Aluminum Substrate

Q. I would be glad if you could help me understand the powder coating process flow as it pertains to a 1 mm-thick aluminum plate that acts as the top cover of a portable radio. The coating needs to offer corrosion protection against salty and severe environments as well as have good scratch resistance under normal end-use.

Currently we are using wet spray paint, and we are seeing blisters and corrosion at the edges. What basecoat should we use and what type of finishing is best? Also, do you have any Japanese powder coating supplier contacts? N.N.

 

A. Powder coatings routinely provide corrosion resistance superior to that of most liquid coatings. They also can be formulated to provide excellent abrasion and marring resistance to easily handle your application. Applying a TGIC polyester over a chromate conversion coating can provide up to 5,000 hours of salt spray resistance.

This is the standard package used in the outdoor furniture industry when they offer a 20-year warranty in more severe circumstances than your product will ever be exposed to. This package can be applied economically and provide many years of service and still look like new.

As for powder coating formulators located in Japan, I recommend you contact any of the 60+ formulators in North America to find out who also serves that market. Most of them do have manufacturing facilities and support personnel in Asia. For a listing of powder formulators go to www.pfonline.com.