Robotic spraying glossary
Clear definitions for robotic spraying and coating projects.
Use this glossary to translate common paint, coating, robot and project-delivery terms into practical questions for a specification or supplier discussion.
ApplicationAtomisation · film · transfer
AutomationTCP · recipes · vision · paths
DeliveryDSEAR · ATEX · FAT · SAT
A–Z project language
Robotic spraying terms in plain English.
These concise definitions are designed for manufacturing buyers, engineers and project teams preparing an application brief.
- Air-assisted airless
- A spray method that combines high fluid pressure with added atomising air to refine the pattern.
- Airless spraying
- A method that atomises coating through a small orifice using fluid pressure rather than atomising air.
- Atomisation
- The process of breaking liquid coating into droplets suitable for spray application.
- ATEX
- Equipment and protective-system requirements used where explosive atmospheres may occur; suitability depends on the classified zone and duty.
- Booth permissive
- A confirmed condition, such as extraction running correctly, that must be true before spraying is enabled.
- DSEAR
- The UK regulations requiring employers to assess and control fire and explosion risks from dangerous substances.
- Dress pack
- The managed bundle of hoses and cables routed along a robot arm to the applicator.
- Fan pattern
- The width and shape of the spray plume produced by the applicator.
- FAT
- Factory acceptance testing completed before the equipment is delivered to site.
- Film build
- The thickness of coating deposited, usually assessed as wet-film or dry-film thickness.
- Flash-off
- The controlled time allowed for solvents or water to leave a coating before another coat or curing stage.
- HVLP
- High volume low pressure air spraying, generally selected to provide controlled atomisation at relatively low air-cap pressure.
- Offline programming
- Preparing and simulating robot paths in software away from the production cell before on-part proving.
- Overspray
- Sprayed material that does not deposit on the intended workpiece area.
- Path registration
- Aligning a proved robot path to the measured position or orientation of the actual part.
- Pot life
- The usable time available after reactive coating components have been mixed.
- Recipe
- A controlled set of product-specific robot, process and handling parameters.
- Rotary bell atomiser
- A rotating cup applicator, often electrostatic, that forms a controlled coating spray for automated production.
- SAT
- Site acceptance testing carried out after installation and commissioning at the customer site.
- Stand-off distance
- The controlled distance between the applicator and the workpiece surface.
- TCP
- Tool centre point: the calibrated reference point used by the robot to position and orient the applicator.
- Transfer efficiency
- The proportion of material leaving the applicator that deposits on the intended workpiece.
- Trigger point
- The programmed path position at which spray starts or stops, often adjusted for process response delay.
- Vision guidance
- Using camera or 3D sensor data to identify, locate or register a part for robotic processing.
Use the terms in context
Convert terminology into project evidence.
A good specification connects each term to a measurable duty. For example, state the required dry-film thickness and inspection method rather than asking only for consistent film build. Define the expected part-location variation before requesting vision guidance.
- Describe representative parts and product variation
- Identify the exact material and safety data
- State finish, coverage or bead acceptance criteria
- Define production rate, changeovers and project tests
Need a term applied to your process?
Discuss the actual part, material and finish.
Our application review turns general terminology into a project-specific engineering scope.