The number of businesses that use, rely, on or manufacture metal products each day would probably surprise you. In fact, you may struggle to think of one which doesn’t. Over the years, the way businesses have used metals has changed which is why some heat treating companies have flourished in recent times. The scale and variety of uses have never been greater, but with that come challenges. With this in mind, we will look at how metal treatment and coating can help different businesses and, ultimately, their customers.
Pre-treatment cleaning
Making use of older metals, or simply maintaining older equipment to a high stander, allows some businesses to function where others couldn’t. To do this, they often need to work with other businesses to provide metal pre-treatment cleaning. This process can take many forms, including shot blasting or aqua blasting, but the aim is to clean the metal and remove any contaminations thoroughly.
For businesses that manufacture products for clients, keeping their facilities free of contamination is vital to ensuring the final product meets the client’s standards and needs. This includes keeping all metal machinery properly clean and fully functional. While vapor abrasive blasting systems could help in a more aggressive form of metal cleaning, using iron grit can remove rust and mill scale to provide a surface that is ready for further treatment if needed.
Powder coating
One of the treatments which can be applied to metal that has gone through a pre-treatment process is powder coating. This may be one of the most useful processes available to businesses, particularly those in the manufacturing industry, but it is perhaps not as well-known as it should be. Industries that utilize this process will likely make use of sophisticated powder coating equipment to apply the paint in this way.
Using a paint gun powered by compressed air and containing an electrode, dry paint powder is sprayed onto a target piece of metal while also receiving a positive charge. This, combined with the metal being earthed, allows the metal and paint to have a difference in charge and be attracted to each other. Once fully coated, the metal is baked in a curing oven to further strengthen the metal and paint’s chemical bonds. The result is a process that produces a highly durable paint finish, which is significantly stronger than liquid paint. This allows businesses to expose powder-coated metals to more extreme environments without fear of it the paint cracking or the metal being damaged.
Marine coatings
For businesses operating out at sea, the challenges they face can be extreme. The environment they work in is unforgiving, harsh and potentially very dangerous if not managed correctly. For this reason, they need their equipment to perform as it should at all times. Marine coatings play a vital role in this process as they ensure metal parts are protected from corrosion which could compromise the metal’s integrity. Businesses that run ships, offshore operations, or are even based in very close proximity to the sea can all benefit from marine coatings as it can increase the lifespan of the metal they use.
Phosphate coatings
While there are many different types of phosphate coatings available, each with their own benefits, we wanted to focus on one specific benefit which relates to a large number of people and businesses. By using phosphate coatings, manufacturing companies can permit the rapid break-in of moving parts by preventing metal-to-metal contact between the bearing surfaces and increasing the lubrication of treated surfaces. When producing machines that feature metal to metal contact, this is crucial to get right, as no business wants their machines failing and requiring repairs or a full replacement.
Overall, businesses and their clients can really benefit from the use of different coatings. By working with specialist companies who have experience providing these coatings, businesses can be sure they are receiving professional advice and services that will allow them to improve the service they provide to their clients.