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Calculating the Cost of Powder Coating
How can you calculate the cost of powder coating a component if you only know its surface area? Powder coating expert Rodger Talbert has the answer.
Read MoreWhat is Back-Ionization?
Q. We spray parts using a silver metallic powder by hand. The surface has a lot of texture and small stars in certain areas and our powder supplier says it is “back-ionization.” What is back-ionization and how do we overcome the problem?
Read MoreThe Value of New Application Equipment
Q. We have an old set of automatic spray guns. The controllers are an analog design with none of the more modern features we see at shows and online. How can we save money on gun operation and how do we evaluate the savings?
Read MoreHow to Reduce Heat Gain in a Building with a Powder Coating Operation
Q. We get an enormous amount of heat in our building when our powder system is running. In the summer months, the building is almost unbearable. How can we reduce heat gain from our equipment?
Read MoreHow to Determine the Cause of Adhesion Failure
Q. We recently powder coated an aluminum structure prepped with a medium grit aluminum oxide media. After a few weeks in a warehouse, a small area was discovered where the coating had chipped to bare metal along a weld seam. What caused the adhesion loss?
Read MoreHow to Stop Outgassing with Die-Cast Parts
Q. We run aluminum extrusions using a chrome treatment conversion coating. We began running aluminum die-cast parts and are seeing small blisters and holes in the coating. How can we stop this?
Read MoreMeasuring and Controlling Transfer Efficiency
Q. Our automatic powder guns are nine years old and doing okay, but we want to enhance our transfer efficiency and reduce material cost. What is the right way to measure powder gun transfer efficiency and how can it be improved?
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How to Boost a Gradually Less-Efficient System
Q. We've powder coated automotive parts with a single-color, black epoxy for around a year. How can we regain our initial efficiency?
Read MoreHow to Get Powder into Recessed Areas
Q. We manufacture metal office furniture.We have trouble covering inside the pull area without getting roughness and heavy coating around the perimeter of the pull. How can we get the coverage inside without the orange peel?
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How to Stop Rust
Q. We make automated pay stations for parking lots, the machines that allow the customer to pay at the exit with a credit card or cash. We have had some problems with rust breaking out of the seams at the base and around the door panels that provide access to the interior of the machine. The machine works fine but customers are not happy with visible rust. We have tried to apply more coating but it will not penetrate the tight creases in these areas. We also have rust on the edges of the door frame and the door. What can we do to avoid this problem?
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Corrosion-Sensitive Environment
Q. I have some fencing around my swimming pool that has corroded badly over the years. It was made with steel and there is a lot of visible rust on the rails and vertical pickets. I am considering the options; have a professional painter come in and clean, repair and repaint the fence; or have the fence replaced with one better equipped to handle the harsh environment around the pool. What would you do if you were me?
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Powder Coating Clinic: Adhesion Problems on Chromated Zinc Plating
Q. We have had adhesion issues when powder coating over zinc-plated aluminum. The aluminum had been nickel-flashed and zinc-plated with a hex-free chromate to meet RoHS compliance. Do you have any suggestions as to why the powder will not adhere properly to this surface?
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