Surface finishes

Powder coating services

We offer several powder coating finishes that improve the strength and wear-resistance of your metal parts. Powder coating is compatible with all metals and available in glossy or matte gloss.

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What is Powder Coating?

Powder coating is the process of applying protective coatings to surfaces by applying dry, electrostastically charged powders of typically thermoset or thermoplastic polymer onto a grounded surface using a specialized spray gun, forming a thin and even coat. Once applied, the coated surface is heated and/or cured to fuse the powder into a durable finish. Powder coating protects metals surfaces from corrosion, scratches, and other types of damage, and also provides a vibrant color finish.

key properties

Surface preparation	Colors*	Glossiness	Cosmetic availability	Thickness	Visual appearance
As machined (Ra 3.2μm / Ra 126μin)	White, Black, RAL and Pantone	Glossy (Above 20 GU)	No	50μm to 150μm	Parts are powder coated directly after machining.
As machined (Ra 3.2μm / Ra 126μin)	White, Black, RAL and Pantone	Matte (Below 20 GU)	No	50μm to 150μm	Parts are powder coated directly after machining.

Powder Coating Specifications

Industry Focus

Aerospace
Agricultural
Architectural
Auto/Truck/Transportation
Chemical
Dental
Electronic
Food
Machine Tool
Marine
Medical
Military
Mining
Oil Field
Optical
Packaging/Converting
Pharmaceutical
Railroad
Semiconductor
Signage

Application Process

Baked
Continuous
Electrostatic
High Velocity
Spray
Thermal Evaporation
Thermal Spray

Pre-Coating Preparation

Coating Removal
Degreasing
Immersion Washing
Spray Washing
Thermal Cleaning
Ultrasonic Cleaning

Part Length

Max: 12 ft

Part Width

Max: 6 ft

Part Height

Max: 6 ft

Intended Application

Decorative
Protective

Part Weight

Max: 2,000 lb

Production Volume

Specialty Production Shop
Prototype
Low Volume
Small Run
High Volume
Large Run
Long Run
Large Scale Production Volume Run

About the Process

Powder coating is a process in which a dry powder paint (either a thermoplastic or thermoset polymer) is applied to a metal surface using electrostatic application. Unlike traditional liquid paint, powder coating does not need a solvent to keep the binder and filler of the paint in liquid suspension. This allows for application of thicker coatings without running or sagging, and the coatings are also tougher as a result.

The powder coating process starts off by electrically grounding the part to be painted, which gives it a net negative charge. After grounding, the paint is sprayed at the part using a corona gun, which applies a positive charge to the powder. The polarization of the two components causes the powder to stick to the metal, where it will remain so long as it is undisturbed.

After the powder has reached a specified thickness on the part, it is cured into a polymeric film using elevated temperatures (~200°C), such as with a convection oven. Thermosetting polymers will crosslink during the curing process to improve performance, but thermoplastic varieties simply flow while heated to form the final coating.

Does Powder Coating Affect CNC Parts Accuracy?

Powder coating does add some thickness to the part, which could affect tolerances if the coating is especially thick. Typical powder coatings add 50-75 microns of thickness.
The baking process for curing powder coated parts can cause some slight warping or distortion, especially on larger or thinner parts. Preheating parts prior to coating can minimize this.
Masking and plugging any machined holes, bores, threads etc prior to coating is advisable to avoid affecting tolerances. The coating buildup could cause issues otherwise.
Powder coating over sharp edges or corners can round them off slightly, again affecting critical tolerances. Masking these areas can prevent this.
In general, any precision-machined surface that requires tight tolerances should be masked if possible prior to powder coating to avoid the coating affecting dimensions.
For most commercial precision, powder coating does not affect tolerances significantly as long as proper masking and curing procedures are followed. But for ultra-high precision work, coatings should be avoided if possible.

Design considerations

Mechanical finishing before powder coating is not usually required as the coating covers and smoothes the surface.
Powder coating typically adds 0.001″ – 0.003″ to each coated surface and slightly rounds edges.
Textured and matte finishes hide scratches and abrasions better than gloss.
Deep pockets and inside corners may not be coated due to the electrostatic process.
Small amounts of powder may accumulate in holes, which may interfere with mating parts and threading. Plugging, redrilling or retapping can optionally be requested.

The Anpllocnc powder coating process

Powder coating is a strong, wear-resistant surface finish that is compatible with all metal materials.

Here’s how to apply powder coating:

Clean parts to remove inorganic contaminants
To enhance performance and quality, pretreat parts with a conversion coating
Rinse and dry parts in an oven
Mask critical areas to prevent tolerance issues
Coat parts with an electrostatic spray gun
Dry parts in an oven to cure the coating

Advantages of Powder Coating

Powder coatings contain no solvents and release little or no amount of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) into the atmosphere. Thus, there is no longer a need for finishers to buy costly pollution control equipment. Companies can comply more easily and economically with the regulations of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
Powder coatings can produce much thicker coatings than conventional liquid coatings without running or sagging.
Powder-coated items generally have fewer appearance differences between horizontally coated surfaces and vertically coated surfaces than liquid coated items.
The wide range of specialty effects are easily accomplished using powder coatings that would be impossible to achieve with other coating processes
Curing time is significantly faster with powder coating as compared to liquid coating.

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