The Future of Paint and Coatings:

Are eccentric disc pumps the key to production optimization?

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State of the Market
Production Challenges
Pumps in the Production Process
Eccentric Disc VS Other Technologies
The Mouvex G-FLO Series Difference

The Dynamic World of Paints & Coatings

In an era defined by rapid technological evolution, evolving consumer tastes, and heightened regulatory scrutiny, the paint and coatings industry stands at a pivotal moment. As a significant participant in this dynamic landscape, your comprehension of the perpetual demand for innovation that not only meets but surpasses the expectations of customers, stakeholders, and the market is paramount. To ensure enduring success for your company, embracing change, harnessing new technologies, and prioritizing sustainability are imperative strategies.

This interactive white paper delves into the prevailing challenges in paint and coatings manufacturing processes while examining how a new eccentric disc pump technology can empower manufacturers to control costs, minimize product loss, conserve energy, enhance operational efficiency, and adhere to environmental regulations while producing top-tier paint and coatings.

Learn more about Mouvex G-FLO Series Eccentric Disc Pumps

State of the Market

Embracing Technological Advancements

Paint and coatings, fundamentally consisting of pigments suspended in a liquid medium, have evolved from primitive substances like charcoal and berry juice to sophisticated compounds manufactured through high-tech processes. Over the past 25 years, the industry has seen a transformation driven by new coating technologies, replacing traditional solvent-based formulations with eco-friendly alternatives such as water-based paints, low VOC coatings, and powder coatings. Innovations like nanotechnology and smart coatings further enhance performance and aesthetics, shaping a diverse and vital global market.

Today, paint and coatings play pivotal roles in various applications, including traffic markings, house coatings, automobile exteriors, and packaging materials. This evolution underscores a stark departure from primitive origins, demonstrating how technological advancements have propelled the industry into a realm where environmental consciousness, durability, and aesthetics converge for enhanced product offerings and widespread utility.

Market Revenue

Revenue By Industry

Revenue By Paint Type

The North American Market

The paint and coatings industry in North America continues to thrive, buoyed by several factors, including robust construction activity, growing automotive production, and increasing demand for industrial coatings across various sectors. With a focus on sustainability and environmental regulations becoming more stringent, manufacturers are investing in research and development to produce eco-friendly formulations.

North American Market Size

Production Challenges

The Need For Robust Pumping Equipment

Paint and coatings manufacturers operate within two primary categories: waterborne and solvent-borne producers. Both utilize four key components: pigments for appearance enhancement, binders for curing into a film, solvents for application, and additives for specific properties like thickening or mildew resistance. Modern manufacturing also commonly incorporates synthetic pigments and stabilizers, such as polyurethane and styrene-butadiene, to improve performance and longevity.

The complexity of these paint and coatings components necessitates robust pumping equipment, ensuring high-quality standards while addressing flexibility, reliability, and environmental concerns. Challenges abound, with emissions control at the forefront due to increasing regulatory scrutiny and environmental awareness. Production efficiency must be balanced with emission standards, prompting investments in technology. Meanwhile, safety protocols are critical for personnel and asset protection, and cost control remains paramount amid fluctuating raw material prices and operational expenses.

Pumping these components poses multifaceted challenges, from accommodating diverse viscosities to handling abrasive particles and ensuring chemical compatibility. Effective solids-handling capabilities, precise dosing, and maintenance protocols are essential for product consistency and quality, underscoring the need for pump designs that meet these rigorous demands.

Learn more about Mouvex G-FLO Series Eccentric Disc Pumps

Emissions Control

Compliance with control of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)

Productivity

Raw materials, capital investment, energy and maintenance

Plant Safety

Protecting personnel, surrounding communities and the environment

Cost Control

Optimization of equipment uptime to maximize plant production

Product Loss

Higher product yields while eliminating product waste

Typical Compositions

A finely ground, insoluble substance that imparts color, opacity, and other desired properties to the formulation. It provides the characteristic hue and coverage when dispersed in a paint or coating medium.

A film-forming component that holds together the pigment particles after the paint is applied and dried, creating a cohesive and durable coating. It acts as the adhesive, binding the pigment particles to the surface and providing protection, adhesion, and durability to the painted substrate.

A liquid substance used to dissolve the binder and adjust the viscosity of the formulation, making it easier to apply. As the paint or coating dries, the solvent evaporates, leaving behind a solid film of binder and pigment on the surface.

A supplementary component added to the formulation to enhance specific properties or modify its behavior during application, drying, or performance. These additives can include ingredients like thickeners, dispersants, UV stabilizers, or anti-foaming agents, tailored to achieve desired characteristics such as improved flow, durability, or resistance to environmental factors.

Pumps in the Production Process

Making The Case For Eccentric Disc Technology

Traditional pumping technologies like gear, lobe, twin screw, and progressive cavity have been widely used in paint and coatings processes. However, they often present challenges such as pulsation, no ability to self-prime or run dry, and high maintenance requirements. In recent years, eccentric disc pumps have emerged as a viable alternative.

