The process of powdercoating Toronto
In powdercoating Toronto, a protective film is applied to a part or an object through a spray gun. The protective film is made up of powders that are typically organic coatings made from resins like polyester, polyurethane, epoxy or a mixture of the hybrid powders. Each of the resins has their own characteristics. For example, polyester has good UV resistance which is best for products that will be exposed to the sunlight. Polyurethane has good chemical resistance making it useful as an anti-graffiti coating. Powder sprayed is in the form of a cloud that is electrostatically charged by the spray gun so that it will be attracted to and adhere to the surface. Afterwards the item is baked inside a curing oven where the chemistry of the powder will crosslink and cure to form an extremely durable film. Since the curing process occurs at 200oC, powdercoating Toronto can only be applied on metals like steel and aluminum.
The importance of pre-treatment prior to powder coating
The durability of powder is dependent on the pre-treatment of the surface. Pre-treatment will prevent corrosion that can rapidly affect the metal beneath the protective coating. When corrosion eats on the metal you will notice flaking and peeling off. Pre-treatment process comes in two stages. The first stage is washing where the parts are cleaned with heated water and detergent. This will remove dirt and dust from the surface. After the washing stage, is the conversion coating where a microscopic coating of corrosion resistance crystals are deposited on the surface of metal substrate. Conversion coating or phosphating also improves the adhesion of powder coating on the metal part. Conversion coating can be iron, zinc, polycrystalline, chromate or manganese phosphate film that will change the physical and chemical nature of the metal surface.
Why does powder coating have an orange peel?
The orange peel is one of the most common concerns over powder coating Toronto. All paints tend to suffer from the orange peel phenomenon. Orange peel develops due to the surface tension of paint while in its liquid state. The more viscous the type of paint, the thicker will be the coat applied in one coating which results into an orange peel. In powder coating, up to 90 microns of powder can be applied in one coating. Compared to 30 microns of cellulose, the orange peel effect will certainly be more noticeable. However, powders have significantly improved over the years and not only has orange peel been minimized, better waterproof film and improved UV resistance has been achieved. Powder resins and flowing agents have also become more cost effective.