YOUR GUIDE TO POWDER COATING

Powder coating has become an increasingly popular finishing process since it was first introduced in the 1960s due to it high quality, durable finish that is versatile, protective, decorative and ideal for maximised production.

What is Powder Coating?

Powder coating is a dry finishing process, and the coatings are based on polymer resin systems, combined with curatives, pigments (for colour), levelling agents, flow modifiers, and other additives. These ingredients (that work together to create a coloured and protective surface) are mixed and cooled before being ground to form a powder.

At BWC Profiles, we use thermoset powder coatings as they create a long-lasting hardened coating (which also provides better scratch resistance) during the curing stage.

The Powder Coating Process

To achieve the smooth and even application of the powder coating onto our aluminium profiles, we start with a pretreatment (to ensure the products are clean and free of dust contaminants) and then add a primer before moving on to a process called electrostatic spray deposition (ESD). Our custom-built powder coating machine offer a seamless process from start to finish with carefully positioned spray guns that apply an electrostatic charge to the powder particles, which are then attracted to the grounded part.

Once the powder coating has been applied, the parts move to a curing oven. The addition of heat ensures the coating chemically reacts to ‘bind’ the colour to the aluminium. This creates a hard finish that is tougher than conventional paint and with a lot more resistance to the elements and to wear and tear.

Where can Powder Coating be Used?

Powder coating’s high quality, protective and durable finish can be applied to virtually all types of metallic substrates, and it can also be used on non-metallic substrates such as plastics and MDF (medium density fibreboard).

You’ll find that many industries use powder coating for their products, including the automotive, aerospace, retail and manufacturing industries.

Powder Coating Benefits

Powder coated products are more resistant to outside elements, providing protection against impact, moisture, chemicals, UV light and other weather conditions. This also means that there is less risk of scratches, chipping, abrasions, corrosion, fading, and other wear issues.

Due to its non-toxic nature, powder coating is environmentally friendly and the quality of the powder along with the painting process ensures a consistent colour finish across the metal (useful for further batches of the same order).

For more information about our powder coating service and other finishes, please visit our Powder Coating page.