Powder coating is a dry finishing method that involves applying a thermoplastic, free-flowing powder material to a surface, melting it, and then allowing it to dry and solidify into a protective coating.
Usually, an electrostatic spray deposition (ESD) applies the powder to an electrically grounded metal substrate. After applying the powder coating to the whole surface of the item, it is heat preserved in an oven until the powder fades and runs together.
Powder coatings may also be applied by dipping warmed objects into a fluidized bed of powder material. When the powder comes into touch with the hot surface of the part, it melts and blends. In either scenario, the cured powder provides a smooth, hard surface as the item dries and cools.
Powder Coating Advantages
Powder coating has various advantages and benefits over traditional liquid coating processes. These are some examples:
More Durable
Powder coating creates a long-lasting, strong, hard surface that is protective and beautiful. Powder coatings defend a component or product against wear like corrosion, chips, and abrasions because it’s more resistant to moisture and chemicals than most liquid coatings of equivalent thickness. They may also function as electrical insulators and resist hundreds of hours of salt spray contact.
Environmentally-Friendly
With today’s societal attitudes toward environmental awareness, pollution management is becoming a growing challenge in all fields. Manufacturers, for example, must get licenses and adhere to tight environmental laws on the quantity of solvent and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) discharged into the atmosphere or risk penalties and fines.
Powder coatings reduce the quantity of air pollution control equipment necessary while complying with these standards and constraints. Unlike liquid coatings, Powder coatings do not need solvents to maintain coating suspension. Solvents include VOCs, which harm the environment.
Efficient
Compared to traditional liquid coatings, powder coatings are considerably larger thicknesses without running, dipping, or drooping. Furthermore, liquid coatings include just a fraction of solid material, whereas powder coating generates a coating of a certain thickness with fewer powder passes than a liquid coating.
This efficiency reduces the turnaround time for a completed product, the quantity of coating material needed, and the energy expenditures of curing and drying between layers.
Disadvantages
While powder coating has numerous significant benefits over liquid coating, it also has several drawbacks. These are some examples:
Color Change Takes Time
Changing colors throughout the powder coating process impacts lead and process times. Because common practice is to collect overspray and utilize it for future powder coating applications, the spray booth space must be thoroughly emptied and cleaned between color changes. Otherwise, cross-contamination between various powder ingredients is possible, which might impact a product’s final color and quality.
Thin Coating Difficulties
The powder coating procedure is ideal for producing smooth and uniform thick coatings, so doing the same with thin coatings is demanding. Thicker coatings may more readily conceal surface flaws, whereas thinner coatings exhibit more orange-peel textures.
Larger Upfront Coast
Powder coating may make long-term financial sense because of its durability, quicker manufacturing and curing periods, lower environmental impact, and higher material usage rates. However, the initial cost of powder coating and the investment in powder coating equipment might be higher than that of liquid coating.
The advantages and disadvantages of using powder coating prove the process is valuable, even if it’s a higher upfront cost than one would like. Professional Finishing will answer your call if you want the best metal powder coating in the Bay Area.