Powder coating has been a standard for improving the overall surface of a substrate for more than five decades. Moved from humble and often manual beginnings, it has become a highly automatic and sophisticated process. For fabricators and industries alike, it is an affordable means of protecting, preserving and improving the overall qualities of a component. Yet, as research and practical application by finishers in Grand Rapids clearly demonstrates, preparation before coating makes the process work.
Preparation Basics
Preparation or pre-preparation work is critical for the success of any coating application. A finisher has to make sure certain steps are followed prior to the actual coating occurs. These consist of the following:
* Plan: Select the appropriate method for cleaning the component taking into consideration its materials. Ready the tools required to perform the various actions
* Disassembling: Strip the component. Use care and make certain the parts are ready to be cleaned thoroughly
* Clean: Examine every part, then clean each piece taking care to remove every form of contaminant e.g. dirt, grease, grime, mill scale, oil
* Strip: Make sure the part does not have any prior paint, powder coatings, thin film or any other material that may interfere with the intended powder coating application
* Outgas: If the metal component consists of iron or aluminum outgas it, therefore making certain all grease is gone
* Sandblast and/or Phosphate Coat: Not always essential but is employed by some fabricators and finishers to remove any persistent particles clinging to the surface of the substrate surface
* Clean: Cleaning is essential not once but as many times as it is required to remove any dust or other material deposited during the previous steps
* Masking: If only part of the component is being powder coated or if different parts are receiving different powder coatings, mask it at this point of the preparation
These steps are not definitive. The specifics will vary according to the qualities of the component as well as to other factors. In Grand Rapids, chemical or mechanical means may work alone or in combination to ensure the component emerges as clean as possible and ready to undergo the application of a successful coating.
Powder Coating
In industry, the demand is there to provide the best kind of protection available at the lowest cost possible. Powder coatings are one way to accomplish this. Moreover, they offer the advantage of being greener than some of their rivals are. Yet, any fabricator, whether working in Grand Rapids, MI or Dallas, TX, recognizes the need for preparatory work. For a finisher to produce the best product possible – one to endure its environment without premature decline, it is essential to adhere to certain preliminary powder coating steps.
