Today, metal is everywhere we turn — in our industrial machines, household appliances, cars, and even fire hydrants and mailboxes. Between constant usage, exposure to the environment, and an increased need for durability, metal powder coating has thus become a need for any piece of modern life built from metal.
Powder coating is a form of dry finishing that functions as a protective outer layer for metal surfaces. Like liquid paint, it can come in a wide variety of colors for an attractive look.
However, in contrast to liquid paint, powder coating provides a more durable and long-lasting finish that is more resistant to the effects of wear, moisture, impact, and scratches.
Given the outdoor-focused lifestyle characterizes Utah and much of America, metal powder coating is thus a necessity in ensuring the durability of any metal-made material. Keep reading to discover more benefits that metal powder coating brings.
Greater Efficiency and Durability
As powder coating is considered a “dry” form of paint, there is no drying-off time required, in contrast to the case of liquid painting. Because of this, parts can be racked closer together on the production line, and production time can also be reduced as the drying-off time is eliminated.
The dry finish that metal powder coating gives means that fewer layers of coating need to be applied, as — unlike with liquid paint — there will be no cases of running, dripping, or sagging of paint that would require a second layer of finish to be added.
Studies have also shown that powder coating can have up to a 95 to 98 percent powder utilization efficiency, in contrast with the 60% material utilization efficiency of a liquid system. Such aspects contribute to greater efficiency and reduced costs in the production line.
More Environmentally Friendly
Powder coating provides a much more environmentally friendly option for finishing, containing no solvents and releasing little to no amount of substances classified as Volatile Organic Compounds or Hazardous Air Pollutants into the atmosphere.
The powder coating process also does not produce any hazardous or toxic waste material, and unused powder and overspray can simply be recycled and reused in the future. The production of powder coating also creates a smaller carbon footprint and can generate energy and cost savings.
Exhaust air from the coating booth is returned to the plant instead of being released outside, resulting in low emissions and energy savings as hot air is kept within the plant throughout the process.
Simple and Easy to Use
The powder coating process is much simpler and requires much less supervision. Due to a lack of fumes and air pollutants, employees are able to feel more comfortable and find it easier to breathe while working with powder coating.
Furthermore, housekeeping problems and clothing contamination are minimized, since the dry powder does not spill or stick to other surfaces such as skin and clothing. This also makes the powder coating process much simpler and easier to perform, which then leads to minimized waste and errors in the process, thereby also promoting production efficiency.
Powder coating provides the ideal finishing for a wide variety of machines and equipment, especially those made from metal. With our increasing reliance on technology and need for durability and long-lasting functionality from our mechanical assistants, it looks like powder coating can be the answer for protection and security our modern world needs.
