Are Airless Tips Universal

Airless sprayers are the tool of choice for many professionals and DIY enthusiasts when it comes to painting jobs. These powerful devices save a lot of time and increase efficiency by spraying at high pressures for an even and smooth coating.

However, as a wear-and-tear item, the tips of airless sprayers often need to be replaced. This leads to some common questions: Are airless tips universal? Can the tips of other machines that you own be applied to the machine that needs to be replaced?

This article looks at the compatibility and versatility of airless tips to help you understand if you can interchange tips between different brands and models.

The Importance of the Right Airless Tip for a Professional Finish.

Different size airless tips are not interchangeable

Airless tips are the key component in controlling the flow of paint and spray patterns. They come in different sizes and are designed to handle different types of paints and spray scenarios, from thin stains to thick latex paints, and from small to large projects. Applicable tips are sized differently.

1. When selecting a tip, make sure the orifice size of the tip is appropriate for the paint you are spraying.

Firstly, you need to determine what range of viscosity you are using for the paint. Then select the proper orifice size based on the viscosity. Under the appropriate working pressure, coatings with low viscosity only need a small orifice tip to achieve the desired spraying effect, while coatings with high viscosity have a high flow resistance, so in order to get sufficient flow rate, a large orifice tip and higher pressure should be used. The orifice ranges for different viscosity coatings are shown in the table below:

Viscosity	Thin	Medium	Heavy	Very Heavy
Material	*Varnish (< low VOC) *Shellac *Transparent stain *Water sealers	*Waterborne lacquer *Acrylics *Primer *Paint *Enamels *Polyurethane *Solid stain *Low VOC varnish	*Heavy latex *Intumescents(Viscosity is generally high)	*Blockfillers *Intumescents(Higher viscosity)
orifice size	0.009-0.013 inches	0.015-0.019 inches	0.021-0.031 inches	0.033 inches and above

If you find the table above too specialized to understand, there is another easy way to choose your tip orifice size. Generally, paint dealers will directly label the tip sizes suitable for various paints or various spraying scenarios. The table below:

Tip Guide: Recommended tips sizes for common applications

Lacquer, vanish or stain - 0.008 - 0.012

Interior paints

Trim, doors- 0.010-0.013

Walls - 0.014 - 0.017

Ceilings - 0.015 - 0.019

Exterior paints - 0.014 - 0.019

Membranes - 0.019 - 0.025 (and beyond)

So you can ask for a similarly simple parameter form directly from your purchasing merchant.

2. Ensure that you select the appropriate tip orifice according to your desired spraying effect (fan width).

Generally speaking, for the same tip orifice, the larger the fan width, the larger the area over which the same amount of paint flow is distributed, and the thinner the coating will be.Therefore, it is important to select the appropriate fan width and flow rate according to the final thickness you need to coat.

The table below shows the fan widths for flow rates paired with the most common tips on the market today.

Spray tips
Serial NO.	Flow-fan width	Serial NO.	Flow-fan width	Serial NO.	Flow-fan width
1	002-10	22	014-30	43	030-30
2	002-15	23	014-35	44	030-35
3	003-10	24	017-20	45	030-40
4	003-15	25	017-25	46	034-25
5	003-20	26	017-30	47	034-30
6	004-10	27	017-35	48	034-35
7	004-15	28	017-40	49	034-40
8	004-20	29	020-20	50	038-25
9	006-15	30	020-25	51	038-30
10	006-20	31	020-30	52	038-35
11	006-25	32	020-35	53	038-40
12	008-15	33	020-40	54	042-30
13	008-20	34	023-25	55	042-35
14	008-25	35	023-30	56	042-40
15	008-30	36	023-35	57	046-30
16	011-20	37	023-40	58	046-35
17	011-25	38	026-25	59	046-40
18	011-30	39	026-30	60	050-30
19	011-35	40	026-35	61	050-35
20	014-20	41	026-40	62	050-40
21	014-25	42	030-25	63	050-45

Note:

1.The first three digits in the number is the flow rate, such as 002 is 0.2L/min; 011 is 1.1L/min; 042 is 4.2L/min. 2.The last two digits in the number is the fan width, such as 10 is 10cm; 25 is 25cm; 40 is 40cm.

From the analysis of the tip's orifice diameter, fan width, and flow rate, it can be seen that different sizes of tips are suitable for different scenarios and coatings. Therefore, tips of different sizes cannot be used in conjunction with each other.

Compatibility between brands and models

One of the primary concerns users have is the interchangeability of tips between different brands of sprayers. The simple answer to this concern is: not exactly. The reasons are multifaceted and involve several key factors:

1.  Tip and Sprayer Compatibility

It's crucial to ensure that your sprayer can handle the size of the tip required for your specific application. Generally, thicker materials necessitate larger orifice tip sizes, which in turn require more power from the sprayer. Each sprayer comes with a "Maximum Tip Size" specification that indicates the largest tip size it can effectively support. Using a tip larger than this size will reduce atomization.

2.  Design and Fit

Different manufacturers design tips to fit their particular model of spray gun. Some models may have a universal tip design, while others have a unique tip design that only works with specialized guns. This introduces a degree of uncertainty, as some tips may be compatible with multiple brands, while others are exclusive designs for specialized machines. Therefore, always refer to the manufacturer's product guide to ensure proper compatibility.

3.  Industry Standards and Commonality

Despite these differences, there are industry standards that promote a degree of commonality between tips. Many manufacturers follow similar design principles, which allows for some degree of interchangeability. For example, HVBAN's RAC 5 has a tip that is common to most popular brands on the market, such as Graco, Wagner, and Titan. However, this versatility is not universal and varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. It is recommended to verify compatibility before making any replacement tips.

The HVBAN Professional Airless Sprayer Tips.

4.  Universal Spray Tip Guards

Some brands have addressed this compatibility issue by offering universal spray tip guards. These guards are designed to accommodate tips from other brands, providing a more flexible solution for users. For instance, both Graco and Titan offer spray tip guards with a "universal G thread." This feature allows their tips to be used interchangeably on Graco and Titan spray guns that also have a "universal G thread."

However, it is important to note that not all tips are compatible with all tip guards, for example Graco has RAC5, XHD EAC and other guards to fit different tips. So be sure to double check the specifications.

Conclusion

In summary, airless sprayer tips are somewhat versatile under certain conditions, but not completely so. Tip compatibility depends on a variety of factors such as tip and spray tip guard design, size, performance specifications and other considerations. Understanding these factors is critical to obtaining optimum spraying results.

Design compatibility between guns and tips is a fundamental aspect. Different manufacturers may design a tip to fit their particular model of  spray gun, but this does not guarantee compatibility with other brands of tips. In addition, variations in size can affect whether a tip will fit correctly. Performance specifications also play an important role.

Despite some industry standards promoting a degree of universality, this interchangeability is not comprehensive. Therefore, before replacing a tip, it is essential to consult the manufacturer's guidelines to ensure compatibility. If you have any further questions or need assistance in selecting the right tip, you can always reach out to HVBAN for help and guidance.

For those seeking versatile and high-quality airless tips, HVBAN offers a range of options that meet industry standards and deliver exceptional results. We are dedicated to providing our customers with the highest quality products and services to ensure your spraying projects meet your expectations. Visit our website or contact us today to learn more about our products.