POWDER TOUR
Step 1: Load Material onto Conveyor
Material enters the coating process from our 5-Stage Dip Chrome Conversion Pretreatment process. Spectrum Metal Finishing’s custom-designed racks minimize rack marks on the material’s exposed surface and allow for the greatest rack density in one pass.
Step 2: Electrostatic Powder Application
The conveyor moves material into a completely closed “clean room,” which uses a state-of-the-art Nordson cycokenetor powder booth consisting of electrostatic spray guns (five on each side) to evenly distribute the powder to its required film thickness. This environmentally friendly procedure is 98% efficient in capturing any excess powder. No solvents are ever emitted into the atmosphere.
Step 3: Manual Powder Application
After the material is coated with powder by the 10 automatic spray guns in Spectrum’s “clean room,” the components pass through a manual application station for the final finish coat. Utilizing a hand touch-up method, applicators apply extra coating to ensure that powder is evenly coated in recessed areas.
Step 4: IR Gel Oven Bake
The material enters Spectrum’s infrared gel oven. The significance of this step is that unlike a conventional oven, there is no air movement to disturb the layer of powder. Up to this point, the powder adheres to the material through a “magnet-like” process.
Step 5: Gas Convection Oven Paint Cure
Directly following the IR Oven, the part enters a gas convection oven, giving it a final thorough cure. Time and temperature in the oven may vary, based on the powder manufacturer’s recommended specifications.
Step 6: Cool, Unload, and Package Material
Our system allows us to let the material continue traveling along a cooling loop, giving the material a chance to harden to perfection. Packaging happens directly at the end of the line.