Powder Coating Troubleshooting Guide

Chapter Four: Comparisons to Liquid Coatings

Powder coatings have been used more and more since the 1970’s and for many reasons, including environmental, performance, productivity, and economics. Powder coatings are clean, producing almost no VOC’s. In addition, they provide easy clean up with no harmful solvents and produce no harmful waste.

Most overspray can be reclaimed and recycled for greater economic savings over liquids. Much of the application is automated, reducing the cost of labor to coat products. Powder coatings cannot be modified at the customer site, thereby eliminating product inconsistency.

While powders cure at a higher temperature than liquids, they cure more rapidly, saving time and energy. As with most coating systems, preparation is key and powders are no exception. Presently, many cured powder coatings can provide superior finishes to properly pretreated products versus their liquid counterparts.

Advantages of Using Powder Coatings



Environmental:
  • Nearly 0 VOC’s
  • No sludge or solvent disposal
  • Virtually 100% efficient in material use
  • Reduced health, fire, and safety hazards
Performance and Quality:
  • Tougher, more durable coatings
  • More impervious and corrosion resistant
  • More consistent finishes
Productivity:
  • Ease of application
  • Fewer rejected parts
  • Reduced cleanup
  • Fast turnaround
Economics:
  • Lower disposal costs
  • Lower energy costs
  • Lower labor costs
  • Lower reject costs
  • Lower applied materials costs