Powder Coating Tips: How to Pre-Treat Your Industrial Equipment Parts

If you are planning on refurbishing your industrial equipment, you should think about using industrial powder coating as the final finishing process. This procedure is beneficial over alternatives because the coating created is durable. It can withstand hostile conditions without degrading. In addition, there are numerous appealing colours available.

However, you should note that poor preparation of the equipment can compromise the performance and aesthetic of the coating. Therefore, you must dedicate enough time and resources to the initial work. Here are simple guidelines on the effective pre-treatment of industrial parts before commencing the powder coating process

Protect Moving Parts

The moving parts in industrial equipment must not be damaged during powder coating. Therefore, you should assess the machinery and determine how to best protect the vulnerable components. There are different approaches to consider. The most effective is disassembling the equipment and separating the parts to be coated from the core delicate ones.

However, this is not possible in all cases. If you cannot separate the parts, you should plan on covering the susceptible areas. For instance, important holes and crevices can be plugged to prevent damage from the paint. You can also use protective masking tape over delicate areas. If you use this approach, ensure that the tape is heat resistant.

Remove Old Residues

If there are residues on your equipment parts, you must eliminate them before using a powder coat. Old paint coating, rust and stubborn debris will compromise the adhesion and appeal of the final coat. In general, residues can be hard to eliminate. Therefore, it is advisable to look for an abrasive blaster to scrape the metal. If you cannot acquire a sandblaster, you can handle this task by using a grinder with appropriate sandpaper.

Clean the Parts

Cleaning the parts of your industrial equipment is important. This process should be carried out on all components, even if they seem to be in a good state. The goal of this stage is to remove oils and chemicals which could interfere with your new finishing coat. You can clean the parts using detergent and hot water. However, consider using a chemical wash if there is stubborn dirt.

Dry the Surfaces

Finally, you should ensure that the surfaces are dry before commissioning the powder coating work. If you are handling a small-scale project, you can simply air-dry the components. Do not use a cloth because fabric might introduce new contaminants. If the powder coating work is intensive, use an oven to eliminate the moisture after washing by evaporation.