Today, everything starts at home. With most families in communities around the world spending more time at home in 2020, there has been an unprecedented surge in demand for outdoor furniture. Outdoor furniture is known by a variety of names: garden furniture, patio furniture, lounge furniture, and conversation sets. Popular examples include dining sets, conversation sets, lounge chairs, portable fire pits, umbrellas, Adirondack chairs, even glazed planters to accessorize the area. Common materials range by region, purpose and personal preference: wooden, bamboo, wicker or rattan, metal, plastic, glass, concrete, and rope.
The finish of outdoor furnishings is important, considering the endurance needed to battle environmental impacts. UV rays, precipitation, wind and humidity are all factors that should be considered from a manufacturing standpoint – as the longevity of a finish, in addition to the quality of construction, is what ultimately determine a product’s lifespan.
Automating the finish of outdoor furniture improves consistency and quality throughout the production process. Depending on the geometry of the part, a number of automated finishing technologies can be deployed to quickly and consistently pump out product to meet production demands. For example, iGiottoApp is a unique 3D spray technology that utilizes an anthropomorphic robot to finish not only the face of a part, but its negative angles as well. iGiotto is ideal for large objects, and objects with unique geometries. Alternatively, for disassembled furniture components that are boxed upon delivery, reciprocating spray systems can achieve a consistent, quality finish at a high speed of production. Both types of spray technologies can be integrated with curing and material handling components to minimize the amount of times each part is touched – minimizing defects and labor costs.
