Industrial Paint Solvents: Safer Choices Are Possible

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Industrial paint solvents are used to dissolve or disperse certain components used during formulation and for removal. They aid in creating the desired application consistency and then evaporate to allow the coat to dry quickly. Industrial paint solvents deliver several benefits including increased durability, decorative coatings, and glossy indoor/outdoor application options. New application methods emerge every day thanks to technology, but many still do not deliver the same results as traditional solvent-based coatings.

Industrial paint solvents are beneficial, but also pose specific health risks in manufacturing environments. For many industries, they are simply necessary to achieve the most effective results. Choosing the right solvent has proven to be difficult because the choice entails several variables and the selection is system-dependent. If the goal is to find an effective environmentally friendly choice, it is not as simple as substituting another solvent. The process requires a detailed assessment of needs before a substitute or newly formulated solvent is possible.

What Makes Industrial Paint Solvents Dangerous?
Industrial paint solvents have a direct impact on the environment, which stems from a combination of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and environmental factors such as heat. While not every potential hazard is avoidable, you can choose an industrial paint solvent offering the same results with lower vaporization and evaporation qualities. When VOCs mix with nitrogen oxides in the environment and the right temperatures are present, they react to produce ground-level ozone, which in turn affects the environment.

Industrial paint solvents with lower or no VOCs are simply safer than traditional choices. Cleaners used to remove paints such as thinners or for surface preparation must also be safer to ensure the best results. In order for an industrial paint solvent to less harmful, it must have minimal VOC’s, not deplete the ozone, and evaporate at a slower rate to avoid extensive release into the atmosphere. Many companies are able to formulate unique solvents to meet coating needs that are less harmful for the environment.

Finding a Greener, Healthier Option
Is it possible to have a more environmentally friendly solution in place that provides the same results? Would you like to create a safer environment for your workers at an affordable cost? The answer is yes to both questions as a number of safer industrial paint solvent choices are available for use in industries like automotive, consumer products, and paint production. As your company searches for a better option, it is important to remember that there are no perfect chemicals.

The process of finding the right alternative involves selecting or formulating the least harmful choice while still achieving the removal or application goal. At Ecolink, we place every product on what we call the “hazard ladder” to provide a foundation for evaluating alternative options. Your specific application needs will be a main driver during selection or formulation. For an acceptable alternative, it will involve evaluating the application and finding an option capable of delivering the desired coat without placing abundant hazards into the air during evaporation. If current options are simply not cutting it, we can formulate an industrial paint solvent based on your needs to help you achieve the best results.

Aircraft Coating Removers – Eco Friendly HYBRID-STRIP

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Airplanes require the right surface coating removers to avoid damage to the material. When you remove a coat, it takes a little finesse to select the most fitting product for any corporate, commercial, or military grade airplane. Additional concerns such as the use of environmentally friendly products also come into play before choosing an aerospace coating remover.

Available agents consist of many different organic base compounds and the wrong choices will simply not work or harm the structure of a plane. Corrosion is a large concern since the metal base naturally oxidizes as it is exposed to water, the wrong chemicals, or other harmful elements. Protective elements are introduced to the base metal to generate a corrosion resistant alloy, which must be safeguarded during cleaning or removal.

Make Certain the Product Will Not Create Problems
Corrosion frequently occurs during exposure to normal environmental factors, but may also be a direct consequence of applying the wrong chemicals or from water-related exposure. During removal, corrosion often develops when the process is not done correctly or if a plane is exposed to caustic cleaning solutions. The best bet for effectively removing a coating is an agent that is noncorrosive, environmentally friendly, and does not harm important exterior qualities of the plane.

Advanced Performance Coatings (APC’s), as an example, have different removal requirements than alternative types of exterior coverings. Consider the answers to the following questions before choosing a product for these purposes:

  • Is the application for corporate, commercial or military planes?
  • Are there any special coverings on the aircraft?
  • What chemicals or products could cause or contribute to corrosion?
  • Is an environmentally friendly option available?
  • What type of coating is being removed?

Once these questions have been fully evaluated, you will be able to choose the best aircraft coating remover for your unique usage needs.

Have You Checked Out HYBRID-STRIP?
HYBRID-STRIP offers a great choice for achieving great performance without harming the environment or the long-term health of individuals. It has been developed to meet the unique needs of application areas such as military plane and commercial airline care and features the following:

  •  An environmentally friendly aerospace coating remover designed to deliver quick results and eliminate the toughest epoxy or polyurethane-coating using innovative technology developed specifically for the aerospace industry.
  • Utilized by OEM’s, and MRO’s worldwide in both the military and commercial aerospace markets.
  • Meets various specifications including Boeing, Airbus, Douglas, Learjet, and USAF.
  • Recommended for use on all corporate and commercial aircraft and all military aircraft refereeing to USAF TO 1-1-8 (Air Force Purchase Description).
  • Independent laboratory tests show Hybrid-Strip is safe on various metals including magnesium and high strength steel.
  • For best results use chemical resistant airless spray equipment. Pump should be 2-horse power or higher.
  • Hybrid-Strip TDS

This product options offer a number of benefits for preventing corrosion and protecting aircraft exteriors. At Ecolink, we are proud to sponsor this option. Our team can help you find the best product for your specific aircraft care needs. Call today 800-563-1305 to learn more!

Are All Paint Strippers the Same?

