Gema OptiFlex Pro Base Kit User manual

Rev. 00 1017 565 EN
Quick reference guide
Manual equipment
OptiFlex Pro Base Kit
The complete operating instructions with detailed information
and spare parts lists can also be found at:
https://docs.gemapowdercoating.com/2cadff0915
Translation of the original operating instructions

Rev. 00 01/20
Documentation OptiFlex Pro Base Kit
© Copyright 2019 Gema Switzerland GmbH
All rights reserved.
This publication is protected by copyright. Unauthorized copying is
prohibited by law. No part of this publication may be reproduced,
photocopied, translated, stored on a retrieval system or transmitted in any
form or by any means for any purpose, neither as a whole nor partially,
without the express written consent of Gema Switzerland GmbH.
Gema, EquiFlow, MagicCompact, MagicCylinder, OptiCenter, OptiFlex,
OptiGun, OptiSelect and OptiStar are registered trademarks of Gema
Switzerland GmbH.
ClassicLine, ClassicStandard, ClassicOpen, DVC (Digital Valve Control),
GemaConnect, MagicControl, MagicPlus, MonoCyclone, MRS,
MultiColor, MultiStar, OptiAir, OptiControl, OptiColor, OptiFeed, OptiFlow,
OptiHopper, OptiMove, OptiSieve, OptiSpeeder, OptiSpray, PCC (Precise
Charge Control), RobotGun, SIT (Smart Inline Technology) und
SuperCorona are trademarks of Gema Switzerland GmbH.
All other product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their
respective holders.
Reference is made in this manual to different trademarks or registered
trademarks. Such references do not mean that the manufacturers
concerned approve of or are bound in any form by this manual. We have
endeavored to retain the preferred spelling of the trademarks, and
registered trademarks of the copyright holders.
To the best of our knowledge and belief, the information contained in this
publication was correct and valid on the date of publication. Gema
Switzerland GmbH makes no representations or warranties with respect
to the contents or use of this publication, and reserves the right to revise
this publication and make changes to its content without prior notice.
For the latest information about Gema products, visit
www.gemapowdercoating.com.
For patent information, see www.gemapowdercoating.com/patents or
www.gemapowdercoating.us/patents.
Printed in Switzerland
Gema Switzerland GmbH
Mövenstrasse 17
9015 St.Gallen
Switzerland
Phone:[phone]
Fax.: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]

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OptiFlex Pro Base Kit Table of contents
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3
Table of contents
Other applicable documents 4
Safety 5
General information ................................................................................................5
Basic safety instructions .........................................................................................5
Product specific security regulations ......................................................................6
Start-up 11
Initial start-up.........................................................................................................11
Operation 13
Operation ..............................................................................................................13
Maintenance / Repairs 19
Cleaning................................................................................................................19
Changing the cartridge..........................................................................................22
Spare parts list 25
Ordering spare parts.............................................................................................25
OptiFlex Pro Base Kit –Spare parts list ...............................................................26
EC Declaration of Conformity ...............................................................................32

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Table of contents OptiFlex Pro Base Kit
Other applicable documents
In addition to the information contained in this manual, the following
operating instructions and spare parts lists for the individual components
must also be observed:
OptiStar CG21 Gun control unit
https://docs.gemapowdercoating.com/880b384645
OptiSelect GM04 manual gun
https://docs.gemapowdercoating.com/7729cd9516
OptiFlow IG07 injector
https://docs.gemapowdercoating.com/3f079832b3

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OptiFlex Pro Base Kit Safety
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5
Safety
General information
This chapter provides the user and third parties who operate this product
with all essential safety regulations, the adherence to which is imperative.
These safety regulations must be read and understood in their entirety
before the product is put into operation.
The standards and guidelines applied during the development,
manufacture and configuration are described in the EC declaration of
conformity and in the manufacturer’s declaration.
WARNING
Working without instructions
Working without instructions or with individual pages from the
instructions may result in damage to property and personal injury
if relevant safety information is not observed.
►Before working with the device, organize the required documents
and read the section "Safety regulations".
►Work should only be carried out in accordance with the
instructions of the relevant documents.
►Always work with the complete original document.
Basic safety instructions
–This product is built to the latest specification and conforms to the
recognized technical safety regulations and is designed for the
normal application of powder coating.
–Any other use is considered non-compliant. The manufacturer shall
not be liable for damage resulting from such use; the user bears sole
responsibility for such actions. If this product is to be used for other
purposes or other substances outside of our guidelines then Gema
Switzerland GmbH should be consulted.
–Start-up (i.e. the execution of intended operational tasks) is
forbidden until it has been established that this product has been set
up and wired according to the guidelines for machinery. The
standard "Machine safety" must also be observed.
–Unauthorized modifications to the product exempt the manufacturer
from any liability from resulting damage.

