Are you looking to increase productivity in your bodyshop? Whether you’re a small team or a larger, established firm, productivity is key when it comes to your bodyshop. After all, bodyshops are renowned for being busy spaces to work in. Making these small changes could help to streamline your workflow and turn your bodyshop into a productive environment for you and your employees.
From the car spraybooth station to the washing area, most bodyshop owners find their workspace is limited which leads to overcrowding and work areas overlapping. Thankfully, there’s always room for improvement when it comes to your bodyshop layout.
First and foremost, you’ll want to create designated areas for each task. This will allow your employees to work simultaneously alongside each other on different tasks, thus increasing your bodyshop’s productivity.
Separating your bodyshop by these workstations is a great place to start:
Now that you’ve revisited your bodyshop layout, it’s time to focus on planning for productivity. In the chaotic environment of a bodyshop, it can be tempting to take jobs as they come. However, thinking and planning ahead will allow you to allocate times to jobs more accurately.
When you take note of upcoming jobs, it’s important to estimate rough timings and even designate workstations to the job. For example, if a car is coming in for a spray-booth job, you might need to book out the spray booth painting station for a couple of hours. Ultimately, this will allow you to always be in-the-know about what’s going on in your bodyshop – and when!
Regular maintenance and cleanliness are paramount when it comes to bodyshop productivity. From vehicle dollies to your car paint booth, maintaining equipment in your bodyshop will not only help you to preserve your new layout but will also increase productivity.
When equipment becomes worn, out-of-date or simply broken, your whole bodyshop will suffer and you might have to cancel customer’s appointments. At the start and end of every working day, spend 5-10 minutes just to check over your equipment to ensure everything is in order for the next working day. It might sound simple, but regular maintenance checks really do make all the difference.
While there might be some tools in your bodyshop that you can service and maintain yourself, your car spray booth is a high-tech piece of equipment that will need regular, professional servicing and maintenance checks. At AGM Services, our engineers are all fully-qualified and are extremely knowledgeable when it comes to all makes of automotive spray booths. Book your automotive spray booth service with us today.
We’ve also got a range of spray booth filters available to purchase online, so you can have your spray booth up and running again in no time. We’ve also recently added the groundbreaking PolyMat EX filter to our range, helping you boost efficiency while saving time and money.
Take a look around our website for more information and a number of useful resources. Including guides like DIY spraybooth maintenance checks and How often should you have your spray booth serviced? Need more help? Get in touch with a member of our team to discuss your AGM Service maintenance contract.
Beyond 21st June 2021, it will be the intention of countless businesses across the country to ‘get into gear’ for the future. Preparation will be vital if you want to capitalise on post-pandemic business.
The sectors relevant to AGM Services are not excluded from this. Between automotive, industrial, commercial, and aerospace, these sectors have all felt the strain of lockdown. With that came a general tightening of belts and, for many, the furloughing of staff. However, what cannot be overlooked is your general preparedness for life after lockdown.
Looking at the automotive industry, for example, research shows that business is finally starting to pick up. If you’re a bodyshop, you need to be prepared for an uptick in business. If your equipment hasn’t been properly maintained throughout lockdown then there’s a far higher chance it won’t meet demand.
We’re talking about your spraybooths, of course. Ensure that you’re taking the following steps and your spray booth will be ready to go once business picks up.
The following testing methods are central to spray booth servicing because they ensure that your spray booth is not only fully operational but will perform to its highest standards.
The testing methods include:
Because you need to reduce exposure of your spray booth cabin to airborne contaminants (fumes, mist, dust, vapour gas), you need a system which tests the efficacy of your extract filters. Should your extract filters ever falter or become damaged, an LEV test will determine just how effective ventilation in your spray booth is. Fixing this could result in significant delays which, when business is up and running again, could cost your business.
You can learn more about our LEV testing here.
To guarantee the safety of your spray booth operators and those working around the cabin, we perform Breathing Air Quality Testing according to BS EN12021 regulations. You can set up these tests annually as part of your AGM Services contract.
Learn about our Air Quality Testing services here.
Because you cannot tell when airborne paint mist has completely evaporated, your spray booth operator needs to know exactly when the booth has cleared of isocyanate particles. Again, if there is any lag or delay in clearing particles to make way for a safe environment, then this delay could affect business.
You can learn about our mist clearance tests here.
In the event that you’re subject to an Environmental Permit, you will likely experience significant delays or hold-ups to your process. Our team will carry out fully accredited, professional expert stack emission testing that will ensure your equipment is safe and fully operational.
Read more about our Stack Emission Monitoring service here.
