Industrial Painters

Job Description

Job Description:

Industrial Painter
-Eloy, Arizona The Industrial Painter (Level I–V) prepares surfaces and applies industrial coating systems to large-scale sheet metal fabrications, structural weldments, and electro‑mechanical assemblies in accordance with engineering specifications, customer finish requirements, and the company's ISO 9001:2015 quality management system.

The primary coating systems used in this role are a two-component epoxy primer with a two-component polyurethane topcoat applied by conventional and HVLP spray equipment, and a thermosetting powder coat system applied electrostatically and cured in a convection oven.

Higher-level painters are qualified in both systems and bring deep knowledge of surface preparation, coating material chemistry, spray equipment setup and adjustment, film build control, defect identification and correction, and environmental compliance requirements for industrial coating operations.

This is a leveled position (Level I through Level V) with increasing technical depth, system capability, independence, and leadership responsibility at each level as defined in the Level Classification section below.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Surface Preparation Prepare substrates to the cleanliness and profile standards required for coating adhesion and performance.

• Inspect incoming fabrications and weldments for surface conditions that require attention prior to coating, including weld spatter, sharp edges, rust, mill scale, oil, grease, and surface contamination; communicate findings to the supervisor or quality department.
• Perform solvent cleaning and degreasing of all surfaces using approved solvents and wiping techniques to remove oils, cutting fluids, handling contamination, and other surface contaminants prior to abrasive preparation or coating application.
• Perform abrasive preparation including hand sanding, power tool sanding, and media blasting (where applicable) to achieve the required surface cleanliness and anchor profile for primer adhesion.
• Apply masking materials—tape, plugs, caps, paper, and liquid masking compounds—to protect threads, mating surfaces, data plates, hardware, and other areas specified as paint‑free on engineering drawings or job travelers.
• Verify surface preparation quality visually and with appropriate instruments (surface profile comparators, solvent wipe tests) prior to primer application; do not apply coatings to improperly prepared surfaces.

Liquid Coating Application — Epoxy Primer and Polyurethane Topcoat Apply two-component epoxy primer and polyurethane topcoat systems to produce durable, high‑quality industrial finishes that meet film build, appearance, and performance requirements.

• Set up and adjust HVLP and conventional spray equipment including fluid tip, needle, and air cap selection; fluid pressure and atomizing air pressure adjustment; fan width and pattern settings—tuned to the material viscosity, part geometry, and required film build.
• Mix two-component epoxy primer and polyurethane topcoat materials at the correct mix ratios specified by the manufacturer's product data sheet (PDS), using accurate volumetric or gravimetric measuring methods; verify pot life and record batch mix information per quality and traceability requirements.
• Reduce coatings to the correct application viscosity using approved reducer/thinner at the appropriate volume and blend for ambient temperature and humidity conditions; verify viscosity with a Zahn cup or Ford cup as required.
• Apply epoxy primer coats to achieve uniform, defect‑free coverage at the specified dry film thickness (DFT) range, using proper overlapping spray technique, gun speed, and gun‑to‑part distance to ensure consistent film build across all surfaces including recesses, edges, and complex geometries.
• Apply polyurethane topcoat to achieve the specified DFT, color uniformity, gloss level, and surface finish; manage flash times between coats per the manufacturer's PDS and ambient conditions.
• Measure wet film thickness (WFT) during application using a wet film gauge and verify dry film thickness (DFT) after cure using a calibrated DFT gauge; document measurements and ensure all surfaces meet minimum and maximum film build requirements per the job specification.
• Monitor and manage pot life of mixed two-component materials; properly dispose of expired material and clean spray equipment before pot life expiration to prevent equipment blockage and material waste.
• Identify, assess, and correct common liquid coating defects including orange peel, sags and runs, dry spray, fisheye, solvent pop, blushing, lifting, cratering, and poor adhesion—using appropriate rework techniques (sanding, re‑coat, spot repair) and escalating to the supervisor when defects cann