Pretreating a substrate for powder coating is an important step in the application process. Powder coating a substrate with contaminants on the surface will result in poor performance of the coating. Here is an overview of the pretreatment step for powder coatings:
1. Clean the substrate to remove all contaminants, including soils, oils, oxides, and smut. Titration readings measure the total alkalinity or acidity levels. Even if the titration readings are fine, watch out for sludge or soil buildup in tanks that because it will reduce the cleaning activity.
2. Rinse the substrate to remove any remaining contaminated solutions from the surface. It also adjusts the pH for the next step.
Conversion coatings are a film which changes the physical and chemical nature of the metal surface. A clean surface is required for the reaction. You might need conversion coatings for your application.
Common types of conversion coatings:
For more information about pretreating for powder coatings, read TCI’s Troubleshooting Guide.
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