The Performance Powder Works Process
Part Preparation
To prepare new metal for the pre-baking process, we give the part a high temperature degreasing followed by an iron phosphate treatment.
If the part is already coated with paint or existing powder coat, we carefully clean the part by chemical stripping or by sandblasting with the appropriate media for the job. This process removes all rust scales and corrosion so the finished product is as good as new.
Pre-Bake
(Many of our competitors skip this step)
PPW pre-bakes all its parts 20-30 degrees higher than the actual bake temperature. This process, known as out-gassing, helps “bake-out” impurities often found inside the pores of the metal.
If these impurities are not “baked-out”, they can and usually will bubble up and out during the final bake process, resulting in blemishes and other issues with the final finish.
Masking
If parts have machined surfaces, they are professionally masked or plugged if the surface is threaded. Masking is followed by a thorough wipe down which is designed to remove any contaminants that could affect the final product.
Powder Application
The parts then find their way to the spray booth where they are hung on the racks that are attached to an electrical ground. The powder goes through a special electrostatic spray gun where the powder is given a positive charge of 20k – 100k volts. The sprayed powder statically adheres smoothly and evenly to the grounded parts. At this stage the powder can be wiped off or blown off with compressed air until it has gone through the oven curing process.
Oven Curing
After coating, the parts are rolled on the racks into the 8x8x18 ft oven where it cures 25-30 minutes depending on the type of powder and its application. Our temperatures are validated by electronic thermometer that helps to insure a perfectly even finish. Candies and topcoats require a cool down period after the base coat is applied so if necessary we re-spray and repeat the oven curing process for these applications.
Cool Down
Unlike liquid paints there is no “dry time”, but the cool down process is critical to the curing process. After the parts have cured to the correct temperature and for the correct length of time, they are moved to the cool down area.
Inspection
Each part is thoroughly inspected and, although rare, any problems or issues with the process are resolved prior to being packaged and prepared for final pick-up or delivery.