High-Temperature Paint Helps Solve Lighting Problems at Major Sports Arenas

Reliable lighting is an obvious necessity for sports arenas and entertainment complexes. But early failure is a possibility, given the likelihood of harsh environments, excessive heat and physical abuse at these facilities. For reliable long-term performance of the lighting equipment, proper coating of fixtures is essential.

Paint-Line, Inc., Fairfield, Iowa, specializes in applying high-temperature paints to lighting fixtures for the entertainment and sports industries. Racing speedways and sports venues are equipped with long-lasting and reliable outdoor permanent lighting fixtures coated by Paint-Line.

Frank Nelson, operations manager at Paint-Line, reports that they apply a specially formulated high-temperature Pyromark® coating from Tempil, an ITW company, South Plainfield, NJ, to protect lighting fixtures and assure their long-term performance.

The Pyromark paint is specially formulated for protecting, decorating or color identifying metal surfaces that will be subjected to high temperatures. They are silicon-based coatings that provide long-lasting protection against oxidation and corrosion, and offer excellent covering characteristics. They will not blister, chip, crack or peel at their rated temperature. Their solar absorptivity of 0.95 makes them an almost perfect black box absorber.

Pyromark 1200 flat black paint is sprayed on with a high-volume, low-pressure (HVLP) gun. Once applied, Nelson adds, "The silicone coating must withstand high wattage and temperatures, sometimes up to 2,000 ºF. It provides long-lasting protection against oxidation and corrosion because of its extraordinary absorptivity and emissivity properties up to 2,000 ºF. Pyromark's excellent covering characteristics prevent blistering, chipping, cracking or peeling", he explains.

To obtain maximum coating properties for high-temperature service (above 600 ºF) the silicone coating must be carefully cured. First, the coated piece is allowed to dry slowly in air. Then it's heated at 480 ºF while curing takes place. Finally, the cured coating is vitrified at 1,000 ºF. This sequence enables the film to endure most extreme conditions of heat shock in service.

Controlled vitrification is the key to the very high-temperature service capability of the coatings. In effect, vitrification converts silicone resins to inorganic silica, producing a thin but tenacious refractory coating, which will withstand higher temperatures than most conventional coatings. Tempil reports that Pyromark has been used for applications that include infrared heaters, boilers, furnaces, fireplace accessories, solar absorbers, stoves, and boat and auto engines or any other metal surfaces that are subject to high temperatures.

Pyromark is available in three varieties to coat metal surfaces that will be exposed to high temperatures: Series 800, Series 1200 and Series 2500.

For additional information, contact Tempil customer service at 800/757.8301 or visit www.Tempil.com. Tempil, an Illinois Toolworks company located in South Plainfield, NJ, is a leading manufacturer of protective coatings as well as temperature indicators and specialty inks.