PFS

Precision Engineering for Aviation & Aerospace

At Platinum Finishing Systems (PFS), we design cutting-edge environments to achieve superior finishes for the aviation and aerospace industries. Our expert engineers and technical specialists have delivered some of the most advanced finishing systems worldwide, ensuring unmatched precision and efficiency.

Standard Aviation & Aerospace Booth Package Includes:

Booths are equipped with the following:

Our booths meet the rigorous safety standards outlined in NFPA-33, the highest-level safety code in the USA for the spray application of flammable or combustible materials.

These models have undergone thorough testing and hold certification as ETL-Certified Booths by Intertek/ETL (Edison Testing Labs). They are also recognized by OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration) as NRTLs (Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories). This certification is often required by local authorities to ensure safe operation and regulatory compliance.

Rest assured, ETL certification is included with your purchase!
ETL Certification included with your purchase

Assembly instructions
UL-approved components
Air Flow Type: Air enters the booth from the filtered intake plenum of the paint booth on the ceiling and is exhausted from the rear exhaust chamber
Construction: 18 Gauge Galvanized Steel pre punched holes for nut and bolt assembly.
Filters: 20" x 20" Fiber Glass exhaust filters
Lighting: LED Lighting or T8 Lighting four tube 4’ Light fixtures ETL listed.
Lighting: LED Lighting or T8 Lighting four tube 4’Light fixtures ETL listed
Doors: Double Wall doors (with observation Windows) & (1) Personnel Door.
Fans: Tube Axial Fans with non-sparking blades motor sizes vary with booth size.
Optional: Powder coating
Heater 1.0MBTU burner with spray, bake, and cool downs

Large Aircraft Booths

Small Aircraft Booths

Platinum Finishing Systems

Types of Aviation and Aerospace Booths

When it comes to aviation and aerospace applications, specialized booths are essential for processes like painting, coating, and finishing. Below is a detailed breakdown of different booth types, highlighting their unique features, benefits, and applications.

1. Crossflow Aviation and Aerospace Booths

Overview:

Crossflow booths use horizontal airflow to provide effective ventilation and dust control.

Key Features:

Airflow Direction: Air enters through filters on one side and exits through an exhaust system on the opposite side.
Filtration System: Multiple layers of filters capture overspray and particulates.
Optimized Space Utilization: Accommodates larger aircraft components without obstruction.
Temperature Control: Maintains optimal conditions for coatings.

Benefits:

2. Side Downdraft Aviation and Aerospace Booths

Overview:

Side downdraft booths feature a unique airflow design that pulls air downward from the ceiling and exhausts it through filters on the sides.

Key Features:

Benefits:

3. Downdraft Aviation and Aerospace Booths

Overview:

Downdraft booths use vertical airflow for maximum containment and safety, drawing air from the ceiling and exhausting it through a floor-based filtration system.

Key Features:

Benefits:

4. Semi-Downdraft Aviation and Aerospace Booths

Overview:

Semi-downdraft booths combine downdraft and side airflow systems for a balanced and versatile setup.

Key Features:

Benefits:

5. Vertical Downdraft Aviation and Aerospace Booths

Overview:

Vertical downdraft booths are compact, making them ideal for smaller components and precision work.

Key Features:

Benefits:

What Makes An Aviation booth different?

Aerospace paint booths or hangars stand out distinctly from other types of paint booths due to their specialized requirements. They demand precise control over temperature, humidity, and exposure to compounds found in specific aerospace coatings. One notable difference lies in the diverse array of shapes and sizes of these paint booths. They range from small, medium, to large rooms dedicated to painting aircraft parts or even entire aircraft.

Not your typical paint booth!

Reducing the interior volume of a large aerospace paint booth or hangar is crucial for efficiency. By tailoring the interior dimensions to match the aircraft being painted, the required air volume and size of air handlers can be minimized. This not only enhances energy efficiency but also makes the equipment more cost-effective.

Another approach often used to reduce air makeup requirements is the installation of recirculation fans, enabling continuous recirculation within the booth.

Designing and installing a bespoke aerospace paint booth tailored to the specific aircraft types being serviced ensures better operational control. This allows for more efficient workspaces, with utilities such as hoses, reels, electric, air, and water positioned closer to where they’re needed. Curtains can also be utilized as dividers to separate areas for prepping parts, substrates, or spraying aircraft coatings.

Alternatively, constructing a standalone paint booth or hangar insert within an existing aircraft hangar can be considered. This eliminates the need for extensive retrofitting of the hangar with explosion-proof fixtures and materials, as the spray area is contained within the booth. The remainder of the hangar can continue to be utilized for other operations or as normal space within a corrosion control aircraft hangar. This flexibility opens up unlimited possibilities for coating areas, prep areas, storage areas, and more!

