An Overview of the Principle of Industrial Coating
An industrial coating may be referred to as a protective layer for shielding a surface from potential damage and improving its appearance. Industries use these coatings on a wide range of surfaces including metal, timber, concrete, rubber, glass, plastic, asbestos, mortar, and others. The primary objective of applying these coatings is the protection of substrate surfaces from potentially harmful elements including environmental factors.
A wide range of industrial coatings are available, each with specific features and benefits. When any surface needs an industrial coating to be applied, the coating material is chosen based on surface characteristics as well as the application environment. Out of all types of industrial coatings, polymers such as epoxy, polyurethane, urethane, and fluoropolymer are used extensively.
Industrial Coating Process
As mentioned earlier, many different factors must be taken into account before applying industrial coatings to any surface.
- Surface Preparation: For an industrial coating to adhere properly, it is important to ensure that the surface being coated is clean. On the other hand, if the surface contains chemicals, dust particles, or other contaminants, it may lead to premature coating failure. Therefore, before the coating is applied, please make sure that the surface is free of moisture, salts, and dry contaminants using appropriate methodologies such as blasting, heating, or chemical cleaning. Right surface preparation eliminates common coating-related issues such as adhesion failures, fisheyes, alligatoring, blistering, and bubbling.
- Coating System Selection: In every industrial coating process, priming is a crucial step ensuring that the sealant and coating adhere properly to the substrate over a period of time. They also facilitate compatibility between different coating materials and substrates. While various coating methods are available, the selection is done considering the substrate’s size and complexity. Some of the most common coating processes include brush coating, dip coating, spray coating, spin coating, roll coating, and flow coating.
- Curing and Drying: the curing and drying processes have a significant impact on the effectiveness of industrial coatings. Inadequate drying or curing often leads to underperformance of the coatings. Product data sheets available with each industrial coating provide details of the procedures for proper drying and curing. Curing must be performed for a specified duration at the correct temperature.
- Inspection: After the completion of the coating process, all coated surfaces should be inspected to find out if they comply with the specified standards. One of the foremost objectives of these inspections is to ensure that the coating is in compliance with the acceptable thickness ranges.
When it comes to choosing the most appropriate industrial coating method, both the coating material and substrate must be taken into consideration. It is also important to remember that a coating line is effective only when its components are well-maintained. Neglecting regular maintenance can easily result in flawed or substandard results.
Finally, please remember that the ideal industrial coating selection demands a thorough understanding of the coating process as well as substrate type, environmental conditions, applications, and performance requirements.
To find out more about industrial coatings, please contact our experts at Coating Management Solutions.