Powder painting is modern technology, which allows you to achieve reliable and durable coating on almost any surface. Application is not particularly difficult if you have the skills, but requires the use of special equipment. The peculiarity of this method is that painting occurs in a dry manner, and a protective layer is formed during subsequent heating.
Although the powder coating method has been known for quite some time, its technical development began relatively recently. During this time, several ways to carry out the process have emerged.
The demand for the first painting method is explained by the fact that this option has greater technological development. With other methods, everything is more complicated: the second method requires careful selection of temperature, and the third appeared relatively recently.
Required equipment
Although the quantity necessary tools and accessories depends on the scale of the work, the following must be present:
Naturally, large production facilities have special suspension and delivery systems, which makes work easier and speeds up the pace.
Whatever method of applying the composition is used on finishing stage the part must be heated in the oven Note! Heating, which is necessary at the last stage of dyeing, does not allow the process to be carried out with materials subject to thermal deformation. Therefore, the processing of metal parts and elements is considered the most popular.
Pros and cons
Powder coating has many positive properties, among which the most notable are:
But with all the advantages, the method is not without its disadvantages:
Note! The use of the powder method is indeed very rational, but in design terms it is inferior to other options. Although currently there are special mixtures with different visual and tactile effects.
Without high-quality equipment, it is impossible to achieve high-quality results Work order
Powder coating technology for various metal products is a combination of activities. Detailed list work includes an important stage - the preparation of the subject, the quality of which determines the result.
Preparation
You need to do the following:
The surface is thoroughly cleaned. To do this, a number of procedures are carried out:
A conversion sublayer is formed. It is necessary to protect the surface from various pollutants. Compositions for this are selected based on the type of material being processed. Thus, chromium anhydride is used for aluminum parts, and iron phosphate is used for steel.
If required, passivation is performed. This process aims to consolidate the anti-corrosion coating.
You should know! The stages of preparation may vary depending on the products being processed and the scope of their application. Sometimes it is enough to carry out thorough cleaning and degreasing.
Applying dye
Powder coating of metal is carried out as follows.
Powder coating- modern, environmentally friendly and harmless waste-free technology for producing high-quality decorative and protective coatings. The powder coating process can be divided into several stages:
— preparing the surface for painting;
— spraying polymer powder onto the surface;
— polymerization of the coating at temperatures from 140 degrees to 220 (depending on the type of paint) using special equipment. During polymerization, 2 conditions must be met:
1. required temperature;
2. strict adherence to time.
You will find a wide range of installations for sale, And . Our managers are professionals with great experience work, will help you navigate among our proposals, choose the most suitable equipment for organizing a painting area, taking into account the expected volume of work and in accordance with the type of process:
— semi-automatic lines;
— heat chambers (or polymerization ovens) of various designs;
— complex automatic lines.
The composition of semi-automatic and automatic lines includes the following equipment:
- spray chamber,
- polymerization oven,
— transport system.
You need to select equipment for a specific area depending on:
— the size of the production area;
— geometry of painted products;
- programs;
— frequency of paint color changes, etc.
Correctly selected complex different systems equipment and transport systems makes it possible to obtain polymer coating excellent quality, reduce costs to an optimal level, optimize production costs.
Preparing for coloring
To get a high-quality result and a well-painted surface, you must carefully prepare the base. Metal surfaces may contain contaminants: organic oils, lubricants, waxes, resins, oxides, inorganic deposits, etc. If you apply powder paint to the surface as it is without preparation, this will lead to the development of corrosive processes under the film, subsequent peeling, and destruction of the coating .
That's why at the beginning staining Surface treatment is required. First you need to remove all contaminants from the surface. To do this, analyze their nature and composition, degree of contamination, select a processing method, effective composition, used for this nature of contamination. It is necessary to take into account the conditions and service life of the surface.
Degreasing, abrasive cleaning, etching, applying a conversion layer - chromating, phosphating: all these methods are used to treat the surface to be painted before painting. The degreasing method must be used in all cases, the rest - depending on each specific case. When painting cars, for example, chromating or phosphating is required.
