Even if you do not have much of an artistic spirit, you may still encounter times in your life when you need to use paint. Whether you are covering a patched section of a wall to get your apartment deposit back or renovating some battered wicker porch furniture, you may question how paint is actually made. Considering how many different types of paint exist and all the ways it can be applied, it can be a great idea to learn a little bit about the medium of paint and how special filling machines and equipment help in the manufacturing process.
Understanding Paint
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the United States paint industry sells about 1.57 billion gallons of paint products per year. This makes it a large earner of the industry, making about $20 billion per year across four different subsets of paint categories. Paint products are considered to fall under one of these definitions:
• Industrial paint coatings, like those for manufactured items
• Architectural paint coatings, like those for homes and buildings
• Special paint coatings, like those for situations requiring increased durability
• Paint-related items, like those for paint thinning or cleaning
The Environmental Protection Agency also states that there are about 43,000 employees working in the paint industry to develop and produce paint products both nationally and internationally.
Making Paint
Paint is composed of dry and liquid ingredients; these can include pigments, solvents, resins and unique additives. The paint company develops a different recipe for each type of paint, based on its intended usage and color formulas. Once the ingredients are combined, they are canned using calibrated filling machines to ensure they are transported safely and retain the high quality expected from customers. In many cases, pneumatic filling equipment is used to attain precise levels of paint while minimizing potential fire or explosion hazards. Once the paint is canned, it can be prepared for shipping to customers.