A film forming device 10 including a distance measurement unit 30 for measuring the distance between the skin S and the device 10, a distance decision unit 31 for deciding whether the distance measured by the distance measurement unit 30 is proper for electrostatic spraying, and a distance notification unit 32 for notifying a user of the decision by the distance decision unit 31. The film forming device 10 is of hand-held type small enough and configured to be held by the user's hand. The device 10 preferably includes an angle measurement unit 42 for measuring the angle between the electrostatic spray direction and the skin S.

A electrostatic spray system includes a sprayer that is configured to impart an electric charge on particles that are discharged from the sprayer. The system further includes a humidity sensor configured to sense humidity in a work area. An electrostatic controller is receives signals from the humidity sensor corresponding to the humidity in the work area. The electrostatic controller is programmed to selectively control the electrostatic charge imparted on the particles by the sprayer according to the signals received from the humidity sensor.

A particle can be discretely ejected from a orifice.

An integrated liquidjet system capable of stripping, prepping and coating a part includes a cell defining an enclosure, a jig for holding the part inside the cell, an ultrasonic nozzle having an ultrasonic transducer for generating a pulsed liquidjet, a coating particle source for supplying coating particles to the nozzle, a pressurized liquid source for supplying the nozzle with a pressurized liquid to enable the nozzle to generate the pulsed liquidjet to sequentially strip, prep and coat the part, a high-voltage electrode and a ground electrode inside the nozzle for charging the coating particles, and a human-machine interface external to the cell for receiving user commands and for controlling the pulsed liquidjet exiting from the nozzle in response to the user commands.

An integrated liquidjet system capable of stripping, prepping and coating a part includes a cell defining an enclosure, a jig for holding the part inside the cell, an ultrasonic nozzle having an ultrasonic transducer for generating a pulsed liquidjet, a coating particle source for supplying coating particles to the nozzle, a pressurized liquid source for supplying the nozzle with a pressurized liquid to enable the nozzle to generate the pulsed liquidjet to sequentially strip, prep and coat the part, a high-voltage electrode and a ground electrode inside the nozzle for charging the coating particles, and a human-machine interface external to the cell for receiving user commands and for controlling the pulsed liquidjet exiting from the nozzle in response to the user commands.

A method of stripping, prepping and coating a surface comprises first stripping the exiting coating from a surface, using continuous or pulsed fluid jet, followed by prepping the surface by the same fluid jet. The method also provides entraining particles into a fluid stream, if desired to generate a particle-entrained fluid stream that is directed at the surface to be stripped and prepped. The particles act as abrasive particles for prepping the surface to a prescribed surface roughness required for subsequent application of a coating to the surface. The method then entails coating the surface by electrically charging particles having the same chemical composition as the particles used to prep the surface. Finally, a charged-particle-entrained fluid stream is directed at high speed at the charged surface to coat the surface. The particles form both mechanical and electronic bonds with the surface.

An electrostatic atomizing device includes a discharge section capable of retaining a liquid, a voltage applying section for applying a voltage to the discharge section, and a control section for setting the voltage applied by the voltage applying section to a given voltage at which a charged particulate water can be produced in an amount equal to or greater than a given amount. The control section is configured to set the voltage applied by the voltage applying section to a voltage lower than the given voltage at an operation start, and then to change the lower voltage to the given voltage. The electrostatic atomizing device can shorten a time needed before the electrostatic atomizing phenomenon occurs.

A coating apparatus can include a spray applicator configured to discharge a coating material toward a surface of a workpiece, wherein the spray applicator includes an air shaping orifice, and wherein the spray applicator is configured to generate an electric field between the spray applicator and the workpiece, and a positioning system configured to adjust a position of the spray applicator relative to the surface of the workpiece. It can further include a control system configured to regulate operation of the spray applicator and/or the positioning system to: maintain the spray applicator within a coating distance, maintain a flow rate of shaping air through the air shaping orifice, and maintain an electrical potential of the electric field.

An integrated liquidjet system capable of stripping, prepping and coating a part includes a cell defining an enclosure, a jig for holding the part inside the cell, an ultrasonic nozzle having an ultrasonic transducer for generating a pulsed liquidjet, a coating particle source for supplying coating particles to the nozzle, a pressurized liquid source for supplying the nozzle with a pressurized liquid to enable the nozzle to generate the pulsed liquidjet to sequentially strip, prep and coat the part, a high-voltage electrode and a ground electrode inside the nozzle for charging the coating particles, and a human-machine interface external to the cell for receiving user commands and for controlling the pulsed liquidjet exiting from the nozzle in response to the user commands.

A system comprising a workpiece and an electrostatic coating machine configured to electrostatically adsorb paint on the workpiece by charging the paint with a voltage output supplied from a high voltage generator, wherein a high voltage safety control unit is configured to monitor the voltage output and lower the voltage output of the high voltage generator based on a detected current being above a first overcurrent threshold, can be improved wherein a the first overcurrent threshold is a dynamic threshold based on the voltage output.