Aside from the range of legislative tests we can carry out, here are some more general safety and maintenance checks you can perform.
– Replace your fan belts. To ensure your spray booth is prepared for a business uptick, you should replace the fan belts on your motors and then adjust them to your required tension.
– Make sure your control panel is working properly. As most of our solutions can be controlled by sophisticated and accessible control panel systems, you’ll need to ensure your control panels are in good working order. Assess your timer settings and temperature, tweaking them to your desired specifications.
– Take a look at your booth pressure. Your booth pressure needs to be running negative (essentially so that your cabin takes out more air than is going in).
Give your lights a check over. Visually check your spray booth lights and replace any burnt out or flickering tubes.
Check the exhaust fan blades. Over time, your exhaust fan blades can gather dust and will eventually slow down as they become heavier with dust and debris. Ahead of a business uptick, check and clean your exhaust fan blades.
Throughout lockdown you may have taken advantage of furlough arrangements and operated on a skeleton crew. Ahead of a post-lockdown boom, you will want to ensure that your sales department is prepared and fully briefed on all targets and chasing down leads. Your administrative procedures need to be checked for any weaknesses or insufficiencies as these could severely affect or delay your lead times.
With your spray booth equipment fully prepared and raring to go, you don’t want to get the smaller stuff wrong. If you work in a bodyshop or you’re part of an industrial team, it’s vital that you’re prepared from purchasing and recruitment through to on-the-job training and performance.
With your own AGM Services contract, you’ll be prepared to take full advantage of a boom in business post-COVID 19.
At some point, your business is going to need to be prepared for the return of steady customers. Without preparedness, your business may miss out. A spray booth service & maintenance contract will guarantee your equipment is in full working order so that you can continue to ride out COVID-19 and come out the other side strong.
For more information, please get in touch by calling 01706 363 585 or emailing sales@agm-services.co.uk. In the meantime, keep a close eye on our blog. It’s regularly updated by our spray booth experts and is packed with related insights.
To our customers,
In light of the ongoing COVID-19 situation, we want to reassure you that we are taking great efforts and every necessary precaution to ensure that our team works as remotely as possible. Crucially, our network of UK engineers are still operating for breakdown cover and are available should you require their expertise.
Stores are currently running at a reduced capacity to maintain 2 metre working distances, so with this in mind we are asking sites that may need spare parts or filters to contact us ahead of time so that we can arrange couriers as swiftly as possible.
This is an extremely difficult, and unprecedented, time for everyone. We have every possible safety measure in place and can guarantee that you will receive the same high standard of service.
We are committed to keeping your equipment and operation in full working order. We are keeping a close eye on our government’s guidelines and will not hesitate to act swiftly and proactively in the face of the pandemic.
As always, should you require breakdown assistance you can call 01706 363585 or email sales@agm-services.co.uk.
Following years of extensive research and development, trials, and countless stages of live testing with Key Customers such as Direct Line Group, Rye St. Group and Northern Accident Repair Group, we are proud to announce the arrival of PolyMat EX, the spraybooth filter that is set to change the spray booth industry for the better.
PolyMat EX is the answer to every spray booth filter bugbear. From the bothersome job of replacing traditional fibreglass filters (we all know how itchy and irritating they can be) to the end of life costs of disposing of your used spray booth filters; we’ve launched PolyMat EX as a way to streamline processes in your spray booth and improve efficiency. Most of all, we’ve launched PolyMat EX to save you time and money.
Here’s how our new spray booth filter will make that happen.
Unlike traditional fibreglass filters, PolyMat EX is made from recycled synthetic fibres specifically designed to allow air to pass through while holding more paint particles . Holding finer paint particles rather than letting them through into the booth air handling plant (which then inevitably damages the internal mechanisms of your equipment, such as fans and dampers) reduces life costs/repairs of your valuable spray booth asset.
Rounds of rigorous testing consistently show that PolyMat EX is 60% below the current EPA legislation for overspray particulate discharge. For your business, this means: less money spent on repairs, more money saved from fewer downtime periods, and a longer life for equipment.
The issue lies with fibreglass itself and how difficult it is to handle. We’re sure you don’t need us to tell you that fibreglass is a notoriously prickly, abrasive material. Because it’s so unpleasant to handle, that timely filter replacement is often put off until the very last minute.
PolyMat EX will change all this. Firstly, our new PolyMat filters can last over 60% longer than traditional filters, so you won’t need to replace them as often. Secondly, it’s easy to cut and even easier to lay down because it’s essentially a single filter doing the job of two.
The final cherry on the top is the total lack of irritation. Because PolyMat is made from safe and synthetic materials, it is a real departure from the fibreglass filters that we’re used to. We’re going to transform the job that nobody wants to do into just another item on your to-do list.
