Brief Information about Pre-Treatment
You can have an item stripped of its existing state whether its dirty, rusty or you simply dont like the colour. The item can then be primed and then coated to any colour from our very extensive RAL colour chart, Please look at RAL colour chart under our Powder Coating section.
Preparation
The first part of the process to be considered is the stripping of any electronics, electrical wires, plastics trim or anything that will not be able to withstand any part of the process. This item should be able to withstand processes such as being shot blasted, dipped in chemicals, powder coated and cooked at temperatures up to 200C for a period of 10 – 15 minutes. The stripping of everything besides the item/ shell that is to be powder coated is essential and should be done with great care. All bolts, nuts, bearings and clamps should be removed and all threads for screws, bolts and nuts should be covered or well lubricated using carefully placed grease or alike. The second part of preparation before the coating is the cleaning of any dirt, rust or existing paint and will be done in different ways depending on the type of metal to be coated.
Shot Blasting
What is Shotblasting?
Shotblasting is a method used to clean, strengthen (peen) or polish metal and is typically done in a blast room. The blast room is a three part system; the containment structure, the abrasive blasting system and the dust collector. Most blast rooms will have a recycling system. This can range from manually reclaiming the abrasive blast using a shovel to reclaiming floor systems that convey the abrasive back into the shot blast tank prior to recycling. Shot blasting is used in almost every industry that uses metal, these include aerospace, automotive, construction, foundry, shipbuilding, rail, and many other industries.
Please look at our "Shot Blasting" pages (links below) for more information!
Priming
Aluminium etch primer
Etch Primer is a paint that is designed to physically bond itself to the substrate to which it is applied. This is achieved by combining an acid with the paint so that the acid microscopically etches the surface of the substrate, thus forming a physical and chemical bond between the two. In most cases a colour will be added to the Etch Primer so that it can be seen. Acid Etch primer can also be used on steel although the acid properties are more suited to Aluminium.
Steel zinc primer
Zinc rich primers are used to protect steel and iron surfaces from corrosion. Unlike some primers which resist corrosion by forming an impermeable barrier between the metal and atmospheric moisture, zinc rich primers provide corrosion protection by electrical means. The zinc and the steel form a tiny electrical cathode type cell that protects the steel at the expense of the zinc. Of course the zinc primer also provides a little ‘barrier' protection as well as a good surface for powder coating. Some types of zinc rich primers (inorganic) are used as a standalone coating, but often they are top coated with a powder coated finish.
Powder Coating
For more information regarding the Powder Coating process please look at our very informative page
"What is Powder Coating" by simply pressing the link below!
