Learn how the return on a coating investment can be maximized to extend the life of a surface.
Abel de la Cruz
Currently, in Peru, the use and application of protective coatings in the different sectors, industrial, service and commercial, has undoubtedly become the most widespread method for anticorrosive treatment and surface protection.
This is evidenced by the annual sales growth of approximately 15% of protective coatings in the last four years, also highlighting the development and application of new products, such as phenolic epoxy of the novolacas type, 100% solid epoxy, polysiloxanes, self-priming polyurethanes, the first universal epoxy for the painting of galvanized.
Modifications of previous generations of paints have also grown, with more friendly application advantages, such as chew epoxy with a longer repainting time and application at low temperatures or the reinforcement of high solids epoxies with glass flake additive, high impermeability and great resistance in environments of high chemical aggressiveness, etc.
The anticorrosive treatment of surfaces through the use of protective coatings is carried out in two stages of the life of the infrastructure, the first stage, of manufacture and construction, or also called application of paints in new construction works and is commonly carried out in the workshop. The second stage of the application of paints is carried out when the infrastructure is in service or in operation, called treatment or painting of industrial maintenance, carried out in the field, that is, where and when the structures are mounted or installed.
Unlike years ago, today the service and material providers of the surface treatment industry no longer require major investments to convince those responsible for the administration, as to the need to protect and preserve the infrastructure or assets of companies or institutions in general. This need has already been transformed into an objective in new construction projects and industrial maintenance plans, both by corrosion control technicians and by the executive levels responsible for the finance of companies.
Strategies
However, faced with this technical objective, a complementary factor of the necessary economic type has emerged in all business management, this objective also consists of "raising or increasing the profitability or return on investment in the protection or anticorrosive treatment of materials or structures". Therefore, to achieve the objective, American Consult has proposed the following strategy:
OBJECTIVE
Raise the profitability (return) of the Investment in corrosion protection of industrial structures
STRATEGY
Develop productivity and quality in corrosion protection, that is:
"Optimize the use of resources and maximize quality at each of the stages of the technological process of anticorrosive treatment of surfaces with coatings or application of paints"
RESULT
Longer service life (Durability) of Paints or Coatings and
Increased yield of resources: materials and inputs, equipment, labor, etc.
Stages
The strategy for the development of productivity and quality can be carried out efficiently and effectively, redefining the concept of application of coatings for corrosion control, as "a technological process in stages, to bring the paint from its deposit to the surface in a systematic way and within the concept of total corrosion protection (PAT)". These stages, as we proposed in our first articles, are the following:
1.- Elaboration of the Engineering Standards or Technical Specifications for corrosion protection: Design and Selection of the Painting System.
2.- Supply or Acquisition of the paint: Technical Economic Evaluation, based on the evaluation of the homologation of the trademarks, quality of the coatings, expectations of durability and good behavior, capacity in the technological handling, costs, performance, experiences, guarantees of quality and good performance, technical support, ability to resolve faults, defects or claims in general, etc.
3.- Operation of Surface Preparation and Application of the paints.
4.- Technical Quality Inspection before, during and after the surface preparation and application of the coatings, carried out both by the quality control of the contractor company that provides the service, and by the external and independent Quality Audit company contracted by the owner or administrator of the infrastructure.
5.- Periodic Technical Inspection (Preventive) of the Painting System, to project the needs of future maintenance. The inspection is carried out during the service life of the structure, after one, two, three or more years, depending on the severity of the aggressive environment in contact, the expectation of durability of the applied system and the guarantees of performance or good performance of the coatings offered by the paint manufacturers and paint application contractor.
Below we propose some actions that will allow to achieve the results of cost optimization and the performance of the process resources, as well as the durability of the coatings. To do this we will focus the total cost of painting under two points of view:
A.- A Current Value (Investment at present value)
From this point of view, the influence of the costs and yields of paints and thinners, materials and inputs in general, machinery, equipment, labor, etc. on the structure of the total cost of painting is considered.
As can be seen in the painting in a generic way, although it could vary depending on the difficulties and access to the structures, the place of painting, the type of coating, the corrosive aggressiveness of the medium, the state of the surfaces, etc. the cost of paints and diluents, varies around 35% of the total cost of painting.
However, the factor with the highest incidence is surface preparation and application operations, with approximately 65% of the total value. Therefore, if you want to reduce costs, based only on seeking to reduce the price of paints, we will not obtain significant success since in a competitive market the price differences between competitors of the same level of quality and performance have been substantially reduced, unless we use paints of lower price, without adequate quality or from unreliable manufacturers.
The best effect of a reduction in painting costs at present value will be obtained, if we focus the work of productivity development in the work of surface cleaning and application of paints, increasing the rates of performance per hour, modernizing and carrying out the adequate maintenance of machinery and equipment, training the operations personnel, selecting the inputs with greater efficiency, reducing the costs of reprocessing, repair and resane, implementing a technical supervision that allows to ensure compliance with the procedure and above all focus on the performance of the applied paints, whose losses can vary between 30 and 60%.
These losses depend on the method of application and especially on the geometry and size of the surface to be coated. To this end, we propose to develop a "Loss Control Program" or "Reduction of Waste", which allows to reduce, both the "visible losses" (due to sprinkling, unfavorable environmental conditions, waste in the containers, hoses, deposits, poorly prepared paints, waste in general), as well as the "non-visible losses", caused by the effect of high roughness, errors in the calibration and measurement of thicknesses, selection of suitable nozzles, etc.
B.- A Future Value (Investment and time)
From this point of view, it is considered in the total cost of painting also called "economic life cycle", the costs of repairs and periodic maintenance of painting, which will be a function of the useful life (durability) of the paint. Therefore, an increase in the durability of the coating will have a direct effect on the decrease in costs over time, causing the return on investment to increase.
The increase in durability can be achieved through a thorough internal quality control plan by the application contractor, as well as a quality assurance audit plan foreseen by the owner of the infrastructure, which includes the general inspection of the process and in particular of each of the factors that affect durability, among them:
Characteristics and performance of the physical-chemical resistance of the specified paint scheme: evaluate and verify the pre-established properties, through behavioral analysis.
Corrosive aggressiveness of the medium: analysis and identification of contaminants before the design of the painting system.
Degree of surface cleanliness: inspection of quality factors to verify compliance with specifications.
Adhesion of the paint system: Inspection and verification of the established levels, with direct tests or in specimens.
Method of application, also includes the preparation of the paint and the environmental conditions of the application and curing.
Thickness and uniformity of film. Quality inspections shall follow technical standards and comply with the specifications.
Manager AmericanConsult Peru. [email protected] http://www.americanconsultperu.com
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