If you’ve been handed the unfortunate task of replacing your spray booth filter, it may feel that you do it all the time. We know it’s not an easy job however, with PolyMat EX, you can drastically cut down the number of times you replace the filter. Our new innovation lasts up to 60% longer than traditional fibreglass filters, which means fewer filter changes and substantially less waste.
Think about it – the more often you have to replace spray booth filters, the more it costs in labour to change the filter and then responsibly dispose of it using skip hire. PolyMat EX looks after your bottom line, as well as the environment.
It all starts with how regularly you currently replace your filters. Timely replacements can sometimes be neglected because it’s a difficult and labour-heavy job. The longer you leave filters in need of replacing, the quicker your equipment will degrade. This results in increased downtime while you fix equipment or eventually get round to replacing the filter itself.
Downtime is synonymous with lost profit. It’s simple: the longer your spray booth is out of use, the less business you’re able to take on. With PolyMat EX, we’ve found a way to significantly reduce filter change downtime. And, because the filters last longer than traditional fibreglass filters, you’ll be buying less of them so frequently.
PolyMat EX is exclusively available to AGM contract service customers. We are currently only able to offer the new product to service customers. You can view PolyMat EX, and our complete range of filters, over on our Spray Booth Filters page.
If you have any questions about PolyMat EX, or our service/maintenance packages, please give us a call on 01706 363 585. Our sales team are also happy to chat on sales@agm-services.co.uk.
Breathing air quality tests are typically carried out where breathing apparatus is connected to a compressed airline, where there are a number of factors that could contaminate this air and potentially compromise the safety of the spray booth painter.
In accordance with HSE and COSHH regulations, spraying of paint containing isocyanates must be carried out under controlled circumstances. The appropriate PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) to protect painters requires them to connect a full face breathing mask to a compressed airline. The national standard BS:EN12021 advises these tests should be carried out and analysed at least every 3 months, or more frequently if there has been a change in process, for example a new compressor installed.
In compliance with the BS EN12021 legislation, all environments where air is supplied through a compressor must be absolutely free from harmful contaminants/substances.
Here are some of the guidelines set out by the BS EN12021 with regard to compressed air:
In order to maintain a healthy breathing environment, oxygen levels must be set at 21% +/- 1%.
To best simulate natural air, the odour/taste of compressed air must be ‘without significant odour or taste’.
A highly dangerous gas, carbon monoxide levels must be under 5ppm (parts per million).
Carbon dioxide levels must be under 500ppm.
Any oil mist/vapour levels must be under 0.5mg/m³.
Furthermore, our compressed air quality tests must show a dew point that is low enough to prevent condensation and freezing. With this in mind, the dew point of the air must be at least 5oC below the lowest temperature. Lastly, the pressure dew point cannot exceed -11oC.
Contaminants can enter compressed air by a number of means. For example, when a failed air compressor creates oil in the air line, toxic and volatile substances can then foster. More commonly, contaminants come from the air intake of the compressor. If it draws in carbon monoxide or carbon dioxide from an outside source, this can pose a huge threat to workers.
With our annual service program, you can start reducing costs and improving productivity in your work premises. Compliance not only poses risks to the health of your staff, but it can cost you a fortune in the long-run.
Take a look at our Breathing Air Quality test services, as well as our wider legislative testing. We provide a comprehensive service to ensure that all of your processes are healthy and compliant to the HSE, COSHH, and other governing bodies. Get in touch for more information regarding spray booth maintenance and servicing.
Accredited by the British Occupational Hygiene Society, P601 provides training and a formal qualification in the competence and Thorough Examination and Testing (TE&T) of Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) systems. TE&T of LEV systems is required under COSHH legislation, with intervals not exceeding 14 months. While training within workshops can often be seen as something you can cut corners on, within this article you will quickly understand that P601 training is not only crucial for protecting worker health, it can also benefit your business.
LEV systems are Local Exhaust Ventilation systems, an engineering control system to reduce exposures to airborne contaminants such as dust, paint overspray, fumes, vapors or gases. Examples in the automotive industry are spraybooth ovens, dust extraction systems, paint mixing rooms, ventilated preparation benches, and gun cleaning rooms.
To ensure these systems function optimally and are not a health hazard to those working nearby, appropriate testing should be carried out regularly. To understand what testing your LEVs require, take a look at our Legislative Testing services page!
To pass the P601 requirements under BOHS guidelines, candidates must:
The process takes four days, which include two examinations followed by the completion of two written workplace reports.
