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 Click on a question to see the answer Why consider prepaint? Why is outsourcing the best option? Who should consider prepaint? When should a conversion to prepaint be considered? What does the coil coating process look like? How does the coil coating process work? Can prepainted metal be formed? Does prepainted metal with cut-edge weather well? Can prepainted metal be handled without harming the surface? Can the prepainting process accommodate special designs? Why consider prepaint? There are many reasons to outsource your paint operation.
In today's business environment, the ability to increase profits through increased prices is nearly impossible. Business analysts say the best way to increase profits is to outsource services or lower internal operating costs. With over 30% of the manufacturing maintenance budgets and plant capital expenditures being spent on growing environmental compliance with ever more strict EPA regulations, the need to reduce these and other operations costs is paramount to survival. Coil coating, also referred to as prepaint, is the outsourcing solution. Who should consider prepaint?
Generally, conversions to prepaint occur when other major manufacturing changes are taking place. The time to consider a conversion is when:
How does the coil coating process work? Coil coating is a continuous and highly automated process for coating metal before fabrication. In one continuous process, a coil of metal, up to 72 inches wide moving up to 700 feet per minute, is unwound and both the top and bottom sides are cleaned, chemically treated, primed, oven cured, top coated, oven cured again, rewound and packaged for shipment. More specifically, bare coils of metal are placed on an unwinder or decoiler where the metal is observed for defects. The metal is then cleaned and chemically treated in preparation for painting. Brushes can be used to physically remove contaminants from the sheet, or the metal may be abraded by flap sanders to further enhance the surface. Pretreatments may be used to provide the bond between the metal and the coating, in addition to adding any corrosion resistance. The type of chemical treatment varies with the type of metal being used. After drying, the strip enters a coating room for a coat of primer usually on both sides of the sheet. The pickup roll transfers the coating liquid from the pan to the applicator roll. The liquid is then pumped into the pan, and then overflows back to the supply reservoir, where it is remixed and filtered. The direction of the rotation of the applicator roll plays a part in determining the type of coating. Reverse roller coating, when the applicator roll turns in the opposite direction of the strip, is used to apply thick coatings. Direct roller coating, turning in the same direction as the strip, is used for thinner coatings, 0.5 mils or less. The paint sheet then enters an oven in which the coating is cured at high temperatures for 15 to 30 seconds. The strip exits the oven and is cooled with air and water. A majority of specifications call for two coats (primer and top coat) on each side of the sheet, requiring a pass through a second coater room and oven. The fully painted sheet then exits the second oven and is cooled before inspection and rewind. Since the process allows metals to be finished in one continuous pass, there is flexibility in how the metal is coated and the types of coatings. Organics and inorganics, such as polyesters, epoxies, vinyls, plastisols, acrylics, water-born emulsions, fluorocarbons, dry lubricants, treatment and primer combinations, can be applied. Prepainted coils can also be printed, striped and embossed to create special visual effects. Coil coating provides for controls that are virtually impossible to attain with most other painting processes. Dealing with a flat sheet allows for mechanical cleaning in addition to the spray cleaning. The flat sheet also enables excellent control of coating weights of both the pretreatment and the paint to within a tenth of a mil or less, depending upon the equipment and the paint system being applied. Such advantages, along with the economic and environmental benefits, make coil coating the right choice for many manufacturers. Can prepainted metal be formed? Yes, in fact, prepainted metal can be formed and shaped with a finish that is actually superior to post-paint. This is because post-painted surfaces often suffer from dirt and oil residue, uneven application, and other imperfections. Does prepainted metal with cut-edge weather well? Yes, research has proven that prepainted cut-edge actually holds up better over time than post-painted surfaces, due to prepaint's overall superior surface. It may be hard to believe, but it's true: prepainted metal with cut-edges corrodes significantly less than post-painted metal with no exposed edges. Can prepainted metal be handled without harming the surface? Prepainted metal can be shipped on flatbed trucks, moved using toe motors, stored as coils for long periods -- and still retain a more beautiful and flawless surface than post-painted metal. Hard to believe? It's true: prepainted metal can be handled successfully, without marring the surface. Can the prepainting process accommodate special design and aesthetic needs? Yes, prepainted coils can be printed, striped and embossed to create special visual effects. In many ways, coil coating has limitless design possibilities.many of which are virtually impossible with post-painted metal. |
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