The Five “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, 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 to 98% powder utilization efficiency rate is readily available.
Economy
In addition to it's 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 excellence and superiority of finish that customers 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. It's the right choice in finishing to meet today's demanding manufacturers and consumers. |
