How to Use Powder Coating Machine?

Product manufacturers use powder coating machines to apply a protective and appealing finish to surfaces. This process can be automated or manual, with equipment designed for each approach based on your operations.

Manual powder coating units require the most human input. The skills of the operator largely determine the quality of the finish. A manual approach is a suitable option for small to medium sized operations. Below is a complete guide on how to use a powder coating machine.

Components of a Powder Coating Unit

Understanding the parts of the machine is vital for effective and safe operation. A basic unit consists of:

●       Electrostatic spray gun – Contains the trigger and nozzle.

●       Powder feed system – Ensures consistent delivery of the dry powder to the nozzle.

●       Air supply system – Supplies low pressure air that fluidizes the powder for better flow.

●       Electrical system – Generates high voltage to charge the particles. This causes them to be attracted to the working surface. 

How to Use the Machine

Before using any powder coating equipment, you have to take safety precautions. The process produces fumes, which can cause irritation and other harmful effects.

As such, ensure you wear a respirator, glasses, and gloves. Doing so minimizes your exposure to the fumes.  Your working area should also be well ventilated and free of any open flames.

The next step is surface preparation. The product or part you need to powder coat has to be clean and clear of contaminants to apply a quality finish. The most common contaminants include grease, rust, and dirt. Proper preparation ensures the powder adheres properly to your work piece.

It also helps create a uniform surface. After cleaning, ensure the product dries completely to remove any remaining moisture. You can use masking tape to section off the areas that you don’t need to coat. The finish is permanent so don’t forget this crucial step.

Once the product is ready, secure it for the coating process. You can use customized racks or fixtures to ground and support your work pieces. Grounding is important to prevent electrostatic discharge or sparking.

Now you can feed the dry powder into the hopper. This is the container in the machine that stores the powder material. Manufacturer design the hopper to ensure the powder flow in a controlled manner through the delivery system.

You can utilize various types of powder for your finishing. These include thermoplastic or thermosetting powders, epoxy and polyurethane. The powder feed system will have controls to help you regulate flow. You can adjust parameters such as pressure and flow rate to apply a more precise coating.

The next step is connecting the spray gun to air supply and electrical systems. The machine employs the air supply mechanism for fluidization. During this process, low-pressure air is fed into the hopper to create a fluid bed. Fluidization stops the powder particles from clumping and keeps it flowing freely.

You may now adjust the spray gun settings based on your desired finish. The substrate and the type of powder you use will determine your settings. You can regulate various parameters such as spray pattern, fluid flow rate and electrostatic voltage.

For application hold the spray gun about 6-12 inches from the surface and press the trigger. Always use a light touch when triggering. Move the gun back and forth over the work piece until you have covered all the surfaces with a uniform coat.

Avoid applying excess powder. Let the powder dry to set the finish and achieve the desired results. You can then move the product to a curing oven.

The heat melts the powder particles to form a consistent durable layer over the surface. After the product cools down to safe handling temperature, you can carry out a visual inspection to ensure you have a quality coating.

Summary

A powder coating machine is a user-friendly tool that enables you to apply quality finishes to different products. Numerous industries worldwide leverage these machines to create durable and visually pleasing products. They include the automotive, appliance, electronics, furniture, and aerospace sectors

A powder coating system is a major investment and essential to manufacturing processes. For this reason, the importance of buying high-quality equipment from a reputable supplier cannot be overstated.

RAMSEIER KOATINGS is an industry leading manufacturer and supplier of innovative powder coating systems and equipment. We offer an impressive product catalog that includes automated systems, manual coating units and patented technology products. Our industry experience and advanced production processes enable us to produce cutting edge systems, which serve many global industries.