As a qualified fabricator will tell you, it is becoming increasingly challenging to meet strict client specifications while at the same time reducing costs related to labour, energy and raw materials. One strategy being implemented by most fabricators to tackle these challenges is installing and handling powder coating in-house. This eliminates the need to outsource powder coating service and goes a long way in adding to the bottom line. This article highlights the role of innovation in enhancing powder coating performance for fabricators.
Cut Cycle Times — When a client wants a powder-coated product, they expect a finished product whose surface characteristics are unrivalled in terms of smoothness and coverage. This is only possible if you go through the entire four-step process of powder coating. Unfortunately, many fabricators agree that the four-step approach is relatively long and lacks efficiency. The good news is that long cycle times will be outdated because fabricators have access to one-cure coatings nowadays. By eliminating one cure step from the four-step approach, fabricators can cut cycle times considerably without compromising on the quality of finish.
Variety in Powder Size — Another area where fabricators have continued to struggle is transfer efficiency during the powder coating process. Transfer efficiency refers to how much of the pressurised powder reaches and adheres to the surface in question, and it is determined by powder size. Therefore, if you do not know the type of powder size you are using, then the chances are high that there will be a lot of wastage inside the powder coating box. Most importantly, fabricators must ensure that they use the right powder size for efficiency purposes.
Automatic Vacuuming Chamber — Color mix up is nothing new in powder coating, and it is mainly caused by cross-contamination during colour changeovers. Therefore, fabricators resort to manual cleaning of the chambers before beginning another cycle once they have changed colours. The process usually takes longer because you have to wait until all particles floating in the chamber settle. Additionally, manual cleaning is not thorough, and the risk of colour cross-contamination still exists. Automatic vacuuming has come to the rescue of fabricators because it jumps into action the moment the last piece leaves the chamber in preparation of colour changeover. In addition, no time is wasted because all floating particles are vacuumed away, giving room for the next cycle start immediately.
To learn more, reach out to powder coating professionals today.
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