Q&A with Patrick O’Neill of Bodyshop Revolution

March 23, 2015
Bodyshop Revolution helps shops achieve continuous workflow in the paint department by almost eliminating drying wait times. President Patrick O’Neill speaks to ABRN.
Patrick O'Neill

Bodyshop Revolution helps shops achieve continuous workflow in the paint department by almost eliminating drying wait times. President Patrick O’Neill speaks to ABRN.

ABRN: Why does Bodyshop Revolution see roll-on primer as the future?

PO: We see roll and spray primer as viable. However, the objective is to get continuous workflow. When we can cure primer in one minute if we use roll-on primer, it allows for us to continuously work on the car without moving it to a primer or prep deck. This also enables us to work in that space in a safe and environmentally friendly space. Rolling does not allow over spray or isocyanates in the air.

ABRN: Tell me about the Exico technology Bodyshop Revolution uses.

PO: Our technology is gas catalytic drying technology. It is the introduction of cold gas through a precious metal membrane with air movement that allows for the production of an infrared wavelength at 3.5 microns. We are able to produce 85 percent of the wavelength at 3.5 microns, which allows for products to be cured almost 100 percent — typically a 30-day process. We are able to use and cure products at their purist state, not accelerated products, which are the least expensive products. Energy created at this wavelength is the most effective wavelength to cure products rapidly and fully.

ABRN: Aside from faster dry times, what other benefits do the Exico systems provide? 

PO: What the technology allows for other than speed and complete cure is continuous work flow. We do not need to move a car once released into production except for shipment to the paint booth and back. When I say to the booth, I also mean paint ready. When you can cure filler in one minute, you do not need two cars to work on; when you can do paint prep and cure primer in one minute in the body technician’s stall, you also do not need to work on other cars. And if your car will be out of paint and back into your work space in 1.5 hours or less, you do not need to work on another car. Some very big benefits are also a 70 percent reduction in energy and the savings of using less expensive products at their purist form, which gives the best finish and longevity.

ABRN: How important is efficiency in the paint booth?

PO: The efficiency in the paint booth is critical. In our process, we can paint 10-12 cycles per booth in 8 hours versus 4-5 — you can do the math. Also in our process it is critical that, if a shop can, that they always have two vehicles ready at all time to paint. For every 40-50 minute cycle a shop misses, the company loses roughly $1,000 that they can never recover. So we always want cars in front of the booth ready for paint. We want to run 10-12 cycles per day every day. So efficiency is critical in all aspects of the production process. You cannot do continuous workflow if you have written a poor estimate and you do not have all of the parts. 

ABRN: Are paint companies also working to create fast-drying primers, solvents and waterbornes?

PO: Yes absolutely paint companies are producing faster drying clears, however they are very expensive and every time you accelerate a product, there are consequences. As far as a waterborne base, these products need to be air dried, and that is why in our industry they use either air movement blowers or, in many cases, shops are baking the base in order to pull the water out. Many times this is a 15-20 minute process. With our technology, we can completely extract water from the base in the time it takes a robot to make one pass of the panels being painted. This is usually 2-4 minutes, so literally by the time the painter puts his clear in his gun, the base in our process is ready for the application of clear.

ABRN: What other issues do you see as key for the continued efficiency of the shop paint department?

PO: We cannot talk of the running of an effective body shop in terms of paint department and body department in isolation; this is the problem. Our process does this as one complete unit.

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