Unlike traditional metal painting methods that are applied as a liquid, powder coatings are applied in powder form. Usually, paint consists of a binder and a pigment suspended together in a liquid solvent. Powder coatings, on the other hand, do not contain any solvent. A binder is blended with the pigments to create a fine powder. This fine powder is then applied to the surface via the use of heat and static electricity. The entire process is carried out in three steps; first comes the pre-treatment and substrate preparation, the powder is then applied after which it will be cured to create a beautiful finish.
The typical issues that arise with traditional painting methods are minimised with powder coating and in most cases even eliminated. There is actually a multitude of other advantages to using powder coating that will be discussed in this article.
Performance
Powder coatings perform far better than traditional painting methods. Compared to liquid coatings, powdered coatings are extremely durable, and their ability to resist corrosion, chemicals, and weather is much greater. Thermal bonding occurs during the curing process, so powder coat surfaces are less likely to scratch, chip, and degrade due to general wear and tear.
Powder Coating will always last longer than traditional painting methods and requires far fewer coats. Both paints and powder coatings are weakened by the sun, however, the sun wears down the powder coating pigments much slower. It is widely applicable to almost any material and can take less than one day to sandblast, zinc-primer, and finish the powder coatings. There is also very little maintenance required. Powder Coated surfaces only need to be cleaned every 6-12 months, depending on the climate.
Powder coating does not run or drip, so vibrant colours tend to last longer than traditional metal painting. Powder-coated items are long-lasting and visually appealing as a result of this process. Powder Coating does not limit your options for finishes either. There are unlimited colour and finishing choices including smooth, texture, gloss, matte and more!
Operational Costs
Powder coating is far cheaper than traditional painting methods due to the fact that its application covers more surface area making it much faster. This equates to lower material costs compared to traditional finishing methods. Powder coating can also be easily automated, this reduces any costs associated with labour due to the fact that there is less training and supervision required.
The use of powder coating results in greater cost efficiency when compared to traditional methods. With powder coating, less waste is produced so the cost of waste disposal is greatly reduced. A one-coat application is all that is required as well and products also won’t require special drying areas while the paint takes up to 2-3 days to completely dry.
Safety
When not handled correctly, wet paint is toxic, flammable, and full of volatile organic compounds (VOC’s) which pose a threat to plant or shop workers. Unlike traditional painting, powder coatings typically do not contain any VOCs or solvents, so there are no potentially hazardous chemicals as there would be with traditional painting.
Environmental
VOC’s found in regular paints are also a huge contributor to industrial pollution concerns. It is more environmentally friendly than traditional painting because powder coating is solvent-free and emits very few, if any, VOCs.
As an added benefit, powder coating is a clean process since overspray can be rescued and repurposed, and unused powder can be returned to the hopper for recirculation. As non-hazardous materials, powder coatings are usually safe for landfills.
If you’re interested to learn more about our powder coating service then please give us a call on (08) 9248 8888 and speak to our experts. With Acorn Metal Products’ team of highly experienced, dedicated and hard-working individuals, we can take on any project!