The product is fixed on the transport system and delivered to spray booth. This is where the powder coating takes place. For this the product to be painted an electric charge is imparted, creating a high-voltage electrostatic field. Then the product is sent under voltage to a polymerization oven, where the powder melts, forming an airtight coating, penetrating even the small pores of the base. Then the part cools and the coating polymerizes.
KRASTECH company produces and supplies equipment to all regions of the Russian Federation
The Krastech company has been producing high-quality equipment in this area of production for many years. By contacting the Krastec company, the buyer does not overpay extra money to intermediaries, but purchases equipment directly from the manufacturer. All equipment is supplied of exceptionally high quality; the Krastech company values the reputation accumulated over years of impeccable work and responsibly treats the fulfillment of contractual obligations.
Spray Booth Operating Instructions
- 1. General requirements
1.1. This operating manual is a document certifying the basic parameters and characteristics of the chamber for spraying products with polymer powder paints, guaranteed by the manufacturer.
1.2. The powder paint spraying chamber (PC) is designed for applying polymer powder paints (PC) in it.
1.3. The spraying chamber is equipped with an air suction system to prevent powder paint from entering the room, as well as to capture the PC for the purpose of its recycling.
1.4. The chamber for applying polymer powder paints is designed to work in enclosed spaces at temperatures environment 15-20 degrees C and relative humidity no more than 80%.
| № p/p |
Name, brief description | Designation | Overall dimensions, length*width*height, m. | Dimensions of painted windows, height*width, m | Maximum dimensions of paint. parts, m | Cabin weight, kg, no more |
| 1 | Dead end– regular cabin | KN | 3.8x1.0x2.0 | 2.0x3.8 | 1.7x3.8 | 80 |
- Power supply – 380 V 50 Hz.
- Power 2.2 kW
- Exhaust ventilation capacity is no more than 3500 m 3 /hour.
- 3. Delivery contents
- Cabin, pcs. – 1
- Operating manual – 1 copy.
- 4. Design and principle of operation
4.1. Process PC application is based on the transfer of electrostatically or tribostatically charged PC to the product, sprayed with a special pneumatic powder paint sprayer (spray gun) and held on the surface of a grounded product to be painted by the force of electrostatic (tribostatic) voltage.
4.2. The process is carried out in a spraying chamber, which is equipped with an air suction system to prevent PC from entering the room and a combined system for collecting PC that has not settled on the part for its recycling or disposal.
4.3. The charged PC ejected from the powder paint sprayer forms a torch of one shape or another depending on the spray nozzle (nozzle) used, moves towards the grounded part to be painted under the influence of air jets and the force of electrical attraction and settles on the surface, held by the same forces.
4.4. The chamber for applying polymer powder paint is made of galvanized sheet metal with a window for the operator, filtration, exhaust and lighting systems.
- 5. Indication of safety measures
5.1. In installations for applying PC coatings, the most dangerous process is the process of applying a layer of PC to a product, since during operation there are constantly several places with a concentration of PC in the dust-air mixture above the lower explosive limit.
5.2. Attention! It is strictly prohibited to operate the powder coating spray booth without grounding it.
5.7. It is prohibited to allow persons under 18 years of age to work who have not undergone TB and anti-TB training. fire safety.
- 6. Preparing the product for use
6.1. Install the KN on a flat horizontal surface at a distance of at least 1 m from other equipment and 0.5 m from the wall.
6.2. Re-preserve the equipment.
6.3. Connect lighting and chamber exhaust.
6.4. Connect the ground bolt to the ground loop.
- 7. Operating procedure
7.1. Place the products prepared for painting on the hanger and move the hanger to the KN.
7.2. Turn on the exhaust ventilation in the KN.
7.3. Enable PC application installation.
7.4. PC should be applied from a distance specified by the spray gun manufacturer.
7.5. When switching to a different color, you must perform the following work:
- Use a brush to remove the PC from the walls of the cabin.
