Pumps for paint, printing ink & high-viscosity coatings
Pneumatic Diaphragm Pump (AODD) no mechanical seal (seal-less) for abrasive pigment paste, shear-sensitive paint & ink; screw pumps for very high-viscosity fluids and drum pumps for filling — low shear, easy to flush during color changeover, with ATEX configuration for flammable solvent areas.
Vietnam's paint industry achieves output of ~500 million litres / year (2024) with over 600 enterprises manufacturing — industrial paint is a high-growth segment in 2025–2026; each plant is a chain of pump application points from raw material loading to filling. (per industry report / VPIA)
Where are pumps used in the paint production line?
Each process stage has different fluids and requirements. The diagram below maps pump families, recommended Sandpiper sizes, and valve configurations (HDB/HDF) for each pump point — select the pump by process stage rather than as a generic choice.
Raw material loading & transfer
Viscous resin + flammable solvents from drums / IBC (ATEX).
Pigment milling
Dense pigment paste, highly abrasive, shear-sensitive.
Pha / let-down
Semi-finished paint, high viscosity, shear-sensitive.
Filtration
Paint + agglomerates formed during milling & filtration.
Filling / packaging
Finished paint into drums / cans / pails; requires stable flow.
Line circulation
Keeps paint/ink homogeneous, prevents pigment settling (low-shear).
Wastewater & flushing
Equipment washwater + spent solvent; contains sediment / agglomerates.
7 pump application points in a paint plant: raw material loading & transfer (drum/IBC) · milling paste feed/circulation · blending & let-down · membrane filtration · filling/packaging · line circulation · wastewater & flushing. Match the model to each actual operating point — contact for datasheet
Four challenges in a paint plant — and how to address them
Abrasive pigment, high-viscosity shear-sensitive paint/ink, flammable solvents, and operating costs (compressed air + color changeover) are recurring problem categories. Each card below describes the mechanism causing the issue and the corresponding technical solution.
Abrasive pigment & agglomerates
Hard pigment particles abrade rotating mechanical seals → seal leakage, rapid failure; agglomerates formed during milling and filtration easily clog pumps.
AODD diaphragm pump seal-less, no rotating seal so this failure point is eliminated; per manufacturer data, the diaphragm pump can also handle agglomerates formed during milling/filtration.
Shear-sensitive paint/ink, high viscosity
High shear from high-speed pumps destroys the pigment suspension structure → viscosity change, paint defects. Very high-viscosity inks, adhesives, and resins exceed the capability of many common pump types.
Low shear of the diaphragm pump protects paint/ink structure. For very high viscosity (resins, adhesives, some printing inks) → Leistritz screw pump delivers uniform flow, nearly pulse-free.
Flammable solvents (ATEX)
Solvent-based paints and solvent-based inks carry flammable solvents → areas with explosion risk require equipment rated for hazardous zones (Zone).
Air-operated diaphragm pumps are driven by air, with no electricity at the pump head; many Sandpiper models are available in ATEX Zone 1/2. Cognito is available in an ATEX version, Jessberger in an explosion-proof (Ex) version.
Color changeover & compressed air costs
Color/ink changeover between batches risks contamination if flushing is difficult. AODD trades compressed air for seal-less durability — continuous operation consumes compressed air.
Diaphragm pumps drain quickly and can run dry → easy to flush between colors, minimizing contamination. Continuous circulation lines use EODD Cognito to reduce compressed air costs.
Sandpiper diaphragm pumps for paint & printing ink
Select by flow rate and process stage — from small-scale filling / metering to main paint transfer and high-flow milling feed. Flow data per verified manufacturer specifications, units kept consistent in L/min.
Sandpiper S30B1A1EANS000 Air-Operated Diaphragm Pump
Suitable stage: main paint transfer / high-flow milling feed.
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Sandpiper S20B1SGTABS600 Air-Operated Diaphragm Pump
Suitable stage: paint transfer / milling paste feed (ATEX version BS600).
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Sandpiper S15B1A2TABS600 Air-Operated Diaphragm Pump
Suitable stage: blending / let-down, medium-scale paint filtration.
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Sandpiper S10B1P2PPAS000 Air-Operated Diaphragm Pump
Suitable stage: filling / ink feed for small lines.
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Sandpiper S07B1P2PPNS000 Air-Operated Diaphragm Pump
Suitable stage: color metering / ink feed for small lines.
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Sandpiper S05 Air-Operated Diaphragm Pump — Metallic
Suitable process: metering / small batches, frequent color changes.
View productsSandpiper model range, valve & material selector
Flow rate data sourced from manufacturer-verified data on Thái Khương Pump's Sandpiper page, unit: L/min. Unverified values for individual operating points are labeled "contact for datasheet".
| Model / Series | Port | Max flow rate | Body material | Solids handling |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PB1/4 | 1/4" | 19 L/min | PP | contact for datasheet |
| S05 | 1/2" | 56 L/min | SS316 / Aluminium / PVDF | contact for datasheet |
| S07 | 3/4" | 87 L/min | PP | contact for datasheet |
| S10 | 1" | 87 L/min | PP | contact for datasheet |
| S1F | 1" | 200 L/min | SS316 / Aluminium / PVDF / PP | contact for datasheet |
| S15 | 1.5" | 401 L/min | Aluminium / SS316 / PP / PVDF | contact for datasheet |
| S20 | 2" | 758 L/min | Aluminium / SS316 / Cast Iron / PP / PVDF | contact for datasheet |
| S30 | 3" | 1.078 L/min | Aluminium / SS316 / PP / PVDF | contact for datasheet |
Size selection guide by process stage
- Color metering / ink feed for small lines: PB1/4 / S05 / S07 (19–87 L/min) — van bi.
