One of the proven types of corrosion protection.
In recent years, there has been a very rapid development of powder coating applications.
This technology is gaining popularity while increasing its share in decorating and anti-corrosion protection of various surfaces including everyday products.
How does the powder coating process work?
The process and its course can be divided into three stages:
1) Pre-treatment – cleaning of the element to improve the binding of the coating with paint, is carried out by chemical or mechanical method, the choice of method depends on the type and size of the element;
– chemical method – by dipping or spraying – uses chromates or phosphates,
– mechanical method is sandblasting, abrasion or shot blasting – rather not burdensome for the surrounding environment.
2) Powder application – covering metal with paint by spraying using a special gun. When applying powder paint, there are two basic techniques of electrification
– electrokinetic spraying – triboelectrification, friction method, called “tribo”.
– electrostatic spraying – high voltage method 40…100 kV, commonly known as “corona”.
3) Curing – paint-coated parts are heated to 140…200 °C (390 degrees Farenheit), as a result, the powder is melted and polymerized. The resulting paint coating is resistant to corrosion, chemicals, mechanical damage and high temperatures. Convection, UV, or infrared ovens are used for heating, with an average curing time of approx. 10 minutes.
Advantages of powder coating
The advantages of powder coating are:
– Anti-corrosion protection of coated materials,
– High cost-effectiveness due to long service life,
– saving paint – almost 100% utilization of paint material (possibility of recovering un-deposited powder particles),
– smooth surface without convexities, streaks – the resulting coatings perfectly mask the inaccuracies of machining, thanks to their thickness (60…80 μm),
– Protection against mechanical damage and chemical agents,
– the ability to give gloss, satin, matte, etc., depending on the type of paint used,
– significant energy savings due to the possibility of using closed ventilation systems,
– no harmful effects on the environment and humans – no emission of solvents and thinners into the environment,
– high efficiency,
– a variety of colors – so you can achieve an aesthetic, yet decorative appearance of products and protections.