Air Temperature and Humidity

When applying aerospace coatings to large aircraft within a paint booth or aircraft painting hangar, engineers focus significantly on the size of the facility. Conditioning the air to precise standards is essential, as mandated by aerospace coating manufacturers to ensure optimal performance. Many aerospace paint booths necessitate meticulous monitoring and control of heating, cooling, humidification, and dehumidification to achieve the required air conditions. Deviations from these specifications can jeopardize the coating’s integrity, affecting its resistance to harsh temperatures, extreme weather, chemicals, corrosion, and cleaning materials. In specific applications, failure to apply coatings under correct conditions can even compromise the stealth characteristics of certain coatings.

Enhanced Filtration

Aircraft coatings often contain hazardous substances like hexavalent chromium and cadmium, necessitating more sophisticated filtration methods than standard paints to comply with emissions standards and regulations. The National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAP) mandates that filtration meets specific efficiency requirements to operate with these coatings. Method 319, which simulates chromate paint overspray using potassium chloride and oleic acid, is used to ensure filtration meets these standards.

Our NESHAP filter combinations feature multiple filtration stages to meet industry standards. These include intake air filtration, make up air filtration, exhaust filtration, and more!

These arrays can be adjusted to different configurations, with separate chambers allowing pressure readings between each filter section. Granular Carbon filtration can also help neutralize elements present in aerospace coatings and materials, with facility pollutant output monitored by local authorities.

MACT (Maximum Achievable Control Technology) standards set control levels to reduce hazardous air pollutant emissions, often referenced in discussions about aerospace coatings. Essentially, MACT is a NESHAP standard based on the Maximum Achievable Control Technology for a specific emission source.

Airflow & Recirculation

Achieving the correct air volume for large booths can be challenging, considering temperature, humidity, and speed requirements. Additionally, the shape of the aircraft can influence airflow patterns, potentially leading to unfavorable spraying conditions. Due to aerodynamics, a crossflow setup is highly recommended when designing a painting and refinishing space for aircraft. Introducing air at the front of the aircraft allows for smooth airflow along the body towards the rear of the booth, mimicking the airflow during flight. This ensures efficient exhaust of overspray, promoting smoother operations.

Correct airflow is crucial, as is air velocity, typically measured in linear feet per minute (LFM). Air velocity specifications are determined by regulatory bodies like OSHA, NFPA, EPA, and end-user requirements. To achieve the necessary air velocity, larger booths can employ full-time recirculation, increasing air volume without enlarging the Air Makeup Unit. Appropriately sized recirculation fans, coupled with safety measures like LEL monitors, CO monitors, and VOC monitors, enable large booths to operate effectively and efficiently, reducing the need for constant fresh air makeup. Reclaiming treated air in hangar booths can lead to significant cost savings, both initially and in long-term operating costs.

Architects and engineers tasked with designing aerospace paint facilities must consider electrical and overall energy load calculations. PFS’s engineers regularly assist in developing design specifications for architects and engineering firms designing aircraft MRO and Corrosion Control facilities for aerospace companies and the military, ensuring efficient and effective operations. Have questions on sizing your air make up unit? Give us a call to get a customized solution to meet your needs and requirements.

Air Monitoring

Maintaining air quality is paramount for the safety of operators in a paint booth and for the overall safety of the system and surrounding environment. In addition to standard safety measures, advanced safeguards are often integrated into booths where aerospace coatings are applied, particularly in systems employing full-time recirculation.

The Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) is a critical parameter to monitor, representing the lowest concentration of a gas or vapor that will ignite in air (typically less than 5% by volume for most gases). It’s essential to use devices that measure hazardous levels of combustible gas or solvent vapor in the air to ensure safety.

While LEL monitoring is crucial in aerospace coating applications, monitoring Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) and Carbon Monoxide (CO) is also imperative during full-time recirculation. Both VOCs and CO can pose significant risks to operators if their levels exceed safe thresholds

Controls

Control systems for aerospace and industrial paint booths ensure repeatability in conditions daily, minimizing resets and recalibrations. These control panels are equipped with “VFDs” (variable frequency drives), PLC’s, and more depending on your paint booths specifications and options.

Choosing the Right Booth for Your Needs

Each booth type—Crossflow, Side Downdraft, Downdraft, Semi-Downdraft, and Vertical Downdraft—offers unique advantages tailored to specific applications. By understanding the features and benefits of each design, you can select the optimal solution to ensure superior finishes and safe operations.

Need help deciding?

Call us today to speak with an expert and find the perfect booth for your needs!