22 July 2026
Q&ALIT #01: The Wrong Question About Paint Stripping
With Claudio Burato, Product Manager – Engineering Division
We asked Claudio Burato, Product Manager for ALIT’s Engineering Division, a simple question: “What matters more in a paint stripping process: temperature or circulation?”
His answer was immediate: “It’s the wrong question. They are equally important. If I had to break it down, I would say roughly 60% of the work is done by the chemistry and the other 40% by the equipment.”
The chemistry and the equipment are designed to work as one system, which is why both the stripping formulation and the machine configuration have to be selected for the specific application.
Why Temperature and Circulation Cannot Be Separated?
Temperature increases reaction kinetics. The faster the reaction, the more quickly the coating softens.
But softening the paint is only part of the process.
As the coating begins to dissolve, the softened material has to be removed from the surface. Otherwise, it forms a partially dissolved layer that acts as a shield, preventing the stripping solution from reaching the underlying intact coating.
That is where circulation becomes as important as temperature. Claudio explains it with a simple comparison:
“It’s like washing your hands. You need soap to loosen the dirt, warm water to help it work, and a continuous flow of water to carry the dirt away. In the same way, chemistry attacks the coating, temperature accelerates the reaction, and circulation removes the softened paint.”
This is why troubleshooting a slow paint stripping process should not start with a single parameter.
The temperature may be correct, but circulation may be insufficient. The chemistry may no longer be performing as expected. Or all three factors may be acceptable individually but poorly balanced.
Temperature and circulation perform different functions. One accelerates the reaction. The other clears the way for it to keep working.
But if there is one place to start, it is the chemistry. The right product, correctly dosed and maintained, is what makes both temperature and circulation effective. Without it, optimizing the equipment means solving the wrong problem.
Effective paint stripping depends on all three, with chemistry as the foundation.
What Should We Answer Next?
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