Surface coating technology specializes in finding out engineering solutions to all the critical production problems related to coating the products on a continuous and consistent basis in your production plant.
Every customer wants to choose the right type of surface preparation, painting and powder coating process for finishing their products. In order to do this, one has to face and deal with a lot of critical manufacturing and business related parameters relevant and specific to the product being manufactured. Very often we end up with changing the choice of the process in order to satisfy and accommodate one or more of the following parameters :-
Substrate - Depending on whether it is steel sheets, or galvanized steel, or Aluminum or castings or structural steel or wood or plastic, the process of surface preparation and coating vary considerably.
End Use of the product (quality of coating) – Depending on the abuse the coating should withstand and the appeal of the product, the choice of the process is made. The choice is on quality parameters like hardness, salt spray resistance, gloss, weather resistance, chemical resistance etc.
Shape of the components – To ensure paint or powder spray reach into recessed areas and draining of the chemical from components, one has to alter either the product or the process.
Weight of the components – Difficulty to hang the parts and convey the parts using the right type of material handling technique can very often limit the use of certain processes. Also weight of the components are related directly to the heat consumption, hence curing the coating at elevated temperature would mean high running cost
Thickness of the components – Higher the thickness of the components, greater are the chances of mill scale presence and it should be removed with blasting methods. Quick heat up time to the cure temperature is difficult, but not impossible. Hence very often force dried at lower temperatures, if you encounter a very high metal thickness.
Production capacity per shift – This critical parameter influences all the processes including decision regarding manual or automatic operation, kind of automation, control, material handling etc.
Space constraints – To accommodate the plant in a given space, one even limits the choice of the process. Automation (Scada system), high end material handling system (power and free) can be used to save space, which otherwise would consume expensive factory space.
Local environment regulations - The choice of the process made, should conform to local environment regulations in terms of VOC emission, waste disposal norms, etc. Certain processes by itself may not be applicable if one has to consider present or future environment regulations. Designing the equipment to these standards or providing systems to treat pollutants and discharges to meet regulations is a challenge.
Investment and running cost – Last but not the least, your product should be saleable in the target market. In order to do this, one should choose the right process, equipment, and plant design etc., to obtain highest coating quality at the lowest cost. It should be also the latest coating technique and should not be an outdated one, if one has to sustain in the market in the long run.
The Surface Technology Solution Provider should analyze all the above aspects and recommend correct trade-off while customers take their decision regarding the choice of the process, equipment design, plant layout etc.
If one Company wants to specialize in Surface Coating Technology, it should be able to combine and integrate engineering solutions available across 5 different technologies namely:
Surface Preparation Technology
Powder Coating Technology
Liquid Painting Technology
Material Handling Technology
Waste Treatment (Environmental) Technology
A wrong choice of surface preparation and coating process or equipment design or plant layout would mean a permanent business liability and consulting the right people can save you several $million.
