Industrial paint booth: the Polcart Spa case study

In this article:

• An obsolete system to be replaced 
• Simple doesn’t mean standard: Movingfluid’s custom solution
• The paint booth exceeds initial expectations

A basic but customised paint booth? Movingfluid for Polcart Spa

“Industrial” and “custom” are concepts that rarely go together. Yet this is exactly Movingfluid’s approach: to offer high-performance solutions tailored to the customer, whatever the size of the company or the problem to be addressed.  

So, when Polcart Spa contacted us for a paint booth to be installed in its factory, we did what we do best: solve the problem by customising the product in every aspect. 

An obsolete system to be replaced 

Polcart Spa specialises in the design and production of ceramic display units, made of plastic, metal, and wood. These pieces arrive at the company already treated but, especially the wooden ones, often need further touching up, carried out directly by the Polcart operator.  

However, the company’s spray painting system was obsolete and needed to be replaced to comply with environmental and occupational regulations.  

A simple project overall, but made even more challenging by some specific requests of the customer.

The new painting environment had to have:  

• dimensions compact enough not to hinder the manoeuvring of machinery outside, but large enough to allow the‘entrance of the forklifts for the transport and collection of the batches; 

• a suitable access door to ensure the operation and safety of workers; 
• the provision for the cooling and heating system, to be inserted at a later time depending on the actual need.

In addition, of course, to the ATEX certification and legal compliance. 

Simple doesn’t mean standard: Movingfluid’s custom solution 

In front of advanced solutions such as the paint booths made for Lamborghini it’s easy to think that Movingfluid isn’t the right place for smaller-scale projects.  

Whereas for us there are no Big League and Little League mishaps, because we are able to adapt perfectly to various situations, large or small, always distinguishing ourselves from the competition. It is precisely this ability to find and build the right proposal for the right customer that made the difference in the case of Polcart Spa which, faced with three other possible quotes, chose us.  

The key factor? Not the price, but the quality of the proposed solution, exactly as they expected. A flexibility that no one else has been able to match. 

From analysis to installation: precise and timely support

Our secret is that we are not tied to any particular supplier, but are always able to identify the best one for each situation. To do this, we start from what the company does and requires, that is, from the technical perimeter.

For Polcart Spa, we therefore analysed the specific needs of the project, gathering information on the quantities and times of painting, and the size they wanted the system to be. An on-site inspection allowed us to further evaluate the expected requirements. 

The type of paint used was another key element to define the filter system: specifically for Polcart Spa, these are non-solvent-based paints which therefore do not require activated carbon filtration.  

Once the data acquisition phase was completed, we moved on to the system design and we have provided a first hypothetical layout. This was the subject of subsequent discussion and modifications to meet all the customer’s requests, mainly related to the position of the entrance door and the air conditioning of the painting area.

Once the project was approved, we started the order and took care of the supply and of the installation, including testing.  

Respect delivery times is another crucial aspect to avoid production slowdowns, and once again, we managed to complete the work within the agreed timeframe: the system started operating last July, just two months after the project began.  

 “We’re very satisfied with our collaboration, not only for the result achieved—which perfectly met our expectations—but also because of the relationship of trust that’s been built between us and Movingfluid: they’ve supported us throughout with great availability and professionalism, both in person and remotely.” 

(Lauri Elisa, Finance and Administration Area of Polcart Spa) 

Our “tailor-made suit” for Polcart Spa

So how did we successfully respond to this challenge?

Simple: Instead of offering a standard size system, we adjust the booth to the available space, customising it down to the millimetre, just like you do with tailored suits.  

The system covers an area of just 6m x 7m, leaving plenty of room for other factory activities and for moving batches of paint both inside and out.   

As for the needs related to the door, simplicity has proven to be rewarding.  Having excluded the option of a folding door, which would have taken up too much space, and that of a sliding door (incompatible with the ATEX certification), Polcart Spa opted for the solution proposed by Movingfluid: a plastic shutter which seals the area perfectly when in use, avoiding the dispersion of the substances produced into the rest of the environment.

In this way, the company’s workflow did not undergo any practical or organisational changes and the level of efficiency and environmental protection required by law was achieved.  

In fact the new advanced and compliant ventilation system introduces air into the booth and extracts emissions and residues to filter them and expel them correctly outside. Even the maintenance is simple: when the filters are saturated, just remove them and replace them.

Furthermore, the working conditions of the staff have also improved and they can now take advantage of better lighting, cleanliness and comfort while painting.  

So much so that even the local health authority, during a recent routine inspection, certified the booth’s suitability.  

The paint booth exceeds initial expectations 

Satisfying the customer’s expectations is just the first step: when we design our solutions we always look ahead, trying to predict – and prevent – possible future mishaps or opportunities.

This is why, in addition to being equipped with a cooling and heating system as requested, the wood painting booth installed at Polcart Spa can: 

• be used for the finishing of any other material;
• be integrated with further improved applications (such as automatic mixing systems);
• be easily converted for the use of activated carbon filters.

From the very beginning we also envisaged the possibility that the system could qualify for the incentives of the Transition Plan 4.0 – also known as Industry 4.0 – thanks to the technological hardware equipment it is provided with. 

The system, in fact, allows you to monitor and collect data, as well as control and simplify work: the PLC monitor allows you to retrieve work recipes.

A process is currently underway that could include the expenses incurred by the company in the incentives recognised by the provision.

Further proof – if any were still needed – of the quality and foresight of the investment made.

Whether it’s finishing or complete painting, small batches or large quantities, we have the solution to meet every need! 

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