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Safety OptiFlex Pro Base Kit
–The relevant accident prevention regulations, as well as other
generally recognized safety regulations, occupational health and
structural regulations are to be observed.
–Furthermore, the country-specific safety regulations also must be
observed.
Product specific security regulations
–This product is a constituent part of the equipment and is therefore
integrated in the system's safety concept.
–If it is to be used in a manner outside the scope of the safety
concept, then corresponding measures must be taken.
–The installation work to be done by the customer must be carried out
according to local regulations.
–It must be ensured, that all components are earthed according to the
local regulations before start-up.
For further security information, see the more detailed Gema
safety regulations!
WARNING
These general safety regulations must be read and understood in
all cases prior to start-up!
General information
This product is built to the latest specification and conforms to the
recognized technical safety regulations and is designed for the normal
application of powder coating.
Any other use is not considered as intended use. The manufacturer
shall not be liable for damage resulting from such use; the user bears
sole responsibility for such actions. Gema Switzerland GmbH must be
consulted prior to any use of this product for any purposes or
substances other than those indicated in our guidelines.
Observance of the operating, service and maintenance instructions
specified by the manufacturer is also part of the intended use.
The relevant accident prevention regulations, as well as other generally
recognized safety regulations, occupational health and structural
regulations are to be observed.
Furthermore, the country-specific safety regulations also must be
observed.
Additional safety and operation notices can be found on the homepage
www.gemapowdercoating.com.

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OptiFlex Pro Base Kit Safety
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General dangers
Start-up is forbidden until it has been established that the product has
been set up and wired according to the EU guidelines for machinery.
Unauthorized modifications to the product exempt the manufacturer
from any liability from resulting damages or accidents.
The operator must ensure that all users do have the appropriate training
for powder spraying equipment and are aware of the possible sources of
danger.
Any operating method, which will negatively influence the technical
safety of the powder spraying equipment, is to be avoided.
For your own safety, only use accessories and attachments listed in the
operating instructions. The use of other parts can lead to risk of injury.
Only original Gema spare parts should be used!
Repairs must only be carried out by specialists or by authorized Gema
service centers. Unauthorized conversions and modifications can lead
to injuries and damage to the equipment and invalidate the Gema
Switzerland GmbH guarantee.
Electrical danger
The connecting cables between the control unit and the spray gun must
be installed in such a way, that they cannot be damaged during the
operation. Please observe the local safety regulations!
The plug connections between the powder spraying equipment and the
mains should only be removed when the power supply is switched off.
All maintenance activities must take place when the powder spraying
equipment is switched off.
The product may not be switched on until the booth is in operation. If the
booth stops, the product must switch off too.
Explosion hazard
The control units for the spray guns must be installed and used in zone
22. Spray guns are allowed in zone 21.
Only original Gema OEM parts are guaranteed to maintain the explosion
protection rating. If damages occur by using spare parts from other
manufacturers, the warranty or compensation claim is void!
Conditions leading to dangerous levels of dust concentration in the
powder spraying booths or in the powder spraying areas must be
avoided. There must be sufficient technical ventilation available, to
prevent a dust concentration of more than 50% of the lower explosion
limit (UEG = max. permissible powder/air concentration). If the UEG is
not known, then a value of 10 g/m³ should be considered (see EN
50177).
All unauthorized conversions and modifications to the electrostatic
spraying equipment are forbidden for safety reasons.
No safety devices should be dismantled or put out of operation.
Mandatory operational and workplace notices from the operating
company must be written in a comprehensible manner in the language
of equipment operators and posted in a suitable place.

