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The Five P's:  Product

A full description of the product(s) to be painted should be provided to the paint system contractor. The information should include dimensions of not only the largest part but also as many of the parts as information is available.

The material handling (i.e. hanging) arrangement will dictate the length, width (perpendicular to conveyor travel), and height of the part. The material handling arrangement is determined by the part morphology with respect to product balance and presentation to the process, e.g., exposure to washer nozzles, paint guns, infra-red emitters or blasting equipment, and minimizing water carrying or, conversely, air entrapment with dip processes.

The part size is one third of the determining factor of the eventual equipment size and will dictate parameters that include but are not limited to: product centers (part density), conveyor turn radius, opening dimensions, number of nozzles in the washer, washer drain lengths, clearances with the oven(s), paint booth size, resulting air flow, etc.

Answers to the following questions should be prepared related to the product description:

• What are the dimensions for the largest to
  smallest parts?
• How much do the parts weigh?
• Will the parts be handled individually or collectively
  on a rack or in a basket?
• Are catalog cut sheets or shop drawings available to
  include in the specifications?
• Does the part morphology present concerns for
  the process?

"The Five P's:  Product, Production, Paint, Process, and Plant"