Have you ever looked at an appliance, outdoor furniture, or a bicycle and wondered how the finish is so smooth? When you paint an item – either with a brush or a spray can – it’s difficult to get it so smooth. There are often uneven lines and drips that dry in place, leaving an imperfect coating.
With that in mind, it’s easy to be stumped at the smooth surfaces you see on manufactured items. However, there is a simple answer: those items aren’t painted. They are powder coated.
What is Powder Coating?
Powder coating is a process through which an item is sprayed with small particles, most often through an electrostatic gun. The powder sticks to the surface, which has been grounded. Once that occurs, there is a final step to smooth the powder: placing it into a powder coating oven.
How Does a Powder Coating Oven Work?
A powder coating oven is designed with heating coils that typically use infrared heat. The heat is directed toward the item through convection heating, which covers the entire object with heat without it having to touch the object. This would be the equivalent of a human enjoying heat in a sauna as opposed to needing to stand directly in front of a heater.
As the heat reaches the powder, the powder melts into a liquid, covers the entire object, and cures in place. The process creates a smooth finish on the object being heated.
Powder coating ovens have become more popular over time as more and more industries see the value of coating their products overpainting them. The process is often used for appliances, automotive parts, and electronics. However, those are just a few of the industries.
Types of Powder Coating Ovens
Powder coating ovens come in various options. For example, you can choose one that is electric or gas. Some are created with conveyor systems while others have cart systems. They come in a wide variety of sizes and durability, depending on the materials used to build the oven.
Additionally, you can choose from custom options, some of which are multi-functional. No matter your oven needs, you can choose a standard option or have one built to your specifications.
Powder coating ovens are an incredible tool for anyone that wants to break into powder coating or is already there. They can help ensure optimal results for your products and make the curing process a simpler one.
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