316 stainless steel tube is one of the grades that you might choose to buy. Selecting the right series or grade may be such a hard task. You have to consider several factors. One of the factors you will have to look at is whether the stainless steel you are buying is powder-coated. This article briefly explains this feature:
What is Powder Coating?
One of the cost-effective methods you can use to improve the corrosion resistance of 316 stainless steel tube is coating it. Other ways that can be used to prevent corrosion include the use of corrosion-resistant alloys, which can be so expensive.
Powder coating is a term that refers to the shielding layer, which offers an irrepressible covering to materials and metals which need to be protected from corrosion and its effects. It is a dry coating method, this means that it is firm when applied to the base of the material. This kind of coating comes in different colors, chemical composition, and thicknesses.
Application of Powder Coating
The use of a powder coating spray gun is the most popular way of powder coating. It pushes the powder coating substance at the substrate that is undergoing powder coating. The process also gives an electrostatic charge to the particles. These electrically charged particles aids in the formation of a bond.
The material or metal that has been coated is then put in a curing oven. The curing oven provides the heat that is necessary for the powder to stick together and stick to the base substance without any need for an electrical charge.
Another way of applying the powder coating to a substance is by using a fluidized bed. This process includes the heating of the base metal and then submerging it in a container that has a powder coating substance. After that, the coated material is put in a post-curing stage.
Types of Powder Coating
There are so many varieties of powder-coating that can be used. However, only two categories of powder coating materials exist. These are thermoplastics and Thermosets. The two are discussed below.
Thermoplastics
This type of powder coating material can be put to use for more than one time. This feature makes them of great benefit to removing the coat and other post-curing alterations. These types of materials are also ductile. They, therefore, have a perfect ability to withstand any impact without fracturing. Examples of these materials include polyester, chloride, and nylon.
Thermosets
This is a type of powder coating material that results in cross-links between the molecular structure when they are treated. This type of content is more permanent than thermoplastics. They are less affected by temperature after they have been cured. This feature makes them perfect for high-temperature uses. They are also cheap and affordable than other types of coating.
Types of Metal that Can Be Powder Coated
The powder coating process is ideal for nearly all types of metals. The reason for this is because they can carry an electrostatic charge to have the material necessary in powder coating stick to them. The temperatures that are used in the curing process are also ideal for most metals.