What is polymer powder painting

Gusevsky Andrey Anatolyevich

Metal door coated with polymer paint.

If you have ever encountered the problem of the formation of corrosion on a metal, and thought about its best quality painting, then you probably heard about powder polymers. The technology is quite common today, but not many people know how the process of applying this material occurs.

In this article we will tell you what polymer powder painting is, and we will reveal the secret of the durability of such a coating.

What is a polymer coating

Powder polymers of different colors.

Polymer painting is a complex technological process that requires special equipment. Initially, the paint is produced in the form of a powder of different colors, which is sprayed onto a metal using electric current, and under the influence of high temperatures binds to it at the molecular level.

In terms of strength and durability, this paint has no competitors, and the only drawback is the high cost of application, especially since you can’t do it yourself and at home.

In order not to be unfounded, let's look at the main competitive advantages of this material, which no other paint has:

• Maximum adhesion to metal surfaces. The paint does not just cover the product, but binds to it and becomes one.
• Durability. The warranty service life of polymer paint is 50 years, but of course, subject to all technological aspects being observed during application.
• Moisture resistant. Polymeric dyes today cover not only decorative metal products, but also the bottoms of a car, and even boats.
• UV Resistance. A painted product can be constantly located under the scorching rays of the sun, and this will not affect its decorative qualities.
• Outward appeal. The polymer coating has a characteristic appearance that can not be confused with any paint. Something similar is obtained when working with hammer enamels, but they are significantly inferior to the polymer in quality.
• High resistance to mechanical damage. Even after a significant deformation of the metal, the paint remains on the surface and does not peel off.
• Chemical solvent resistance. It is very difficult to remove the polymer coating, since no washes and solvents take it even after prolonged contact, the paint will not lose not only its characteristic properties, but also its external qualities.

It is believed that there is no ideal materials in the world. Yes, that’s true, but polymer paint is as close as possible to this definition, and these are not just big words or advertisements.

So, we figured out the characteristics of the coating and you can move on to the necessary equipment and application technology, but before that, we recommend that you watch the video in this article, which shows instructions for working with polymer dyes.

Polymer coating equipment

Caps of self-tapping screws are also coated with resistant polymers.

Equipment for polymer painting is not only a spray gun with which paint is sprayed, but also several other specially equipped cameras (seeDo-it-yourself powder paint oven) It is worth noting that some masters assemble cameras on their own, and on how to do this, a step-by-step guide is published on our website.

That is why we will not go into details of the internal structure, but consider only the main features and purposes of each element that is used when working with polymer paints.

Airbrush

Airbrush for working with polymer powders.

Immediately make a reservation that a conventional spray gun, which is used when working with liquid paints, is not suitable here. The spray gun for polymers has a number of design features, and this is not only a high pressure that can spray a dry dye, but also an electric current.

The principle of magnetic induction is used here. The same as in arc welding machines. That is, the paint tank is connected to the positive cable, and the paint receives a positive charge during application.

In turn, the painted product is connected to the "mass", that is, to the minus. As a result, when the particles of paint collide with the surface, the same induction is formed that connects the molecules of steel and polymer.

Important! It is because of the technology of magnetic induction that only metal products that conduct current can be painted with powder polymers. Paint wood, plastic or ceramic with this paint will not work.

The price of such a spray gun can reach several hundred thousand rubles, and it is the cost of the equipment that affects the prices for painting (seeHow to choose a spray gun and not make a mistake) On the other hand, taking into account the qualitative characteristics of the polymer coating, its cost does not become so high, especially since you do not have to renew or restore the coating throughout its entire life.

It is also necessary to note the speed of applying paint. Despite the high compression power of the spray gun, the application is very slow, and given that the polymer is applied in three layers, the entire coloring process becomes very long.

Spray booth

Sealed spray booth at a large enterprise.

The polymer spray booth is a sealed room equipped with special equipment.

Here are its key elements:

• Sealed doors that prevent dust from entering.
• Bright lamps placed not only under the ceiling, but also on the walls and even the floor.
• Forced hoods. They remove possible dust particles from the room and take away paint that did not get on the product.
• Catch filters. Leave on the surface particles of paint drawn by the hood, which can then be reused.

Of course, handicraft cameras installed in small private workshops rarely meet standards. This is usually a clean room with good light and ventilation. It is important that there are no foreign particles on the product, which means that the room for painting should be clean like a hospital room.

Important! Trapping filters in factory paint booths are capable of retaining up to five percent of the polymer that did not get onto the product during painting. Therefore, if you plan to build your own camera, then remember that filters can significantly reduce the cost of expensive powder paint.

Proper lighting is an element no less important than a hood. When working, the master should clearly see all the nuances of applying paint. If at least one place remains unpainted, this will affect the quality of the entire coating as a whole. This is especially important when applying a varnish that has no color, and it is much more difficult to detect weak spots.

Polymerization chamber

People uninitiated in the intricacies of the process of working with polymer dyes are baffled by the question of how the powder turns into a durable coating. As you understand, even at the stage of coloring, the polymer is not diluted with any diluents.

And the process of transformation is called polymerization.And it happens in special heat chambers, which are heated to a certain temperature and hold it for the necessary amount of time.

The level of heating the camera and the exposure time depends on the paint layer, and for convenience we will present this process in the form of a small visual table:

The internal structure of a professional polymerization chamber.

As you can see, the polymerization process is very long and complicated, but, despite this, some craftsmen construct such cameras with their own hands. In principle, there is nothing complicated here. The main thing is to achieve sealing and the ability to raise the temperature by more than 200 degrees.

The manufacturing process of the polymerization chamber is approximately as follows:

Important! In the process of baking paint, in no case should you open the chamber door. The product must go through a full heating cycle and cool by itself without sudden temperature changes, which ultimately affects the total time spent on painting.

So, we examined the equipment for polymer powder coating, and now it is necessary to describe the application process.

Technology for applying polymer dyes

Spraying polymer powder onto a bicycle frame.

As could be understood from the list of necessary equipment, the polymer dyeing process is very complex (seeHow is powder painting performed?).

We will not describe each of its nuances, and simply conditionally divide it into the main stages:

1. The product is cleaned of dirt, dust and grease, and then thoroughly dried.
2. The product is placed in the spray booth and hung on special hooks in the center of the room to provide a convenient approach from any direction.
3. A mass is connected to the product.
4. Powder is applied.
5. The product is transferred to the polymerization chamber and baked at the desired temperature.
6. The camera itself cools to a temperature of about 100 degrees, after which the product is again sent to the painting area.
7. The next coat is applied and the procedure is repeated.

Thus, all three layers are applied. Incidentally, the last coat of varnish is not always used. It is exclusively decorative in nature, therefore it is used only on products where the aesthetic side of the issue is important.

Polymer paint on closer inspection.

Well, that’s basically it. Now you know what polymer painting, powder painting is and how it occurs.

In conclusion, I would like to say about the price of such a coating - do not save when painting metal. Not a single paint can be compared with powder polymer, and this completely eliminates the amount spent on this.

If you want to do business, and were looking for information precisely for this purpose, then we can confidently say that all the costs of organizing your own workshop will pay off in the shortest possible time, and there are more and more customers every year.