Embracing Technological Advancements

The operation and design of eccentric disc pumps offer several advantages that address the limitations of traditional technologies, making them increasingly popular among manufacturers.

Eccentric disc pumps consist of a cylinder and pumping element mounted on an eccentric shaft. As the eccentric shaft is rotated, the pumping element forms chambers within the cylinder, which increase in size at the intake port, drawing fluid into the pumping chamber. The fluid is transported to the discharge port where the pumping chamber size is decreased. This action squeezes the fluid out into the discharge piping.

Eccentric Disc Advantages

Gentle Handling of Shear-Sensitive Materials

Eccentric disc pumps stand out for their exceptional metering capabilities, ensuring precise flow rates and dosing accuracy while maintaining consistent discharge volumes for uniform blending and coating application. Versatile across various viscosities, from low-viscosity solvents to high-viscosity resins, they accommodate diverse formulations such as solvent-based, water-based, and high-solid content systems.

Seal-less Design

The unique seal-less design of eccentric disc pumps ensures durability, safety, and product containment. There are no mechanical seals or bushings in contact with the product, thereby reducing potential leak points, minimizing maintenance requirements, and ultimately enhancing safety.

Consistent / Constant Flow Rate & High Volumetric Efficiency

An eccentric disc pump stands out from most positive displacement pumps as its flow rate remains largely unaffected by changes in viscosity or pressure. This unique feature ensures a consistent flow rate even amidst varying viscosity levels, commonly seen in paints that exhibit pseudoplastic/shear thinning behavior. As a result, tasks like adding additives or performing in-line injections become easier to manage.

Run-Dry Capable

Eccentric disc pumps exhibit the remarkable capability to operate under dry conditions for a duration of up to five minutes without inflicting any harm upon either the pump itself or the overall process in which it is employed, showcasing their resilience and reliability even in adverse operating conditions where lubrication may be temporarily compromised.

Minimal Pulsation & Smooth Control

Eccentric disc pumps provide naturally low pulsation, ensuring a smoother flow profile. Their balanced design reduces pressure fluctuations, eliminating the need for extra dampeners and surge control devices, resulting in consistent material delivery, fewer surface imperfections, and prolonged equipment lifespan.

Line Stripping

With its clean-in-place (CIP) and sterilize-in-place (SIP) design/capability, the same eccentric disc pump can be used for different batches, eliminating the risk of product contamination during changeovers.

All Stainless-Steel Construction

In the absence of stainless steel as the designated standard material, the likelihood of encountering rust-related issues significantly increases, thereby undermining the durability and longevity of the equipment. Additionally, stainless steel not only mitigates rust concerns but also affords additional advantages during chemical cleanup processes.

Reduced Maintenance Requirements

Eccentric disc pumps offer a simpler, sturdier construction with fewer moving parts, reducing maintenance needs and ensuring prolonged service life. Their design mitigates mechanical failure risks and damage from abrasive particles, translating to lower costs, reduced spare parts inventory, and increased uptime for manufacturers in the paint and coatings industry.

Learn more about Mouvex G-FLO Series Eccentric Disc Pumps

Enhanced Product Recovery

In the paint and coatings industry, manufacturers face the common challenge of disposing of waste contained in tubing at the end of production runs or product changeovers. While various pump technologies like gear, lobe, twin screw, and progressive cavity are often used for fluid transfer during production, they struggle to adequately clear or strip transfer lines of remaining materials. To optimize product recovery, adopting eccentric disc pump technology is crucial. These pumps reliably strip suction or discharge lines of valuable raw materials and salable end-products, thanks to their non-pulsing, low-slip operation and high volumetric consistency.

With product-recovery rates typically ranging from 60% to 80%, eccentric disc pumps offer significant efficiency gains. Additionally, their ability to pump air creates a vacuum effect on the suction side and a compressor effect on the discharge side, facilitating the expulsion of complete and still usable product "plugs" from the piping.

How much could your paint and coatings operation save with eccentric disc pumps?

Product Recovery Calculator

To learn more, download the complete product recovery white paper.

Pumps in the Production Process

For paint and coatings manufacturers, balancing energy efficiency with product quality is paramount. Achieving this balance hinges on selecting versatile equipment capable of delivering top-notch quality while operating at peak efficiency. Low-power consumption pumps like eccentric disc pumps, which operate through positive displacement, offer a solution. Unlike traditional pumps reliant on centrifugal force, eccentric disc pumps precisely displace a fixed amount of fluid per rotation, maintaining consistent flow rates regardless of pressure or viscosity fluctuations. This design not only ensures reliable performance with challenging fluids but also minimizes energy consumption by reducing internal friction and turbulence, thereby yielding noticeable energy savings for industrial production processes.

To learn more, download the complete energy efficiency white paper.

