Teflon® Impregnated Powder

Question:

I am interested in any feedback on using Teflon® impregnated powder in our facility. We are a sheet metal enclosure manufacturer, and we are investigating the possibility of using this type of powder in lieu of mechanical slides in a sliding shelf application. I have requested information from our current powder suppliers, but I am interested in feedback from actual use applicators, any information such as wear, durability, application (we use IR ovens for curing), product quality etc. I thank you in advance for your reply. G. H.

Answer:

The coating property you are asking about is referred to as the "slip characteristic" of a powder coating. This property can be formulated into a powder coating in a variety of ways. For instance, both wax and Teflon can be used individually or in combination to provide the "slip" you want. Since these materials can be very sensitive to the method of cure (IR vs convection), time of cure, and have recoatability and reclaim issues, you must discuss this situation with the powder formulators directly.

Several closet storage system companies use this type of material for basket drawer storage devices. However, these devices do not handle a large amount of weight. Therefore, if your sliding shelf application needs to support substantial weight and still operate smoothly, there is no substitute for a good mechanical drawer slide.