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Powder coating provides durable finish

Powder coating has been used since the early days of powder metallurgy, and has become increasingly popular. It is widely used in industry today because of its numerous advantages, including corrosion resistance, high-quality surface finishing and long-term environment-friendly impact.

The powder coating mechanism is divided into different stages that are essential for smooth and high-quality work:

• Pre-treatment.

• Application of powder coating method (fluidised bed application and electrostatic spray deposition).

• Curing process.

“Turnstar has been operating a modern powder coating line for over 13 years, and none of our powder coating is sent out to sub-contractors. The reasons behind this are that with the process being contained completely in-house, we are able to control quality, lead time and pre-treatment,” says Craig Sacks, CEO of Turnstar.

He explains that pre-treatment is the most critical and the most often overlooked aspect of powder coating, as you can’t see the metal under the cured paint. Turnstar operates an eight-tank pre-treatment plant which degreases, removes rust and scale, and then coats the metal with a multi-metal phosphate. Pictured is a turnstile rotor after the chemical processing. The iridescent coating allows for superior adhesion as well as corrosion protection.

Powder coating is an ideal, environmentally friendly method because it is devoid of all forms of harmful chemicals and solvents containing volatile organic compounds. Furthermore, the powder is applied to the surface and then cured under heat. The excess powder is then recycled, so there is very little waste generated by the process. It also provides the following benefits:

• Achieves a wide range of finishes.

• Protects against scratches, corrosion or fading.

• Is an economical and durable, quality finishing process.

• Gives a consistent colour finish across the component.

• Can produce thicker coatings than traditional liquid coatings.

• Is non-toxic and less flammable, making it environmentally friendly.

For more information contact Turnstar Systems, +27 11 786 1633, craig@turnstar.co.za, www.turnstar.co.za

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