Energy Efficiency

Why Other Pumps Can't Compete

Gear

Gear pumps are one of the most popular pump choices for paint and coatings applications due to their standard product availability, capability to handle higher viscosity ranges and simplified maintenance. However, unlike eccentric disc pumps, gear pumps lack the ability to self-prime, run dry, and fully strip production lines. They are also susceptible to excessive seal leakage and feature high internal velocities that affect fluid dynamics and result in shear.

Twin Screw

Despite being relatively low shear (though not as low as eccentric disc pumps), twin screw pumps can still be prone to shear-sensitive material degradation, potentially compromising the quality and performance of the final product. Additionally, twin screw pumps cannot fully recover products, self-prime or run dry, and may struggle with handling abrasive particles commonly found in coatings formulations, leading to premature wear and tear and increased maintenance requirements.

Lobe

Lobe-type pumps perform like gear pumps, meaning they have many of the same drawbacks that gear pumps have, including the inability to self-prime and run dry. In addition, the need to seal two shafts doubles the expense of seals and the potential for leakage, while the need for precise alignment of the lobes and close tolerances between the rotating and stationary parts makes maintenance and servicing complex and time-consuming.

Progressive Cavity

While progressive cavity pumps are extremely low shear and ideally suited for shear-sensitive materials, these pumps lack the ability to fully recover products, self-prime and run dry. Additionally, the design of progressive cavity pumps often includes complex internal components, making cleaning and maintenance procedures labor-intensive and time-consuming, resulting in extended downtime and decreased operational efficiency.

Learn more about Mouvex G-FLO Series Eccentric Disc Pumps

Features/Benefits	Mouvex Eccentric Disc Pump	Gear Pump	Twin Screw Pump	Lobe Pump	Progressive Cavity Pump
Self-Priming	High		Low
Run Dry Capability
Clean-in-Place (CIP)
Seal-Less Design
Shear	Low	High	Medium	High	Low
Product Recovery
Easy of Maintenance	High	Medium	Poor	Poor	Poor

The Mouvex G-FLO Series Difference

When evaluating your eccentric disc pump options, nothing beats the Mouvex® G-FLO Series. Featuring a multi-layer bellows in stainless steel that ensures durability and safety, G-FLO Series Pumps have been designed to provide premium performance and full product containment (protecting site personnel and the environment) in paint and coatings applications. With capabilities to deliver high suction vacuum and high discharge pressure, the G-FLO Series pumps self-prime and fully strip production lines, maximizing safety and product recovery for critical high-value fluids.

How it Works

Additional features and benefits of G-FLO Series Eccentric Disc Pumps Include:

Provides consistent and efficient flow with a wide range of viscosities independent of pressure
Extremely gentle, pulse-free flow to protect shear-sensitive products
Reduced maintenance with no mechanical seals or timing gears
Easy to install
Clean in place (CIP) and sterilize in place (SIP) for the ultimate in convenience and cleanliness
Eccentric disc design allows for consistent flow and improved energy savings
Seal-less design eliminates leakage
Ability to strip and drain transfer piping/tubing
Self-priming and strong vacuum effect on suction side and air compression on discharge
Flow rate up to 70 m3/h (308.2 gpm), 10 bar (145 psi)
Low linear speed
Precise dosing
Accurate volume metering with high turn down
Maintains consistent performance over time
Effective with both high- and low-viscosity fluids
Full drainability

Applications:

Resin trucks unloading
Resin transfer process
Solvent trucks unloading
Solvent transfer process
Additives
Dispersion to auxiliary transfer
Grinding to final mix transfer
Final mix to storage transfer
Finished paint truck loading
Drums filling
Roller Coating
Spraying
DIP Coating

Decided that a G-FLO Pump is right for your operation? Use Mouvex CHOICE to design and configure your G-FLO Pump or reach out to your local distributor to check and confirm your selection.

Find your Local Distributor

The Mouvex Legacy

Established in 1906, Mouvex has excelled as a premier producer of eccentric disc pumps for almost 120 years. Boasting three decades of expertise in crafting pump designs with stainless steel bellows, Mouvex pumps are actively utilized worldwide in diverse markets, including demanding paint and coatings applications.

Conclusion

Eccentric disc pumps - especially the G-FLO Series from Mouvex - offer distinct advantages over traditional pumping technologies in paint and coatings applications, providing manufacturers with enhanced performance, reliability, and cost-efficiency. By prioritizing gentle handling of shear-sensitive materials, precise metering capabilities, minimal pulsation, and reduced maintenance requirements, eccentric disc pumps contribute to improved product quality, production efficiency, and overall profitability.

As the paint and coatings industry continues to evolve, adopting innovative pumping solutions like eccentric disc pumps becomes increasingly essential for staying competitive and meeting the ever-changing demands of the market. Manufacturers seeking to optimize their production processes and achieve superior results can benefit significantly from integrating eccentric disc pumps into their operations.

G-FLO Series Brochure

Paints & Coatings Brochure

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