Electrocoating (Ecoat)

Electrocoating, also called ecoat, is a process by which electrically charged particles are deposited out of a water suspension to coat a conductive part. E-coat is a prevalent finish used in the automotive industry.

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FAQ: Electrocoating

What is electrocoating?

Electrocoating is a process by which electrically charged particles are deposited out of a water suspension to coat a conductive part. During the electrocoat process, paint is applied to a part at a certain film thickness, which is regulated by the amount of voltage applied.

https://www.pfonline.com/articles/electrocoating

How can I coat aluminum?

A typical process for plating copper on aluminum is:

  1. Degrease.
  2. Soak clean.
  3. Thoroughly rinse.
  4. Dip in a 50 percent nitric acid solution. Depending on the aluminum alloy, sodium bifluoride, sulfuric acid or chromic acid may have to be used in conjunction with nitric acid.
  5. Thoroughly rinse.
  6. Dip in a zincate bath for 1 minute. (Proprietary zincate solutions are best.)
  7. Strip the zinc coating using 50 percent nitric acid
  8. Rinse thoroughly.
  9. Dip in the zincate solution again.*
  10. Rinse thoroughly.
  11. Apply a copper strike using a cyanide or non-cyanide alkaline strike bath.
  12. Rinse thoroughly.
  13. Plate in a copper plating bath.

https://www.pfonline.com/articles/copper-plating-on-aluminum-and-aluminum-alloys

How can I estimate the electrocoat usage of a part?

Electrocoat usage per part is usually determined by multiplying the square foot of a part by the ecoat usage per square foot. The square footage should be supplied by the part manufacturer. The ecoat usage per square foot can be determined by two different methods — average and theoretical.

https://www.pfonline.com/articles/estimating-the-electrocoat-usage-of-a-part

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