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swapped the Kevlar sleeves and gloves for regular work gloves, and replaced face shields with goggles. A FERRARI OR A SPRAY PUMP? To apply the 100% solids materials, special proprietary plural component pumps were employed. The product's viscosity require pumps with hydraulic rams that actually force a bucket-lid-sized ram down on the material, forcing it into the pump's lower end. This transfers the material into heated tanks that lower the viscos- ity and make it more easily sprayed. Since the materials are not mixed until they are within a few feet of the gun, material waste is very low. "The pumps are not cheap. We helped design them. They can run in excess of $100,000 each," Turpin explains. "But there is no faster way to apply materials, which is appreciated by our customers." ABOVE Planning pays. Turpin explains, "Although the initial schedules were tight from the start, with excellent communication, resources, and professional capabilities, all three projects were on or ahead of schedule." MEN AND STEEL: SUITING UP FOR SAFETY Once the steel arrived, it first had to be prepped. "The shipment of the steel had been abrasively blasted in accordance with NACE No. 2/SSPC-SP10 standard for near white blast clean. The steel was washed using high-pressure pressure washers and allowed to dry. Then it was time to begin the coatings application process. Washing was followed by a full spray application of Intergard 251 epoxy primer at 2 mils to 3 mils (50.8 microns to 76.2 microns) dry film thickness (DFT). The crew used Graco 33:1 spray equipment to apply the prime coat. Then the bolted connections were masked to prevent applica- tion of fireproofing over them, which would impede assembly. With the connections protected, the PKI crew spray-applied the first coat of Chartek 1709 intumescent coating using proprietary plural component variable ratio airless spray equipment. The mils of intumescent coating applied depended on the size and fire-rating of the piece of steel to be sprayed. They then applied HK-1 carbon fiber mesh into the wet coating, using Whizz rollers to embed the mesh into the surface. This was followed by a spray application of the second and third coats of the Chartek 1709 to build material thickness in order to meet the required fire rating. The crew used hand rollers and trowels to achieve a uniform appearance on the surface of the dense intumescent material. The final step in the process was a 2 mil to 3 mil (50.8 microns to 76.2 microns) DFT topcoat of Interthane 990HS in gray spray- applied with the Graco equipment. When using the pressure washers, the crew wore rain suits, metatarsal boots, Kevlar sleeves and gloves, and face shields. Also, when on small man lifts during the last stage of the project, the crew wore full fall protection gear, including five-point harnesses and D-rings. When spraying the coatings, the crew was able to lighten the PPE – slightly. They replaced the rain suits with Tyvek suits, The project wasn't without challenges. The simple laws of physics apply to coatings application, and when temperatures dropped to freezing in Decatur, Alabama, PK had to create its own "Indian summer." With the size of the work piece, "We had to construct 100' (30.48m) long by 40' (12.19m) wide heated SSPC Class 3A containments in order to create favorable conditions to continue applying coatings," Turpin recounts. "Although the initial schedules were tight from the start, with excellent communication, resources, and professional capabilities, all three projects were on or ahead of schedule." So, next time you fill your car and wonder why gas prices are $4 to $5 per gallon, remember this: no pronouncements from your politicians can affect your gas prices. It is the simple hard work of teams of men who take pride in their work, bringing things on line that benefit us all. A huge thanks go to the quality team at PK Industrial who performed on time, on schedule, and on budget to help us all get a little relief. CP VENDOR TEAM AKZO-NOBEL Intumescent coatings www.akzonobel.com GRACO Spray equipment 88-11th Avenue NE Minneapolis, MN 55413 (800) 647-4336 www.graco.com SPRAY PUMP INC. Spray equipment Baytown, TX (281) 422-0319 www.spraypumpinc.com TYVEK Protective clothing DuPont Building 1007 Market Street Whilmington, DE 19898 (800) 441-7515 www.tyvek.com WHIZZ ROLLER SYSTEMS Rollers 12595 71st Court Largo, FL 33773 (800) 767-7038 www.whizzrollers.com July 2012 J www.coatingspromag.com 73