North Carolina to Arizona, and everything that broke (and didn’t)
There’s a moment in every project where the drawings are done, the checklists are green, and you think the system is ready. Then you show up for field testing, and reality pulls a steel-toed boot back and kicks you square in the PLC rack.
That’s been my past week—split between North Carolina and Arizona, wrapping up two major installs. One system fought back. The other? Shockingly smooth. Still not sure how I feel about that.
North Carolina: Paint, Pray, Repeat
We’ve been commissioning a rotor coating line for a fan manufacturer in NC. Chain-on-edge conveyor, dual gas ovens, explosion-proof FANUC robot, and a Sames Kremlin Cyclomix 2K for metering.
The problem? The coating material was thick. Original viscosity clocked in at six minutes in a #2 Zahn cup—which, for the uninitiated, is less “paint” and more “pancake syrup.” No amount of robot finesse could atomize that mess.
After some aggressive thinning, we got it down to 30 seconds. That’s a much more typical number. The system finally started spraying like it should—clean patterns, consistent film build, and a noticeable drop in swearing. We even solved a bug where a flush timeout triggered a robot controller lockup. (Fanuc was helpful. Eventually.)
Arizona: Hot, Smooth, and Surprisingly Beautiful
Then I flew to Arizona to check out a large-scale fastener coating system. Same usual checklist. Same expectation that at least 10 things would be broken, wired wrong, or missing.
Except… nope.
My installers went above and beyond and knocked out the entire machine checkout before I even got there. Wiring was clean. Drives were programmed. The ovens were fully tested. All I had to do was show up and pretend I had something useful to do.
This never happens. I was suspicious.
The only hiccup? The truck driver apparently went full Hulk on all the straps and cracked a few components. But compared to the usual startup chaos, I’ll take that trade.
And Arizona? First time I’ve been. Hot as hell, but absolutely incredible to look at. After the workday, I drove up to Windy Point Vista on Mount Lemmon—cooler air, killer views, and a reminder that not every part of a business trip has to feel like work. Got some great shots while trying not to melt.
Lessons in Paint, People, and Perspective
Every trip like this reminds me: the drawings only get you so far. Thick paint will humble your best robot code. Overachieving installers will make your week. And the desert might just surprise you.
One state gave me trouble. One gave me hope. Neither went according to plan.
Wouldn’t have it any other way.