FAQ

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WHY DID COL-MET CHANGE ITS NAME TO RTT?

The name change, from Col-Met Engineered Finishing Solutions to RTT Engineered Solutions, reflects RTT’s vision of the future and our continued commitment to providing customers and distributors the same level of high-quality, dependable and innovative products and service that you have come to expect of us. While you will notice a newly designed logo and updated website, our team and goals remain the same: to maintain customers for life. Our commitment to the end users of our products has not changed, nor will it ever.

CAN I ORDER A BOOTH THAT IS CUSTOM MADE TO FIT MY NEEDS INSTEAD OF A STANDARD SIZE FROM YOUR CATALOG?

Yes, RTT can make a booth to fit your specific needs. Just let us know what your parts are like, the building size and any other special information needed to design the right booth.

CAN YOU HELP ME WITH THE SELECTION OF THE RIGHT TYPE OF BOOTH?

Yes, our team of experts is always available to work with our customers and distributors in the selection of the booth design and options to obtain the best possible results. From selection of the airflow design to sizing to control options, we can help.

HOW IS A CROSSDRAFT PAINT BOOTH DIFFERENT FROM A DOWNDRAFT PAINT BOOTH?

The airflow direction is the most obvious difference and the name tells the story. A crossdraft moves air from one side to the other and a downdraft moves air from top to bottom. The selection depends on what is being painted. Generally speaking, parts that are longer in the vertical and short in horizontal dimension tend to fit best in a crossdraft booth while parts that have a large horizontal surface tend to fit best in a downdraft booth. The crossdraft booth limits the operator to one direction of spraying while the downdraft allows the spray operator to move around the part 180 degrees. Talk to an RTT professional to get the right type of booth for your operation.

WHY DOES RTT PROVIDE NUT AND BOLT CONSTRUCTION FOR ALL OF OUR SPRAY BOOTHS?

Nut and bolt construction provides consistent structural stability and makes for simple installation. Our booths can also be easily uninstalled and reinstalled as necessary.

DO I NEED AN AIR MAKEUP UNIT (AMU) FOR EVERY PAINT BOOTH INSTALLATION?

All paint booths exhaust air from the building and there should be supply air to replace the air that is exhausted. It is sometimes possible to replace air with existing AMU and some installations run reasonably while pulling air through open doors, inlet fans or other means. However, the best way to supply air for a paint booth is with a suitably-sized AMU. It controls the volume of air, the velocity, and location as well as providing dirt filtration.

DOES RTT OFFER COMPLETE SYSTEMS FOR WASHING, DRYING, COATING AND CURING?

RTT can provide all of the equipment needed to process your parts. We can build anything from a small batch system to a large automated coating system including multi-stage washers, ovens, booths and all of the ancillary equipment that goes with it. Just supply us with the part requirements for size, volume and quality and we can design a custom system for you.

WHY MUST I GIVE YOU VOLTAGE WHEN I ORDER A CONTROL PANEL OR AN AIR MAKEUP UNIT?

It is important to know the correct voltage because the motor protectors in the CP and the AMU unit must be sized according to the voltage.

WHAT AIR VOLUME DOES THE NATIONAL FIRE PROTECTION ASSOCIATION (NFPA) REQUIRE IN A PAINT BOOTH?

NFPA requires that the booth environment has enough ventilation to maintain the concentration of flammable vapors below 25% of the Lower Flammable Level (LFL). The LFL of common solvents varies. Table G-11 in OSHA 29 CFR 1910 contains the flammable levels for common solvents.

I HAVE A LOT OF HEAT IN MY BUILDING THAT COMES FROM MY PAINT CURE OVEN. HOW CAN I STOP THE HEAT FROM ROLLING OUT OF THE OPENINGS?

Oven heat roll out is a frequent problem with process ovens. It can be aggravated by building pressure issues and oven design issues. Building air pressure is affected by the location and volume of fans (supply and exhaust) and also the opening and closing of overhead doors. Check to see if you have any sources of high or low pressure near the oven entrance or exit that could be creating air movement through the oven. If you have space, extend the vestibule of the oven so the heated zone is farther from the opening. You could add a hood and stack at the opening to capture heat roll out and get it out of the building. A properly designed oven will have features to limit heat roll out.

HOW MANY STAGES SHOULD MY WASHER HAVE TO GET MY PARTS CLEANED CORRECTLY?

The number of stages in a washer depends on the substrate material, the soils present on the part and the quality goals for the product. Typically, the simplest system uses three stages to clean and treat mild steel parts for products used indoors. The next step up is usually five stages for better cleaning and more corrosion protection. For outdoor products more stages may be needed. Consult with a pretreatment company or talk to one of our RTT experts to help you determine the right number of stages for your operation.

WHY SELL THROUGH DISTRIBUTION?

Our distribution network allows us to provide local representation throughout North America, Canada and Mexico. Our dealers are chosen to offer expertise and services on a local basis.

Ready to talk to a representative about your new paint booth? Call 1-888-452-6684

Download our detailed booth selection and sizing guide to help you find the right booth that fits your needs. If you still can’t find what you’re looking for give us a call anytime. One of our RTT specialists will be happy to help you out!