Powder coat application involves coating metal with a thin plastic finish. The finish is applied in form of powder and continuously baked to a liquid state to bond it perfectly to the metal surface. The process has many benefits when compared to using traditional liquid coating method. Some advantages include its friendly ability to the environment, being able to apply thicker without necessarily running, and generally easy to make styles with. Even though some tricks of powder coating can be extremely challenging, the process is not that difficult, especially when you have an enterprising spirit. The difference between an expert powder coater and an amateur is the use of proper tools and cleaning. Here is what needs to be done.
The Nature of Material to be Powder Coated
The first step to successful powder coating process is to determine the type of material you intend to coat. This will guide you in selecting a suitable powder for the finish. The process of powder coating is usually done with thermoset or thermoplastic polymer powder. Such materials are designed to formulate with different types of base metals for best results.
Disassembling
All lubricated or threaded interfaces should be disassembled before you make any move to coat the material. The powder applied adheres to everything if properly done, making any bearings, clamps, sealed surfaces, and nuts to catch the coat.
Cleaning Base Metal
The next step is to thoroughly clean the base metal to be powder coated. You may use an abrasive blasting for hard metals such as iron and steel to remove any dirt, mill, rust, and foreign materials from the surface. Cleaning can also be enhanced with chemical solvents to remove any oil, paint, or grease substances. After cleaning, light sand the surface thoroughly to attain a smooth and even plane ready for coating. Finally, strip the metal of any remaining gunk or grime by soaking it in acetone. If it's too big to be soaked, wipe it with an acetone soaked piece of cloth.
Powder Coat Application
This should be done using a compressed air sprayer or a normal spraying gun. The compressed air sprayer works by statically charging the powder coat to make it stick to the ground base of the metal. When coating the metal, make sure the electrostatic charger is well hooked to the part being coated. The coat cannot adhere well unless it's given the correct charge to hold onto.
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