- Blow out the guides and ceiling with compressed air.
- Wipe the guides, walls and floor with a damp cloth.
- You must have a separate filter element for each paint color.
7.6. When the cabin is completely cleaned, perform the following work:
- Sweep the PC from the walls onto the cabin floor.
- Collect and dispose of PCs in specially designated containers.
- Blow out the cabin with compressed air.
- Turn off the exhaust ventilation.
- Wipe the cabin with a damp cloth and let dry for 5-10 minutes.
7.7. Attention! All work in the spraying booth should be carried out with the exhaust ventilation turned on.
- 8. Maintenance
8.1. To ensure uninterrupted and long work CN must strictly follow the recommendations set out in the operating instructions.
8.2. Carry out daily inspection of the control unit to identify minor faults.
8.3. Regularly check that the grounding wires are securely fastened.
8.4. Check the reliability of the connection to the KN of the exhaust ventilation system.
8.5. Before starting work, regularly wipe the lamps to improve the illumination of the products being painted.
8.6. Clean the contacts of the attachments from paint, dust and dirt.
8.7. Attention! To avoid contamination of the surface of the product being painted, do not allow the product to be painted. different colors without first removing paint of other colors from working surfaces.
- 9. Possible faults and ways to eliminate them
| Malfunction | Cause | Remedy |
| 1. The paint does not “stick” to the product. | 1. There is no grounding of the cabin.2. The spray gun is not grounded. | Check and ground the cabin and spray gun. |
| 2. Paint that has passed by the product flies out of the cabin. | KN exhaust ventilation is turned off. | Turn on exhaust ventilation. |
| 3. Insufficient coating thickness. | The pendants are poorly cleaned. Low atomizer voltage. | Remove paint from pendants. Increase the atomizer voltage. |
| 4. Unpainted | The products shield each other. | Change position on the suspension. |
10. Acceptance information
Spray booth matches technical specifications requirements for installations of this type and is recognized as suitable for operation.
11. Warranty
11.1. The warranty period for operation of the spray chamber is 24 months from the date of commissioning of the product by consumers.
11.2. During warranty period The manufacturer undertakes to carry out free repairs of the electrical equipment and faulty electrical equipment in the presence of this passport.
11.3. Claims regarding the quality of operation of the spraying booth will not be accepted and warranty repairs will not be made in the following cases:
- Failure by the consumer to comply with the operating rules of the spraying booth.
- Careless storage and transportation.
- Repair of the cabin by a person who does not have the right to carry out this work.
- Use of the spray booth for purposes other than its intended purpose.
- The manufacturer does not accept claims regarding the completeness of the product after its sale.
Powder paint has been used for quite a long time. But if you do not know the technology of its application to the required extent, if you do not have the necessary experience, you will have to thoroughly study all the information in order to avoid mistakes. It is to their prevention that we dedicate this material.
Peculiarities
Powder paint is made from polymers that are turned into powder and then applied to a specific surface by spraying. To give the coating the desired properties, it is treated thermally, the molten powder turns into a film of uniform thickness. The key advantages of this material are corrosion resistance and significant adhesion. Under the influence high temperatures, including when alternating with low ones, powder paint retains its positive qualities for a long time. Mechanical and chemical influences are also well tolerated by it, and contact with moisture does not disturb the surface.
Powder paint retains all these advantages for a long time along with its visual appeal. You can paint the surface, achieving a variety of tones and textures, varying the additives you add. Matte and glossy shine are just the most obvious examples; such decor is created with powder paint easily and quickly. But more is possible original painting: 3D effect, playback appearance wood, with imitation gold, marble and silver.
The undoubted advantage of powder coating is the ability to complete the entire job with one layer; when working with liquid compositions, this is unattainable. In addition, you will not need to use solvents and monitor the viscosity of the paint and varnish composition. All unused powder that did not stay on the desired surface can be collected (when working in a special chamber) and sprayed again. As a result, when used continuously or for large one-time volumes of work, powder paint is more profitable than others. Another good thing is that there is no need to wait for the paint layer to dry.
