Powder Coating High Performance Seals

Powder coating components and finished projects is a great method of protection for any kind of metal and it combines durability with an affordable price point. That same strength can lead to major issues if there are issues along the production line, from hanger orientation to over painting and bridging that can occur.

Major Concerns in Powder Coating

Bridging is one of the more common issues that sheet metal fabricators face when using a powder coat finish and it comes from the coating coming up against the mating point. The application process does not allow for as much control and it is easy for the powder to accumulate in edges around the surface of the masking caps or plugs.

While the piece already has to be ground down in order for the powder to remain in place, adding a secondary process either by hand or machine adds time and money most manufactures can ill afford. Another overspray and leakage are similar issues. Overspray comes when the flange isn’t properly sealed to the part and the coating accumulates underneath.

When either of those two occur, the entire tooling can become suspect. Re-tapping holes is an option, but the slight variations in powder coating can make that an iffy proposition. It also just simply adds more energy expenditure, tooling and another thing to inspect and keep from degrading over time.

Solution: Custom Seals with Flanges

There are many things that can add complexity to a powder coating application system. For example, the longer a threaded hole, the more likely it is that a custom part would benefit a manufacturer or fabricator. Of course, ovality and base material are also important considerations.

Still, consider that the most common molding processes are compression molding and injection molding. With the differing benefits and limitations for each including cost, material availability and precision, it can lead to a large number of variables that are especially dependent on the amount of production expected.

Solution: Proper Selection of Powdered Compound and Mask Material

There are hundreds of degrees of difference in the baking temperature of compounds like mica, granite and other powders. The rubber seals you use with your mounting techniques have to be able to withstand that sort of temperature in the oven as well. It can add insult to injury to have seal failure when the coating is being baked if the seal is malformed in any way.

Matching the two eliminates one more potential variable from arising when it comes to designing your powder coating stations. That saves time and money and experienced rubber seal manufactures can provide the right pairing for your application.

Testing, Testing, Testing

Getting things right in your powder coating application can means millions of dollars. To succeed, especially with a metal fabrication project done without a lot initial oversight or a plan, requires the ability to scale the process to potentially tens of millions of units. Even at just a few hundred, baking in (sorry) the use of the right rubber seals or other masking agents means that your production process can be created and refined with the utmost precision for your application.

Contact Us Today

Echo Supply has been in business for more than 50 years, helping companies of all sizes create the custom rubber seals or find the appropriate off-the-shelf solution for their powder coating needs for a variety of sectors. With experience in finishing other types of materials ourselves and a variety of rubber components, we can leverage a breadth of institutional knowledge.

If you’re interested in learning more about how to make your rubber seal project a success, get a custom quote. Our team will connect you with an experienced representative and an engineer to go over your specifications and technical requirements and find the perfect masking solution for your needs.

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