Case Study: Power Tool Housing Coating Solution
Summary
A 60 m overhead-chain fast-cure coating line for an OEM supplier of drill and grinder housings to power-tool brands in South Africa, running 3.2 million plastic housings a year at 6 seconds per piece on two shifts. Vertical reciprocators apply the coating, infrared pre-heat holds the substrate at 50 °C or below and a lamp array cures the film in 10 seconds, giving a high-gloss finish of ≥85 GU with a 99.2% visual pass rate. Figures as reported after commissioning in 2024.
Project Background
The client is an OEM supplier for known power tool brands in South Africa, producing drill and grinder housings. Their existing manual coating lacked capacity and consistency.
The Challenge
Power tool housings are plastic parts that don't tolerate high heat (≤80 °C). Annual capacity 3 million means very fast cycle time (6 sec/piece in 2 shifts).
MUSI's Solution
MUSI designed a UV coating solution: reciprocator UV paint spray → IR pre-heat (only 50 °C) → UV lamp combination cure (10-second cure). 6-sec cycle without damaging plastic parts.
Equipment Configuration
| Line type | Overhead chain UV coating line |
|---|---|
| Spray | Vertical reciprocator |
| Curing | UV LED + mercury combination |
| Curing time | 10 seconds |
| Cycle time | 6 sec/piece |
| Substrate temperature | ≤50 °C (no plastic damage) |
| Film gloss | High gloss (≥85 GU) |
| Annual capacity | 3 million pcs (2 shifts) |
Equipment used on this line
- Automatic spray coating lines — overhead chain, floor belt and robotic flexible lines
Implementation
80-day delivery. UV paint compatibility with plastic substrates was a new challenge — MUSI worked with paint suppliers on 30+ UV paint trials before settling on the optimal formula.
Results
New line achieved expected 3.2 million pcs/year capacity. Visual pass rate 99.2%. The client won global orders for Bosch, Stanley, and other brands.
Client Feedback
"UV coating was a new attempt for the power tool industry. MUSI's solution combines speed and quality — putting us at the industry forefront."
— Project Manager, Client Side
Selection logic: why this configuration
A lamp-cured coating with infrared pre-heat was chosen over convection drying because the housings are plastic and cannot exceed 80 °C, and because a 6-second cycle leaves no room for a long oven. Vertical reciprocators were preferred to robots because housings are small, symmetrical and hung densely, so a fixed pattern covers them at rate. Thirty paint trials were run with suppliers before the system was fixed, because adhesion on the housing plastics varied by grade.
Scope of supply and key components
| Item | Specification | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Overhead chain conveyor | 60 m, 6 s cycle | |
| Spray station | Vertical reciprocators | |
| Pre-heat | Infrared, substrate ≤50 °C | |
| Cure | Lamp array, 10 s | |
| Booth | Filtered air, overspray extraction | Gloss ≥85 GU |
Key components
Key components are available from international brands, configurable per customer specification, so that spare parts can be sourced locally over the life of the line. Brand names below are the usual options for this type of equipment; the brands actually fitted are fixed in the contract specification.
| Component | Brands available on request |
|---|---|
| Automatic liquid guns, pumps and 2K proportioners | International tier-one spray gun, pump and 2K proportioner brands |
| Booth ceiling and intake filter media | Freudenberg Viledon, AAF SureStop, Camfil, MANN+HUMMEL |
| PLC and HMI | Siemens SIMATIC S7-1500, Mitsubishi Electric MELSEC iQ-R, Schneider Electric Modicon, OMRON NX, Rockwell Automation Allen-Bradley |
| Variable-frequency drives | ABB ACS580, Siemens SINAMICS G120, Danfoss VLT, Schneider Electric Altivar, Yaskawa, Mitsubishi Electric |
| Conveyor gear motors | SEW-EURODRIVE, NORD DRIVESYSTEMS, Bonfiglioli, Siemens, Sumitomo Drive Technologies |
| Sensors and temperature controllers | SICK, Pepperl+Fuchs, OMRON E5CC, Honeywell UDC, Yokogawa UT, ifm, KEYENCE |
| Dust collector filter cartridges | Donaldson Ultra-Web, Parker BHA, Camfil, MANN+HUMMEL |
Not included in the scope of supply
- Civil works, foundations and pits
- Building services up to the battery limit: power supply, gas, compressed air, water and drainage
- Local permits, emission approvals and third-party inspections
- Paint or powder supply, unless stated in the contract
Services included with every line: engineering design, manufacturing, shipping documentation, installation supervision, commissioning, operator training, warranty and spare parts.