All these advantages, as well as optimal environmental friendliness, no need for powerful ventilation, and the ability to almost completely automate work, are worth considering.
Don't forget about negative aspects this technique:
- If any defect appears, if the coating is damaged during work or subsequent use, you will have to repaint the entire object or at least one of its faces from scratch.
- At home powder painting is not carried out, it requires very complex equipment, and the size of the chambers limits the size of the objects being painted.
- You cannot tint the paint, and you cannot use it for parts or structures that are to be welded, since the burnt parts of the paint layer cannot be restored.
On what surfaces can it be used?
Powerful adhesion makes powder coating ideal for stainless steels. In general, when processing metal products for household, industrial and transport purposes, powder is used much more often than liquid formulations. This is exactly how the components of warehouse and sales equipment, machine tools, metal pipelines and wells are painted. In addition to the ease of application, the attention of engineers to this method of processing is attracted by the safety of the paint in fire and sanitary terms, and its zero level of toxicity.
Forged structures, aluminum and stainless steel products can easily be powder painted. This coating method is also used in the production of laboratory, medical equipment, and sports equipment.
Products made of ferrous metals, including those with an outer zinc layer, ceramics, MDF, and plastic can also be a good substrate for powder coating.
Dyes based on polyvinyl butyral are characterized by increased decorative properties, are resistant to gasoline, do not conduct electric current, and tolerate contact with abrasive substances well. The ability to survive the ingress of water, even salty water, is very useful when creating pipelines, heating radiators, and other communications in contact with liquid.
When applying a special powder to the surface of an aluminum profile, the priority is not so much protection against corrosion, but rather giving it a beautiful appearance. It is imperative to select the operating mode, depending on the composition of the dye and the characteristics of the substrate, and take into account the specifics of the equipment. Aluminum profile with a thermal insert, process for at most 20 minutes when heated to no higher than 200 degrees. The electrostatic method is worse than the tribostatic method when painting metal products with blind holes.
Use of powder fluorescent paint practiced when working on road signs and other information structures when glow in the dark is more important. For the most part, aerosol formulations are used as they are the most practical and create the most even layer.
How to breed?
In principle, the question of how to dilute powder paint and in what proportion it should be diluted before applying the coating is not faced by professionals. As you already know, painting with this type of paint is done in a completely dry form, and no matter how hard experimenters try to dilute and dissolve this mixture, they will not succeed.
Consumption
There are decorative, protective and combined coatings; depending on the specific group they belong to, a layer of varying thickness is formed. You also need to take into account the geometric shape of the surface and the difficulties of working with it.
Coloring
As you already know, you cannot paint anything with powder paints at home. The main difficulties when using them on an industrial scale arise in the process of preparatory work. The technology requires that the slightest contamination must be removed from the surface and degreased. Be sure to phosphate the surface so that the powder sticks better.
Failure to comply with the preparation method will lead to deterioration in the elasticity, strength and visual appeal of the coating. Dirt can be removed using mechanical or chemical cleaning, the choice of approach is determined by the decision of the technologists.
To remove oxides, corroded areas and scale, shot blasting units that spray sand or special granules made of cast iron and steel are often used. Abrasive particles are thrown in the desired direction by compressed air or centrifugal force. This process occurs at high speeds, due to which foreign particles are mechanically knocked off the surface.
For chemical preparation of the surface to be painted (so-called etching), hydrochloric, nitric, phosphoric or sulfuric acid is used. This method is somewhat simpler, since there is no need for complex equipment, and overall productivity increases. But immediately after etching, you need to wash off the remaining acids and neutralize them. Then a special layer of phosphates is created, its formation plays the same role as applying a primer in other cases.
Next, the part must be placed in a special chamber: it not only reduces the consumption of the working mixture by trapping it, but also prevents paint from contaminating the surrounding room. Modern equipment is invariably equipped with bunkers, vibrating sieves, and suction devices. If you need to paint a large thing, use a pass-through type of chamber, but comparatively small details can also be processed in dead-end machines.
