Spray Equipment for Awlgrip Coatings
Recommended gun setups, tip sizes, atomizing pressure, compressor requirements, and the Ten Steps to Success — pulled directly from the Awlgrip Application Guide (Edition 22).
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Overview
Spray equipment is one of the largest variables in any Awlgrip job. Even a perfectly mixed topcoat will fail to atomize correctly through the wrong gun, the wrong tip, or a contaminated air supply. The goal of this page is to give you the manufacturer-recommended starting points so you can dial in your fan, fluid flow, and pressure with minimal trial and error.
Awlgrip groups its products into three application categories: airless (high-viscosity primers and surfacers), air-atomized (low to mid-viscosity primers and all topcoats), and HVLP (used with caution because the lower atomizing power can affect the final finish). The product-specific tables further down match each Awlgrip product to a recommended gun, tip, and pressure.
Standardize before you start
If more than one sprayer will be working the job, every painter should use the same make and model of gun, the same air cap, the same tip and nozzle, and the same fluid hose grade. Mixing equipment across painters is a leading cause of finish inconsistency on large hulls.
Ten Steps to Success — Equipment for Awlgrip Applications
- Use good quality, well-maintained equipment. The best paint will not save you from a worn gun, a leaking pot, or undersized air hoses. Service everything before the project starts.
- Standardize your equipment. Same gun, same air cap, same tip, same nozzle for every sprayer on the job. Match the manufacturer's recommended setup.
- Ensure clean gun, hoses, and air. Replace dirty hoses. Run air for 10–15 minutes through a tack rag to verify cleanliness. Service filters and traps regularly. Avoid EPDM rubber fluid lines — they are not chemically compatible with most two-component yacht coatings.
- Check your environment. Air temperature, substrate temperature, humidity, and airflow all need to be within range. When using electrostatic equipment, remove anything non-essential from the booth and ground all painters and equipment to prevent static buildup.
- Choose the correct reducer. Once you know the temperature and humidity, pick the reducer that keeps the film open long enough to flow without sagging or solvent popping.
- Determine the optimum gun setup. Use the "3-step fan check" to dial in atomization. Verify fluid flow rate and air pressure at the gun, not at the regulator.
- Synchronize gun settings. Every sprayer on the project must have the same fluid flow and air pressure, and these must not change mid-application.
- Record the settings for future reference. Document your final pressures, tip sizes, and reducer percentages once the job is dialed in.
- Spray a test area. At the start of the job and before each coat, spray a decent-sized test panel to check appearance and wet film thickness.
- Work well within the pot life. As the paint inducts and viscosity climbs, behavior changes. Push the pot life and the final film will suffer.
Compressors and Compressed Air
Clean, oil-free, dry air at consistent pressure and volume is essential. The supply system must include oil/water separators, refrigerant or desiccant dryers, and an air receiver sized to meet the system's maximum operating capacity.
Air system design
- Use smooth-bore pipework with minimal tight bends to reduce pressure drop.
- A recirculating main loop with individual drop-downs outperforms a single straight run from the compressor.
- Keep flexible lines as short as practical with the largest workable internal diameter. As a reference: 190 m of 10 mm airline produces about 12.5% pressure drop, while 10 m of 5 mm airline produces about 62% pressure drop.
- Always measure atomizing pressure at the handle of the spray gun with the trigger pulled — not at the regulator.
- Use high-flow fittings, and minimize the number of connections. A longer hose with fewer fittings beats a short hose with many connections.
Equipment Types
Airless
Traditionally used with high-viscosity Awlgrip products such as primers and surfacers. Refer to the product data tables for the recommended high-pressure fluid tip size (typically expressed in thou).
Air-Assisted Airless
Acceptable for low to mid-viscosity products where listed in the product tables. Not the preferred application method for topcoats but workable for some primers.
Air Atomized
The standard method for low to mid-viscosity products including all Awlgrip topcoats. Pressure pots and gravity-feed guns are both used; refer to the gun-specific tables below for tip size and pressure.
HVLP (High Volume, Low Pressure)
HVLP equipment can be used but the lower atomizing power affects how a coating behaves and may show up in the final finish. Consult both your local Awlgrip representative and the gun manufacturer before committing to HVLP for a topcoat job.
Reading the gun setup tables
Gun air pressures are measured at the handle with the trigger pulled. Some fluid needles are suitable for use with more than one fluid nozzle size. When using pressure pots, the fluid delivery line must be the correct grade for the paint and solvents being used — check with your equipment supplier.
SATA Spray Gun Setups
Recommended SATA gun configurations for Awlgrip products. Pressures shown are measured at the gun handle with the trigger pulled.
