3 Metal Preparation Tips for Powder Coating Metal Fabricators
If you are a metal fabricator, then you are probably aware of the benefits of powder coating technology compared to wet painting. The ability of the powder coating technique to produce durable, unique and aesthetically-appealing finishes is unrivalled.
That said, some situations affect the powder coating process negatively. The only way to get around such scenarios is to prepare adequately for the powder coating exercise. This article provides tips that will help you to achieve quality powder coated metal fabrications, and in good time.
1. Don't Plug Holes -- When metal fabricators prepare metals for powder coating, they go to great lengths to plug tubings and holes on the metal product to block areas they do not want the powder coating process to affect. However, the levitating machine in most powder coating workshops requires to be attached to metallic products being powder coated.
Therefore, if you plug all openings on the metallic product, hanging it for the actual powder coating exercise might be a challenge. Ensure that you do not plug the holes and tubing before delivering a metallic product to a powder coating workshop. It will ensure that a powder coating specialist has somewhere to insert wires to hang the product on a levitating machine.
2. Vent Hollow Parts -- If you want to work on multiple metal pieces and you still need to weld solid parts into hollow sections, you will most likely end up with an airtight piece. Notably, when placed in an oven for baking after powder coating, high temperature heats the air inside the hollow portions causing it to expand.
Since the hot air has no exit, it will find an imperfection in the weld and blow out thereby messing the powder-coated surface. Therefore, if you are going to weld together solid and hollow pieces, make sure that you drill a small hole on the welded joints to allow hot air to escape.
3. Uniform Out the Surface -- When cutting metal pieces for joining, there is the likelihood that the cutting equipment will leave faint gouges on the surface of the parts. Such marks are also possible if you place the metal piece on a rough surface. If the scratch marks are relatively large, the best that sandblasting will do is slightly mute them.
If you take the part for powder coating, the unsightly marks will show on the surface. The best thing to do is to go over the surface with sandpaper whose grit value is close in depth to the scratch marks. It will give the surface a uniform texture that is ready for powder coating.