Large industries use automated painting booths, in which a “pistol” format manipulator is built in. The cost of such devices is quite high, but receiving completely finished products in seconds justifies all the costs. Typically, the sprayer uses an electrostatic effect, that is, the powder first receives a certain charge, and the surface receives the same charge with the opposite sign. The “pistol” “shoots” not with powder gases, of course, but with compressed air.
Powder coating is becoming increasingly popular today. What is this? This is a modern technology designed to produce high quality decorative and protective coatings. The work uses polymer powders (hence the name “powder”). They turn into coating due to exposure to high temperatures. Because of this peculiarity of the procedure, powder coating of metal and glass is most common.
Advantages
This process has a number of positive aspects. These include:
Economical. The fact is that such paint can be reused if it does not settle when sprayed 
on the treated surface. Thus, material loss is no more than 5%. By the way, this figure for conventional paints will be 8 times higher - about 40%. Also in this case there is no need for solvents.
Easy to use. Materials for this type of work are produced completely ready-made. This guarantees stable high quality coatings In addition, cleaning the equipment after use is very simple, because the powder is easily removed from the parts.
Speed. Powder coating does not require drying of products before placing them in the oven. If surfaces covered regular paint, it is necessary to dry for quite a long time, then in this case the process is reduced significantly.
Durability. The technology of these works involves the polymerization of a layer of elastic plastic, which has fairly high adhesion, directly on the surface that is being painted. The result is a durable coating that boasts excellent electrical insulation and anti-corrosion properties, as well as resistance to various substances.
Environmental friendliness. As already mentioned, solvents are not used in this case, which has a beneficial effect on the environment. Waste-free production also plays a role.
Decorative. Powder paints make it possible to obtain a surface of any shade. The palette of materials presented today includes more than 5 thousand colors and shades with various textures. If desired, you can get a glossy or matte surface, as well as granite, moiré, etc.
Powder painting as a business idea
If we take into account all the advantages of this type of work, it becomes obvious that such a business will be quite profitable. If you do not have the opportunity to immediately invest a large sum in your business, it is advisable to at least simply learn how to do powder coating with your own hands.
But it is worth considering that you will still have to spend money. First of all, you will need to take care of the availability of special equipment and a separate room. A simple garage is quite suitable for the latter, but provided that there is enough space in it to accommodate all the tools and equipment. direct implementation works What equipment is needed for powder coating?
Camera
Carrying out the work will be impossible without a special camera. This is where most of the entire process is performed. The powder coating chamber is needed for air purification (recovery process), in addition, it is due to it that the material can be reused. Here, paint that does not reach the surface being treated is sent to filters and then discarded.
Such equipment can have different sizes. Which one to choose should be decided individually in each case, having previously determined which products you plan to work with.
Stove and gun
You will also need a reflow oven. This is a prefabricated structure consisting of panels (their thickness is 100 mm). Thermal insulation material – basalt fiber. If you are just trying your hand at this type of work, it is not necessary to immediately buy a special oven. For this purpose, it is quite possible to use a conventional oven. However, to build a business, it is still recommended to purchase professional equipment.
Powder coating technology also requires a spray gun that allows the use of compressed air. You can also use a compressor as this. If you choose the latter, please note that it must have a filter installed for high pressure.
Recuperator and transport system
The remaining powder paint is collected using a recuperator. Instead, at first you can use cyclone type vacuum cleaner. In this case, you need to first check the power of the electrical network in the room and make sure that there is grounding.
If you plan to work with large items, then you should also consider purchasing a transport system. In it, the workpieces are moved on special trolleys that move on rails. This is how a powder coating line is built. Such equipment improves the productivity of the process, ensuring its continuity.
Powder coating technology
The process of doing the work itself is divided, as you can already understand, into several stages:
- Let's talk about each stage separately. Preparing the product, or rather its surface, for processing.
- Application of paint in powder form.
- Polymerization, i.e. heating the product in an oven.