At the heart of P601 training is worker health, and the BOHS maintains that by promoting the science and information of occupational hygiene, all businesses with LEV systems can control and prevent health risks in the workplace. This means fewer illnesses in your company, increased wellbeing, and most importantly, the reduction of exposure to fatal illnesses.
If you are looking for fully-trained, expert engineers to service your spray booth, find your nearest spray booth engineers today!
All AGM Services’ engineers go through extensive in-house training, overseen by our qualified Technical Department, followed shortly after by sitting the P601 course and examinations.
P601 is a further guarantee of the competence of the company servicing and maintaining your spray booth oven and ancillary LEV systems. All too often we see poor practices approved by unqualified service companies that don’t fully understand the importance of safely controlling hazardous processes. AGM Services can put your mind at rest that your spray booth equipment is both in the best working condition but also safe to use for all your staff.
Although, if you do find yourself in the situation where you require emergency breakdown assistance, you can rely on AGM Services for a speedy and efficient response.
Aside from your LEV tests, we can also assist you with a variety of other legislative tests, from breathing air quality tests to stack emission monitoring. Ensuring your testing is carried out in accordance with current legislation is vital for protecting both your employees and your business.All you need to do is get in touch, and we’ll handle the rest – simply fill in our quick contact form. Or, why not give us a call on 01706 363 585.
For sales enquiries, email us directly on sales@agm-services.co.uk.
If you have just taken ownership of a new spraybooth system, you’ll want to make sure you look after such a critical asset to your business. Servicing is vital to ensure the efficiency and safety of any machinery used in a commercial environment – ensuring regular maintenance of your spray booth should be a high priority on your paint booth check sheet.
Fortunately, there are ways to maintain an optimum level of performance from your spraybooth while also extending its lifespan. In this blog, we’ve gathered together a few basic maintenance checks that you can apply to your system. With these checks, you will be able to catch any potential issues early on and put together your own paint booth check sheet in no time.
By taking the above actions, you’ll be fulfilling the minimum requirements for paint booth maintenance in the UK. However, with an annual spray booth service courtesy of AGM Services, you could further drive your productivity and make your system even more energy-efficient.
Before we get going, it should be noted that all spraybooths should be provided with an operating and maintenance manual from the manufacturer which will detail specific maintenance requirements. However, the basics for most spraybooths are generally the same.
Here are the maintenance checks that you should find time to do when you’re going about your weekly and monthly spraybooth inspections.
Here are some maintenance checks that do not require daily upkeep, but should be made every now and again.
Maintain clean, tidy, and dust-free walls. Keep the floor clean to prevent overspray and unwanted particles from penetrating your fresh paintwork, resulting in fewer reworks.
You should clean your spray booth on a regular basis to guarantee that you are operating in an optimal spraying environment.
This is readily accomplished by utilising dust containment poles to raise up plastic sheeting, adding air filters, and using a zip to create instant entry.
The key to ensuring a long life for your spray booth and ancillary spray booth equipment is simply due care and attention, which you can achieve on a regular basis with our spraybooth maintenance checklist. Preventative maintenance is relatively straightforward and good in-house procedures between scheduled spray booth services will benefit your business long-term.
We have a range of maintenance and service packages, and our friendly team can talk you through exactly which options are best for you and your spray booth maintenance. With our regular spray booth serving, your spray booth could benefit from increased performance and longevity.
For more information, fill out our contact form here or call our friendly and knowledgeable team on 01706 363 585.
Across all of our core service sectors (automotive, aerospace, industrial, and commercial), spray booths are put under varying levels of strain depending on how busy a time it is for your business.
Our servicing and maintenance packages take all this into account. The last thing you want is for production to stall, especially if there’s an issue with your spraybooth at a peak time for business. The thing is, no matter how well-made your spray booth may be, it will need to be serviced if you want to get the most out of a valuable asset over a long period of time.
But the question remains: how often should you have your spraybooth serviced? Regular checks are always a good idea. In fact, having your equipment checked regularly can even help to improve the performance and longevity of your spraybooth. Here are some tell-tale signs that your spraybooth needs a service.
As we said before, whether or not your spray booth needs to be serviced depends on how much work it’s put through and how well it is maintained between services. To ensure that you get your spray booth serviced at the right time, we’re going to highlight some of the common signs that may indicate you’re due a service.
When spraybooth filters need to be replaced, the airflow slows right down and forces the air handling plant to work harder. Of course, this not only increases drying times but it also puts the motor and (if fitted) variable speed drives under undue stress and strain, potentially adding to increased repair costs that could be avoided.
