When one of the UK’s largest automotive manufacturing plants needed to improve weld spatter protection across its automated body-line production, it turned to Arrow Solutions for support. The facility required an anti-spatter solution capable of delivering reliable performance in demanding robotic welding environments, while also improving cleanability and reducing reliance on imported materials. Working closely with the engineering team on site, Arrow Solutions developed a bespoke thickened water-based anti-spatter formulation tailored specifically to the application — combining the performance benefits of traditional oil-based products with the operational and environmental advantages of a modern water-based solution.
Introduction to a leading Japanese automobile company
Located in the north-east, stands the largest car manufacturing plant in the UK and one of the most productive automotive facilities in Europe. The plant produces hundreds of thousands of vehicles each year and relies on highly efficient, automated production lines to maintain consistent quality and throughput.
With complex robotic welding processes used to assemble vehicle body shells, maintaining clean welds while protecting body panels from weld spatter is essential for both product quality and downstream finishing processes.
The welding spatter challenge
The production team initially contacted Arrow Solutions regarding issues with the anti-spatter product used on their body line, where vehicle shells are welded together.
At the time, the plant was using an oil-based anti-spatter imported from Germany via a distributor. While effective at preventing weld spatter adhesion, it presented several challenges:
- The oil-based formulation was difficult to remove from the vehicle surface during subsequent processes.
- Supply relied on imported stock, increasing shipping costs and lead times.
- The team wanted to explore a more efficient, easier-to-clean alternative.
Arrow Solutions recommended trialling their Water Based Anti-Spatter, a solvent-free product designed to prevent weld spatter adhesion while being easy to wash off. During an on-site visit, Arrow’s team reviewed the welding process and assessed how the product would perform in the real production environment.
Initial trials proved promising in terms of performance and cleanability. However, because the product was water-based, it did not cling to vertical surfaces as effectively as the existing oil-based solution.
“This project was a great example of collaboration between our customer and our technical team. By understanding their process on site, we were able to develop a bespoke solution that delivered the performance of an oil-based product while maintaining the advantages of a water-based formulation.”
Caroline Farley
Business Development Manager
Arrow Solutions
The Arrow solution
Following the initial trial, Arrow’s technical team developed a bespoke thickened formulation of their Water Based Anti-Spatter specifically for the company’s application.
By introducing a thickening agent, the product achieved greater surface adhesion, allowing it to remain in place on vertical car panels during welding while still retaining the advantages of a water-based formulation.
The resulting Thickened Water Based Anti-Spatter delivered:
A solvent-free, non-flammable and non-hazardous formulation
Improved cling on vertical surfaces, increasing contact time during welding
Effective prevention of weld spatter adhesion, even during prolonged or heavy weld applications
Easy wash-off, improving downstream finishing processes
Compatibility with automatic high-temperature welding environments
A second on-site trial was conducted using the modified product, where the improved performance met the engineering requirements and was subsequently approved for use on the production line.
The results
The bespoke thickened formulation provided a solution tailored specifically to its body-line welding process.
Key benefits included:
- Cleaner weld areas and improved surface finish on vehicle panels
- Reduced cleaning time compared to the previous oil-based product
- Improved application performance on vertical surfaces
- Reduced supply chain complexity, thanks to UK manufacturing
- Lower shipping costs and shorter lead times
Because the product was developed and manufactured in the UK by Arrow Solutions, the company also benefited from improved supply reliability and faster technical support.
Delivering bespoke solutions
To find out how Arrow Solutions can develop bespoke industrial cleaning, maintenance and process solutions tailored to your production environment, contact the team today. From automotive and manufacturing to engineering and heavy industry, Arrow works closely with customers to solve complex application challenges, improve efficiency and deliver reliable long-term performance. For the latest news and updates, you can follow us on LinkedIn.
“The anti-spatter solution developed and supplied by Arrow has improved our removal process by making the removal process easier for operators by applying a layer of protection that can be easily removed.
This has also come at a competitive price and reliable supplier that ensures stock levels are at a good level.”
Engineer
Body Planning Engineering
