POWDER COATING delivers Efficiency , Economy , Energy Savings , Environmental Compliance, and Excellence of Finish.  The right choice in finishing to meet today's demanding manufacturers and consumers. 

What is powder Coating?
Since it's introduction in North America almost 40 years ago, powder coating has become the fastest growing finishing technology, currently representing over 10 percent of the total industrial finishing market. More and more finishing engineers for a countless array of products have switched from liquid finishing to powder coating as a way to produce a high quality and durable finish while complying with increasingly stringent environmental regulations

How Powder Coating Works-
Powder coating is a dry finishing process, using finely ground particles of pigment and resin which are electrostaticlly charged and sprayed onto a part to be coated. The coating process can be done manually or automatically with a wide variety of equipment available. The parts to be coated are electrically grounded so that the charged powder particles projected at them adhere to the parts and are held there until melted and fused into a smooth coating in the curing oven. The result is a uniform, durable, high quality finish that is also environmentally friendly.

More Durable
Powder coating gives consumers, businesses, and industry one of the most economical, longest-lasting, and most color-durable quality finishes available. Powder coated surfaces are more resistant to chipping, scratching, fading, and wearing than other finishes. Color selection is virtually unlimited with high and low gloss, metallic, and clear finishes available. And colors stay bright and vibrant longer. Texture selections range from smooth surfaces to a wrinkled or matte finish, and rough textures designed for hiding surface imperfections.

The End to Environmental Problems-
Because of the unique process of powder coating, many problems and issues inherent in liquid finishing are eliminated or minimized. Liquid finishing requires the use of solvents and these solvents necessitate venting, filtering, and solvent recovery systems to control the emission of volatile organic compounds (VOC's). Powder coating, on the other hand, contains no solvents and therefore emits negligible, if any polluting VOC's in to the atmosphere. Exhaust air from the coating booth can be safely returned to the coating room, and less oven air is exhausted to the outside, making the powder coating process a safer and cleaner finishing alternative.

THE 5 STAGES OF POWDER COATING:
These 5 steps are extremely necessary to prevent the Powder Coat from chipping off

• Stage1:  Steel Shot Bead Blasting

• Stage 2:  Phosphate Acid Wash and Water Rinse Cycle Stage

• Stage 3:  Drying Oven Stage

• Stage 4:  Powder Coat Stage

• Stage 5:  Curing Oven

THE 5 E’s OF POWDER COATING:
Powder coating may have gotten its start as a superior finish for metal products, but technology now makes powder coating the choice for wood and plastic as well. In fact, powder coated products are everywhere—in your home, office, shopping mall, automobile and SUV, stadium and playground and in countless architectural applications. Regardless of the product or use, you can always count on powder coating to deliver a superior finish with the Five E’s always in mind:

• Efficiency

• Economy

• Energy Savings

• Environmental Compliance

• Excellence of Finish

Efficiency

With powder coating as the finishing process there are no runs, drips, or sags. Since no drying or flash-off time is required, a powder coating production line will move more efficiently than a standard paint line. More parts are able to be coated automatically, too, with significantly lower reject rates. And, with the use of appropriate application equipment, materials, and recovery methods, a 95% - 98% powder utilization efficiency rate is readily available.

Economy

In addition to its efficiency, powder coating offers a simplified line process that allows for minimum operator training and supervision. Parts can be racked closer together on the conveyor and pass more quickly through the production line, allowing for lower per unit costs—which means greater economy. Powder coating also offers easier compliance with federal and state regulations, increasing cost-effective savings.

Energy Savings

Utilizing the strength of powder coating’s efficiency and economy, the exhaust required in powder coating ovens is lower and therefore helps reduce energy consumption. While ovens that cure solvent-based coatings must heat and exhaust huge volumes of air to protect against potentially explosive fumes, the exhaust volume of a powder coating oven is lower and more manageable. So much so that the air is able to be recycled into the plant.

Environmental Compliance

Powder Coating’s efficiency, economy, and energy savings works for the environment as well, as this process eliminates VOCs – meaning the air is environmentally safer.  Installation, expansion and running of a powder coating operation is significantly simplified, creating the potential to place a powder coating finishing operation in areas where other production systems would not be permitted.  The employees also love powder coating’s reduced housekeeping problems and minimum contamination of clothing, since dry powder does not emit the kinds of fumes liquid paint does.

Excellence of Finish

Above all else, powder coating's efficiency, economy, energy savings and environmental friendliness produce an e xcellence and superiority of finish that customers will come to know and count on.  With its two application types (Thermoplastic and Thermosetting), powder coating offers a wide range of both extreme and decorative performance properties.  Color selection is virtually unlimited, and is available in both high and low gloss.  Textures can be varied as needed.  Significant breakthroughs in powder coating technologies has even led to the development of systems that are designed to meet the diverse practical and aesthetic needs of today's demands for a superior finish on metal, wood and plastic.

Powder coating delivers Efficiency , Economy , Energy Savings , Environmental Compliance, and Excellence of Finish.  The right choice in finishing to meet today's demanding manufacturers and consumers. 

Powder Coating Q & A

How long will powder coating last?

Powder coating has the potential to last forever provided there is a good pretreatment and the item being coated is well maintained.

How many colors does powder coat come in?

Superior custom Powder Coating carries a large variety of colors in stock and utilizes 4 major powder coat suppliers that have supplied me with color charts whose colors and textures are virtually limitless.

Can powder coating be cross referenced with a paint chip color code?

Powder coat is a whole different animal than paint and cannot be cross referenced, the best thing to do is bring the part in and math it with the colors in my chip charts or better yet let me powder coat the item first then have the paint mixed and matched to the powder, this is more economical in the long run due to the high prices of custom mixed powders.

Can I powder coat a sample plate when I coat a frame so the sample can be taken to the paint shop and mixed to match the powder coat in order to paint the tins?

I can but once again it is more economical to have me powder coat the frame and the tins and then an automotive clear coat may be applied to the tank and fenders where they may then be wet sanded and buffed to a mirror finish.

Do you have to scuff powder coat before you paint or clear coat over it?

No, powder coat is a chemical based coating similar to but different than paint, when paint or clear coat is applied it will have a chemical bond as opposed to a mechanical bond therefore scuffing is not an issue. Before I this takes place I will do a sample plate for you so you can take it to your painter and have him apply the clear coat just to make sure that the clear coat will stick – better safe than sorry, nothing is proof positive!

Can powder coat be buffed out?

No, powder coat cannot be buffed out. Applying a buffer to a powder coated surface will do nothing more than melt the coating and smear it. The end result will be a unappealing finish or for me to recoat it.

Can you powder coat over paint?

You can powder coat over paint although there will be no adhesion or bonding due to the paint isolating the coating from the surface of the part. In addition you never know what corrosion or impurities are under the paint resulting in a defective finish.

Does everything that is powder coated have to be sandblasted?

Theoretically no. Superior Custom Powder Coating does sandblast all items before powder coating to ensure an ultimate adhesion for a superior finish.

Contact us for additional information or questions.