Typical programme
The durations below are typical for equipment of this class and are given for planning; they are not the recorded schedule of this project. A complete line usually runs 90–180 days from contract to acceptance, a single unit 30–60 days.
| Stage | Typical duration | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Site survey and workpiece review | 5–10 days | Remote review of drawings and photos, or an engineer visit |
| Layout and detail design | 15–30 days | Layout drawing, utilities list and specification sign-off |
| Manufacturing | 45–90 days | Booths, ovens, conveyor, pretreatment and controls built and pre-assembled at the works |
| Shipping | 20–45 days | Sea freight; equipment shipped in sections for on-site assembly |
| Installation | 15–40 days | MUSI supervision with the client's installation crew or MUSI crew |
| Commissioning, training and acceptance | 7–15 days | Trial runs on the client's parts, operator training, acceptance record |
Results: before and after
Figures are those published on this page; measurement party, sample size, test date and method are not on record here and are left blank rather than estimated.
| Metric | Before | After | Change | Measured by | Single / average | Samples | Test date | Method / instrument |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual capacity | manual coating | 3.2 million pieces | — | |||||
| Visual pass rate | — | 99.2% | — |
Applicability and limits
The 6-second cycle applies to small plastic housings hung densely with a lamp-cured system proven on the client's plastic grades. Larger housings, dark or filled plastics that absorb infrared differently, or coating systems not formulated for lamp cure need their own trials before the cycle is committed.
Results shown in this case study reflect the stated operating conditions and should not be interpreted as guaranteed performance under different feed, production, environmental, or site conditions.
After-sales and spare parts
Warranty on a MUSI coating line runs from acceptance: 12 months on the complete line excluding consumables, 36 months on critical components such as motors, drives and the PLC, and 60 months on structural parts such as steel structure, ducting and oven bodies. Failures within warranty, excluding misuse, are repaired free of charge.
Support starts remotely: the service line is staffed around the clock, a preliminary diagnosis with recommendations is given within 2 hours, and where a site visit is needed an engineer reaches any major city within 72 hours. A spare-parts inventory is held at the Changzhou headquarters with same-day shipping, and customers can keep a dedicated parts stock at MUSI for emergencies. Details are on the after-sales service page.
FAQ
Can plastic tool housings be coated on an automatic line? Yes, with a coating that cures under lamps rather than in an oven. This line holds the substrate at 50 °C or below and cures in 10 seconds.
How fast is the line? Six seconds per piece, 3.2 million housings a year on two shifts.
Why were 30 paint trials needed? Adhesion and gloss on plastic housings depend on the polymer grade and release agents; the trials fixed a system that held ≥85 GU and passed adhesion on the client's housings.
Reciprocators or robots for housings? Reciprocators: housings are small, symmetrical and hung densely, so a fixed vertical pattern coats them at rate with less maintenance than robots.
How long was delivery? Eighty days, with the paint trials run in parallel with manufacturing.
Next step: a configuration proposal for a similar line
If your parts, volumes or plant conditions are close to this project, MUSI can return a line configuration and layout proposal. To prepare it we need four things:
- Photos and dimensions of the workpieces, with weight and material
- Required output (pieces per hour or per day, and shifts)
- Number of colours and how often colour changes are needed
- Available floor space and ceiling height, with the utilities on site
Message us on WhatsApp with these details, or use the quotation form.
Provided by Lin Cong, Technical Director, MUSI Technology · Published 2026-05-02 · Updated 2026-09-30 · Last technical review: 2026-09-30
QQuestions buyers ask before ordering
quotation · price · lead time · installation · warranty
What information do you need to prepare a quotation?
Send part drawings or photos, the largest part size and weight, the material, the required output per shift, the paint or powder type and number of colours, and the available floor space, ceiling height and power or gas supply. MUSI engineers reply within 24 hours; a recommended configuration and quotation follow once your part data is complete.
How much does this equipment cost?
Budget depends on part size, throughput and the level of automation. Indicative ex-works ranges are published in our complete coating line cost guide; a configured quotation is prepared from your part data. Published indicative ex-works ranges: a complete powder coating line is roughly USD 75,000–230,000 semi-automatic, USD 200,000–600,000 for a standard automatic line and USD 600,000–2,000,000 for a high-throughput automated plant.
What is the lead time?
Standard configurations ship in 30–60 days from contract signing and down payment; custom configurations take longer. The delivery date is fixed in the contract.
Do you install and train operators overseas?
Yes. MUSI engineers carry out on-site installation and commissioning and give 3–5 days of operator and maintenance training. MUSI has delivered 800+ coating lines to customers in 36 countries.
What warranty and after-sales support are included?
12 months full-machine warranty, 36 months on critical components and up to 60 months on structural parts. International customers get 24-hour phone response and 72-hour on-site arrival; spare parts ship from the Changzhou headquarters.
Can the environmental equipment be supplied with the line?
Yes. VOC treatment (RTO, RCO, activated carbon, zeolite rotor), dust collection and paint wastewater treatment are supplied with the coating line under one contract; MUSI has equipped 50+ coating facilities whose projects all passed local environmental compliance reviews.
Get a Similar Solution
If your industry and requirements match this case, contact MUSI to schedule a free consultation. We'll design an optimal solution based on your specific workpieces, capacity, and facility.