Powder coating is a totally dry finishing process used on a wide range of products.
Powder coating looks like a traditional Paint finish but a good powder coat finish is a bit like Armour.
It's tough, looks fantastic and it lasts a long time. Powder coating is a excellent finish that is found on thousands of products some of which we come into contact with on a daily basis. It makes products hard-wearing, good-looking and scratch-resistant, in the process. The range of colours and textures available make powder coating a popular choice of finish for designers and manufacturers alike.
The Powder coating process.
Using special applicator guns, the fine particles of powder are given up to 100,000 volts of positive static charge and sprayed onto the surface that is being coated. A primer coat is usually not necessary as most standard colours are a one coat process, which makes it simpler and much more cost effective for the consumer.
The parts to be coated are electrically earthed so the charged particles adhere until melted and fused into a solid coat in a curing oven.
Because the powder and the part being powder coated have opposing electrical charges, the dry powder sticks to the surface of the part. This attraction pulls the powder into all corners and awkward spaces difficult to reach with wet techniques. It is very much like the static cling you experience when pulling on a nylon sweater. The parts pass in front of the operator along an overhead conveyor where the powder is applied as described above. The parts when coated with powder continue along the conveyor where they pass through a tunnel oven and bake for approx 10 to 15 minutes at 200 degrees. While in the oven, the powder is fused into a smooth coating with a consistent, heavy-duty and high-quality finish, without runs or drips.
Parts then continue along the conveyor, exiting the tunnel oven where they cool and are removed, inspected and packed ready for dispatch. Unlike a painted process, powder coated items are cured and ready to go as soon as they have cooled.
With this process, there is little waste, and so it is more cost effective than wet paint. Unlike paint, modern powders have no Volatile Organic Compounds, and are comparatively harmless to the environment. The excess powder is collected and reused. With powder coating, there is very little hazardous waste to store or dispose of.