.
Another advantage of the LVLP systems is their ability to recover wasted paint, which eliminates a significant amount of operating cost. Single-stage and two-stage systems use different methods to recover wasted paint, depending on the type of compressor and the relative importance of each stage. In either case, the process is simplified by reducing the need to pre-determine the waste paint requirements, which simplifies the supply chain. Two-stage systems also reduce the risk of air compressor and paint wastage through pump flow control and air seal design.
The main disadvantage of the LVLP Spray Gun is that there is a need to increase the running horsepower of the compressor in order to achieve full compression. Although this does not always translate into an increase in the paint output, it does mean that the gun will require more maintenance. It is possible to reduce the need for additional workload by running the compressor at slower speeds, thus reducing the time needed to reach full capacity. This can be achieved through air cooler optimization and increased cooling fan speed. There are also ways to increase the pressure without affecting the running horsepower, although this will decrease the life span of the compressor. An increase in the air flow capacity can be achieved by increasing the feed rate; the combination of these two factors will yield the largest increase in paint flow.
Depending on the type of mixing stages in your manufacturing process, you may find that the mixing stage itself is the cause of a decrease in efficiency. When looking at the different spray paint jobs that utilize the same mixing stage, the effect of the larger tank size will become evident. Billious Depending on the type of air compressor tank size chosen, you may find that the level of efficiency can be improved greatly by using different sized tanks.
If you are spraying on a stainless steel surface, you can use a soft trigger, a stainless steel needle or a vacuum source. Each of these methods has their own benefits when spraying different materials, so depending on the application you will need to consider which method is most appropriate for the application you are spraying. Spray guns are a versatile piece of equipment and can make your job easier, but you must understand how they work and how to choose the right one for your particular job.
LVLP is an acronym for low pressure, high volume, continuous flow. Because of its simple design, no pump is needed to drive the spray head and a gun, and therefore allows for very fast painting. However, because of the design of the nozzle, there is a limitation to the flow of paint and fluid, and the performance can be degraded over time. For this reason, LVLP guns require constant cleaning and maintenance, and the paint cup must be replaced regularly.
LVLP means "low-velocity" air driven paint guns. Because of the air compression required to push the paint into the gun, and the air pressure needed to fill the paint cup, the pump is not needed. Instead, a much larger compressor is used to drive the pump along, and provides the necessary pressure to maintain continuous flow. In this way, it is different from conventional compressors.
There are two basic types of LVLP: belt driven compressors and twin drive or continuous-feed compressors. While belt driven compressors generally have higher running horsepower, they typically use much more material and fuel than do twin drive or continuous-feed compressors. As a result, they cost more to operate and may be unsuitable for small to medium-sized jobs. The twin drive system is similar to continuous-feed, but uses a flywheel to force the paint to the injector and then to the drum. This provides more reliable performance and higher efficiency.
Another advantage of the LVLP systems is their ability to recover wasted paint, which eliminates a significant amount of operating cost. Single-stage and two-stage systems use different methods to recover wasted paint, depending on the type of compressor and the relative importance of each stage. In either case, the process is simplified by reducing the need to pre-determine the waste paint requirements, which simplifies the supply chain. Two-stage systems also reduce the risk of air compressor and paint wastage through pump flow control and air seal design.
The main disadvantage of the LVLP Spray Gun is that there is a need to increase the running horsepower of the compressor in order to achieve full compression. Although this does not always translate into an increase in the paint output, it does mean that the gun will require more maintenance. It is possible to reduce the need for additional workload by running the compressor at slower speeds, thus reducing the time needed to reach full capacity. This can be achieved through air cooler optimization and increased cooling fan speed. There are also ways to increase the pressure without affecting the running horsepower, although this will decrease the life span of the compressor. An increase in the air flow capacity can be achieved by increasing the feed rate; the combination of these two factors will yield the largest increase in paint flow.
Depending on the type of mixing stages in your manufacturing process, you may find that the mixing stage itself is the cause of a decrease in efficiency. When looking at the different spray paint jobs that utilize the same mixing stage, the effect of the larger tank size will become evident. Billious Depending on the type of air compressor tank size chosen, you may find that the level of efficiency can be improved greatly by using different sized tanks.
If you are spraying on a stainless steel surface, you can use a soft trigger, a stainless steel needle or a vacuum source. Each of these methods has their own benefits when spraying different materials, so depending on the application you will need to consider which method is most appropriate for the application you are spraying. Spray guns are a versatile piece of equipment and can make your job easier, but you must understand how they work and how to choose the right one for your particular job.
