Abstract:
A coating apparatus for forming a thin UV curable resin coating on the outer and/or inner surface(11A,11B) of a threaded end portion of a steel pipe(11) constituting a pin or box of a threaded joint for steel pipes comprises a steel pipe(11) support means(14) which supports the steel pipe(11) while rotating it about its longitudinal axis, a first spraying unit(1) having at least two nozzles(1a,1b) adapted to spray a UV curable resin coating composition by pneumatic atomization toward the outer or inner surface(11A,11B) of the threaded end portion of a steel pipe(11), a UV curable resin supply system for supplying the UV curable resin coating composition from a storage tank(21) to each nozzle(1a,1b) of the first spraying unit(1), and a first nozzle support means(3,5,7,9,15) which supports each nozzle(1a,1b) of the first spraying unit(1) so as to be movable in the axial direction of the steel pipe(11) and in the vertical direction. The two nozzles (1a,1b) are disposed at different positions at least in the axial direction of the steel pipe(11) at angles which are sloped such that the sprayed streams from the nozzles(1a,1b) approach each other. By using this coating apparatus, it is possible to form a UV cured resin coating on the outer or inner surface of a threaded end portion of a steel pipe with a uniform thickness.