How Does Powder Coating Work?

Preparation

The first step to quality powder coating is surface preparation, otherwise known as pretreatment, of the metal parts to be coated. Several methods of this include solvent wiping, sandblasting or glass bead blasting, and chemical bath treatments. The most common chemical treatments are iron phosphating for steels parts, and chromate conversion for aluminum parts.

Powder Application

The second step of the powder coating process is the actual application of the powder coatings onto the parts. Using electrostatic spray guns, the powders are gently blown through the air gun, picking up a static charge, and are attracted to the grounded parts as they move through the air. The static charge is strong enough to hold the particles on the part, but not enough to disrupt the spray.

Curing

The final step to the process is curing. When the coated parts enter the 400 degree oven, the powder granules melt and flow together, and after a short period are cured. The parts are then removed from the oven and allowed to cool, after which they are fully cured and ready for packaging. At this point the powder coating process is complete and the parts are ready for use.

Want to learn more?

Visit PowderCoating.org