| Product | Gun / Type | Tip Size | Fluid Flow | Atomizing Pressure |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awlgrip Topcoat (G/H line) | SATAjet 5000 RP — Gravity | 1.0 / 1.2 mm | — | 1.8 / 2.3 bar |
| Awlgrip Topcoat (G/H line) | SATAjet 3000 K RP — Pressure | 0.8 / 1.1 mm | 250 ml/min | 1.8 / 2.5 bar |
| Awlgrip HDT | SATAjet 5000 RP — Gravity | 1.1 / 1.2 mm | — | 2.0 / 2.3 bar |
| Awlgrip HDT | SATAjet 3000 K RP — Pressure | 0.8 / 1.1 mm | 250 – 300 ml/min | 2.0 / 2.5 bar |
| Awlcraft 3000 / 2000 | SATAjet 5000 RP — Gravity | 1.0 / 1.2 mm | — | 1.8 / 2.3 bar |
| Awlcraft 3000 / 2000 | SATAjet 3000 K RP — Pressure | 0.8 / 1.1 mm | 250 ml/min | 1.8 / 2.5 bar |
| Awlcraft SE (Solids & Effects) | SATAjet 5000 RP — Gravity | 1.0 / 1.3 mm | — | 1.8 / 2.3 bar |
| Awlcraft SE (Solids & Effects) | SATAjet 3000 K RP — Pressure | 0.8 / 1.1 mm | 180 / 220 ml/min | 1.8 / 2.3 bar |
| 545 Primer | SATAjet 1000 RP — Gravity | 1.0 / 1.3 mm | — | 1.8 / 2.0 bar |
| 545 Primer | SATAjet 3000 K RP — Pressure | 0.8 / 1.1 mm | 180 / 280 ml/min | 1.8 / 2.5 bar |
| High Build Epoxy Primer | SATAjet 3000 K RP — Pressure | 1.5 / 2.0 mm | 170 / 260 ml/min | 1.8 / 2.5 bar |
| Ultra Build | SATAjet 3000 K RP — Pressure | 1.7 / 2.0 mm | 200 / 250 ml/min | 1.8 / 2.5 bar |
| Hullgard Extra | SATAjet 3000 K RP — Pressure | 1.5 / 1.7 mm | 250 / 300 ml/min | 2.0 / 2.5 bar |
| Awlquik | SATAjet 3000 K RP — Pressure | 1.1 / 1.4 mm | 180 / 280 ml/min | 1.8 / 2.5 bar |
DeVilbiss Spray Gun Setups
| Product | Gun / Type | Air Cap | Tip Size | Pressure @ Handle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awlgrip Topcoat (G/H line) | Pro Lite — Pressure | TE 40 | 0.85 mm | 1.85 bar |
| Awlgrip Topcoat (G/H line) | Advanced HD — Pressure | 520 | 0.85 mm | 2.25 bar |
| Awlgrip HDT | Pro Lite — Pressure | TE 40 | 0.85 mm | 1.9 bar |
| Awlgrip HDT | Advanced HD — Pressure | 520 | 0.85 mm | 2.3 bar |
| Awlcraft 3000 / 2000 | Pro Lite — Pressure | TE 40 | 1.0 mm | 1.9 bar |
| Awlcraft 3000 / 2000 | Advanced HD — Pressure | 520 | 0.85 mm | 2.3 bar |
| Awlcraft SE | Pro Lite — Pressure | TE 40 | 0.85 mm | 1.8 bar |
| Awlcraft SE | Advanced HD — Pressure | 520 | 0.85 mm | 2.1 bar |
| 545 Primer | Pro Lite — Pressure | TE 40 | 1.0 mm | 2.0 bar |
| 545 Primer | Advanced HD — Pressure | 520 | 1.0 mm | 2.2 bar |
| High Build | Pro Lite — Pressure | TE 20 | 1.4 mm | 1.85 bar |
| High Build | Advanced HD — Pressure | 522 | 1.4 mm | 2.2 bar |
| Ultra Build | Pro Lite — Pressure | TE 40 | 1.6 mm | 1.85 bar |
| Hullgard Extra | Pro Lite — Pressure | TE 40 | 1.8 mm | 1.95 bar |
| Awlquik | Pro Lite — Pressure | TE 40 | 1.2 mm | 1.9 bar |
Iwata Spray Gun Setups
| Product | Gun / Type | Air Cap | Tip Size | Pressure @ Handle |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awlgrip Topcoat (G/H line) | WS 200 SP — Pressure | O1 | 1.0 mm | 2.5 bar |
| Awlgrip Topcoat (G/H line) | WS 400 — Gravity | O1 1.2 HD | 1.2 mm | 2.0 bar |
| Awlgrip HDT | WS 200 SP — Pressure | O1 | 1.0 mm | 2.5 bar |
| Awlgrip HDT | WS 400 — Gravity | O1 1.2 HD | 1.2 mm | 2.0 bar |
| Awlcraft 3000 / 2000 | WS 200 SP — Pressure | O1 | 1.0 mm | 2.5 bar |
| Awlcraft 3000 / 2000 | WS 400 — Gravity | O1 1.2 HD | 1.2 mm | 2.0 bar |
| Awlcraft SE | WS 200 SP — Pressure | O1 | 1.0 mm | 2.5 bar |
| 545 Primer | WS 200 FT — Pressure | O1 | 1.0 mm | 2.5 bar |
| 545 Primer | WS 400 — Gravity | O1 1.2 HD | 1.2 mm | 2.0 bar |
| High Build | W 200 — Pressure | G2P | 1.6 mm | 3.0 bar |
| Ultra Build | W 200 — Pressure | K2 | 1.6 mm | 1.7 bar |
| Hullgard Extra | W 200 — Pressure | K2 | 1.6 mm | 3.0 bar |
| Awlquik | WS 200 FT — Pressure | O1 | 1.0 mm | 3.0 bar |
Ventilation, Respiratory Protection & PPE
Awlgrip topcoats and primers contain isocyanates and require supplied-air respiratory protection during and after application. Use only with adequate ventilation. Maintain a continuous flow of fresh air. Do not breathe vapors, spray mists, or sanding dust.
- Wear a properly fitted, supplied-air respirator unless air monitoring confirms vapor and particulate levels are below applicable limits.
- Provide sufficient mechanical ventilation (general and/or local exhaust) to keep exposure below TLVs.
- Use solvent-resistant safety eyewear with splash guards.
- Wear solvent-impermeable gloves, clothing, and boots to prevent skin contact.
- Refer to ISO 16975-3 for respiratory protection program guidance, including facial fit testing and respirator cleaning.
Always read the SDS
Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and Technical Data Sheets (TDS) are available on awlgrip.com. The SDS contains the full list of hazards, exposure limits, and required PPE for each product. Do not begin spraying until everyone on the crew has read it.
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