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Safety OptiFlex Pro Base Kit
Slip hazard
Powder lying on the floor around the powder spraying equipment is a
potentially dangerous source of slipping. Booths may be entered only in
the places suitable for it.
Static charges
Static charges can have the following consequences: Charges to people,
electric shocks, sparking. Proper grounding must be in place to prevent
objects from becoming charged.
Grounding
Observe the grounding
regulations
All electrically conductive parts found in the workplace of 5 meters
around each booth opening, and particularly the objects to be coated,
have to be grounded. The grounding resistance of each object must
amount to maximally 1 MOhm. This resistance must be checked/tested
regularly when starting work.
The condition of the work piece attachments, as well as the hangers,
must guarantee that the work pieces remain grounded. The appropriate
measuring devices must be kept ready in the workplace, in order to
check the grounding.
The floor of the coating area must conduct electricity (normal concrete is
generally conductive).
The supplied grounding cable (green/yellow) must be connected to the
grounding screw of the electrostatic manual powder coating equipment.
The grounding cable must have a good metallic connection with the
coating booth, the recovery unit and the conveyor chain, respectively
with the suspension arrangement of the objects.
Smoking and open flames
Fire and smoke
prohibition
Smoking and igniting fire are forbidden in the entire vicinity of the
system! No work that could potentially produce sparks is allowed!
Stay for persons with cardiac pacemakers
The stay for persons
with cardiac pacemakers
is forbidden
As a general rule for all powder spraying installations, persons with
pacemakers should never enter high voltage areas or areas with
electromagnetic fields. Persons with pacemakers should not enter areas
with powder spraying installations!

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OptiFlex Pro Base Kit Safety
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9
Photographing with flashlight
Photographing with
flashlight is forbidden
Photographing with flashlight can lead to unnecessary releases and/or
disconnections by safety devices.
Maintenance works
Disconnect from mains
before maintenance
works take place
Disconnect the plugs before the machines are opened for maintenance
or repair.
The plug connections between the powder spraying equipment and the
mains should only be removed when the power supply is switched off.
As far as it is necessary, the operating firm must ensure that the
operating personnel wear protective clothing (e.g. facemasks).
A dust mask corresponding to filter class FFP2 or N95 at minimum must
be worn during any cleaning work.
The operating personnel must wear electrically conductive, steel-toe
footwear (e.g. ESD shoes).
The operating personnel should hold the gun with bare hands. If gloves
are worn, these must also conduct electricity.

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Safety OptiFlex Pro Base Kit

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OptiFlex Pro Base Kit Start-up
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11
Start-up
Initial start-up
If a malfunction occurs, see the troubleshooting guide, as well as
the gun control unit operating manual!
fig.
1
The remainder of the start-up procedure for the gun is explicitly
described in the operating instructions for the OptiStar CGxx
manual powder gun control unit (chapter "Initial start-up" and
"Daily start-up")!

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Start-up OptiFlex Pro Base Kit

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OptiFlex Pro Base Kit Operation
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Operation
WARNING
Holding the gun incorrectly
During the coating process, the gun can discharge along the body
of the coater if not held using its intended handle, which has been
grounded.
►Always hold gun only by the handle!
►Do not touch any other parts of the gun!
Bedienung
Operation
CAUTION
Large dust formation possible!
If the manual equipment is not being used for coating in
conjunction with a sufficiently powerful suction unit, then the
stirred-up dust from the coating powder can cause respiratory
issues or cause a slippage/falling hazard.
►The manual equipment may only be operated in conjunction with
a sufficiently powerful suction unit (such as Gema Classic Open
booth).
1. Swivel aside the fluidizing/suction unit
2. Place the open powder container on the vibrating table
CAUTION
Hand injury!
When placing a container on the vibrating plate, fingers caught in
the gap between the two plates can be crushed.
►The container may weight a max. of 30 kg.
3. Place the fluidizing/suction unit onto the powder
4. Set coating parameters

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Operation OptiFlex Pro Base Kit
Select predefined operating mode (Preset mode)
1. Turn on the gun control unit with the ON key
2. Press the corresponding application key.
The arrow above the desired button lights up.
The pre-defined application modes have preset values for high
voltage and spray current:
Application mode
Preset kV
Preset µA
flat parts
100
100
complicated parts
100
22
overcoat
100
10
3. The air values for total air, powder output and electrode rinsing air
can be individually defined and are saved in the programs.
Starting the individual adjustable programs
1. Turn on the gun control unit with the ON key
2. Press the program key
3. Select the desired program (01-20)
Program 20 active
4. Change the coating parameters as required
Programs 01-20 are preset at the factory but can be modified at
any time, after which they are automatically stored.
Description
Presetting
Powder output
60 %
Total air
4.0 Nm³/h
High voltage
80 kV
Spray current
20 µA
Electrode rinsing air
0.1 Nm³/h
Fluidizing air
1.0 Nm³/h (for device type F)
0.1 Nm³/h (for device type B and S)