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industrial paint strippersPaint removers, or “paint strippers” as they have been called by most who are involved in industrial organizations, is a way to describe any product that has been designed to remove and clean paint off an underlying surface. Paint strippers have become quite popular as of late because of the discovery of older paints containing lead in their ingredients, which is now known as a very hazardous poison to people, and is severely regulated in the United States. The answer to the question stated in the title of this blog is no  – not all paint strippers are the same. Certain paint strippers will only work on certain types of surfaces and finishes. In addition, some surfaces may contain many different types of finishes, which means only a select variety of paint strippers will be effective for these types of conditions. Essentially, paint strippers are broken down into two categories: caustic paint strippers and solvent paint strippers. Caustic paint strippers work by breaking down the chemical bonds in the paint that have been placed on a particular surface. However, the use of caustic paint strippers is not so popular as it used to be because of the hazardous findings associated with this type of paint stripping action. Solvent paint strippers penetrate the layers of paint, and work to dissolve the chemical bond between the paint and the surface. Unfortunately, similar to caustic paint strippers, the active ingredients in many of the solvent paint strippers are also considered hazardous to both people and the environment.

So, with the obvious concern regarding the types of paint strippers available, and whether paint strippers are safe to use, what is an industrial organization, or even an individual, needing a paint stripper to do? Luckily, serious advancements in the types of chemicals that are placed into paint strippers have been made, making the active ingredients in paint strippers much safer now than they used to be. Green alternative solution agencies such as Ecolink have worked hard at assisting scientists and chemists with the producing of eco friendly, green alternative paint strippers that work as effectively as traditional sources, but without the hazardous components involved. Ecolink believes that all harmful chemical agents should be removed from all industrial products, services, and components, because nothing is worth the potential for harmful exposure that could be placed on employees and the environment. Especially with today’s technologies and advancements, scientists, chemists, and green solution organizations like Ecolink are finding much success replacing older hazardous chemical compounds with newer, green alternative solutions.

To find out more about new paint strippers laced with safe active ingredients, it is recommended that you consult with a representative of Ecolink. The professionals at Ecolink can point you in the right direction for eco friendly, green alternative paint stripers, so you can remove paint from any surface as efficiently as possible, while not having to worry about the exposure to harmful chemical agents.

HAP-FREE, Heavy Duty Industrial Paint Stripper

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Replace Methylene Chloride with Benzyl Alcohol Based Paint Strippers

Beyond the density and polarity of methylene chloride (dichloromethane, CAS 75-09-2), there are many regulatory advantages of switching to mildly acidic liquid concentrates, such as benzyl alcohol, to remove tenacious polymeric coatings including epoxy paints and polysulfide base coats from ferrous and non-ferrous metals.

paint stripper

CARC Removal

For paint stripping of four different CARC systems: MIL-P-46168, MIL-P-53039, and MIL-P-64159 Type I and Type II from both aluminum and steel substrates, environmentally acceptable paint removers, which are primarily benzyl alcohol based, can strip CARC in 20-120 minutes and are approved per Technical Order (TO) 1-1-8 section II (2) and GRUMMAN AEROSPACE GS115UT1. Our heavy duty industrial paint stripper replaces Oakite Gardostrip Q7900 and CEE-BEE E-1058 (NSN 8010-01-369-2646). These fast, safe, and effective paint strippers do not contain any hazardous solvents.  Run at 50% concentrate, benzyl alcohol can strip steel and aluminum in same bath as long as steel goes thru immersion rinse and inhibit prior to spraying off residual coating.

 

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

  • Hazardous Air Pollutant, HAP-Free depainting
  • NESHAP compliant
  • No Methylene Chloride, no halogenated solvents, phenol or heavy metals
  • Low vapor pressure
  • Not a RCRA-listed waste
  • Removes most coating in sheets
  • Contains non-hazardous solvents
  • No flash point
  • Can be used on most metals
  • Biodegradable, bio-based surfactants
  • Easily filtered for extended bath life
  • Liquid concentrate that can be diluted
  • Does not contain Formic Acid 

Call Brandon @ 800 563-1305 x 103 or email Brandon to buy or FREE quote, sample.

 

TYPICAL APPLICATIONS – Use only 304 or 316 stainless steel tanks for processing

  • Excellent choice for removal of powder paints
  • First choice for stripping organic coating off non-ferrous metals
  • Great alternative to abrasive sandblasting (more cost effective water treatment vs. blast media disposal)
  • Works with epoxy/polyurethane paint systems

USE PROCEDURES

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Paint Removal

The surface to be stripped should be thoroughly clean and free from water.

  1. Spray on a light coat of stripper using a high pressure 10:1 air activated pump equipped with a 1/2″ I.D. high pressure hose and spray wand with a fan type spray nozzle.
  2. It is important to use the correct type of spray nozzle for this application. Contact manufacturer to confirm fan-type.
  3. Keep the surface wet with stripper until the paint buckles.
  4. When the paint is lifted (one hour to overnight for tough coatings), brush the surface thoroughly to remove the loosened paint.
  5. Reapply stripper as required to loosen any remaining paint.
  6. When all of the paint has been lifted, use a brush or squeegee to remove the loosened paint and residual stripper.
  7. Thoroughly rinse the surface with high pressure water.

Sealant Removal

  1. The surface must be thoroughly clean and free from water.
  2. Apply stripper with a brush and allow to dwell until the sealant is penetrated and dissolved. Apply additional stripper if required to keep the surface wet.
  3. When the sealant is dissolved, remove with a suitable scraper that will not scratch the surface. Reapply benzyl alcohol-based stripper to any spots of sealant not readily removed with the scraper.
  4. When removal is complete, thoroughly rinse the surface with a water spray or wipe clean with cloths wet with water.

Call Brandon @ 800 563-1305 x 103 or email Brandon to buy or FREE quote, sample.