- Blending, filtration & medium-scale circulation: S15 (401 L/min) — van bi.
- Main paint transfer / large-scale milling feed: S20 (758 L/min) / S30 (1.078 L/min) — HDB ball valve for abrasive paste.
- Large agglomerates / flushing wastewater: HDF series (flap valve).
- Exact model match for each actual operating point — contact for datasheet
Ball valve (HDB) or flap valve (HDF)?
Handles viscous fluid + small solid particles with good suction → suitable for pigment paste, viscous paint, metering, and ink.
Handles large solid particles without clogging → suitable for large agglomerates, wastewater/flushing with debris.
Diaphragm & pump body material selector
Diaphragm / ball
- PTFE
- Santoprene
- Neoprene
- Buna-N
- EPDM
- Geolast
Strong solvents typically favor diaphragm PTFE; water-based/abrasive fluids may use Santoprene · Neoprene · Buna-N depending on the formulation.
Body material
- PP
- Aluminum
- 316 stainless steel
- PVDF (Kynar)
- Gang
Solvent-based paints typically call for SS316, PP or PVDF depending on the solvent; confirm against the specific paint/ink formulation.
When to use a positive displacement pump
When the fluid has very high viscosity (resins, adhesives, some printing inks) or when uniform, nearly pulse-free flow is required → screw pump (Leistritz) or gear pump for high-viscosity feed/metering, performing better than AODD.
Match materials precisely to each paint/ink formulation & solvent — contact for datasheet · Sandpiper Chemical Compatibility Guide
Seal-less with abrasive pigment
No rotating mechanical seal for hard pigment to abrade → eliminates the seal failure point that causes leakage & downtime in centrifugal pumps.
Low shear protects paint/ink
Gentle pumping action with low shear maintains the stability of the pigment suspension structure, limiting viscosity change; also handles agglomerates per manufacturer data.
Dry run & fast color change
Quick drain and dry-run capability make cleaning between batches/colors straightforward; air-driven operation suits solvent areas (ATEX configuration).
Four brands, four roles in a paint plant
Diaphragm pumps transfer process fluids (milling paste, paint, ink, wastewater); screw pumps for very high viscosity; drum pumps for loading & filling — a range of solutions covering the full viscosity spectrum for a paint production line.
Seal-less air-operated diaphragm pumps for abrasive pigment paste, shear-sensitive paint & ink, and wastewater/flushing lines. Ball valve configuration (HDB) for viscous paste/paint, flap valve (HDF) for large agglomerates; many models available in ATEX version.
View Sandpiper brandImmersion tube drum pumps draw directly from 200L drums / 1000L IBCs for raw material loading and filling: resins, solvents, paint, ink. Available in electric and pneumatic versions, explosion-proof (Ex) version; SS316Ti / PP / PVDF / Aluminium tubes selected by fluid.
View Jessberger brandElectric motor-driven diaphragm pump replacing compressed air — the choice when looking to reduce compressed air costs on continuous transfer/circulation lines, retaining the seal-less and low-shear advantages. Available in ATEX version for solvent areas.
View Cognito brandPositive displacement screw pumps (3-screw, twin-screw, Flexcore) deliver uniform, nearly pulse-free flow — suitable for feeding/metering very high-viscosity shear-sensitive fluids: resins, adhesives, polymers, high-viscosity ink & paint. For specific technical data — contact for datasheet
View Leistritz brandFrom thin paint to very high-viscosity resins, adhesives & inks
Diaphragm pumps (AODD) suit most paint transfer, filtration, and filling lines thanks to low shear and the ability to pump agglomerates. For fluids with very high viscosity (resins, adhesives, some printing inks) requiring stable flow, screw pump delivers uniform, nearly pulse-free flow. Loading & filling from drums/IBCs uses drum pump — three pump families combined cover the full viscosity range on a single production line.
Explore high-viscosity pump solutionsPaint — coatings segments served
Site-wide links — catalog, solutions, services & spare parts
From the paint industry solution page, proceed to the pump catalogue, related industry solutions, technical services, and spare parts inventory — everything for a complete pump project.
Pump catalog
Related solutions
Technical services (TKS)
Pump spare parts
Q&A on pumps for the paint industry
Which pump is suitable for transferring and filling high-viscosity paint/ink?
Why choose an air-operated diaphragm pump for a paint plant?
What should be noted when pumping paint in areas with flammable solvents?
Which pump is suitable for dispensing paint/solvent from 200L drums or 1000L IBCs?
Do diaphragm pumps damage the structure of shear-sensitive paint/ink?
How do you clean the pump when changing colors or inks on the production line?
How does an electric diaphragm pump (EODD) differ from an air-operated diaphragm pump (AODD) in a paint plant?
Which body and diaphragm materials are suitable for solvent-based paints and printing inks?
Get technical consultation for pump selection for your paint plant
Provide the process stage, fluid (water-based paint / solvent / ink / adhesive), viscosity, flow rate, and wetted materials — enough for us to recommend the right model and valve configuration. Call directly, message via Zalo, or submit a request via the form.
- Process stage
- Fluid
- Viscosity & flow rate
- Wetted materials
- ATEX requirement (Zone)
Detailed technical guide for Sandpiper diaphragm pumps — correct selection, installation, maintenance, and troubleshooting.