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.

Powder coating aluminum

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.

Step 7: Shipping

After being packaged directly off of the automated line, material is ready to be shipped to end customers throughout the world. Spectrum has delivered products to Japan, Canada, Puerto Rico, Panama and throughout the United States.

shipping painted aluminum