Powder Machine

A: Powder coatings can provide improved performance over liquids when applied to a properly pretreated part. Solvent-borne paints are usually more forgiving of organic soils left on the work piece by sub-par cleaning. Because powder does not have solvents, you need to make sure the washer does a good cleaning job. This is just good operational practice and is not an unusual requirement. Iron phosphate is the most frequently encountered pretreatment used with powder coatings. However, if the highest level of performance is required, zinc phosphate will work admirably with powder as well.

A: There is no stock answer for this question. Many factors go into deciding which cleaner is the best for your application. Base metal of the work piece, soil being removed, bath temperature, contact time, oil removal capabilities, environmental considerations, etc. must be taken into account when deciding. The bottom line is that you need to get your parts clean, safely, so the steps following in the pretreatment process will function properly. Check with your pretreatment supplier to determine your best course of action.

A: There are powdered and liquid cleaners. There are acid cleaners that may be best for inorganic (metallic) soils. Alkaline cleaners are often recommended for organic soils. Neutral cleaners may be used to remove soils on substrates that react with strong acids or alkalis (aluminum or zinc). Oil splitting cleaners may be desirable where high levels of oil build quickly in the process bath. Work with your pretreatment supplier to determine which cleaners are best for your application.

A: Possible Causes:
Not enough containment air flowing through the booth and recovery system.
Cartridge filters not receiving adequate cleaning. Increase pulse down air pressure or volume.
Cartridge filters nearing the end of their expected life.
Final filters becoming clogged. Note that final filter clogging may be related to poor upstream seals or leakage of powder in the recovery.

A: Friction may cause powder particles to fuse along the walls of the powder hose and other components in the powder delivery path. Impact fusion is the combining of these powder particles to form a solid mass during the delivery and application process.

A: Practically all powder coatings are not hazardous waste by definition of the Resources Conservation and Recovery Act regulations (RCRA). Disposal methods for waste powder are the same as for non-hazardous wastes, in most states. However, there may be some exceptions and your powder supplier should be contacted regarding proper disposal. Always renew disposal needs with the local authority having jurisdiction over your facility location.

A: Powder storage for many months is often normal practice. Ideally, powder should be stored in the optimum conditions of less than 80°F and approximately 50 - 60% relative humidity. Under these conditions most powder should be readily usable for at least a year. Avoid placing powder inventory in close proximity to any heat source such as an oven, washer, furnace, space heater, etc. Powder packaging is designed to protect the contents from compression that can result in lumps that are not readily broken. Do not stack packages that are broken or collapsed.

A: There are two conditions that must be met to achieve proper cure of a powder coating. The first is temperature, referred to as metal temperature, and the second is time. The time/temperature requirements of a particular powder material must be achieved to obtain a full cure. A cured thermoset powder coating will not re-melt upon further heating. To ensure proper time and temperature it is often best to test using a Datapaq or similar device to provide actual performance data.

A: Particle size plays an important role in the application process. Size distribution affects many other properties critical to consistent performance including: fluidization, powder transport in hoses, uniform cloud density, powder movement in air, electrostatic charging, deposition and build rate, transfer efficiency, Faraday cage penetration, wraparound, and film smoothness. Size distribution produced by the powder manufacturer must take the coating system design and anticipated changes into account to provide a suitable product. Final cured surface appearance may also be affected by the particle size distribution and flow rate.