Common Mistakes Made During Powder Coating

Across the country, large and small companies alike are adopting powder coating in droves. This marvelous innovation brings many benefits to the modern job site.

Powder coating is more resistant to chipping, scratching and fading than traditional paint jobs. It’s also more environmentally friendly, as powder coating contains none of the solvents or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that accompany a liquid finish. That same lack of solvent prevents irritation among those people who work in direct contact with whatever objects you’re having coated. Not only that, but powder coating is cleaner to implement and cheaper overall when compared to the alternatives.

Of course, as great as powder coating may be, when it’s misapplied, powder coating mistakes in Umatilla County, OR can happen. Here’s what to look for to make sure you’re getting the most from your powder coating job.

Avoiding cross-contamination

One of the most pervasive dangers of a powder coating job is the threat of cross-contamination. Even a single strand of hair or a small speck of dust can create flaws in the final result of a powder coating job.

Professional contractors will wear lint-free jumpsuits that cover their hair and body, as well as safety goggles. The powder coating job should take place in mobile tents that filter foreign contaminants out of the air. To ensure that the tent remains free of harmful particles, powder cleaning crews should change the clean room’s filters on a regular basis, as well.

Pre-treatment delays

For powder coating to remain as effective as possible, the pre-treatment stage should occur directly after coating, since the part being coated should be wet for pre-treatment to work. A piece that’s been coated but not pre-treated will begin to rust as soon as it’s dry.

Even worse, this mistake can be covered up by the pre-treatment and curing process, which means you won’t notice the error until it’s already too late.

Factory-clean equipment

One of the most commonly overlooked powder coating mistakes in Umatilla County, OR is the delay of routine equipment sanitation. Ideally, powder coating crews will clean out their primary equipment—hoses, pumps and guns—every day or every other day. The ovens used in the powder coating process should also be cleaned every few months to avoid the buildup of minute particles that could cause defects in your final design.

Inappropriate curing

The process of curing your powder coating project in an oven is not a set-it-and-forget-it scenario. Several measurements should be taken over the course of the project to make sure that everything turns out correctly.

Don’t take chances

You can roll the dice on powder coating mistakes in Umatilla County, OR, or you can put your job in the hands of a talented expert like NW Metal Fabricators Inc. For more than 30 years, our family owned and operated business has distinguished itself as the area’s best when it comes to powder coating, machining, welding, painting, sandblasting, water jetting and, of course, metal fabrication.

No matter which industry you represent, NW Metal Fabricators Inc. can satisfy your needs. Our knowledgeable team is committed to your satisfaction. Give us a call or visit us online today.

Categorised in: Powder Coating

This post was written by Writer