Application: Spray packaging with protective, barrier and functional coatings
What this application is about
In practice, solutions range from flexible manual workstations to indexed, robot-assisted series-production systems. The spray equipment, material supply and movement sequence must be suited to the coating material and the workpiece.
Protection, barrier and functional requirements
The application mainly concerns paper, cardboard, plastic, metal, glass and composite packaging. The required effect occurs only when coating material, substrate, layer thickness and subsequent drying or curing fit together. The spraying process must therefore be adapted to the concrete material system and the real production conditions.
Alongside surface quality, material consumption, cleaning effort, system availability and reliable repeatability also matter. A sound technical solution therefore combines controlled atomisation with a stable material supply that is easy to regulate.
Typical requirements for the spraying process
Even small fluctuations in material pressure, viscosity, distance or movement control can change the coating visibly or functionally. Typical requirements include:
- even application on thin or moulded materials
- small application quantities at high line speeds
- Avoidance of delay, moisture and edge construction
- precise limitation of partial coatings
- fast change between format and media variants
- product-related requirements for material compatibility and cleaning
Function, flexibility and subsequent processing
Coatings on packaging can serve as a protective, barrier, adhesive, sliding or decorative layer. With flexible materials, the layer must survive movements, wrinkles and forming. For cartonboard and paper, absorbency and surface structure influence wetting.
Printing, bonding, sealing and food contact can impose additional requirements. The material manufacturer and operator define the coating system and its approval; Krautzberger ensures reproducible application.
- even surface or edge coating
- low humidity of absorbent materials
- Flexibility without cracking
- clean recesses for adhesive and seal surfaces
- synchronisation with web speed or cycle rate
Krautzberger solutions for spray application and material supply
Krautzberger treats application and material supply as a connected system. Depending on the task, manual and automatic spray guns, suitable air and material nozzles, material pressure tanks, diaphragm pumps, pump and lifting stations, and material pressure regulators can be combined.
In automated processes, spray guns can be integrated into mounts, lifting devices, axes or robots. Material changeover valves and flushing equipment support applications with several colours or media. The specific selection depends on viscosity, solids content, application quantity, cycle time and component geometry.
For fine surface finishes, various XLINE nozzle combinations and spray patterns are available. With highly viscous, abrasive or sedimenting media, sufficiently large flow cross-sections, suitable material combinations, agitators and pressure-stable delivery become more important.
The focus is on automatic spray guns, finely adjustable flat or circular jet nozzles, material pressure vessels or pumps, material pressure controllers and variations of material change technology. The technically and economically suitable combination is selected for the specific medium, components and required production output.
Components, industries and fields of application
The application is used in different industries and component groups. Typical examples are:
- Protective and barrier coatings
- Arrestor and primer
- Sealing and clear varnishes
- Coating of moulded parts and closures
- Industrial carton or plastic packaging
- partial coating before adhesive or printing processes
Manual, partially automated or fully automatic
In continuous systems, the spray release is coupled to format, position and belt speed. Material suitability and regulatory requirements must be validated separately for food or pharmaceutical packaging.
In addition, component feed, extraction or ventilation, cleaning, media change and accessibility for maintenance work must be taken into account during the system integration. This keeps the process stable not only in the pattern run, but also in everyday production.
Result for quality and economy
- flexible application to complex packaging shapes
- precise dosing and reduced material consumption
- Quick adjustment to formats and batch sizes
- even protective and functional layers
- Integrable in existing packaging lines
- suitable for full and partial surfaces
Tests with original material and sample components
Liquid media and coating materials with similar names can differ considerably in viscosity, solids content, solvent base, wetting and drying. A reliable choice of spray gun, nozzle and material supply should therefore be made using the original material and a representative component.
Sample packaging is tested in terms of wetting, delay, layer effect, drying and further processing.
On this basis, the spray pattern, material quantity, pressure, distance, movement and cleaning sequence can be defined. The result is an application solution suited to the medium, the geometry and the intended production process.
Trials at the Krautzberger technical centre
At the Krautzberger technical centre, the process can be tested with the original medium and representative sample components. Conveyability, spray pattern, application quantity, material pressure, distance, movement and cleaning are coordinated during these trials.
The trials provide a reliable basis for selecting the spray gun, nozzle, material supply and degree of automation. Final functional and process approval is issued by the operator together with the material manufacturer.
Related products
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Contact for your application
Looking for a spray gun, an automatic spray gun or a complete material supply for this process? Krautzberger helps you select and design suitable spray technology, nozzle configurations, delivery and regulation.
Contact Krautzberger to discuss your medium, component, production volume and desired result. Together, we assess how the process can be implemented safely and economically.
Industries for this application
Whether packaging needs protection against moisture, grease or abrasion, or requires targeted marking, its shape and material determine coating application. An adaptable spray pattern is particularly useful for moulded packaging and changing formats.
