Powder coating is an ingenious way to apply color and finishing uniformly on metal hardware, particularly industrial equipment. It ensures fade-resistant, scratch-resistant, and color-durable quality finishes on nearly any type of metal.
The powder coating process is a potential money saver for customers needing coated metal. However, there is still much to be desired in terms of efficiency for powder coat companies.
How Much Powder Coat Is Wasted During Application?
Among powder coating’s fair share of disadvantages, the amount of wasted powder coat with each application is perhaps the most critical.
The current powder coating technology only allows around 50% average coat transfer efficiency. This means that powder coat companies lose half of the powder coats they apply to the products. The products may be completely coated in the end, but roughly the same amount of powder coating applied to the metal falls on the spray booth floor.
Thankfully, the powder coat waste does not contain any volatile organic compounds and is not hazardous.
How To Improve Powder Coating Application Efficiency
Powder coating application is done using pneumatic pressure or compressed air. The spray gun applies an electrostatic charge to the exiting powder particles, ensuring the electrocharged particles stick to the grounded metal pieces or equipment.
Using the latest equipment, upgrading coating spray booths, and ensuring sufficient grounding can help powder coat companies improve application efficiency.
It is also important to always check for accurate equipment settings. High pressures can increase wasted coatings and wear the equipment faster. Having preventing maintenance programs can help raise powder coating transfer efficiency, as well.
Additionally, providing training to ensure coating equipment operators use proper spray techniques is a worthy investment.
Ensuring Powder Coating Transfer Efficiency
Transfer efficiency is perhaps the most important factor for powder coating companies looking to achieve utmost cost-effectiveness in their process and overall business. Coating quality and efficiency are only as good as the quality of its environment and the care powder coating companies put into their equipment.
