Powder coating is the process of coating a surface in which a powder material is
applied using an electrostatic or compressed air method, or sometimes a fluidized bed. The applied powder is then heated (cured) in an oven to its melting point, after which it flows to form a smooth film which dries to a firm, durable finish very resistent to scratches, cracking, peeling, UV rays and rust. The entire powder coating process involves several steps. Very generally: after determining the substrate you are working with, begin with the cleaning step -abrasive blasting or chemical cleaning to insure the substrate is free of any oils, dirt, rust, mill scale, etc; The substrate must be fully cleaned to avoiddefects in the finish and rejects by the customer resulting in lost income and time. a pretreatment step (an important step not done by all coaters) during which the product is treated with a pretreatment chemical or conversion coating, usually phosphate or zinc based, to further protect it and improve the surface for powder adherence; rinse, rinse, rinse..dry completely then Mask areas don't want coated. This is done with high-temperature tape specially designed for powder coating, and/or caps and plugs. Rack the items. Now ready to coat. Select coating. Choosing the right coating for application and end use of the item is very important. A variety of powder formulationsexists to choose from depending on the type item you will be coating. powder coat the parts, usually done with anelectrostatic gun, corona or tribo, in a powder booth, but sometimes in a fluidized bed; finally, FULLY cure the powder in the oven, usually convection cure ovens generally at 375-400 deg. F, 15-20 minutes (varies), in an infrared oven, or a combination of both. Failing to preheat and cure the part properly can result in several kinds of defects such asoutgassing.