Powder Coating Q&A: What is the Proper Oven Temperature?

Q. Please settle a dispute in our company. When I came to this company a couple of years ago, I noticed they were cooling down the batch ovens before putting powder coated parts in to cure. I have always put coated parts in a preheated oven and believe that is the right thing to do, but I do not have the facts to back it up. Can you help?

A. You are correct. There is no value at all in cooling the oven down before putting a load of parts inside. In fact, that will just make the cycle time longer. In the convection oven, the heated air first heats the substrate. When the substrate reaches full temperature it will conduct heat into the coating and the powder will begin to cure. Cooling the oven before putting a load of parts in lengthens the total cycle time without adding any benefit other than the operator does not have to get close to high heat. Normally, you want to lose as little temperature in the oven as possible when the doors are opened. It costs money and adds time to the cure cycle.

Originally published in the September 2015 issue.