Powder Coat Masking FAQs

When it comes to masking during powder coating, the most commonly used and most effective material you'll see is going to be silicone. Why? Because silicone has excellent heat resistance and can withstand temperatures up to 500F!

To be even more specific, you'll typically see expert masking suppliers use a peroxide-cured silicone that is put through a high-heat post-curing system that accelerates and removes residue, odor, and toxins, as well as improving the characteristics of the materials.

If you're using rolls of masking tape, such as green poly, you can speed up your masking process by switching to custom die-cut tapes.  The worst part of using masking tape tends to be from having to carefully apply and cut to specific shapes.  Die-cuts takes the cutting process out of it and saves your line countless hours

For faster removal, we suggest adding some form of a pull tab.

Custom molded masking solutions are silicone masks designed and manufactured for custom applications, such as masking a specific wheel hub or shock tube.  These are used by mid-to-high volume paint lines that require tight tolerances and fast production speed times.

Silicone tapered plugs are designed to be pushed into threaded holes. The tapered design gives them the ability to mask a small range of different-sized holes.

Silicone pull plugs are designed to mask off threaded through holes, ensuring both sides of the threaded hole are masked off.  These plugs need to be slightly oversized to create an effective seal.

One of the benefits of silicone's high-temperature resistance is that in many cases it can be reused before having to dispose of them.  Unfortunately, when it comes to this question, there is not a one-size-fits-all answer.  Typically, our customers have reported that they're able to get right around 10-20 uses out of them before they toss them out.

If you're unsure how many times you will be able to use them before making a purchasing decision, we recommend testing samples out to see how they perform. The major factors that will contribute towards a masking cap or plugs longevity include:

• Curing oven temperature (the higher the temperature will result in less reusability)
• Time in oven
• Cleaning method of the cap/plug

Paint buildup typically happens because when it hits the masking cap or plug, resulting in buildup around the mask itself.

One of the most efficient solutions to help reduce bridging is to implement a custom mask that provides protection around the grounding area of the transitional spot. There are several designs to achieve this protection, but a common solution is to design a mask with a flange wrapped around at an angle like an umbrella or a skirt.

This question is geared directly towards using a masking cap or plug to hang a component without interfering with grounding.  The only way you're able to effectively do this is by using conductive silicone.  This a material that is created by adding carbon black to the silicone, making it conductive, giving the mask the ability to act as the grounding point.