Save money and downtime...
Give your cartridge filters a new lease on life!
In today’s economy, it really does pay to get the most life out of every consumable component your powder coating system uses. That especially holds true for the cartridge filters used for powder over spray collection. ITW Gema filters last for up to 2000 hours and longer with proper care, attention and maintenance. Here are a few simple steps you can take to ensure that your filters are capable of doing their job efficiently, effectively and consistently for months.

Every 3 months, check for leaking diaphragm valves and solenoids. Damaged valves will make cleaning less effective and waste compressed air. The sound of the compressed air pulse should be sharp. If the pulse sound is not sharp or sounds drawn out, check the valves for leaks. Timer boards should always be set for an "on time" of 100 milliseconds (0.1 second). Anything less will not provide effective cleaning, and if set for any longer, the pulse duration will waste compressed air. Additionally, avoid ineffective cleaning by ensuring that pulse-down pressures are set correctly. Check your booth operating manual for proper pulse-down pressure settings. (See the diagram below for a typical booth filter air-flow process.)



Never attempt to clean the cartridge filters with a manual compressed air wand. The wand tip can damage the media pleats of the cartridge filter. Never tap the ends of the filters on hard surfaces to remove any excess powder. This can damage the cartridge end-cap and result in a loss of seal around the tube-sheet. Filters damaged this way will allow powder to bypass into the final filters, decreasing air flow there also.

The nano-fiber webbing in ITW Gema filters keeps the powder on the surface of the filter media and does not allow the powder particles to penetrate deeply into the filter media. This helps maintain a consistently low pressure drop over the life of the filter. When downtime cleaning is initiated, excess powder fines are easily pulse-cleaned from the filter surface. Filters manufactured from standard spun-bond polyester media or “80/20 blends” allow powder fines to migrate into the depth of the media. Pulse-cleaning is not very effective on these filter media, so these filters will tend to cause pressure drops, which in turn will directly impact booth air volume. Polyester filters are also prone to damage from high air pressures and must be pulse-cleaned at lower pressures. Polyester filters are washable and reusable, but the time and labor to remove, wash and replace the filter may be cost prohibitive. It may be more cost-effective to replace the polyester filter more often or use an ITW Gema Diamond Ultra-Web™ type of filter that will last longer instead.

The bottom line is, take care of your cartridge filters and they’ll take care of you. And when it comes time to replace them, be sure to use genuine ITW Gema Diamond filters.

Ultra-Web is a registered trademark of Donaldson Company, Inc.

If you're looking to make the move from manual powder coating equipment, or want to replace your current powder coating booth system, the Diamond™ Series is the right choice for you. The efficient design of our Diamond coating booth makes the unit ready to install and begin production. The Diamond features plug-and-play installation with a fully prewired and preplumbed booth base and, in most cases, is shipped preassembled. On top of that, no other side-draft cartridge collection booth is as easy to operate, while giving you exceptional performance with each and every application.
Here's what to look for in your next powder coating system:
• Optimal system design to ensure powder containment while
• meeting industry safety standards
• Maximum recovery efficiency
• Multiple color capabilities
• Easy cleaning
• All filter media accessible and easily replaced
• Minimal maintenance required
• Versatile design to meet changing production requirements
• Optimum use of plant floor space
• Minimal plant air and energy requirements
• Safe operational noise levels
The Diamond has all these attributes and much more. See for yourself, by clicking the link below or contacting ITW Gema.

There's a lot more to tell about the the Diamond™ Series Powder Coating Booth System. For additional information or better yet, to schedule an Application System Analysis Program (ASAP), visit www.itwgema.us or call 1-800-628-0601.