ISO 9001:2015 CERTIFIEDSt Louis Powder Coating
We offer an automated industrial powder coating line with reciprocating guns (for cost savings), a high production line, as well as a manual line for meticulous parts and small powder coating runs.
Powders in Stock
We carry powder coat supplies
for the following finishes:
- Textured and Wrinkle Finishes
- Chemical Resistant Powders
- High Gloss—Low Gloss
- UV Resistant Powders
- A Rainbow of Colors
Specifications
- Automotive
- Deere
- CAT
- GM
Additional Services
- Masking, Capping, Plugging
- Packaging
- Labeling
Powder coating is a way of applying color to a product and simultaneously giving it a much more durable finish than conventional painting. The most tangible difference between powder coating and painting is painting is a liquid process while powder coating is a dry process.
The process of powder coating happens when small polymer resin particles are electrostatically charged (+) and then sprayed onto parts that are grounded (-). The charged particles are attracted to and subsequently attach themselves to the grounded parts, resulting in a high-efficiency coating process that offers excellent corrosion resistance. The process is finished when the particles are heated to a certain temperature, resulting in a thick, hard finish that is tougher than paints.
Powder coating has been popular in North America for more than 40 years and represents approximately 85% of all painted finishes in the industrial finishing market. Both functional and decorative, it provides desirable visual enhancements performance. Microfinish is an industry leader in the St Louis area and your top choice for St Louis industrial powder coating in Missouri and Illinois.
Advantages & Benefits of Powder Coating
More durable than liquid paint, the primary benefit of powder coating is the corrosion resistance properties it adds to a part that is powder coated. Furthermore, powder coating produces an aesthetically pleasing finish, which is extremely resistant to chipping, scratching and marring. Depending on the selected chemistry, specially formulated powders can include anti-bacterial and chemical resistance properties as well and are available in nearly unlimited colors, effects and textures.
Environmental & Safety Advantages of Powder Coating
Liquid coatings use solvents that release large amounts of VOCs, or volatile organic compounds, and HAPs, or hazardous air pollutants, which can pose a hazard to those applying the liquid coatings, as well as to the environment. Since powder coating contains no solvents, it creates a far safer workplace for those applying the powder coating, and nearly all powder coatings are not declared to be hazardous waste. In fact, powder coating qualifies for the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) program.
Thanks to its dry application process, powder coating is an efficient finishing technique. Overspray material is reclaimed and reused, resulting in reduced waste, waste that can be disposed of safely, with virtually no environmental impact. Because powder coating material can be reclaimed and reused, powder coating material utilization can surpass 95%, which is a much higher percentage than for liquid finishing processes. The entire process of powder coating lends itself to lower operating costs, reduced waste, and safer production environments.
Powder Coating Colors & Applications
When it comes to colors, we can “paint the rainbow.” Microfinish’s St Louis powder coating specialists offer you a vast palette of colors for your powder coated parts to achieve just the look that you want. Compared to other finishing methods, which sometimes don’t have more than one surface effect, a powder coat gives you low, medium and high gloss options, as well as textured and wrinkled finishes. These can be applied to steel, aluminum, iron, or zinc parts. Powder coating is applied to a wide variety of component parts in almost every industry including:
Industries:
|
Components:
|
How The Powder Coating Process Works
Before parts are coated, they are placed on a conveyor line at our Warrenton powder coat finishing facility. The parts are washed to remove light processing oils, loose soils and dirt. They then are treated with iron phosphate and, if required, sealed with a non-chrome seal before they are dried.
Parts are then coated with electrostatic Tribomatic coating spray guns (also called “Tribo” guns) as the powder, which is electrostatically charged, is propelled toward the grounded part through forced air. The part may or may not be preheated, depending on the type of finish desired.
After coating, coated parts enter a large oven for curing. Ovens are heated between 375- and 425-degrees Fahrenheit for 15-25 minutes, depending on the specification of the powder. Once in the cure oven, coating particles melt and cross-link, becoming one continuous coating that gives a high-quality, uniform, and durable finish.
Power Coat Specifications
Microfinish powder coats for Tier I suppliers to General Motors and has been certified by CAT as well as by John Deere, which have some of the most stringent requirements in the industry.
- PACCAR – Compliant with QS-9000 or ISO/TS-16949 requirements
- John Deere – Compliant with JDM F17
- CAT-Compliant with 1E4520H, 1E2731A, 1E1950A, and 1E2001, just to list a few specs
Additional Services
Our full-service industrial St Louis powder coat services don’t just stop at the process level. Microfinish also offers value-added services including masking, labeling and packaging.
Commercial and Industrial Powder Coating
Since powder coating gives products to which it is applied a durable finish, along with virtually any color that is desired, it is the perfect solution for completing commercial and industrial products. Powder coating provides a thick, hard finish that is tougher than paints, making it ideal for heavy-duty applications. One of the main advantages to powder coating is the resistance to corrosion it provides. It also is resistant to chipping, scratching and marring. For these reasons it is a wonderful solution for applying to the following products:
- In the automotive industry, powder coating is great for brackets, seat components, antennas, and locking mechanisms
- For lawn and garden, where products are meant to stand up to the elements, powder coating is good for coating brackets, linkages, and rims and steering components for lawn mowers
- In everyday use, powder coating can be applied to legs for folding tables – think of all the extra bumping around the legs of a folding table has to endure, since a folding table is meant to be taken down and set up multiple times
- For agriculture, powder coating is useful in coating air cleaners, rims, and roll bars
- Office furniture also is notable for needing to be hardy under the conditions of normal use, so powder coating is ideal for locking bars, drawer pulls, legs, and modesty panels
- Overall, powder coating also is excellent for use in coating casters, which are meant for constant contact with the ground under the pressure of weight
Powder coating can include anti-bacterial and chemical resistance properties as well. The application to products is even more appealing because it is available in nearly unlimited colors, effects and textures. With a powder coat you can achieve low, medium and high glosses, as well as textured and wrinkled finishes. These can be applied to steel, aluminum, iron, or zinc parts.
The list above is only a sample of what components Microfinish can coat using powder coating. Contact us with any questions you have about coating your parts and we will work with you to achieve the highest quality results. Microfinish is your top choice for commercial and industrial powder coating in Missouri and Illinois.
Looking for St Louis powder coat, nickel/chrome plating, electroless nickel, e-coating, mechanical finishing or zinc plating services? Look no further! For pricing, call us at (314) 849-8181 and we’ll help you determine the right options for your project. Don’t go elsewhere without getting a powder coating price first from the specialists at Microfinish!
Frequently Asked Power Coating Questions
- Why powder coat?
Powder coating gives parts a durable, aesthetically pleasing finish that is corrosion resistant and extremely resistant to chipping, scratching and peeling. Specially formulated powders can include anti-bacterial and chemical resistance properties as well. Applying powder coating evenly is a lot easier than applying liquid paint evenly.
- What materials can be powder coated?
Metal and any material that can conduct an electrostatic charge can be powder coated. Mild steel, galvanized steel and electroplated steel, aluminum, stainless steel and most other steel alloys can be powder coated. - What finishes are possible with powder coating?
Powder coating allows for not only a smooth finish, but also for hammered, gloss and matte finishes. - What colors are available?
Colors for powder coating are available in hundreds of variations. A powder coating color can even be customized (additional costs may apply). - What makes powder coating environmentally friendly?
Wet paint is flammable and a health hazard to those applying it. Because powder coating is dry, it is safer to store and to apply. Powder coating does not contain any VOCs. Also, there is much less waste in powder coating than in wet painting because powder coating has far less overspray than wet paint.
