What Most Shops Get Wrong About Airflow

Jan 14
3 min read

Description

In paint and powder coating operations, airflow is not just about moving air, it is about controlling it. Yet many shops treat airflow as a simple box to check: “Is the fan running? Yes? Good enough.” This mindset leads to chronic finish issues, energy waste, compliance problems, and frustrated operators.

Airflow is a system made up of volume (CFM), velocity, pressure balance, filtration, and temperature. When any one of these is misunderstood or ignored, the entire finishing process suffers. Most airflow problems don’t come from bad painters or bad paint—they come from bad air.

The Most Common Airflow Mistakes

1. Thinking More Air Is Always Better

Many shops assume that higher airflow automatically means better performance. In reality, excessive airflow can:

Blow material off parts
Create turbulence that traps overspray
Increase energy consumption dramatically
Reduce transfer efficiency

Airflow must be engineered to hit a specific velocity range—not simply “as much as possible.”

2. Ignoring Air Balance

Airflow is not just exhaust—it is supply and exhaust working together. Shops often upgrade exhaust fans without matching make-up air, which causes:

Negative pressure that pulls in dirt and debris
Door and panel leakage
Poor temperature control
Operator discomfort

An unbalanced booth will never perform consistently.

3. Not Accounting for Filter Loading

Filters restrict airflow as they load with paint or powder. Many systems are designed around clean-filter conditions but are never adjusted for:

Pressure drop over time
Reduced face velocity
Increased turbulence as filters clog

Without accounting for filter loading, airflow performance slowly degrades until quality problems appear.

4. Poor Plenum and Duct Design

Air does not naturally distribute evenly. Without proper plenum sizing, transitions, and duct layout, airflow will:

Favor one side of the booth
Create dead zones
Cause swirling or backflow
Leave overspray hanging in the air

Good airflow requires geometry, not guesswork.

5. Treating Airflow as a One-Time Setup

Shops often commission a booth and never re-check airflow again. But changes in:

Production volume
Part size
Filter type
Temperature requirements

All affect airflow behavior. Air systems must be evaluated over time—not just at install.

Why Airflow Matters More Than You Think

When airflow is engineered correctly, it:

Improves finish consistency
Reduces rework and rejects
Improves transfer efficiency
Stabilizes temperature and humidity
Reduces energy waste
Improves worker comfort and safety

Airflow is not just a quality issue—it is a productivity and cost issue.

How Proper Airflow Engineering Works

A properly designed finishing airflow system considers:

Required CFM based on booth size and process
Target face velocity for the coating type
Static pressure across filters and ducting
Plenum design for even distribution
Exhaust and make-up air balance
Heater sizing and air temperature control

The goal is smooth, uniform, predictable airflow—not turbulence, drafts, or pressure swings.

Why Most Shops Get It Wrong

Most airflow problems come from:

Using generic fan selections
Copying old booth designs
Prioritizing cost over engineering
Treating airflow as “just ventilation”

Without proper design, shops are forced to “work around” their booth instead of letting the booth work for them.

Why California Pulse Designs Airflow First

At California Pulse, airflow is not an afterthought—it is the starting point. Every booth is designed around:

Balanced exhaust and make-up air
Proper velocity targets
Engineered plenum and duct geometry
Filter loading calculations
Integration with heaters and controls

We design systems that move air where it needs to go, at the speed it needs to move, for the process it needs to support.

Contact California Pulse to evaluate your airflow design and build a finishing system that works with your process, not against it.