IR in Powder Coating
Powder coating is a process of applying paint or other polymer coating to a surface (often but not always metal) and then applying an electrostatic charge to covert the powder into a liquid, which then coats the sirface evenly and uniformly. It is often applied to white goods (appliances etc.), automotive components and industrial parts. Powder coating is growing in popularity as a means to "paint" wood, plastics and even glass.In general, the higher the melt-point of the powder used for coating, the higher durability afforded by the finished coating. Infrared targets powder very well. While some powder coating applications still solely use convection ovens, convection and and added infrared preheating boosting system generally yields a superior finished product. As a processing part enters an oven, it is critical to get the part to the desired temperature as quickly as possible. This allows the reflow of the coating to begin. The quicker the part reaches the target temperature, the shinier and smoother the coating becomes. Hot air is unsuitable for this, as increased air velocity will merely displace the powder. Infrared, with its ability to apply tremendous amount of heat in an instant, helps get the process to melt temperature quickly. And the curing component of powder coating requires few infrared lamps, making it a cost-effective solution as well. Even a small infrared lamp added to an existing convection system can yield these benefits:
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