Preparatory stage: cleaning, degreasing
We can say that this stage is the most labor-intensive. And it depends on it how high-quality and durable the coating will be. In the process of preparing the surface, it is necessary to remove all contaminants from it and degrease it.
Cleaning is carried out using mechanical or chemical methods. The first option involves using steel brushes or grinding disc. You can also grind in with a clean cloth, after moistening it in a solvent.
The second cleaning option involves the use of alkaline, neutral or acidic composition, as well as solvents. Their choice depends on how dirty the surface is, what material the product is made of, what type it is and what dimensions it has.
Phosphating and Chromating
Next, a conversion sublayer can be applied to the product, which will prevent moisture and dirt from getting under the coating. Phosphating and chromating procedures provide better adhesion and protect the surface from rust. For this purpose, iron phosphate (for steel), zinc (when working with galvanic cells), chromium (for aluminum) or manganese and chromic anhydride are most often used.
Then you will need to remove the oxides, which is done using abrasive and dry cleaning. The first is produced using abrasive particles (shot, sand), nut shells. These substances are supplied with compressed air with quite high speed. As a result, the particles “crash” into the surface of the product and bounce off it along with the contaminants.
Pickling (chemical cleaning) is the removal of various contaminants using special etching solutions, the main components of which are sulfuric, hydrochloric, nitric, phosphoric acid or caustic soda. This method is considered more productive, however, after such treatment, the product must be rinsed from solutions.
Passivation
This is the final step in the surface preparation stage. It is necessary to treat the part with sodium and chromium nitrate compounds. This is done in order to prevent secondary corrosion.
After all the preparatory work has been done, the product is rinsed and dried in an oven. Now the surface can be directly powder coated.
Applying paint
What is powder coating technology itself? The prepared product must be placed in the chamber. Here the powder (paint) will be applied to it. If you have a dead-end box, then only small parts can be painted in it. Large products can only be processed in long chambers.
The most commonly used method for applying paint is electrostatic spraying. In this case, powder coating guns are used. These tools are also called sprayers or applicators. This device is a pneumatic sprayer that applies an electrostatically charged substance to a previously grounded part.
Formation of coating
Let's move on to the next stage of work. The paint is applied, now you need to form the coating. First of all, the product is sent to the oven for polymerization. Such chambers can be different: vertical, horizontal, again, dead-end or pass-through, single-pass and multi-pass.
The mentioned equipment for powder coating ensures heating of the surface to a certain temperature - 150-220 o C. The treatment lasts about half an hour, as a result of which a film is formed. On at this stage It is important that the part is heated evenly, which is only possible if the temperature in the chamber is stable.
Which mode to choose for processing a particular part depends on the part itself, the type of paint and equipment. After polymerization is completed, the product must be cooled in air. That's it, job done.
Areas of application
As you can see, powder coating is a rather labor-intensive job that requires certain investments. What products are exposed to it? The painting method under consideration is ideal for processing aluminum or forged products, as well as galvanized surfaces.
Powder paints are finding more and more “fans” these days. Now they are used in instrument making, construction, automotive industry, as well as in other areas. They are used to paint medical equipment, roofing materials, household appliances, objects made of ceramics, plaster and glass, furniture. Powder coating of wheels is becoming increasingly popular among car enthusiasts.
Business organization
These works in specialized centers today are quite expensive. If you want to try yourself in this business, then if you have financial resources, you can start. Of course, not everyone can afford a powder coating line (automated system), but thanks to our recommendations, you will be able to replace some elements with other tools at first.
Start with small items. These can be plaster figurines, ceramic dishes and much more. Try painting something in your home first (start with something you don't mind ruining). Gradually you will develop the necessary skills and dexterity, then you will be able to accept orders from friends. However, you shouldn’t expect much income if you rely only on one-time orders from individuals.
The best case scenario involves the presence of a large starting capital. In this case, you can immediately purchase necessary equipment and hire workers. Clients should be sought among enterprises engaged in the production of metal products. Only the presence of such customers will allow your business to exist and develop.