You will also notice that the overspray in the cabin won’t clear as quickly. This is because of reduced airflow. These fine paint particles can recirculate back into the fresh paintwork, increasing the need for polishing and re-works. Overspray also then accumulates on walls, light fittings and on furniture.
If you’re noticing overspray problems, you might be asking yourself “how often should spray booth filters be changed? Filter lifespan can vary from 100 – 250 running hours, depending on the type of spray booth and filters you are using. Read more about this in our spray booth filter replacement guide.
The drop in airflow can also be attributed to blocked input filters. Most spray booths will have M5 classification filters, that will comfortably run for up to 1,000 running hours of typical use. As the filters gradually block the airflow through them reduces, resulting in lower temperatures. Over time, a build-up of overspray inside the plant may mean that the volume control dampers of fan units are not operating exactly as they should be, resulting in a drop-off in performance. Servicing the key components regularly ensures your spray booth continues to perform to its maximum potential.
Spray booth ovens are an ‘LEV system’, so they should have a thorough examination and test at intervals not exceeding 14 months. Gas appliances also have to be inspected annually under Gas Safe regulations.
Even if your spray booth hasn’t clocked 1,000 running hours in a 12 month period, we’d advise you at least have a plant inspection and legislative testing arranged.
If any of these issues sound familiar to you, we recommend you book a spraybooth service as soon as possible.
If you think your spraybooth needs a maintenance check, our spray booth service engineers are here to help. Our knowledgeable team can retrofit and make crucial upgrades to your spraybooth equipment so that it performs to maximum capacity and efficiency. Our team can also help with emergency breakdown repair should you need it.
Contact us directly on 01706 363 585 or email sales@agm-services.co.uk to book your spraybooth maintenance check with a fully qualified AGM Services engineer.
AGM Services have been servicing spraybooths at RRG Bolton for 25 years now and have seen the company expand over the years from having 2 spraybooths to the 4 spraybooths that they have today. All 4 spraybooths are drive through and can be accessed from both inside and outside the bodyshop for maximum workflow efficiency.
2 of the spraybooths that were installed in 2007 had traditional fluorescent tube lighting, and while the lighting in the spraybooths was good, next to their brand new counterparts with state of the art LED lighting you could really tell the difference.
RRG Bolton made the decision to upgrade the lighting on the two older spraybooths, not only will it save them up to 60% in energy costs in comparison to traditional fluorescent lighting and save on long term consumable fitting costs, but it will also significantly improve visibility for the painters.
As a trusted service partner AGM were recruited for the retro fitting of new LED lighting into the spraybooths. The LED conversion was done during their standard service schedule to minimise downtime and one booth was completed at a time to reduce the impact on RRG Bolton’s business.
The AGM Engineers took readings from the spraybooth lighting prior to the LED conversion which came back at 980 LUX, the reading taken after the installation was 2,250 LUX. Straight away the painters noticed a significant difference in their working environment.
AGM Services also maintain 2 Junair spraybooths installed in 2008 at the groups Swinton bodyshop.
“Upgrading to LED lighting is always a quick win when it comes to saving energy. As well as the obvious costs savings the increase in Lux level (brightness) is substantial. The benefits are noticeable straight away, the increase in brightness enables a more even paint coverage, so the final finish is considerably improved. Work can be carried out in conjunction with your usual service and as always 2 AGM engineers will be on site at any time, making sure that the down time and disruption is minimal. Before and after LUX level certificates are issued so customers can quickly show auditors their equipment exceeds their requirements.”
Save both time and money whilst also increasing your quality of work by opting for a LED lighting upgrade in your spraybooth.
AGM Services can retrofit and upgrade spraybooth equipment to ensure your bodyshop is running to maximum efficiency. For more information about AGM Services and the LED lighting upgrades contact the team on 01706 363 585 or email sales@agm-services.co.uk
On the 9th June, 2 AGM Services employees took to their bikes, to complete the Ribble Valley Ride, in aid of local charities. The ride saw them pedalling through the countryside, crossing the river Ribble and passing through the villages of West Bradford and Bashall Eaves. Then crossing back over the Hodder and Ribble rivers over the ancient Edisford Bridge before finishing for a well-deserved bacon butty.
Fiona Morrison, Operations Director and Jordan Young, Stores Manager were delighted to take part in the 25 mile scenic course.
The Ribble Valley Ride is organised on an annual basis in aid of local charities, Rosemere Cancer Foundation, Dans Trust and Prostate Cancer UK. In 2018 £10,000 was raised for the worthy causes and this year the cycle ride is set to beat that target.
Contact a member of our team for more information about our services and accreditations, or for more information on how AGM Services can help you and your business.
01706 363 585 sales@agm-services.co.uk