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OptiFlex Pro Base Kit Operation
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15
Setting powder output and powder cloud
The powder output depends on the selected powder output (in %), and
the powder cloud on the selected total air volume.
As a factory default value, a powder rate of 50% and a total air
volume of 4 Nm³/h are recommended.
–If values are entered that the gun control unit cannot implement,
then the operator is informed of this by a blinking in the relevant
display and a temporary error message!
Setting the total air volume
1.
Adjust the total air volume on the gun control unit with the T3/T4
keys
–Adjust the total air volume according to the corresponding coating
requests
correct powder cloud
too little total air
Setting the powder output
1. OR
much powder
little powder
Adjust the powder output volume (e.g. according to the desired
coating thickness)

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Operation OptiFlex Pro Base Kit
–Factory default setting of 50% is recommended for initial
operation. The total air volume is thereby kept constant
automatically by the control unit.
To achieve maximum efficiency, we recommend avoided an
overly high powder volume where possible!
2. Check fluidization of the powder in the powder container
3. Point the gun into the booth, switch the gun on and visually check
the powder output
Setting the electrode rinsing air
1. Press the key.
The second display level will be shown.
2.
Adjust the correct electrode rinsing air according to the applied
nozzles (deflector plate, flat jet nozzle)
≈ 0.1 Nm³/h
≈ 0.5 Nm³/h
too much electrode rinsing air
3. If in this display level is no operation for 3 seconds, the first display
level is switched over independently.
Setting the fluidization
The fluidization can be adjusted on the manual units type B, Q, F, L and
S.
The powder fluidization depends on the powder type, the air humidity and
the ambient temperature. Fluidizing and vibration start by switching on the
control unit.
Procedure:
1. Configure AirMover by opening the ball valve complete and adjusting
with the flow control valve (equipment type F only)
2. Open the powder container cover (equipment type F only)
3. Press the key
The second display level will be shown
4.

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Adjust the fluidizing air with the keys T5/T6
–If in this display level is no operation for 3 seconds, the device
switches back to the first display level
–The powder should only be touched gently, but should be
"cooked" regularly and is also to be stirred using a rod
5. Close again the cover

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Operation OptiFlex Pro Base Kit

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OptiFlex Pro Base Kit Maintenance / Repairs
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19
Maintenance / Repairs
Reinigung
Cleaning
ATTENTION
Any unauthorized modifications and alterations to the product are
not permitted for safety reasons and exclude the manufacturer’s
liability for any resulting damage!
Regular and conscientious cleaning and maintenance increase
the service life of the product and ensure consistent high coating
quality!
–The parts to be replaced during maintenance work are available
as spare parts. These parts can be found in the appropriate
spare parts list!
CAUTION
Large dust formation possible!
If no dust mask or one of an insufficient filter class is worn when
cleaning the product, then the dust that is stirred up from the
coating powder can cause respiratory problems.
►The ventilation system must be turned on for all cleaning work.
►A dust mask corresponding to filter class FFP2 or N95 at
minimum must be worn during any cleaning work.
Gun cleaning
ATTENTION
Impermissible solvents
The following solvents may not be used to clean the gun:
►Ethylene chloride, acetone, ethyl acetate, methyl ethyl ketone,
methylene chloride, premium gasoline, turpentine,
tetrachloromethane, toluene, trichloroethylene, xylene!

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Maintenance / Repairs OptiFlex Pro Base Kit
Only cleaning agents with a flash point of a least 5 Kelvin above
the ambient temperature, or cleaning places with technical
ventilation are allowed!
Before cleaning the powder gun, switch off the control unit. The
compressed air used for cleaning must be free of oil and water!
Daily:
1. Blow off the outside of the gun and wipe, clean etc.
Weekly:
2. Remove powder hose
3. Remove the spray nozzle from the gun and clean it with compressed
air
4. Blow through the gun with compressed air, beginning from the
connection in flow direction
5. Clean the integrated gun tube with the brush supplied if necessary
6. Blow through the gun with compressed air again
7. Clean the powder hose
8. Reassemble the gun and connect it
Cleaning the powder container
ATTENTION
Damage to the fluidizing plate
►Never clean the powder container with solvents or water!
1. Disconnect the fluidizing air supply
2. Remove the injector
3. Remove PowerClean module**
4. Remove the cover, blow out with compressed air and clean with a
clean dry brush and cloth
5. Clean the injector and suction intake pipe (Please review injector
manual for more on this)
6. Clean rinsing module**
7. Empty remaining powder into a container
8. Vacuum up the hopper and in particular the bottom
9. Clean container with a cloth
10. Reassemble the powder hopper
Do not refill the powder container until just before the next use!