When you are making a decision for your aluminium extrusions, it is normal to consider a variety of choices. Anodising, powder coating and painting all have their own special benefits. This article looks at how powder coating aluminium extrusions works, its advantages, and the main reasons to consider it.
How Powder Coating Works
Powder coating is the act of spraying electrostatically charged paint, which is in powder form onto aluminium extrusions. This process does not need the use of a solvent like in liquid painting. So it is really important that all the surfaces of the extrusions are pre-treated well.
1. Pre-treat the aluminium surface
In the pre-treatment process, dust, grease and other foreign articles are removed. This way, the technician is able to ensure fine adhesion and that the powder coat will not flake in the future.
2. Apply powder to the extrusion
The technician sprays powder using an electrostatic spray gun. Positive charges cause the powder to bond effectively with an electrically grounded aluminium extrusion.
3. Heat aluminium profiles in a curing oven
At this stage, the technician puts the aluminium extrusions into a big curing oven. This oven bakes them until they have a uniformly-melted coating.
4. Cool the metal extrusions
The technician removes the extrusions from the oven after they are properly baked so that they can cool down. After they cool off, they feature a smooth, hardened coating.
Main Advantages of Powder Coating Extrusions
- Offers you a wide variety of eye-catching, bright colour choices.
- More environmentally friendly compared to liquid paint.
- Coating is thick and bonds to the metal, so it does not chip easily.
What Makes Powder Coating an Environmentally Friendly Option?
One of the biggest reasons powder coating may be more preferable than paint is that there aren’t any harmful solvents or Volatile Organic Compounds. This means there is no potential damage to the environment while the powder is being sprayed. Different from wet paint, waste from powder coating is not toxic. Moreover, the process does not produce a lot of waste due to the fact that any over-sprayed product can be easily collected and used once again.
What Are the Available Colour Choices?
Powder coating offers a wide variety of colours. You will not attain the same aluminium appearance like in anodising, but you can attain a wide variety of beautiful, bright colours and unique textures. When paired with sublimation, it is possible to get aluminium that has a wood-like appearance.
Should You Use Powder Coat Aluminium Extrusions?
The answer to this question depends on the final application and the overall look you want to achieve. If your end goal is to get bright colours or special textures, powder coating is a good option. It’s also a more environmentally friendly method when compared to liquid paint; therefore, that’s another factor to put into consideration.
Edmo specialises in a full range of aluminium extrusion services in the UK, which include powder coating, design support, anodising, fabrication and assembly. We are skilled in turnkey solutions and offer clients support from the start of the project straight through to completion. If you are considering a powder coating project, you should contact us today. We offer antibacterial, architectural, expoxy polyester, expoxy powder, nylon modified, polyester powder and post forming powder coating types.