Lesta CLEANING STATION

Lesta CLEANING STATION is a spray gun cleaning station for painting systems, designed for the automatic washing of the robotic gun nozzle. It consists of a self-supporting stainless steel frame with a tank and brush, driven by a pneumatic motor, mounted on top. The self-supporting structure allows the station to be installed at any point on the line, without needing to modify the painting booth or the other stations in the plant.

The automatic washing cycle of the spray gun cleaning station follows a program previously set by the operator: after a defined number of painting cycles, the robot automatically moves to the station. When the robot’s gun reaches the cleaning station, a solenoid valve activates the pneumatic motor, which in turn activates the movement of the brush, immersed in solvent.

The solvent in the station ensures maximum cleanliness of the gun nozzle, removing paint residues before they can harden and compromise the quality of the spray. This step is particularly important in liquid painting cycles, where a partially clogged nozzle can alter the shape of the spray fan and therefore the aesthetic result of the finish.

How the spray gun cleaning station for painting systems works

The cycle of the spray gun cleaning station is designed to work without any manual intervention from the operator: it is enough to set how many painted pieces (or how many cycles) should pass before the robot performs a cleaning pass. Once the threshold is reached, the robot automatically stops painting, moves to the station and washes the nozzle, before returning to the production cycle. This automation prevents dried paint residues from building up on the gun nozzle, one of the most common causes of spraying defects (blotches, drips, uneven application) and unplanned downtime for manual cleaning.

The brush of Lesta CLEANING STATION is modular, so the number of sections can be defined according to needs, to adapt to guns of different sizes without having to change the entire cleaning station.

It can be supplied in 2 standard heights or, in the mobile version, will be able to change its own height thanks to a compressed-air piston, to adapt to guns mounted on robots with different wrist configurations.

Integration of automatic nozzle cleaning into painting systems

Lesta CLEANING STATION is an accessory that can also be integrated into systems without Lesta robots. This accessory can be integrated into liquid industrial painting and finishing systems, both in newly built lines and as an upgrade to existing systems.

Within a complete industrial painting system by Lesta, the cleaning station works together with the other automation modules: Lesta RECIPE MANAGER can call up the cleaning cycle as part of the painting recipe set for each piece, while Lesta PRODUCTION MANAGER keeps track of the cleaning cycles performed alongside production progress. For systems where pieces are moved on turntables or carts, the cleaning station can be positioned at a point on the line that is reachable without interfering with the Lesta ROTATION UNIT groups dedicated to rotating the pieces.

For those managing a liquid painting system with a robot, automating nozzle cleaning with Lesta CLEANING STATION means reducing plant downtime for manual maintenance and maintaining constant spray quality throughout the entire production shift, without requiring the operator to stop production to manually check the gun’s condition.

Request a feasibility study for your spray gun cleaning station

The Lesta technical team is available to evaluate the integration of the cleaning station into your plant, whether existing or newly built, defining together with the customer the most suitable configuration in terms of height, number of brush sections and positioning along the line. Contact us to discuss your Ultra 2D project.