What people don’t always know about powder coating, are the steps that are taken behind the scenes to get that perfect finish. When parts enter our facility, they are checked in with both our shipping and our pricing department. These departments inspect the parts for the condition they arrive in, and pricing will work with the customer to create a job tailored around the specific steps and pretreatment needed to get these parts ready for the application of powder. Parts that have holes or sections that cannot be painted, are covered, or filled with rubber fittings and industry approved masking tape. These types of tools are made specifically to withstand the high temperatures that the ovens reach in the baking stage.
Other such as a chemical wash or sandblasting, prepare the surface of the metal to its most compatible state to enhance the cling or adhesion of the powder. Sanding is another form of pretreatment used that can smooth out uneven surfaces from rust or previous paint applications. The pretreatment step is crucial because it is at this step that the metal is prepared for the best adhesion possible, and this step protects parts against corrosion down the line. After this is completed, the parts are ready to be coated with the selected powder and then sent to the ovens to cure. The curing process bakes the powder onto the parts as a hard exterior which protects the part but also gives the parts that freshly painted finish long after the parts have been done.
This process is short summary of what customers can expect when dropping their parts off. Of course, there are certain situations that call for extra measures, but these are all discussed by our pricing department before we begin any work. Still have questions or want to know more? Contact our office today to speak with someone in the pricing department.