BALANCING ACT

Jan. 1, 2020
Ionizing Guns Deal with Dirt and Dust Demons
Ionizing Guns Deal with Dirt and Dust Demons
December 1998
If there's one thing a collision repair shop can count on, it's dust and dirt. These two demons adhere to almost any surface, routinely proving that even methodically planned paint jobs are not immune to their wrath.The reason for such steadfast interference is simple--static electricity. This scientific principle causes dust and dirt to cling, and can actually interfere with metallic laydown within the baseecoat. In fact, static electricity causes many halo, blending and mottling defects.Fortunately, there's a solution that can exorcize these vexing demons--an ionizing gun. Operated like a spraygun, an ionizing gun virtually eliminates surface static electricity that attracts dirt, dust and fibers to metal and plastic. It helps eliminate halos, blending and mottling defects, and results in superior color matching and high-quality finishing. But before learning how the gun works, it is important to understanding static electricity and its effect on dirt and dust in the shop.A Lesson in Static Electricity
Anyone who has ever walked across a carpet and touched a doorknob in wintertime can testify that human beings can accumulate an electrical charge. This charge is called static electricity, and it is generated by disrupting the balance of atoms, which make up all matter, such as trees, human beings, plastic, etc.A balanced atom contains a specific number of positive charges in its nucleus, and an equal amount of negative charges orbiting that nucleus. Because the negative and positive forces are equal, the overall charge of such an atom is zero.
However, when this arrangement is disturbed--i.e., something happnens to cause an unequal number of positive and negative charges--the system becomes unbalanced. Unbalanced surfaces, such as plastic, are like magnets for dust and dirt.In repair shops, static electricity--in combination with dust and dirt--can wreak havoc on finished surfaces. Managers and technicians should keep these two strategies in mind: Use an ionizing gun, and keep any equipment that is sensitive to static electricity grounded.Simple SolutionsOrdinary air guns spread dust around, and even tack rags do not provide a perfect surface on which to paint. The remaining static allows particles to attach themselves to body panels. But ionizing guns neutralize that static electricity. If the material being neutralized is positively charged, the material will immediately absorb negative charges from the gun and repel excess positive particles to achieve a balanced state. Conversely, if the material being neutralized is negatively charged, the material will absorb positive charges and repel negative ones. When the material is neutralized, it no longer attracts the dirt and dust demons.Why Ionize?
Using an ionized gun is one of the best pretreatment/cleaning steps you can perform to ensure the surface is not contaminated, and to put it into balance. Because plastic and metal build a static charge that attracts dirt, they must be neutralized prior to painting. Some plastics and metals must also be primed, treated with chromic sulfuric acid, plasma treated or flame treated for good adhesion. Application of an aqueous cleaner and rinse, followed by ionized air applications, are a common strategies. Since nothing has been made that is "too clean to coat," proper preparation by ionizing prior to coating is critical to the ultimate quality of the finish. Enter the ionized gun.
Containing an isotope that has been used safely for nearly 20 years to eliminate static,the guns are used on surfaces once they are tack-cleaned, before coats and sealers. Although the guns are intrinsically safe and attach easily to existing air lines, they are nuclear-powered. Because of this, they can't be purchased--they must be leased from companies that offer them as part of their products and services.Each gun lasts for about one year before requiring replacement. When choosing a gun, the tool should be evaluated on characteristics such as charge decay rates, charge balance, calibration, adjustability, maintenance requirements, safety and cost.According to one auto body repair owner in Greenwood, Ind., using an ionizing gun cut buffing time by 15 to 20 minutes per vehicle. An auto dealer in Illinois uses a gun to deliver cleaner metal and plastic surfaces, better color blending and improved paint flow.While an ionizing gun is a practical method for curing static problems and assuring a great finish, it is important to understand that static electricity cannot be entirely eliminated. Ionizing guns fall under the classification of "static eliminators," but the do not prevent build-up of static electricity. If the surface that was neutralized brushes against another material, the friction from the contact will again generate static electricity. This is why grounding is important.The Role of Grounding
Grounding now becomes a critical strategy to achieving a successful finish. If an operator is isolated by standing on a wooden floor or wearing crepe rubber soles, he will soon become charged. Handling tools and other items will increase that charge. If the technician fails to eliminate that electrical build-up before touching the vehicle or one of its components, he could receive a shock or damage static-sensitive electrical components. An ungrounded technician can also disrupt the order of balanced materials. Spraybooth operators wear leather-soled shoes to prevent such occurrances. Additional types of personal grounding equipment are available, including grounded conductive mats.
If those determined dust and dirt demons insist on interfering with quality finishes, it's time to recruit the aid of ionizing guns--and to convince technicians to ground themselves before touching vehicles. The results should include improved paint jobs and reduced labor times--as well as increased customer and technician satisfaction.Pat Oser is a Market Manager for Safety-Kleen Corp.How the stat gun works:
Most vehicle body panels do not conduct electricity. Any static charges retained on the surfaces cannot be removed by connecting the panel to ground. Removal is accomplished by placing opposite charges (ions) close to the charged surface (which can have either positive or negative polarity). These ions are attracted to the charged surface the same way a piece of airborne dust is attracted, and the charges and ions combine with each other. When a charge and an opposite-polarity ion combine, the charge is neutralized (removed). This process continues until there is no charge remaining on the panel. The effective state of the panel is that no further ions will be attracted.
The Stat-Attack ionizing gun works like a spraygun. Tack rags should be used prior to ionizing. Ionization should be thorough, including door jambs. Painting should be done immediately after ionizing. For optimum results, ionization should be done between coats. Vehicles should not be touched after ionization.Splitting air molecules creates charges or ions. Each split molecule creates one positive and one negative ion. An ionizing gun creates these ions by splitting some of the air molecules from the compressed air supply inside the stainless steel cartridge. These air molecules are split into positive and negative ions by being struck by the energy or radiation emitted by the radioactive isotope in the gun. The ions--but not the radiation--are then blown out of the refinish gun as a component of the compressed air stream.

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